Initiating a selective dynamic group call from a wireless mobile application

• US 8,233,931 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2008
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Kaushik, Nilam, Kuhl, Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): Safaipour, Bobbak
• Application Number:
  US12/185,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20100029316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,457 Days
• Field of Search: 455/517, 455/518, 455/519, 455/466, 455/428
• US Class Current: 455/519
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

A method and a wireless mobile device for initiating selective dynamic group (SDG) calls in an application on a push-to-talk (PTT) capable wireless network using a concatenated sequence of PTT mobile numbers. The PTT mobile numbers are separated by PTT call identifiers in a concatenated sequence. The PTT mobile numbers are validated and a PTT SDG call sequence is generated using the plurality of validated PTT mobile numbers when a call initiator input is received. The PTT SDG call is then initiated on the wireless network to the PTT mobile numbers in the sequence.

Claims

1. A method of initiating a selective dynamic group (SDG) call from an application on a push-to-talk (PTT) capable wireless mobile device on a wireless network, the method comprising:

receiving a concatenated input sequence entered to the application on the wireless mobile device;

determining if one or more PTT call identifiers are present in the concatenated input sequence, each of the one or more PTT call identifiers separating unique PTT mobile numbers;

validating a plurality of PTT mobile numbers separated by the one or more PTT call identifiers;

generating a PTT SDG call sequence using the plurality of validated PTT mobile numbers; and

initiating the PTT SDG call on the wireless network to the PTT mobile numbers identified by the concatenated input sequence.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the PTT call identifier is one of a number sign “

#” and

an alphanumeric symbol.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the concatenated input sequence is received by detecting concatenated PTT mobile numbers separated by one or more PTT call identifiers in message paragraphs in an email message, the concatenated input sequence providing a hyperlink to initiating the PTT call.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein validating PTT mobile numbers occurs when a call initiator input is received from the user.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the call initiator is performed by one of pressing a push-to-talk button of the mobile wireless device, pressing a send key and a menu selection.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the SDG call sequence occurs when a call initiator input is received.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the call initiator is performed by one of pressing a push-to-talk button of the mobile wireless device, pressing a call talk button and a menu selection.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the PTT mobile number identified in the concatenated input sequence contains one or more alphanumeric entries identifying contact names, the method further comprising performing a look up in an address book stored in memory of the wireless device to determine the appropriate PTT entry for the contact name and the PTT mobile number.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising providing a prompt to the user to select the appropriate contact name from a plurality of address contacts.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising notifying the user that a contact name does not have a valid PTT mobile number associated with it.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless network is an iDEN network.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the PTT mobile numbers are formatted as one of Urban Identifier * Fleet Identifier * Member Identifier, or only Member Identifier when the identified PTT mobile number is in the same Urban Identifier and Fleet Identifier as the wireless mobile device.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless network is a Push-to-Talk over cellular based network as defined by the Open Mobile Alliance.

14. A wireless mobile device capable of initiating push-to-talk (PTT) selective dynamic group (SDG) calls on a push-to-talk capable wireless network, the wireless mobile device comprising:

a transmitter for initiating SDG calls;

a receiver for receiving SDG calls;

a control processor for executing SDG calls using the transmitter and receiver by executing an application for performing;

receiving an concatenated input sequence entered to the application on the wireless mobile device;

determining if one or more PTT call identifiers are present in the concatenated input sequence, each of the one or more PTT call identifiers separating unique PTT mobile numbers;

validating a plurality of PTT mobile numbers separated by the one or more PTT call identifiers;

generating a PTT SDG call sequence using the plurality of validated PTT mobile numbers; and

initiating the PTT SDG call on the wireless network to the PTT mobile numbers identified in the input sequence.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the PTT call identifier is one of a number sign “

#” and

an alphanumeric symbol.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein the PTT mobile number identified in the concatenated input sequence contains one or more alphanumeric entries identifying contact names, the method further comprising performing a look up in an address book stored in memory of the wireless device to determine the appropriate PTT entry for the contact name and the PTT mobile number.

17. The device of claim 16 further comprising providing a prompt to the user to select the appropriate contact name from a plurality of address contacts.

18. The device of claim 17 further comprising notifying the user that a contact name does not have a valid PTT mobile number associated with it.