Method and system for group call service

• US 20030048764A1
• Filed: 06/29/2001
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Grilli, Francesco, Diep, David
• Granted Patent: US 6,963,543 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/335
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

A method and system for group call services in a CDMA radio access network over a GSM-MAP or ANSI-41 core network are presented. The method and system provide for call setup, call notification, and call termination in the air interface of the CDMA radio access network. The necessary modification to the traffic and signaling channels for the CDMA radio network as well as new call flow messages are provided.

Claims

1. A method for providing group call service in a communication network comprising a core network and a CDMA radio access network, the method comprising:

sending an indication about status of a reverse link channel to a number of members of a group;

receiving a request for the reverse link channel from a plurality of the number of members of the group; and

granting the reverse link channel to one of the plurality of the number of members of the group.

2. The method of claim 1 further including:

releasing the reverse link channel by a member of the group if the member of the group was using the reverse link channel.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the core network is based on GSM technology.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the core network is based on ANSI-41 technology.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the indication is broadcasted to the number of members in the group.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the indication is sent to the number of members in the group individually.

7. A method for providing group call service between a talker and a number of listeners in a group in a communication network comprising a core network and a CDMA radio access network, the method comprising:

transmitting traffic information from the talker to a base station;

receiving the transmitted traffic information by the base station; and

broadcasting the traffic information received by the base station to the number of listeners in the group.

8. The method of claim 7 further including:

transmitting power control information from the base station to the talker.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the core network is based on GSM technology.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the core network is based on ANSI-41 technology.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the broadcasting is by a forward broadcast channel.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the broadcasting includes multiplexing traffic and signaling information.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the transmitting power control information is by a forward fundamental channel.

14. A method for providing group call service in a communication network comprising a core network and a CDMA radio access network, the method comprising:

receiving an indication from a member of a group requesting to talk to a number of members of the group;

setting up a call for the member, thereby granting the member talker status; and

notifying the number of members in the group that the member is granted talker status.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the receiving includes receiving an indication that the member has pushed a “

push-to-talk”

button.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the notifying includes notifying the members of the group individually.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the notifying includes sending an individual notification that contains an identification of the group and an individual identification of the members of the group.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the notifying includes notifying the members of the group collectively.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the notifying includes broadcasting a notification that contains an identification of the group.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the notifying includes broadcasting a notification on a channel that is directed to the group.

21. The method of claim 14 wherein the core network is based on GSM technology.

22. The method of claim 14 wherein the core network is based on ANSI-41 technology.

23. A method for providing group call service between a talker and a number of listeners in a group in a communication network comprising a core network and a CDMA radio access network, the method comprising:

sending traffic information from the talker to a base station on a reverse fundamental channel;

sending signaling information between the talker and the base station on a dedicated control channel; and

sending power control information from the base station to the talker on a forward fundamental channel.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the core network is based on GSM technology.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the core network is based on ANSI-41 technology.

26. A method for providing group call service between a talker and a number of listeners in a group in a communication network comprising a core network and a CDMA radio access network, the method comprising:

sending broadcast traffic information from a base station to the number of listeners in the group on a forward broadcast channel; and

sending signaling information between the base station and the number of listeners in the group on a signaling channel.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the control channel includes a dedicated control channel.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the control channel includes a common control channel.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the control channel includes a broadcast channel

30. The method of claim 26 wherein the core network is based on GSM technology.

31. The method of claim 26 wherein the core network is based on ANSI-41 technology.

32. A method for sending information to a number of members of a group in a communication network comprising a core network and a CDMA radio access network, the method comprising:

broadcasting the information to the number of members of the group for a predetermined time period; and

repeating the broadcasting if at least one of the members of the group has responded to the information before the predetermined period of time expires.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising replacing the predetermined time period with a shorter predetermined time period if a predetermined number of members of the group have responded to the information before the predetermined period of time expires.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein the core network is based on GSM technology.

