EP1869919A1

EP1869919A1 - Method for forming a common communication session, method for forming a first communication session and a second communication session from a common communication session, and communication session server

Info

Publication number: EP1869919A1
Application number: EP06722703A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Norbert Schwagmann; Martin Hans; Andreas Schmidt
Original assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
Current assignee: Intel Deutschland GmbH
Priority date: 2005-04-11
Filing date: 2006-03-28
Publication date: 2007-12-26
Also published as: DE102005016587A1; DE102005016587B4; CN101194524B; CN101194524A; WO2006108379A1; US20080155106A1

Abstract

Upon a request, a first communication session and a second communication session are formed from a common communication session. Upon a request to combine the communication session subscriber communication devices in the common communication session, one of the two communication session control servers requests a common communication session from the other communication session control server by means of a merger request message. One of the two communication session control servers creates the common communication session.

Description

description

A method for forming a common communication session, method for forming a first communication session and a second communication session from a common

Communication session and communication session control server

The invention relates to a method for forming a common communication session, a method for forming a first communication session and a second communication session from a common communication session and communication session control server.

The push-to-talk-over-cellular (PoC) communication service (described, for example, in [1] and [4]) allows a user of a mobile subscriber device to simultaneously transmit voice data to one or more recipients.

For this purpose, a special PoC key is typically provided on the mobile radio user equipment, after the operation of which the user can start to speak voice data.

The voice data are usually already distributed during the speech by means of a mobile communication network, that is transmitted to the desired recipient or receivers. This process is called streaming.

The transmission takes place in the half-duplex method, that is to say that during the speech and during the transmission only the transmitter, that is to say the user who interprets and transmits the voice data, can transmit voice data to the receivers but not the receivers at the same time

Can send voice data to the sender. In particular, the transmitter can not be interrupted by the receivers. Clearly, communication by means of PoC from the user's point of view corresponds to the conventional CB radio, but with the extension that the transmitter can transmit voice data to receivers which can be reached by means of the suitable switching technology of at least one mobile radio communication network.

As part of a number of established push-to-talk-over-cellular communication sessions (PoC

Communication sessions, PoC sessions) may arise the desire, at least temporarily merge several PoC communication sessions to a common PoC communication session. This situation is illustrated below.

User A, B and C, i. their

Communication devices communicate with each other in a first PoC session. Users (users) A, D and E, ie their communication devices, communicate with each other simultaneously in another, second PoC session. Now User A (who is involved in both PoC sessions) realizes that the same topic is currently being discussed in both PoC sessions. Therefore, it makes sense for User A that all users of both PoC sessions can communicate together in a common PoC session (at least as long as the topic is discussed). Once the topic is over, User A then wants to let the originally separate PoC sessions (ie, the first PoC ^' session and the second PoC session) run separately again, ie, let them continue independently.

The situation considered in this description, for example, is as follows: • Two independent PoC sessions are running.

• A PoC user is simultaneously in the two, generally in several PoC sessions dialed (this is not required, but will be assumed in the following descriptions, as this is the most likely case).

• All users of the two PoC sessions, in general the several PoC sessions, should be for a certain

Period in a common PoC session can communicate together.

According to the prior art, it would be possible to solve the above problem using the Conference State Notification Services described in [2] and [3], which is optional for PoC. In this case, user A can use the conference state notification service to determine the participants of the second PoC session, which is to be merged with the first PoC session to form a common PoC session. Then user A loads all participants of the second PoC session individually into the first PoC session. After these users (in the example above User D and User E) have accepted this invitation, they are also participants in the first PoC session. Thus, all participants from the two PoC sessions can now communicate with each other in the common PoC session.

However, this possible solution according to the prior art has, inter alia, the following disadvantages:

• In the event that the second PoC session has many participants, this results in a high signaling effort for user A, to invite all participants of the second PoC session individually to the common PoC session.

• States of the PoC communication sessions (PoC Session Stati) which were present in the second PoC session at the time of the change, ie the transition to the common PoC session, can not be used in the common first PoC session, which is continued as a common PoC session be taken into account. An example of such a status is here the so-called Floor Control Queue.

