Method of providing extended group call service

• US 7,283,835 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2004
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Hoe-Won
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHARMA, SUJATHA R
• Application Number:
  US10/772,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20040180682A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: 455518-520, 455/525, 455/436, 455/437, 455/62, 370/341, 370/329
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management

Abstract

A method of providing a group call service in a radio network is provided. A BS, which does not cover a GCA but is located in a radio network near to the GCA, generates extended group call service information including information about BSs that cover an NGCA and broadcasts the extended group call service information. Upon receipt of the extended group call service information, an MS selects a BS in the best service condition among BSs set in the extended group call service information as a BS from which to receive an extended group call service and receives group call paging information from the BS. The MS analyzes the group call paging information and decides whether the group call service is available from the BS. If the group call service is available, the MS registers and connects to the selected BS and receives the group call from the BS.

Claims

1. A method of providing a group call service in a radio network, comprising the steps of:

(a) making a handover between a mobile station (MS) receiving the group call service and a first BS of a non-service area when the MS moves from a group call area (GCA) providing the group call service to an overlap area wherein the GCA and the non-service area overlap;

(b) generating and broadcasting, by the first BS, extended group call service information including information on able BSs that belong to GCA neighboring the non-service area; and

(c) selecting a second BS from the able BSs and making a handover between the MS and the second BS after the MS receives the broadcast extended group call service information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(d) receiving, by the MS, group call paging information from the second BS;

(e) analyzing the group call paging information and determining if the MS can receive the group call service provided from the second BS; and

(f) registering and connecting the MS to the second BS and receiving a group call if the MS can receive the group call service provided from the second BS.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein in step (d), the MS receives the group call paging information on a notification channel (NCH).

4. The method of claim 2, wherein in step (d), if the MS fails to receive the group call paging information from the second BS, the MS re-selects a third BS of the able BSs and receives group call paging information from the re-selected third BS.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein in step (d), if the MS fails to receive the group call paging information from the second BS, the MS repeats reception of the group call paging information from the second BS a predetermined number of times, and if the MS fails to receive for at least the predetermined number of times the group call paging information from the second BS, the MS re-selects a third BS of the able BSs and receives group call paging information from the re-selected third BS.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein in step (f), the MS changes location registration to the second BS and receives a signal for a group call and a signal for a radio communication service.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein in step (f), the MS registers only group call service information from the second BS and receives a group call from the second BS, and receives the signal for the radio communication service from the first BS.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of repeating step (e) after receiving the group call paging information from the second BS by the MS if the MS cannot receive the group call service provided from the second BS.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein, if the MS cannot receive the group call service provided from the second BS in step (e), further comprising the steps of:

(g) analyzing by the MS, the paging information received from the first BS;

(h) deciding whether the group call paging information has been changed by the MS, if the group call paging information of the second BS is included in the paging information; and

(i) re-selecting, by the MS, a third BS of the able BSs if the group call paging information of the second BS has been changed and receiving group call paging information from the re-selected third BS.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the extended group call service information includes the identifications (IDs) of the BSs (GCA BSs) covering the GCA, the frequency information corresponding to the IDs of the BSs, and the group call IDs of the BSs.