Group communication

• US 9,154,924 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à.r.l. (f/k/a Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.) (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Original Assignee: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à.r.l. (f/k/a Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.) (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Inventors: Westman, Ilkka, Kuure, Pekka, Paavonen, Tapio, Hyyti, Simo, Leppisaari, Arto
• Primary Examiner(s): Rego, Dominic E
• Application Number:
  US11/528,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20080009303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,295 Days
• Field of Search: 455517-520, 455/90.2, 455/78, 455/79, 455/500, 455/426.1, 455/422.1, 455/416, 455/420, 370/352, 370/389, 370/338, 370/328
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5063 Centrally initiated conference, i.e. Conference server dials participants computer conference organisation arrangements H04L12/1818
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data

Abstract

In order to facilitate group communication using characteristics of a pre-arranged group but not involving all members of the pre-arranged group, a parameter indicating that the group communication is not intended to all members of the pre-arranged group is added by an inviting group member sending a request to a group server, and the group server, in response to the parameter, is configured to not to invite all members to the group communication.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, in a first message, a request to establish group communication by a server via the uniform resource identifier associated with a pre-arranged group, the request relating to the pre-arranged group;

determining whether the request includes a parameter indicating that the group communication is intended for a sub-group of the pre-arranged group, wherein the sub-group comprises less than all of the predefined plurality of members; and

in response to determining that the request includes the parameter, establishing a pre-arranged session for the group communication related to the pre-arranged group and waiting for a second message comprising information on members of the intended sub-group.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the originator of the received request is not a participant of the group communication.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising

receiving a list indicating one or more specifically defined participants;

and

inviting the one or more specifically defined participants indicated in the list in response to receiving the list.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving a participant indication indicating one or more specifically defined participants; and

inviting the one or more specifically defined participants in response to receiving the participant indication.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising

receiving a participant indication indicating one or more specifically defined participants;

checking whether or not the specifically defined participants are members of the pre-arranged group; and

inviting the specifically defined participants that are members of the pre-arranged group.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising

receiving a participant indication indicating one or more specifically defined participants;

checking whether or not the specifically defined participants are members of the pre-arranged group; and

inviting the specifically defined participants in response to all of the specifically defined participants being members of the pre-arranged group.

7. A system comprising:

a user terminal supporting group communication and being configured to trigger group communication relating to a pre-arranged group by sending, in a first message, a request to establish a group communication to a server hosting the pre-arranged group, wherein the pre-arranged group comprises a predefined plurality of members and is associated with a predefined uniform resource identifier, and wherein the user terminal is further configured to add to the request a parameter indicating that the group communication is intended for a sub-group of the pre-arranged group, wherein the sub-group comprises less than all of the predefined plurality of members; and

a server providing pre-arranged group services via the uniform resource identifier and being configured to receive the first message, determine whether the request includes the parameter, and in response to determining that the request includes the parameter, establish a pre-arranged session for the group communication related to the pre-arranged group and waiting for a second message comprising information on members of the intended sub-group.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7, wherein

the user terminal is not a participant of the group communication.

9. A system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the user terminal is further configured to send invitations to a group of specifically defined participants while establishing the pre-arranged session.

10. A system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the user terminal is further configured to send invitations to a group of specifically defined participants after the pre-arranged session has been established.

11. A system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the user terminal is further configured to send to the server a list indicating a group of specifically defined participants, and the server is further configured to invite the specifically defined participants in response to receiving the list.

12. A system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the user terminal is further configured to send to the server an indication of a participant, and the server is further configured to invite the participant in response to receiving the indication.

13. An apparatus comprising:

an operation processor enabling the apparatus to communicate with a group communication service having pre-arranged groups, the operation processor being further configured to cause the apparatus to;

form a first message comprising a request to establish group communication to a server hosting a pre-arranged group, wherein the pre-arranged group comprises a predefined plurality of members and is associated with a predefined uniform resource identifier;

add to the request a parameter indicating that the group communication is intended for a sub-group of the pre-arranged group, wherein the sub-group comprises less than all of the predefined plurality of members, and wherein the parameter indicates to the server that information on members of the intended sub-group will be included in a second message; and

trigger, via the uniform resource identifier, sending a second message for inviting at most the sub-group of members to the group communication.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the operation processor further causes the apparatus to invite specifically defined participants after the group communication is established.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the operation processor further causes the apparatus to invite specifically defined participants by sending, the group communication is established, to the server a second message comprising a list indicating a group of specifically defined participants.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the operation processor further causes the apparatus to invite specifically defined participants by sending invitations to the participants after the request has been sent to the server.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the operation processor further causes the apparatus to invite specifically defined participants by sending an invitation to the server, the invitation containing an indication of one or more specifically defined participants.