• User D and User E have to handle two PoC sessions in parallel. Since the parallel handling of multiple PoC sessions is an optional feature in the current PoC communications standard, PoC clients that do not support this feature experience problems. They then have to release the second PoC session as soon as they accept the invitation to the temporarily shared first PoC session, thus losing the corresponding context to the original second PoC session. A clean separation of the temporary common PoC session, i. the subsequent continuation of the second PoC session in the original context is no longer possible.

• Even if all participating PoC clients master the parallel handling of several PoC sessions, problems can arise: In parallel PoC sessions, a user can "lure" a PoC session, ie selects that he only receives voice messages from the "curly" Want to receive PoC session. If a user has originally the second PoC Session "lured", is invited to the first session ^■ PoC and then missed it, cancel the "Lock" to the second PoC session or to bring it to "lock" on the first PoC session, ie Switching to this, he gets nothing from the communication in the temporary joint first PoC session.

Document [6] discloses a method in which a first telephone conference between a first set of communication terminals and a second telephone conference between a second set of communication terminals can be merged into a single telephone conference. Further, a conference call may be in a first conference call between a first set of communication terminals and a second conference call be divided between a second set of communication terminals.

The invention is based on the problem, compared with the above method easier a common

Form communication session of several independently running communication sessions or to form several independently running communication sessions from a common communication session.

The problem is solved by a method of forming a common communication session, a method of forming a first communication session and a second communication session of a common communication session, and communication session control servers having the features of the independent claims.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims. The embodiments of the invention described below apply, as far as appropriate, for the methods and the communication session control server.

In a method of forming a common

A communication session of a first communication session with a plurality of communication session participant communication devices and a second communication session with a plurality of communication session participant communication devices, wherein the first communication session is from a first communication session

Communication session control server is controlled, wherein the second communication session is controlled by a second communication session control server, calls upon a request to merge the communication session participant communication devices in the common communication session, one of the two Communication session control server to a common communication session at the other communication session control server by means of a fusion request message. Further, one of the two communication session control servers establishes the common communication session.

In a method of forming a first communication session with a plurality of communication session user communication devices and a second communication session with a plurality of communication session devices

Subscriber communication devices from a common communication session, wherein the first communication session is controlled by a first communication session control server, wherein the second communication session is controlled by a second communication session control server, orders the communication session participants from the first communication session sharing the common communication session to the first communication session and the second communication session, one of the two communication session control servers

Communication session participant communication devices of the first communication session and the second communication session. Furthermore, one of the two communication session control servers informs the other communication session control server by means of a split message dividing the

Communication session participant communication devices with.

A communication session control server for forming a common communication session from a first communication session with a plurality of communication session user communication devices and a second communication session with a plurality of communication session user communication devices, wherein the first communication session is controlled by the communication session control server, wherein the second Communication session from another

Communication session control server is controlled, has a processor which is arranged such that the following method steps are feasible: • Upon a request to merge the communication session participant communication devices in the common communication session, the communication session control server requests a common communication session at the other communication session control server by means of a

Fusion Request message, and

The communication session control server establishes the joint communication session.

Another communication session control server for forming a common communication session from a first communication session with a plurality

Communication session participant communication devices and a second communication session with a plurality of communication session participant communication devices, wherein the first communication session is controlled by the communication session control server, wherein the second communication session is controlled by another communication session control server, comprises a processor adapted to establish the common communication session upon receiving a fusion request message from another communication session control server requesting a common communication session.

According to another aspect of the invention, a communication session control server is for forming a first communication session with a plurality of communication session user communication devices and a second communication session with a plurality of communication session user communication devices from a common communication session, wherein the first communication session is controlled by the communication session control server, wherein the second communication session is controlled by another communication session control server, the communication session control server having a processor configured such is that the following procedural steps are feasible:

Upon a request to split the communication session participants from the common communication session to the first communication session and the second communication session, the communication session control server assigns the communication session user communication devices to the first communication session and the second communication session, and

The communication session control server notifies the other communication session control server by means of a partitioning message of the splitting of the communication session user communication devices.

Thus, illustratively, this invention solves the problem in a simple manner of how to combine two sessions (communication sessions) initially running independently of one another into a group-based service (such as PoC) and also back into the two independent sessions (communication sessions). can be divided.

