Communication device for joining a user to a group call in a group communication network

• US 20030153342A1
• Filed: 02/14/2002
• Published: 08/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Rosen, Eric C., Maggenti, Mark, Crockett, Douglas M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,898,436 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/519
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/30 for supporting lawful interception, monitoring or retaining of communications or communication related information circuit switched telephony call monitoring H04M3/2281
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data

Abstract

A method and apparatus for joining a user to a call in a group communication network provides for receiving an indication from a user who wishes to initiate a group call and sending a request to a server to add the user to the group call if the group call is in progress. The method and apparatus also provides for receiving a response from the server indicating that the group call is in progress, alerting the user of being added to the group call, and receiving media from the server after a traffic channel is re-established. The method and apparatus also provides for a significant reduction in the actual total dormancy wakeup time and latency by exchanging group call signaling even when mobiles are dormant and no traffic channel is active.

Claims

1. In a communication device, a method for adding a user to a group call in a group communication network, the method comprising:

receiving an indication from a user who wishes to initiate a group call; and

sending a request to a server to add the user to the group call if the group call is in progress.

2. The method of claim 1, further including receiving a response from the server indicating that the group call is in progress.

3. The method of claim 2, further including:

alerting the user of being added to the group call;

receiving media from the server after a traffic channel is re-established.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said sending includes transmitting the request on a reverse access channel (R-ACH) of a wireless network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said sending includes transmitting the request on a reverse enhanced access channel (R-EACH) of a wireless network.

6. The method of claim 1, further including re-establishing traffic channel for the communication device.

7. The method of claim 1, further including re-establishing traffic channel for the communication device simultaneously with said sending the request.

8. The method of claim 1, further including renegotiating a radio link protocol (RLP) for the communication device.

9. The method of claim 1, further including renegotiating a radio link protocol (RLP) for the communication device simultaneously with said sending the request.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said sending includes transmitting the request in short data burst (SDB) form.

11. In a communication device, a computer-readable medium embodying a method for adding a user to a group call in a group communication network, the method comprising:

receiving an indication from a user who wishes to initiate a group call; and

sending a request to a server to add the user to the group call if the group call is in progress.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the method further includes receiving a response from the server indicating that the group call is in progress.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the method further includes:

alerting the user of being added to the group call;

receiving media from the server after a traffic channel is re-established.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said sending includes transmitting the request on a reverse access channel (R-ACH) of a wireless network.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said sending includes transmitting the request on a reverse enhanced access channel (R-EACH) of a wireless network.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the method further includes re-establishing traffic channel for the communication device.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the method further includes re-establishing traffic channel for the communication device simultaneously with said sending the request.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said method further includes renegotiating a radio link protocol (RLP) for the communication device.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said method further includes renegotiating a radio link protocol (RLP) for the communication device simultaneously with said transmitting the request.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said sending includes transmitting the request in short data burst (SDB) form.

21. A communication device for adding a user to a group call in a group communication network, the method comprising:

receiving an indication from a user who wishes to initiate a group call; and

sending a request to a server to add the user to the group call if the group call is in progress.

22. The communication device of claim 21, further including means for receiving a response from the server indicating that the group call is in progress.

23. The communication device of claim 22, further including:

means for alerting the user of being added to the group call;

means for receiving media from the server after a traffic channel is re-established.

24. The communication device of claim 21, wherein said means for sending includes means for transmitting the request on a reverse access channel (R-ACH) of a wireless network.

25. The communication device of claim 21, wherein said means for sending includes means for transmitting the request on a reverse enhanced access channel (R-EACH) of a wireless network.

26. The communication device of claim 21, further including means for re-establishing traffic channel for the communication device.

27. The communication device of claim 21, further including means for re-establishing traffic channel for the communication device simultaneously with said sending the request.

28. The communication device of claim 21, further including means for renegotiating a radio link protocol (RLP) for the communication device.

29. The communication device of claim 21, further including means for renegotiating a radio link protocol (RLP) for the communication device simultaneously with said transmitting the request.

30. The communication device of claim 21, wherein said means for sending includes means for transmitting the request in short data burst (SDB) form.

31. A communication device for adding a user to a group call in a group communication network, comprising:

a receiver;

a transmitter; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the receiver and the transmitter, the processor being capable of;

receiving an indication from a user who wishes to initiate a group call; and

sending a request to a server to add the user to the group call if the group call is in progress.

32. The communication device of claim 31, the processor further being capable of receiving a response from the server indicating that the group call is in progress.

33. The communication device of claim 31, the processor further being capable of:

alerting the user of being added to the group call; and

receiving media from the server after a traffic channel is re-established.

34. The communication device of claim 31, the processor further being capable of transmitting the request on a reverse access channel (R-ACH) of a wireless network.

35. The communication device of claim 31, the processor further being capable of transmitting the request on a reverse enhanced access channel (R-EACH) of a wireless network.

36. The communication device of claim 31, the processor further being capable of re-establishing traffic channel for the communication device.

37. The communication device of claim 31, the processor further being capable of re-establishing traffic channel for the communication device simultaneously with said sending the request.

38. The communication device of claim 31 the processor further being capable of renegotiating a radio link protocol (RLP) for the communication device.

39. The communication device of claim 31, the processor further being capable of renegotiating a radio link protocol (RLP) for the communication device simultaneously with said transmitting the request.

40. The communication device of claim 31, the processor further being capable of transmitting the request in short data burst (SDB) form.