18. An apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving a first message comprising a request to establish group communication by a server, the request comprising a uniform resource identifier associated with a pre-arranged group;

inviting means for triggering a process of inviting all the members of the pre-arranged group in response to receiving the request to establish group communication from an inviting member;

means for detecting a parameter in the request, the parameter indicating that the group communication is intended for a sub-group of the pre-arranged group, wherein the sub-group comprises less than all of the predefined plurality of members; and

means for inactivating the inviting means in response to detecting the parameter, wherein inactivating the inviting means comprises waiting for a second message comprising information on members of the intended sub-group.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the apparatus is further configured to receive from the inviting member a second message comprising an indication of specifically defined participants, and the inviting means are configured to invite the specifically defined participants in response to the server receiving the indication.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the apparatus is further configured to receive from the inviting member an indication of group members to whom the group communication is not intended, and the inviting means are configured to invite all other members of the group but not the indicated members in response to the server receiving the indication.

21. A method comprising:

forming a first message comprising a request to establish group communication by a user terminal, the request relating to a pre-arranged group, wherein the pre-arranged group comprises a predefined plurality of members and is associated with a predefined uniform resource identifier;

adding, by the user terminal, to said request a parameter indicating that the group communication is intended for a sub-group of the pre-arranged group, wherein the sub-group comprises less than all of the predefined plurality of members, and wherein the parameter indicates to a server that information on members of the intended sub-group will be included in a second message; and

sending, by the user terminal, the second message, wherein the second message triggers the server to invite only the intended sub-group of members to the group communication.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a user interface for receiving instructions from a user;

a memory configured to maintain information relating to at least one pre-arranged group, wherein the pre-arranged group comprises a predefined plurality of members and is associated with a predefined uniform resource identifier;

an operation processor capable of accessing the memory for storing and obtaining information and configured to be responsive to the user interface by causing the apparatus to perform;

creating a request to establish group communication with members of a pre-arranged group;

adding to the request a parameter indicating that the group communication is intended for a sub-group of the pre-arranged group, wherein the sub-group comprises less than all of the predefined plurality of members; and

sending, via a first message, the request to a server hosting the pre-arranged group,

wherein the parameter indicates to the server that information on members of the intended sub-group will be included in a second message.

23. An apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the operation processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to send the second message comprising a list indicating at least one specifically defined participant.

24. An apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the operation processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to:

create, after the request, a list indicating at least one specifically defined participant to be invited to the group communication; and

send the list to the server hosting the pre-arranged group.

25. An apparatus claimed in claim 22, wherein the operation processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to:

create an invitation indicating one or more specifically defined participants to be invited to the group communication; and

send the invitation, after the group communication is established, to the server hosting the pre-arranged group.

26. An apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the operation processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to:

create at least one invitation indicating a specifically defined participant; and

send the invitation to the specifically defined participant after the request has been sent to the server.

27. An apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to maintain information relating to a pre-arranged group, wherein the pre-arranged group comprises a predefined plurality of members and is associated with a predefined uniform resource identifier;

an operation processor capable of accessing the memory for storing and obtaining information and configured, with the memory, to cause the apparatus to;

receive, in a first message, a request to establish group communication with members of the pre-arranged group via the uniform resource identifier;

determine whether a parameter is included in the request, the parameter indicating that the group communication is intended for a sub-group of the pre-arranged group; and

in response to determining that the request includes the parameter, establishing a pre-arranged session for the group communication related to the pre-arranged group and waiting for a second message comprising information on members of the intended sub-group.

28. An apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the operation processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to:

receive, in the second message, an indication of at least one specifically defined participant for the group communication,

create at least one invitation in response to the indication, and

send the at least one invitation to the specifically defined participant the invitation relates to.

29. An apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein the operation processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to:

check whether or not the at least one specifically defined participant is a member of the pre-arranged group,

in response to the at least one specifically defined participant not being a member, create an error message, and

send the error message to a sender of the indication.

30. An apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the operation processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to:

receive an indication of at least one specifically defined participant in the group communication,

check whether or not the at least one specifically defined participant is a member of the pre-arranged group,

in response to the at least one specifically defined participant not being a member, create an error message,

in response to the at least one specifically defined participant being a member, to create at least one invitation in response to the indication,

send the at least one invitation to the specifically defined participant the invitation relates to, and

send the error message to a sender of the indication.

31. An apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the operation processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to:

receive a list indicating at least one specifically defined participant in the group communication,

check whether or not all of the specifically defined participants in the list are members of the pre-arranged group,

in response to at least one specifically defined participant not being a member, to create an error message,

in response to all of the specifically defined participants being members to create at least one invitation,

send the at least one invitation to the specifically defined participant the invitation relates to, and

send the error message to a sender of the list.

32. An apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the operation processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to:

receive an indication of group members to whom the group communication is not intended,

create at least one invitation to invite all except the indicated members of the group, and

send the at least one invitation to the member the invitation relates to.