According to one embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the request, for example in the form of a merge request message, from a communication session user communication device of the first communication session and / or from a Communication session participant Koπimunikationseinrichtung the second communication session is sent.

In this way, it is very easy for a participant in one of the current communication sessions, alternatively a participant in both ongoing communication sessions, for more than two ongoing communication sessions, a participant of two or more, and also all current communication sessions, to merge a predefinable number of ongoing communication sessions can initiate a joint communication session.

The first communication session control server can set up the communication common session.

In this case, it is provided in one embodiment of the invention that in the fusion request message a communication session identification information of the second communication session is included, for example the

Session ID of the second communication session, alternatively an indication from which the second communication session is identifiable for the second communication session control server.

Further, the second communication session control server may be arranged to generate an acknowledgment message and transmit it to the first communication session control server.

In this way, the first communication session control server is reliably informed that it can vividly add the second communication session to the first communication session it controls, generally that it can merge the first communication session and the second communication session into the common communication session. In one embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the confirmation message contains a list of the communication session user communication devices of the second communication session, the list having a unique address of the respective one

Communication session participant communication devices of the second communication session may include or a reference to an identification by means of which the communication session participant communication devices of the second communication session are uniquely identifiable.

By means of the acknowledgment message thus formed, a very simple mechanism is provided for informing the first communication session control server of the communication session user communication devices of the second communication session so that they can add them to the common communication session. It should be noted in this connection that in the event that the first communication session control server establishes the common communication session, the identities or addresses of the communication session user communication devices of the first communication session are known.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, it is provided that a communication session control server sets up the common communication session, which up to this time does not control any of the communication sessions that have been running so far. In this case, it is provided that the communication session control server or the addresses of the communication session user communication devices or the information required for the identification of the same both the communication session user communication devices the first communication session as well as the second communication session, for example from the respective communication session control servers.

Furthermore, in the confirmation message information about the communication right assignment of

Communication session participant communication devices of the second communication session be included.

The information about the communication right assignment of the

Communication session user communication devices of the second communication session include, for example, communication right queue information indicating the future communication right assignment of the communication session user communication devices in the second communication session.

Other possible information is:

• What are the priorities of the individual participants in the second PoC session regarding the linguistic rights allocation? Namely, the users can have different priorities, i. a higher-priority user comes in the queue before a lower-priority user, although he may have requested later; • General: what rights did a user have in the second session? Example: may he even request the language right, or may he just listen? Can he invite other users to the session? What information may the user request? • Which media were used in the second session; At the moment only language is possible at PoC, but in the future also video, messaging, files, etc.

All of these and other statuses are used in conferencing (according to IETF and 3GPP) in the so-called Conference Policy Document (state of the session, rules in the session, state to the users), Media Policy Document (rules of language licensing, which media may and will be used) and Conference Policy Privileges Document (which rights do the users have to change the entries in the first two documents).

It should be noted in this context that when applying the invention to, for example, Internet conferences, wherein, for example, a conferencing framework is described in [5], the documents described above can be transmitted as information carriers. Alternatively, a clear reference to such a document, for example in the form of the respective unique identification information (ID) assigned to each document, can also be transmitted.

This communication right queue information, for example according to PoC the QueueStatus information, is taken into account in the communication right assignment in the common communication session according to an embodiment of the invention. In general, this means that the communication rights assignment in the joint communication session, taking into account the information on the communication rights allocation of

Communication session participant communication devices of the first communication session and / or the second communication session takes place.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the second communication session control server may set up the common communication session.

In this case, a communication session identification information of the first communication session may be included in the fusion request message.

For example, it is provided that in the fusion request message a list of the communication session user communication devices of the first Communication session is included, wherein the list may include a unique address of the respective communication session participant communication devices of the second communication session or a reference to an identification by which the

Communication session participant communication devices of the second communication session are clearly identifiable.

The fusion request message may further include information about the communication right assignment of the communication session user communication devices of the first communication session, wherein the information about the communication right assignment of the communication session user communication devices of the first communication session comprises communication right queue information may be used to indicate the future communication rights assignment of the communication session user communication devices in the first communication session.

The communication right assignment in the common communication session is carried out according to an embodiment of the invention, taking into account the information about the communication right assignment of communication session subscriber communication devices of the first communication session and / or the second communication session.

