System and method for identifying talk burst sources

• US 9,462,426 B1
• Filed: 04/03/2015
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STA Group, LLC
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gonsalves, Mark Conrad, Metzger, Larry R., Khan, Zeeshan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Tan H
• Application Number:
  US14/678,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20160295381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 455/518, 455/519, 455/416, 455/422.1, 455/255, 370/312, 370/352, 370/338, 370/466, 709/227, 709/205
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services

Abstract

According to one aspect, a method includes obtaining, at a client included in a push-to-talk (PTT) system, a plurality of talk bursts including at least a first talk burst and a second talk burst, the first talk burst being associated with a first source included in the PTT system, the second talk burst being associated with a second source included in the PTT system, wherein the plurality of talk bursts are obtained at approximately a first time. The method also includes identifying the first source as a source of interest and determining, after identifying the first source as the source of interest, an identity of the first source. Finally, the method includes processing the first talk burst as having a priority over the second talk burst.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining, at a client included in a push-to-talk (PTT) system, a plurality of talk bursts including at least a first talk burst and a second talk burst, the first talk burst being associated with a first source included in the PTT system, the second talk burst being associated with a second source included in the PTT system, wherein the plurality of talk bursts are obtained at approximately a first time;

identifying the first source and the second source;

identifying the first source as a source of interest;

determining, after identifying the first source as the source of interest, an identity of the first source; and

processing the first talk burst as having a priority over the second talk burst.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the first talk burst as having the priority over the second talk burst includes at least one selected from a group including processing audio included in the first talk burst as having the priority and processing metadata associated with the first talk burst as having priority.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the first talk burst as having the priority over the second talk burst further includes preempting the second source.

4. The method of claim 1 further including:

creating a record, the record including at least the first talk burst;

storing the record in a data storage arrangement associated with the client; and

adding an entry to a mapping table, the entry being arranged to identify at least the first source and the record, the mapping table being stored in the data arrangement.

5. The method of claim 1 further including:

identifying the first talk burst, wherein identifying the first talk burst includes identifying a start of the first talk burst and identifying an end of the first talk burst.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein identifying the start of the first talk burst includes:

determining if a first flag is obtained;

identifying the start of the first talk burst if it is determined that the first flag is obtained;

determining if at least a predetermined number of packets has been obtained within a first predetermined time frame if it is determined that the first flag is not obtained; and

identifying the start of the first talk burst if it is determined that the at least predetermined number of packets has been obtained within the first predetermined time frame.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein identifying the end of the first talk burst includes:

determining if a second flag is obtained;

identifying the end of the first talk burst if it is determined that the second flag is obtained;

determining if valid audio has not been obtained within a second predetermined time frame if it is determined that the second flag is not obtained; and

identifying the end of the first talk burst if it is determined that the valid audio has not been obtained within the second predetermined time frame.

8. Logic encoded in one or more tangible non-transitory, computer-readable media for execution and when executed operable to:

obtain a plurality of talk bursts including at least a first talk burst and a second talk burst, the first talk burst being associated with a first source included in a Push-to-Talk (PTT) system, the second talk burst being associated with a second source included in the PTT system, wherein the plurality of talk bursts are obtained at approximately a first time;

identify the first source and the second source;

identify the first source as a source of interest;

determine, after identifying the first source as the source of interest, an identity of the first source; and

process the first talk burst as having a priority over the second talk burst.

9. The logic of claim 8 wherein the logic operable to process the first talk burst as having the priority over the second talk burst includes at least one selected from a group including logic operable to process audio included in the first talk burst as having the priority and logic operable to process metadata associated with the first talk burst as having priority.

10. The logic of claim 8 wherein the logic operable to process the first talk burst as having the priority over the second talk burst is further operable to preempt the second source.

11. The logic of claim 8, wherein the logic is further operable to:

create a record, the record including at least the first talk burst;

store the record in a data storage arrangement; and

add an entry to a mapping table, the entry being arranged to identify at least the first source and the record, the mapping table being stored in the data storage arrangement.

12. The logic of claim 8 further operable to:

identify the first talk burst, wherein the logic operable to identify the first talk burst is further operable to identify a start of the first talk burst and to identify an end of the first talk burst.

13. The logic of claim 12 wherein the logic operable to identify the start of the first talk burst is further operable to:

determine if a first flag is obtained;

identify the start of the first talk burst if it is determined that the first flag is obtained;

determine if at least a predetermined number of packets has been obtained within a first predetermined time frame if it is determined that the first flag is not obtained; and

identify the start of the first talk burst if it is determined that the at least predetermined number of packets has been obtained within the first predetermined time frame.

14. The logic of claim 12 wherein the logic operable to identify the end of the first talk burst is further operable to:

determine if a second flag is obtained;

identify the end of the first talk burst if it is determined that the second flag is obtained;

determine if valid audio has not been obtained within a second predetermined time frame if it is determined that the second flag is not obtained; and

identify the end of the first talk burst if it is determined that the valid audio has not been obtained within the second predetermined time frame.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a communications interface, the communications interface configured to obtain a plurality of talk bursts including at least a first talk burst and a second talk burst, the first talk burst being associated with a first source included in a push-to-talk (PTT) system, the second talk burst being associated with a second source included in the PTT system, wherein the plurality of talk bursts are obtained at approximately a first time; and

logic configured to be executed by the processor, the logic including a talk burst identification module, the talk burst identification module being arranged recognize the first source and the second source, to identify the first source as a source of interest, to determine an identity of the first source if the first source is identified as the source of interest, and to process the first talk burst as having a priority over the second talk burst.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the apparatus is a client included in the PTT system.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 further including:

a data storage arrangement, wherein the logic further includes a mapping table module, the mapping table module being arranged to create a record including at least the first talk burst, to store the record in the data storage arrangement, and to add an entry arranged to identify the first source and the record to a mapping table, the mapping table being stored in the data storage arrangement.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the talk burst identification module is further arranged to identify the first talk burst by identifying a start of the first talk burst and an end of the first talk burst.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the talk burst identification module is arranged to identify the start of the first talk burst by determining if a first flag is obtained, identifying the start of the first talk burst if it is determined that the first flag is obtained, determining if at least a predetermined number of packets has been obtained within a first predetermined time frame if it is determined that the first flag is not obtained, and identifying the start of the first talk burst if it is determined that the at least predetermined number of packets has been obtained within the first predetermined time frame.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the talk burst identification module is arranged to identify the end of the first talk burst by determining if a second flag is obtained, identifying the end of the first talk burst if it is determined that the second flag is obtained, determining if valid audio has not been obtained within a second predetermined time frame if it is determined that the second flag is not obtained, and identifying the end of the first talk burst if it is determined that the valid audio has not been obtained within the second predetermined time frame.