TIME-SHIFTING FOR PUSH TO TALK VOICE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

• US 20090258608A1
• Filed: 12/16/2008
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Voxer IP LLC (Voxer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rebelvox LLC (Voxer, Inc.)
• Inventors: RANNEY, Matthew J., PANTTAJA, James T., PANTTAJA, Mary G., KATIS, Thomas E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,401,583 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/90.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• 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

A method for providing on a Push To Talk (PTT) communication network time-shifting capabilities to a user of a PTT communication device. The method involves progressively receiving time-based media at a node on the PTT communication network from a sending device and progressively storing the received time-based media in a time-shifting buffer located at the node as the time-based media is progressively received. In response to rendering control instructions received from the user of the PTT communication device, the method further includes controlling the rendering of the time-based media at the PTT communication device in either (i) a near real-time mode as the time-based media is progressively received at the node or (ii) in a time shifted mode at an arbitrary later time after the receipt and storage of the time-based media in the time-shifting buffer. If the received rendering control instructions indicate the PTT user would like to review the media in the near real-time mode, the method further involves progressively transmitting the time-based media to the PTT communication device as the time-based media is progressively received at the node. If the received rendering instructions indicate the time-shifted mode, then the time-based media is progressively transmitted from the time-shifting buffer to the PTT communication device at the arbitrary later time.

Claims

1. A method for providing on a Push To Talk (PTT) communication network time-shifting capabilities to a user of a PTT communication device, comprising:

progressively receiving time-based media at a node on the PTT communication network from a sending device;

progressively storing the received time-based media in a time-shifting buffer located at the node as the time-based media is progressively received;

receiving rendering control instructions from the user of the PTT communication device, the rendering control instructions requesting the time based media progressively received at the node on the PTT communication network to be rendered at the PTT communication device of the user either;

(i) in a near real-time mode as the time-based media is progressively received at the node;

or

(ii) at an arbitrary later time after the receipt and storage of the time-based media in the time-shifting buffer; and

a transmitter configured to either (a) progressively transmit the time-based media to the PTT communication device over the PTT communication network as the time-based media is progressively received at the node in response to rendering control instruction (i) or (b) progressively transmit the time-based media over the PTT communication network from the time-shifting buffer to the PTT communication device at the arbitrary later time in response to the rendering control instruction (ii) respectively.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the rendering control instructions further comprises receiving instructions defining one or more of the following rendering options:

(i) play the time-based media;

(ii) pausing time-based media as it is being rendered;

(iii) jump backward to review previous time-based media,

(iv) jump to the most current time-based media;

(v) play the time-based media faster than it was originally encoded;

(vi) play the time-based media slower than it was originally encoded and

(vii) catch up to live by initially rendering time-based media from the time-shifting buffer at a rate faster relative to the rate the time-based media was originally encoded and then seamlessly transitioning to the rendering of the time-based media as it is being progressively received at the node and progressively transmitted to the PTT communication device in the near real-time mode after the rendering of the time-shifted media from the time-shifting buffer has caught up to live.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising progressively transmitting from the node to the PTT communication device over the PTT communication network the time-based media of a previously received message retrieved from the time-shifting buffer while progressively storing the time-based media of a second message in the time-shifting buffer as the second message is received at the node.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising serializing the progressive transmission from the node to the PTT communication device over the PTT communication network the time-based media associated with multiple messages respectively.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising simultaneously and progressively transmitting to the PTT communication device over the PTT communication network the time-based media of more than one message so that the more than one message may be simultaneously rendered at the PTT communication device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising simultaneously and progressively receiving and storing the time-based media of more than one message received at the node at approximately the same time.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising progressively transmitting the time-based media of a message that was previously received and stored in the time-shifting buffer to the PTT communication device without requesting the sender to retransmit the message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the PTT communication network comprises one of the following types of networks:

(i) a PSTN;

(ii) an analog communication network;

(iii) a digital communication network;

(iv) a cellular network;

(v) a circuit based network;

(vi) a packet based network;

or

(vii) a VoIP network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving rendering control instructions from the user of the PTT communication device further comprises receiving one of the following:

(i) Dual-Tone multi-Frequency (DTMF) tones;

(ii) Short Message Service (SMS) messages;

(iii) SIP messages sent using IP packets;

or

(iv) any other type of message signaling protocol.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the progressive receiving the time-based media at the node further comprises:

buffering as needed the received time-based media; and

progressively storing the received time-based media in the time-shifting buffer.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising progressively retrieving from the time-shifting buffer the time-based media selected for transmission to the PTT communication device of the user.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising mixing any retrieved time-based media overlapping by time.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing through the node a half-duplex channel between the sending device and the PTT communication device of the user over the PTT communication network.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing through the node full duplex channels between the sending device and the PTT communication device of the user over the PTT communication network.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising implementing the time-shifting buffer using one or more of the following types of storage:

Random Access Memory (RAM), Flash memory, optical storage, or a hard drive.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the time-based media comprises:

(i) voice media

(ii) video media;

(iii) still image media;

(iv) GPS or positional data;

(v) sensor data;

or

(vi) any combination of (i) through (v).

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the PTT communication device with a second time-shifting buffer configured to progressively store the time-based media transmitted by or received at the PTT communication device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing the user with one or more rendering options for rendering the time-based media stored in the second time-shifting buffer, the one or more rendering options including:

(i) play the time-based media;

(ii) pausing time-based media as it is being rendered;

(iii) jump backward to review previous time-based media,

(iv) jump to the most current time-based media;

(v) play the time-based media faster than it was originally encoded;

(vi) play the time-based media slower than it was originally encoded and

(vii) catch up to live by initially rendering time-based media from the second time-shifting buffer at a rate faster relative to the rate the time-based media was originally encoded and then seamlessly transitioning to the rendering of the time-based media as it is being progressively received at the PTT communication device in the near real-time mode after the rendering of the time-shifted media from the second time-shifting buffer has caught up to live.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the arbitrary later time for rendering the time-based media at the PTT device is defined by the user of the PTT communication device.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein progressively storing the received time-based media in the time-shifting buffer further comprises storing the time-based media in the time-shifting buffer in a time-indexed format.

21. The method of claim 1, further providing time-shifting capabilities, at the node on the PTT communication network, to a plurality of users of PTT communication devices respectively.