TIME-SHIFTING FOR PUSH TO TALK VOICE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

• US 20090259776A1
• 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 8,401,582 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/52
• 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 network communication device located on a Push To Talk (PTT) communication network and configured to provide time-shifting capabilities to a user of a PTT communication device. The network communication device includes a receiver configured to progressively receive time-based media. The network communication device also includes a time-shifting buffer for progressively storing the received time based media as the time-based media is received and a time-shifting buffer controller configured to control the rendering of the time-based media at the PTT device. In response to a control signal received from the PTT device of the user, the time-based media is rendered at the PTT communication device either (i) in a near real-time mode as the time-based media is progressively received at the network communication device and progressively transmitted to the PTT device or (ii) at an arbitrary later time after the storage of the time-based media in the time-shifting buffer by retrieving the time-based media from the time-shifting buffer at the arbitrary later time and transmitting the retrieved time-based media to the PTT communication device.

Claims

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

a receiver configured to progressively receive time-based media;

a transmitter configured to progressively transmit the received time-based media to the PTT communication device over the PTT communication network;

a time-shifting buffer, coupled to the receiver and transmitter, and configured to progressively store the received time based media as the time-based media is received; and

a controller configured to enable the received time-based media to be transmitted over the PTT communication network for selectively rendering at the PTT communication device so that the time-based media may be rendered either;

(i) in a near real-time mode as the time-based media is progressively received at the network communication device and progressively transmitted to the PTT device;

or

(ii) at an arbitrary later time after the storage of the time-based media in the time-shifting buffer by retrieving the time-based media from the time-shifting buffer and transmitting the retrieved time-based media to the PTT communication device at the arbitrary later time.

2. The network communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to retrieve the time-based media stored in the time-shifting buffer for transmission to and rendering at the PTT communication device in accordance with one or more rendering options in response to one or more rendering instructions received from the PTT communication device, 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 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 network communication device 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 network communication device of claim 1, wherein the time-shifting buffer and the controller, in response to control signals received from the PTT communication device, cooperate to progressively transmit to the PTT communication device the time-based media of a received first message while simultaneously receiving and storing the time-based media of a second message in the time-shifting buffer.

4. The network communication device of claim 1, wherein the time-shifting buffer and the controller, in response to control signals received from the PTT communication device, cooperate to progressively transmit to the PTT communication device the time-based media of a previously received message from the time-shifting buffer while receiving and storing the time-based media of a second message.

5. The network communication device of claim 1, wherein the time-shifting buffer and the controller, in response to control signals received from the PTT communication device, cooperate to serialize the progressive transmission to the PTT communication device the time-based media associated with multiple messages respectively.

6. The network communication device of claim 1, wherein the time-shifting buffer and the controller, in response to control signals received from the PTT communication device, cooperate to simultaneously and progressively transmit to the PTT communication device 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.

7. The network communication device of claim 1, wherein the receiver and the time-shifting buffer cooperate to simultaneously and progressively receive and store the time-based media of more than one message received at the network communication device at approximately the same time.

8. The network communication device of claim 1, wherein the time-shifting buffer and the controller, in response to control signals received from the PTT communication device, cooperate to progressively transmit to the PTT communication device the time-based media of a message that was previously received and stored in the time-shifting buffer without requesting the sender to retransmit the message.

9. The network communication device 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.

10. The network communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the transmission of the time-based media stored in the time-shifting buffer for rendering at the PTT communication device in response to one or more control signals received from the PTT communication device.

11. The network communication device of claim 10, wherein the one or more control signals received from the PTT communication device comprises 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.

12. The network communication device of claim 1, further comprising a write element configured to write the time-based media into the time-shifting buffer, the write element including.

a media buffer configured to buffer as needed the received time-based media progressively received over the PTT communication network;

and

a media storer configured to progressively store the received time-based media in the time-shifting buffer.

13. The network communication device of claim 1, further comprising a read element configured to read the time-based media from the time-shifting buffer, the read element including:

a media retrieving element configured to progressively retrieve the time-based media from the time-shifting buffer selected for transmission to the PTT communication device; and

a mixing element configured to mix as necessary any retrieved time-based media overlapping by time.

14. The network communication device of claim 1, wherein the network communication device is further configured to establish a half duplex communication channel on the PTT communication network between the PTT communication device and a second communication device.

15. The network communication device of claim 1, wherein the network communication device is further configured to establish full duplex communication channels on the PTT communication network between the PTT communication device and a second communication device.

16. The network communication device of claim 1, wherein the time-shifting buffer is implemented using one or more of the following types of storage:

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

17. The network communication device 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).

18. The network communication device of claim 1, wherein the PTT communication device further comprises a second time-shifting buffer configured to progressively store the time-based media transmitted by or received at the PTT communication device.

19. The PTT communication device of claim 18, further comprising a second controller that is configured to retrieve the time-based media stored in the second time-shifting buffer for rendering at the PTT communication device in accordance with one or more rendering options in response to one or more rendering instructions generated on the PTT communication device, 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.

20. The network communication device of claim 1, wherein the arbitrary later time is defined by the user of the PTT communication device.

21. The network communication device of claim 1, wherein the time-based media is stored in the time-shifting buffer in a time-indexed format.

22. The network communication device of claim 1, further providing time-shifting capabilities to a plurality of users of PTT communication devices respectively.