35. The method of claim 32 wherein the core network is based on ANSI-41 technology.

36. An apparatus for providing group call service in a communication network comprising core network and a CDMA radio access network, the apparatus comprising:

means for sending an indication about status of a reverse link channel to a number of members of a group;

means for receiving a request for the reverse link channel from a plurality of the number of members of the group; and

means for granting the reverse link channel to one of the plurality of the number of members of the group.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the core network is based on GSM technology.

38. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the core network is based on ANSI-41 technology.

39. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the indication is broadcasted to the number of members in the group.

40. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the indication is sent to the number of members in the group individually.

41. An apparatus for providing group call service between a talker and a number of listeners in a group in a communication network comprising a core network and a CDMA radio access network, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving traffic information from the talker; and

means for broadcasting the traffic information received by the base station to the number of listeners in the group.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 further including:

means for transmitting power control information from the base station to the talker.

43. The method of claim 41 wherein the core network is based on GSM technology.

44. The method of claim 41 wherein the core network is based on ANSI-41 technology.

45. An apparatus for providing group call service in a communication network comprising a core network and a CDMA radio access network, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving an indication from a member of a group requesting to talk to a number of members of the group;

means for setting up a call for the member, thereby granting the member talker status; and

means for notifying the number of members in the group that the member is granted talker status.

46. The apparatus of claim 45 wherein the means for receiving includes means for receiving an indication that the member has pushed a “

push-to-talk”

button.

47. An apparatus for sending information to a number of members of a group in a communication network comprising a core network and a CDMA radio access network, the apparatus comprising:

means for broadcasting the information to the number of members of the group for a predetermined time period; and

means for repeating the broadcasting if at least one of the members of the group has responded to the information before the predetermined period of time expires.

48. The apparatus of claim 47 further comprising means for replacing the predetermined time period with a shorter predetermined time period if a predetermined number of members of the group have responded to the information before the predetermined period of time expires.

49. A computer-readable medium embodying a method for providing group call service in a communication network comprising a core network and a CDMA radio access network, the method comprising:

sending an indication about status of a reverse link channel to a number of members of a group;

receiving a request for the reverse link channel from a plurality of the number of members of the group; and

granting the reverse link channel to one of the plurality of the number of members of the group.

50. A computer-readable medium embodying a method for providing group call service in a communication network comprising a core network and a CDMA radio access network, the method comprising:

receiving an indication from a member of a group requesting to talk to a number of members of a group;

setting up a call for the member, thereby granting the member talker status; and

notifying the number of members in the group that the member is granted talker status.

51. A computer-readable medium embodying a method for sending information to a number of members of a group in a communication network comprising a core network and a CDMA radio access network, the method comprising:

broadcasting the information to the number of members of the group for a predetermined time period; and

repeating the broadcasting if at least one of the members of the group has responded to the information before the predetermined period of time expires.

52. An apparatus for providing group call service in a communication network comprising core network and a CDMA radio access network, the apparatus comprising:

a transmitter adapted to send an indication about status of a reverse link channel to a number of members of a group;

a receiver adapted to receive a request for the reverse link channel from a plurality of the number of members of the group; and

a processor adapted to grant the reverse link channel to one of the plurality of the number of members of the group.

53. The apparatus of claim 52 wherein the core network is based on GSM technology.

54. The apparatus of claim 52 wherein the core network is based on ANSI-41 technology.

55. An apparatus for providing group call service in a communication network comprising a core network and a CDMA radio access network, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver adapted to receive an indication from a member of a group requesting to talk to a number of members of the group;

a processor adapted to set up a call for the member, thereby granting the member talker status; and

a transmitter adapted to notify the number of members in the group that the member is granted talker status.

56. The apparatus of claim 55 wherein the receiver is further adapted to receive an indication that the member has pushed a “

push-to-talk”

button.

57. An apparatus for sending information to a number of members of a group in a communication network comprising a core network and a CDMA radio access network, the apparatus comprising:

a transmitter adapted to broadcast the information to the number of members of the group for a predetermined time period; and

a processor adapted to repeat the broadcasting if at least one of the members of the group has responded to the information before the predetermined period of time expires.

58. The apparatus of claim 57 further comprising means for replacing the predetermined time period with a shorter predetermined time period if a predetermined number of members of the group have responded to the information before the predetermined period of time expires.