Floor control method and apparatus

• US 9,949,095 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2017
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Dong, Ying, Liu, Shaofeng, Li, Haiyue, Yang, Xiaobin
• Primary Examiner(s): REGO, DOMINIC E
• Application Number:
  US15/639,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20170303100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 291 Days
• 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 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

An embodiment floor control method includes receiving, by a mission-critical push-to-talk (MCPTT) server over an Long Term Evolution network, a first message sent by a user equipment (UE), where the first message includes an identifier of a group to which a talker corresponding to the UE belongs and a parameter indicating that an event type is a floor request, generating, by the MCPTT server, a second message according to the floor control policy and the first message, and sending the second message to the UE. The method includes receiving a response message of the second message sent by the UE, generating a first instruction message according to the response message of the second message, where the first instruction message is used to instruct a media resource function entity to perform uplink voice switching on a media plane, and sending the first instruction message to the media resource function entity.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a mission-critical push-to-talk (MCPTT) server over a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, a first message sent by a user equipment (UE), wherein the first message comprises an identifier of a group to which a talker corresponding to the UE belongs and a parameter indicating that an event type is a floor request;

generating, by the MCPTT server, a second message according to a floor control policy and the first message, wherein the second message comprises the identifier of the group to which the talker corresponding to the UE belongs and the parameter indicating that the event type is the floor request;

sending, by the MCPTT server to the UE, the second message, wherein the second message instructs the UE to notify the talker to whom the UE belongs that a floor is granted;

receiving, by the MCPTT server, a response message to the second message, sent by the UE;

generating, by the MCPTT server, a first instruction message according to the response message to the second message; and

sending, by the MCPTT server, the first instruction message to a media resource function entity, wherein the first instruction message instructs the media resource function entity to perform uplink voice switching on a media plane.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, by the MCPTT server, a fourth message sent by the UE, wherein the fourth message comprises the identifier of the group to which the talker corresponding to the UE belongs, a parameter indicating that a second event type is a floor release, and a release cause value;

generating, by the MCPTT server, a second instruction message according to the fourth message; and

sending, by the MCPTT server, the second instruction message to the media resource function entity, wherein the second instruction message instructs the media resource function entity to disconnect from the UE on the media plane.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the method further comprises:

sending, by the MCPTT server, a first notification message to a broadcast/multicast service center (BM-SC), wherein the first notification message comprises a temporary mobile group identity (TMGI) and an identity of the talker, wherein the first notification message instructs the BM-SC to notify, using a multicast channel, a device, other than the talker, used by another member, wherein the device is in a multicast area, and wherein the device is in the group to which the talker belongs, of information indicating that a floor of the talker is released, and wherein the identity of the talker is a preset value.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the method further comprises:

sending, by the MCPTT server, a first notification message to a BM-SC, wherein the first notification message comprises a TMGI and an identity of the talker, wherein the first notification message instructs the BM-SC to notify, using a multicast channel, a device, other than the talker, used by another member, wherein the device is in a multicast area, and wherein the device is in the group to which the talker belongs, of information indicating that a floor of the talker is released, and wherein the identity of the talker is a preset value.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

determining, by the MCPTT server, for the talker to release the floor;

generating a fifth message, wherein the fifth message comprises the identifier of the group to which the talker corresponding to the UE belongs, a parameter indicating that a second event type is a floor release, and a release cause value;

sending, by the MCPTT server to the UE, the fifth message;

receiving, by the MCPTT server, a response message to the fifth message, wherein the response message is sent by the UE;

generating, by the MCPTT server, a third instruction message according to the response message of the fifth message; and

sending, by the MCPTT server, the third instruction message to the media resource function entity, wherein the third instruction message instructs the media resource function entity to disconnect from the UE on the media plane.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

sending, by the MCPTT server, a first notification message to a BM-SC, wherein the first notification message comprises a TMGI and an identity of the talker, and wherein the first notification message instructs the BM-SC to notify, using a multicast channel, a device, other than the talker, used by another member, wherein the device is in a multicast area, and wherein the device is in the group to which the talker belongs of information, indicating that a floor of the talker is granted.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

sending, by a multicast endpoint by the MCPTT server, a first notification message to the media resource function entity, wherein the first notification message comprises a TMGI, an identity of the talker, and multicast endpoint information, and wherein the first notification message instructs the media resource function entity to notify, using a BM-SC, a device, other than the talker used by another member, wherein the device is in a multicast area, and wherein the device is in the group to which the talker belongs, of information indicating that a floor of the talker is granted.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

determining, by the MCPTT server, for the talker to be notified of remaining floor duration;

generating a first floor duration notification message, wherein the first floor duration notification message comprises the identifier of the group to which the talker belongs, a parameter indicating that a second event type is a floor timeout, and a remaining floor duration;

sending, by the MCPTT server to the UE, the first floor duration notification message;

receiving, by the MCPTT server, a response message of the first floor duration notification message, wherein the response message is sent by the UE;

generating, by the MCPTT server, a second instruction message according to the response message of the first floor duration notification message, wherein the second instruction message comprises an identity of the talker; and

sending, by the MCPTT server, the second instruction message to the media resource function entity, wherein the second instruction message instructs the UE to notify the talker of the remaining floor duration.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein a message type of the first message or a message type of the second message is an information (INFO) message or a notification (NOTIFY) message.