According to another aspect of the invention, it is provided that the communication session control server establishing the common communication session sends a fusion message to each of the subscriber servers of the communication session user communication devices of the first communication session and / or the second communication session

Communication session, and the respective subscriber server has the communication session assigned to it. Associates subscriber communication device of the common communication session.

Illustratively, this embodiment of the invention in a hierarchical structuring of

Communication session servers in multiple hierarchical levels that each of the information about merging the communication sessions of the communication session control server of the top hierarchy level is forwarded to one or more communication session server in one or more subordinate hierarchical levels and merging the communication sessions or respective data streams In the example case of PoC, in addition to the communication session control servers for at least one communication session user equipment, such as a mobile station, a subscriber server (there referred to as a participant server) is provided, the corresponding assignment of the transmitted data streams (ie, both multiplexing and demultiplexing the same) on the common Kommunikatio takes over.

At least for some of the messages, the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) may be used, in other words, at least some of the messages may be encoded and transmitted according to the SIP.

The communication sessions can be push-to-talk

Communication sessions, for example, push-to-talk-over-cellular communication sessions (PoC communication sessions, PoC sessions).

It should be noted that the invention can also be used in the context of another communication architecture, in which a (for example, temporary) merging of two at mutually independent Koπununikationsssitzungen to be achieved to a common communication session. An example of this is a conference architecture in which the communication sessions are provided via the Internet, ie using the Internet Protocol (IP) and the Transport Control Protocol (TCP). Thus, the invention is not dependent on the type of data transmission medium used and can be used both in a mobile communication network as well as in a fixed network communication network or in a hybrid communication network with a mobile communication subnetwork and a fixed network communication subnetwork. The communication sessions can thus also be conferencing sessions, for example IMS conferencing or IETF conferencing.

Generally, according to one embodiment of the invention, all respectively available and usefully usable status information of the two communication sessions is taken into account in the context of the formation of the common communication session. For example, in the case that the first communication session control server sets up the communication common session, the status information about the second communication session is transmitted from the second communication session control server to the first communication session control server. In the case that the second communication session control server establishes the common communication session, for example, the

Transmit status information about the first communication session from the first communication session control server to the second communication session control server.

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the figures and are explained in more detail below. In the Figures are, as far as appropriate, the same or similar units provided with the same reference numerals.

Show it

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a PoC

Represents communication network according to the prior art;

Figure 2 is a message flow diagram illustrating the exchange of messages for forming a common communication session according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a PoC

Communication network after a common communication session has been formed according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 shows a message flow diagram in which the exchange of messages for dividing the common communication session formed according to FIG. 1 into two communication sessions according to the first exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated;

FIG. 5 is a message flow diagram illustrating the exchange of messages for forming a common communication session according to a second embodiment of the invention and a re-division thereof into the two communication sessions; and

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a PoC communication network after a common communication session according to a second communication session Embodiment of the invention has been formed.

Pig.l shows a PoC communication network 100 according to the prior art.

The PoC communication network 100 according to the exemplary embodiments of the invention is designed in the same way as explained in connection with FIG. 1 except for the extensions provided according to the exemplary embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows five PoC clients, namely a first PoC client 101, a second PoC client 102, a third PoC client 103, a fourth PoC client 104 and a fifth PoC client 105.

Each PoC client 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 is integrated in a respective communication terminal (not shown), for example a mobile communication terminal, for example a mobile phone or a personal digital assistant (PDA), i. implemented in it.

Each PoC client 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 or its

Communication terminal is a respective participating PoC server 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, hereinafter also referred to as subscriber server, assigned by means of an interface and with this via a mobile communication link 111, 112, 113, 114, 115

(Air interface) coupled, for example, according to one of the following mobile communication standards, such as a 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) mobile communication standard: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM);

• General Packet Radio Standard (GPRS);

Enhanced Data Service for GSM Evolution (EDGE); • Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS).

Alternatively, the respective PoC client 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 or its communication terminal by means of a PSTN communication link, i. by means of a landline communication connection to the respective participating PoC server 106, 107, 108, 109, 110 connected.

