System, method, and apparatus for floor control during push to talk

• US 10,951,670 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2016
• Issued: 03/16/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Li, Yunxi, Folke, Mats, Karout, Johnny, Lu, Qianxi, Song, Xinghua, Wanstedt, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Dean, Raymond S
• Application Number:
  US15/565,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20180077208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,804 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4046 with distributed floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• 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

Abstract

There is disclosed herein systems, methods, and apparatuses for floor control in a push to talk communication session. According to certain embodiments, a method for floor control comprises, prior to transmitting a first message to one or more wireless devices, determining, at a first wireless device, a priority of the first message. The method also comprises determining, at the first wireless device, whether a floor is available for transmitting the first message based on the determined priority of the first message. The method additionally includes, upon the floor being available, transmitting the first message from the first wireless device to the one or more wireless devices. The method additionally includes transmitting the first message from the first wireless device without the first wireless device first requesting the floor from a remote floor controller.

Claims

1. A method for floor control, the method comprising:

prior to transmitting a first message to one or more wireless devices, determining, at a first wireless device, a priority of the first message;

determining, at the first wireless device, whether a floor is available for transmitting the first message based on the determined priority of the first message;

determining, at the first wireless device, that the floor is held by a second wireless device of the one or more wireless devices;

determining, at the first wireless device, that the determined priority of the first message is greater than a priority of the current floor holder;

overriding, at the first wireless device, the current floor holder to make the floor available at the first wireless device; and

upon the floor being available, transmitting the first message from the first wireless device to the one or more wireless devices without sending a floor request message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is transmitted from the first wireless device without the first wireless device first requesting the floor from a remote floor controller.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the first wireless device, a second message from a second wireless device while the first wireless device is holding the floor, the second wireless device one of the one or more wireless devices;

determining, at the first wireless device, a priority of the second wireless device based on the second message; and

upon the priority of the second wireless device being greater than the priority of the first message, releasing the floor.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the first wireless device, a second message from a second wireless device, the second wireless device one of the one or more wireless devices;

determining, at the first wireless device, a priority of the second wireless device based on the second message; and

updating, at the first wireless device, a database with the determined priority of the second wireless device, the database comprising a determined priority for each of the one or more wireless devices for which a message has been received at the first wireless device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message comprises an identification of the first wireless device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the floor is available comprises:

determining, at the first wireless device, when a last transmission was received from a second wireless device of the one or more wireless devices;

upon the last transmission being received by the first wireless device before a first threshold, determining that the second wireless device currently holds the floor; and

upon the last transmission being received by the first wireless device after a first threshold, determining that the second wireless device has released the floor.

7. A wireless device for floor control, the wireless device comprising:

a processor configured to;

prior to transmitting a first message to one or more wireless devices, determine a priority of the first message; and

determine whether a floor is available for transmitting the first message based on the determined priority of the first message;

determine that the floor is held by a second wireless device of the one or more wireless devices;

determine that the determined priority of the first message is greater than a priority of the current floor holder; and

override the current floor holder to make the floor available at the wireless device; and

a wireless interface coupled to the processor and configured to, upon the floor being determined available, transmit the first message to the one or more wireless devices without sending a floor request message.

8. The wireless device of claim 7, wherein the first message is transmitted without the wireless device first requesting the floor from a remote floor controller.

9. The wireless device of claim 7, wherein:

the interface is further configured to receive a second message from a second wireless device while the wireless device is holding the floor, the second wireless device one of the one or more wireless devices; and

the processor is further configured to;

determine a priority of the second wireless device based on the second message; and

upon the priority of the second wireless device being greater than the priority of the first message, release the floor.

10. The wireless device of claim 7, wherein:

the interface is further configured to receive a second message from a second wireless device, the second wireless device one of the one or more wireless devices; and

the processor is further configured to;

determine a priority of the second wireless device based on the second message; and

update a database with the determined priority of the second wireless device, the database comprising a determined priority for each of the one or more wireless devices for which a message has been received by the interface.

11. The wireless device of claim 7, wherein the first message comprises an identification of the wireless device.

12. The wireless device of claim 7, wherein the processor configured to determine if the floor is available is further configured to:

determine when a last transmission was received from a second wireless device of the one or more wireless devices;

upon the last transmission being received by the wireless device before a first threshold, determine that the second wireless device currently holds the floor; and

upon the last transmission being received by the wireless device after a first threshold, determine that the second wireless device has released the floor.

13. A wireless device for floor control, the wireless device comprising a processor and computer readable storage media, the storage media containing instructions executable by the processor, whereby the wireless device is operative to:

prior to transmitting a first message to one or more wireless devices, determine a priority of the first message;

determine whether a floor is available for transmitting the first message based on the determined priority of the first message;

determine that the floor is held by a second wireless device of the one or more wireless devices;

determine that the determined priority of the first message is greater than a priority of the current floor holder; and

override the current floor holder to make the floor available at the wireless device; and

upon the floor being determined available, transmit the first message to the one or more wireless devices without sending a floor request message.

14. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein the first message is transmitted without first requesting the floor from a remote floor controller.

15. The wireless device of claim 13, further operative to:

receive a second message from a second wireless device while the wireless device is holding the floor, the second wireless device one of the one or more wireless devices;

determine a priority of the second wireless device based on the second message; and

upon the priority of the second wireless device being greater than the priority of the first message, release the floor.

16. The wireless device of claim 13, further operative to:

receive a second message from a second wireless device, the second wireless device one of the one or more wireless devices;

determine a priority of the second wireless device based on the second message; and

update a database with the determined priority of the second wireless device, the database comprising a determined priority for each of the one or more wireless devices for which a message has been received by the wireless device.

17. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein the first message comprises an identification of the wireless device.

18. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein the wireless device, operative to determine if the floor is available, is operative to:

determine when a last transmission was received from a second wireless device of the one or more wireless devices;

upon the last transmission being received by the wireless device before a first threshold, determine that the second wireless device currently holds the floor; and

upon the last transmission being received by the wireless device after a first threshold, determine that the second wireless device has released the floor.