10. A mission-critical push-to-talk (MCPTT) server, wherein the MCPTT server comprises:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program for execution by the processor, the program including instructions to;

receive a first message sent by a user equipment (UE), wherein the first message comprises an identifier of a group to which a talker corresponding to the UE belongs and a parameter indicating that an event type is a floor request;

generate a second message according to a floor control policy and the first message, wherein the second message comprises the identifier of the group to which the talker corresponding to the UE belongs and the parameter indicating that the event type is the floor request;

send the second message to the UE, wherein the second message instructs the UE to notify the talker to whom the UE belongs that a floor is granted;

receive a response message of to second message sent, wherein the response message is sent by the UE;

generate a first instruction message according to the response message of the second message; and

send the first instruction message to a media resource function entity, wherein the first instruction message instructs the media resource function entity to perform uplink voice switching on a media plane.

11. The MCPTT server according to claim 10, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

receive a fourth message that sent by the UE, wherein the fourth message comprises the identifier of the group to which the talker corresponding to the UE belongs, a parameter indicating that a second event type is a floor release, and a release cause value;

generate a second instruction message according to the fourth message, wherein the second instruction message instructs the media resource function entity to disconnect from the UE on the media plane; and

send the second instruction message to the media resource function entity.

12. The MCPTT server according to claim 11, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

send a first notification message to a broadcast/multicast service center (BM-SC), wherein the first notification message comprises a temporary mobile group identity (TMGI) and an identity of the talker, wherein the first notification message instructs the BM-SC to notify, using a multicast channel, a device, other than the talker, used by another member, wherein the device is in a multicast area, and wherein the device is in the group to which the talker belongs, of information indicating that a floor of the talker is released, and wherein the identity of the talker is a preset value.

13. The MCPTT server according to claim 11, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

send a first notification message to a BM-SC, wherein the first notification message comprises a TMGI and an identity of the talker, and wherein the first notification message instructs the BM-SC to notify, using a multicast channel, a device, other than the talker, used by another member, wherein the device is in a multicast area, and wherein the device is in the group to which the talker belongs, of information indicating that a floor of the talker is released, and wherein the identity of the talker is a preset value.

14. The MCPTT server according to claim 10, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

determine for the talker to release the floor;

generate a fifth message, wherein the fifth message comprises the identifier of the group to which the talker corresponding to the UE belongs, a parameter indicating that a second event type is a floor release, and a release cause value;

send the fifth message to the UE;

receive a response message to the fifth message, wherein the response message is sent by the UE;

generate a third instruction message according to the response message of the fifth message; and

send the third instruction message to the media resource function entity, wherein the third instruction message instructs the media resource function entity to disconnect from the UE on the media plane.

15. The MCPTT server according to claim 10, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

send a first notification message to a BM-SC, wherein the first notification message comprises a TMGI and an identity of the talker, and wherein the first notification message instructs the BM-SC to notify, using a multicast channel, a device, other than the talker, used by another member, wherein the device is in a multicast area, and wherein the device is in the group to which the talker belongs, of information indicating that a floor of the talker is granted.

16. The MCPTT server according to claim 10, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

send, at a multicast endpoint, a first notification message to the media resource function entity, wherein the first notification message comprises a TMGI, an identity of the talker, and multicast endpoint information, and wherein the first notification message instructs the media resource function entity to notify, using a BM-SC, a device, other than the talker, used by another member, wherein the device is in a multicast area, and wherein the device is in the group to which the talker belongs, of information indicating that a floor of the talker is granted.

17. The MCPTT server according to claim 10, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

determine for the talker to be notified of remaining floor duration;

generate a first floor duration notification message, wherein the first floor duration notification message comprises the identifier of the group to which the talker belongs, a parameter indicating that a second event type is a floor timeout, and a remaining floor duration;

send the first floor duration notification message to the UE;

receive a response message to the first floor duration notification message, wherein the response message is sent by the UE;

generate a second instruction message according to the response message of the first floor duration notification message, wherein the second instruction message comprises an identity of the talker, and wherein the second instruction message instructs the UE to notify the talker of the remaining floor duration; and

send the second instruction message to the media resource function entity.

18. The MCPTT server according to claim 10, wherein a message type of the first message or of the second message is an information (INFO) message or a notification (NOTIFY) message.

19. A mission-critical push-to-talk (MCPTT) server, wherein the MCPTT server comprises:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program for execution by the processor, the program including instructions to;

receive a first message is sent by a user equipment (UE), wherein the first message comprises an identifier of a group to which a talker corresponding to the UE belongs and a parameter indicating that an event type is a floor request;

generate a third message according to a floor control policy and the first message, wherein the third message indicates that a floor application of the UE fails, and wherein the third message comprises the identifier of the group to which the talker corresponding to the UE belongs, a parameter indicating that a second event type is floor deny, and a deny cause value; and

send the third message to the UE.

20. The MCPTT server according to claim 19, wherein a message type of the first message or of the third message is an information (INFO) message or a notification (NOTIFY) message.