Dynamic allocation of radio resources in a packet switched communications-system

• US 20050286473A1
• Filed: 08/09/2005
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Original Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Inventors: Stubbs, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,463,707 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0866 using a dedicated channel for access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

Voice and/or image data packets are transferred by a packet handler between user stations in a GSM-type mobile communications system using a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) data link. Control data for controlling a call is stored in a data store accessible by the packet handler. The control data identifies call participants and the identity of a participant who has currently seized the call. A mobile station capable of video conferencing is operable in a half-duplex video conferencing mode, in which intermittent transmission of video data is controlled by depression of a transmit button.

Claims

1. A method of controlling communication between user stations using a mobile communications system having a radio interface, and a data packet handler coupled to a packet data network, the method comprising:

holding control data, wherein the control data indicates a state of a call between a first user station and a second user station;

dynamically assigning radio resources for the transfer of data packets carrying call data for the call over the radio interface, such that the amount of radio resources assigned varies in accordance with the amount of call data to be transferred at different points in the call; and

controlling the transfer of data packets between a first and a second user station in accordance with the control data.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control data indicates the existence of the call.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control data indicates identities of the participants in the call.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control data indicates the seizure of the call by a user station.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a call setup request from the first user station at the data packet handler, and transmitting a call setup confirmation message to the first user station.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising transmitting a call setup message to the second user station from the data packet handler, and transmitting the call setup confirmation message after an acknowledgement is received from the second user station.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising accessing a data store from the data packet handler to determine an address of the second user station in order to address data packets to be transmitted thereto.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising seizure of the call by the first user station.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising controlling the transfer to prevent the transfer of data packets to the first user station when the first user station has seized the call.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising granting call seizure to the second user station when the first user station no longer has seizure of the call.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising copying data packets received from the first user station for transmission to a plurality of call participant user stations including the second user station.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control data is held in a data store accessible by the data packet handler.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mobile communications system is a GSM-type mobile communications system, the method further comprising:

receiving data packets at the data packet handler from a first user station via a GPRS data link.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mobile communications system is a GSM-type mobile communications system, the method further comprising:

transmitting data packets from the data packet handler to a second user station via a GPRS data link.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mobile communications system is a GSM-type mobile communications system, and wherein the data packet handler is connected to a GPRS support node.

16. A mobile station adapted to communicate with a data packet handler during participation in a call in which another user station is participating, the mobile station comprising:

a resource request system configured to dynamically request resources for the transmission of data packets carrying call data over the radio interface, such that the amount of radio resources requested varies in accordance with the amount of call data to be transmitted at different points in the call; and

a data transceiver configured to transmit and receive control data to and from the data packet handler to signal call-related control functions.

17. A method of conducting communications between user stations using a mobile communications system, wherein each user station comprises a camera for picking up an image of the user and a display for displaying an image of a remote party, the method comprising establishing a data transfer connection between the user stations, and controlling the connection in a half-duplex mode such that a user station may perform one of either only receiving or only transmitting image data for a first period sufficient to receive or transmit image data forming an image, and perform the other of only receiving or only transmitting image data for a second period following the first period and sufficient to transmit or receive image data forming an image.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the image data transmitted and received during the first and second periods forms a complete image of the user or a remote party.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the image data comprises video image data, and wherein the length of the period of transmission is variable by the user of the user station.

20. The method in accordance with claim 17, wherein one of the first and second periods is selected for transmitting image data by the user actuating a switch on the mobile station.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the selected period is defined by a period for which the switch is manually held by the user

22. The method according to claim 20, further comprising storing a group identifier in a data store for transmission in association with the image data, thereby enabling the image data to be transmitted to a plurality of recipient user stations.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the image data is video image data.

24. A mobile communications station having a group dispatch mode of operation, the station comprising a camera for image data capture and an image data transmitter for transmitting the captured image data in the group dispatch mode.