Apparatus, and associated method, for facilitating formation of an apparent push-to-talk communication connection

• US 7,277,720 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2003
• Issued: 10/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Lazaridis, Mihal
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRINH, TAN H
• Application Number:
  US10/681,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20050079884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,455 Days
• Field of Search: 455/517, 455/500, 455/510, 455/514, 455/519, 455/61, 455/67.7, 455/72, 455/74, 455/78, 455/462.1, 455/422.1, 455/552.1, 455/401
• US Class Current: 455/517
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating formation of an apparent push-to-talk communication session connection at a mobile station operable in a conventional cellular communication system. Upon initiation of push-to-talk operation, a user of the mobile station immediately commences voice communications. During call connection procedures, voice data is buffered at a buffer of the mobile station. When a communication connection is formed, the buffered data is played out. Thereafter, additional communications commence.

Claims

1. Apparatus for a mobile station adapted for use by a user at least to send voice data pursuant to a voice service, said apparatus for facilitating formation of an apparent push-to-talk communication session connection at least during a selected portion of a communication session, said apparatus comprising:

a session initiation actuator actuable by the user, said session initiation actuator being adapted, when actuated by the user, for initiating the apparent push to talk communication session connection;

a voice data buffer adapted selectably to receive the voice data, said voice data buffer forming a portion of said mobile station and being adapted to buffer at least for a selected period subsequent to the actuation of said session initiation actuator to buffer voice data, the voice data buffered during formation of the apparent push to talk communication session retrieved from said voice data buffer and transmitted upon formation of the communication session connection, buffering of the voice data at said voice data buffer appearing to the user to be push to talk communications; and

a user display adapted to display on said user display indication of push-to-talk operation of the mobile station and a status of the communication session connection pursuant to the push-to-talk operation of the mobile station.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mobile station comprises a voice transducer adapted to convert acoustic energy into the voice data, said apparatus further comprising a switch element adapted to switchingly connect the voice transducer with said voice data buffer, the voice data into which the acoustic energy is transduced buffered at said voice data buffer when said switch element is in a closed position.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said switch element is configured to close into the closed position for the at least a selected period responsive to actuation of said session initiation actuator.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said switch element is configured to open out of the closed position at least responsive to the formation of the communication session connection.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the selected period during which said voice data buffer buffers the voice data is defined by boundaries, the boundaries related to the actuation of said session initiation actuator and to the formation of the communication session connection.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparent push to talk communication session initiated by actuation of said session initiation actuator forms an apparent simplex communication session during the at least the selected portion of the communication session.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the apparent simplex communication session initiated by the actuation of said session initiation actuator forms the apparent simplex communication session during an entire portion of the communication session.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the selected portion of the communication session that forms the apparent simplex communication session extends at least until the formation of the communication session connection.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein a subsequent portion of the communication session beyond the selected portion forms a full duplex communication session.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said session initiation actuator and said user display form part of a user interface, said user display further adapted to display a display screen, actuation of said session initiation actuator made, in part, responsive to indicia of the display screen displayed on said user display.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the indicia of the display screen comprises a list identifying at least a calling identifier identifying a correspondent node with which the mobile station communicates, said user interface further comprising a selector adapted to select the calling identifier prior to actuation of said session initiation actuator.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the correspondent node comprises a recording station at which the voice data, when sent thereto, is recorded and wherein the calling identifier formed of the indicia of the display screen identifies the recording station.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the correspondent node comprises a telephonic station, wherein the voice service comprises a two-way voice service, and wherein the calling identifier formed of the indicia of the display screen identifies the telephonic station.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a correspondent node with which the mobile station communicates, wherein the correspondent node is operated by an accepting party, said apparatus further for the correspondent node, said apparatus comprising a session acceptance actuator actuable by the accepting party, said session acceptance actuator, when actuated by the accepting party, for accepting formation of the communication session with the mobile station.

15. A method of communicating in a radio communication system having a mobile station adapted for use by a user at least to send voice data pursuant to a voice service, said method for facilitating formation of an apparent push to talk communication session connection at least during a selected portion of a communication session, said method comprising:

initiating the apparent push to talk communication session connection at the mobile station by actuation of a session initiation actuator;

buffering voice data generated during a selected period beginning immediately subsequent to the actuation of the session initiation actuator during said operation of initiating while normal call set up procedures are carried out;

transmitting the voice data buffered during said operation of buffering to the correspondent node upon formation of the communication session connection, buffering of the voice data during said operation of buffering and thereafter transmitting the voice data appearing to the user to be push to talk communications with the correspondent node; and

displaying at a user display of the mobile station indication of push-to-talk operation of the mobile station and a status of the communication connection pursuant to the push-to-talk operation of the mobile station.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said operation of initiating further comprises the operation of selecting the correspondent node to which to send the voice data.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the mobile station comprises a user display, wherein said method farther comprises the operation, prior to said operation of initiating, of displaying indicia of the correspondent node on the user display, and wherein said operation of initiating farther comprises selecting from the user display the correspondent node to which to send the voice data.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising the operations of:

detecting, at the correspondent node, the voice data; and

recording the voice data at the correspondent node.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising the additional operation of transmitting additional voice data to the correspondent node subsequent to play out of the voice data buffered during said operation of buffering.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the selected period subsequent to the actuation of the session initiation actuator during which the voice data is buffered during said operation of buffering extends at least until the formation of the communication session connection.