For each established PoC communication session between a plurality of PoC communication session user equipments (including the respective involved PoC clients), a controlling PoC server 116, 117, also referred to hereinafter as a PoC communication session control server, is provided.

A respective participating PoC server 106, 107, 108, 109, 110 is connected to that controlling PoC server 116, 117, which controls a PoC communication session, in which the PoC client 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 of the respective Participating PoC server 106, 107, 108, 109, 110 subscribers.

According to FIG. 1, it is assumed that the first PoC client 101 is a participant in a first PoC communication session controlled by the first controlling PoC server 116. For this reason, the first participating PoC server 106 is connected to the first controlling PoC server 116 by means of a first communication link 118. Furthermore, the first PoC client 101 is a participant in a second PoC communication session controlled by the second controlling PoC server 117. For this reason, the first participating PoC server 106 is connected to the second controlling PoC server 117 by means of a second communication link 119.

Furthermore, the second PoC client 102 is a participant of the first PoC communication session controlled by the first controlling PoC server 116. For this reason, the second participating PoC server 107 with the first controlling PoC Server 116 connected by means of a third communication connection 120.

The third PoC client 103 is also a subscriber of the first PoC communication session controlled by the first controlling PoC server 116, for which reason the third participating PoC server 108 is connected to the first controlling PoC server 116 by means of a fourth communication connection 121.

The fourth PoC client 104 is a subscriber of the second PoC communication session controlled by the second controlling PoC server 117, for which reason the fourth participating PoC server 109 is connected to the second controlling PoC server 117 by means of a fifth communication link 122.

The fifth PoC client 105 is also a participant in the second PoC communication server 117 controlled by the second PoC communication session, which is why the fifth participating PoC server 110 is connected to the second controlling PoC server 117 by means of a sixth communication link 123.

Thus, the respective participating PoC servers have a connection to the respective controlling PoC server 116, 117

The respective controlling PoC server 116, 117 has, among other things, the functionality to manage the language assignment (floor control), generally the communication right assignment, in the context of the communication session managed by him.

In this example, the first PoC client 101 is thus dialed in simultaneously in two PoC sessions, ie its participating PoC server 106 has connection to two different controlling PoC servers, namely to the first controlling PoC server 116 and the second controlling PoC server 117 Case that in both PoC sessions at the same time Voice messages arise, can be forwarded to the first PoC client 101 according to the prior art, only one of the two.

2 shows a message flow diagram 200, in which the exchange of Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) messages for forming a common communication session according to a first embodiment of the invention is shown.

According to this exemplary embodiment of the invention, it is assumed that a first communication session, which is controlled by the first controlling PoC server 116, is established between the first PoC client 101, the second PoC client 102 and the third PoC client 103 (symbolized in FIG. 2 with block 201).

Furthermore, according to this embodiment of the invention, it is assumed that a second communication session, which is controlled by the second controlling PoC server 117, is established between the first PoC client 101, the fourth PoC client 104 and the fifth PoC client 105 (symbolized in FIG .2 with block 202).

It is generally assumed that the procedure for

Merging the two communication sessions is initiated to a common communication session, according to this embodiment of one of the participants at least one of the two communication sessions, according to this embodiment in more detail from the first PoC client 101, which is participant of both the first communication session and the second communication session.

From the first PoC client 101, which is served by a first user A, the first controlling PoC server 116 is signaled that it is the current, ie the first PoC session with another PoC session, namely the second PoC Session, should merge. This is done by the first PoC client 101 generates a request message (SessionCombineRequest) 203 and transmits to the first controlling PoC server 116, wherein the PoC Session ID (as communication session identification information) of the second PoC session is given as a parameter.

It should be noted in this context that the PoC session ID 204 of the second PoC session is known to the first PoC client 101, since it is also a participant in the second PoC session.

In the event that the first controlling PoC server 116 does not support this feature, the first PoC client 101 and thus the first user A receives a corresponding error message as a response.

On receipt of the request message 203, the first controlling PoC server 116 sends a fusion request message (SessionTakeOverRequest) 205 to the second controlling PoC server 117 (whose address is the above-given PoC session ID of the second PoC session). With the merger request message 205, in the second controlling PoC server 117 it is queried whether the first controlling PoC server 116 can merge the first PoC session with the second PoC session controlled by the second controlling PoC server 117.

According to this exemplary embodiment, the second controlling PoC server 117 agrees with the request and indicates this to the first controlling PoC server 116 by means of a fusion acknowledgment message 206, which is generated by the second controlling PoC server 117 and transmitted to the first controlling PoC server 116. The fusion confirmation message 206 contains the list of the current participants of the second PoC session (user A 207 of the first PoC client 101, user D 208 of the fourth PoC Clients 104 and users E 209 of the fifth PoC client 105) and a current status of the queue (Parameter QueueStatus 210) (optional, if available) descriptive information and possibly further the status of the second PoC session descriptive parameters. Alternatively, a link to a document that contains all the statuses for the second PoC session (eg a Conference Policy Document) can also be passed as a parameter.

In the event that the second controlling PoC server 117 does not support this feature, the first controlling PoC server 116 will also receive a corresponding error message as an answer.

In an alternative embodiment, it is provided that user (user) A of the first PoC client 101 sends the fusion request message (SessionCombineRequest) 203 to the second controlling PoC server 117 (in this case with the session ID of the first PoC session). The second controlling PoC server 117 then requests the first one

Controlling PoC Server 116 to merge the two PoC sessions, the o.g. Parameters (list of participants in the second PoC session and possibly QueueStatus) are given.

For both embodiments described above, the following steps are now performed.

The first controlling PoC server 116 starts to invite the participants of the second PoC session to the first PoC session 1, thus logically forming a third, common communication session.

In this example, however, this does not apply to user A of the first PoC client 101, since this is already a participant in the first PoC session. As part of the invitation, the first controlling PoC server 116 sends a first SIP INVITE message 211 to the fourth participating PoC server 109 and a second SIP INVITE message 212 to the fifth participating PoC server 110. In the first SIP INVITE Message 211 and in the second SIP INVITE message 212 each have a parameter (redirect: SessionID_2) 213 included, which indicates that the data stream of the second PoC session should be redirected by the respective participating PoC server to the first PoC session ,

Thus, parameter 213 is for signaling that it is not a SIP INVITE message according to the prior art. The parameter 213 is formed by a flag (redirect) with the parameter of the affected PoC session. This flag causes the respective participating PoC servers 109, 110 not to send a SIP INVITE message to the corresponding PoC clients 104, 105 (as would be done in the prior art), but vividly the second PoC session (through the Parameter 213) for the PoC user to "redirect" to the first PoC session, in other words, the participating PoC server 109, 110 now associates the PoC session of the PoC client 104, 105 with the first controlling PoC server 116 instead of the PoC second controlling PoC Server 117 (for the fourth

Participating PoC server 109 in Fig. 2 symbolizes with block 215, symbolized for the fifth participating PoC server 110 in Fig. 2 with block 217), without the respective PoC client 104, 105 noticing something of this. If necessary, however, the PoC clients 104, 105 can also be equipped with a SIP UPDATE

Message about it and possibly about changed media parameters or about the changed Controlling PoC server address to be informed.

The fourth participating PoC server 109 responds to the

Receive the first SIP INVITE message 211 with a first one SIP 200 OK message 214 and sends it to the first controlling PoC server 116.

The fifth participating PoC server 110 responds to receiving the second SIP INVITE message 212 with a second SIP 200 OK message 216 and sends it to the first controlling PoC server 116.

After the first controlling PoC server 116 has received at least one of the SIP INVITE messages 211, 212 sent by it, a SIP 200 OK message 214, 216 confirming the reception, the respective positively confirming users are in the first PoC Session integrated and the first controlling PoC server 116, the two queues (if available), or, if desired or appropriate, parts thereof, merge. According to this embodiment of the invention, this is done by clearly generating the new extended queue for the "merged" common PoC session according to the zipper principle (step 218). In other words, this means that the

Communication rights assignment queue (Queue) of the common PoC session is formed by always alternately in chronological order in the "new" communication right assignment queue (Queue) an entry from the communication right assignment queue (Queue) of the first PoC session is inserted (or maintained) and then an entry from the communication right assignment queue (Queue) of the second PoC session is inserted, etc.

After the merging of the queues of the two PoC session has been successfully completed, the first controlling PoC server 116 signals to the second controlling PoC server 117 that the merge has been carried out successfully. This is done by means of a communication session

Takeover message 219 (SessionTakeOverComplete) which is generated by the first controlling PoC server 116 and sent to the second controlling PoC server 117 is transmitted. In addition, the first controlling PoC server 116 confirms the first PoC client 101 and thus the user A its initially sent SessionCombineRequest with a request response message 220 (SessionCombineResponse).

Upon receiving the communication session takeover message 219, the second controlling PoC server 117 interrupts the second PoC session (symbolized with block 221 in FIG. 2).

Thus, the first PoC session is now a common PoC session in which all five PoC clients 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 subscribers (symbolized in block 2 with block 222).

3 shows in a block diagram 300 the state of

Communication links in the PoC communication network 100 regarding the PoC sessions after merging the first PoC session and the second PoC session to the common PoC session in the first PoC session.

The basic structure of the PoC communication network 100 according to FIG. 3 corresponds to that shown in FIG. 1, but the communication connections between the participating PoC servers 106, 107, 108, 109, 110 and the controlling PoC servers 116, 117 are different. The communication links 111, 112, 113, 114, 115 between the PoC clients 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 and the participating PoC servers 106, 107, 108, 109, 110 are unchanged.

3, there is a communication link 301 between the first participating TCP server 106 and the first controlling PoC server 116 and a communications link 302, 303, 304, 305 between each of the other participating TCP servers 107, 108, 109, 110 and the first Controlling PoC Server 116. The fourth participating PoC server 109 from the fourth PoC client 104 and the fifth participating PoC server 110 from the fifth PoC client 105 now also have a connection to the first controlling PoC server 116, but also to the second controlling PoC server 116 (in FIG Figure 3 shown in phantom, since no media are exchanged here, as long as the two PoC sessions are merged). The fourth PoC client 104 and the fifth PoC client 105 use the same connection to their participating PoC servers 109, 110 that they have previously used. The connection between the second controlling PoC server 117 and the first PoC client 101 or its first participating PoC server 106 is shown in dashed lines, since no media is temporarily exchanged here.

So after the two PoC sessions have been merged, eventually they will be separated again, i. split into the original first PoC session and the second PoC session (see message flow diagram 400 in FIG. 4).

Again, this is initiated by someone, according to this embodiment of the invention, again from the first PoC client 101, i. the user A.

For this purpose, on the basis of an input from the user A, the first PoC client 101 sends a request as a partition request message (SessionSeparateRequest) 401 to the first controlling PoC server 116, in which the ID of the PoC session stored here, i. from the "common" first PoC session, is to be released as parameter 402.

Upon receipt of the split request message 401, the first controlling PoC server 116 signals

Participating PoC servers of the original participants of the second PoC session, ie the fourth participating PoC Server 109 and the fifth participating PoC server 110 that the merge is terminated.

This is done by the first controlling PoC server 116, a first SIP BYE message 403 is generated and transmitted to the fourth participating PoC server 109, wherein the PoC SessionID the original second PoC session is supplied as a parameter 404. Furthermore, the first controlling PoC server 116 generates a second SIP BYE message 405 and transmits it to the fifth participating PoC server 110, wherein the PoC session ID of the original second PoC session is supplied as parameter 406.

The respective participating PoC servers 109, 110 take the redirection back again, so that the original status of the second PoC session is regained (for the fourth participating PoC server 109 in FIG. 4, symbolized with block 408 and for the fifth participating PoC server 110 symbolized in block 4 with block 410).

After the first controlling PoC server 116 has received all acknowledgments (a first SIP 200 OK message 407 from the fourth participating PoC server 109 and a second SIP 200 OK message 409 from the fifth participating PoC server 110) he second controlling PoC server 117 with a session session sharing message 412 that the merge is revoked. In this case, he removes the corresponding subscribers from the temporarily shared queue (queue separation block 411) and delivers this queue 416 together with the current subscribers belonging to the second PoC session (first PoC client 101 (first subscriber 413), fourth PoC client 104 (fourth participant 414), fifth PoC client 105 (fifth participant 415)), to the second controlling PoC server as a parameter with. Further, the first controlling PoC server 116 generates a communication session sharing response message 418 (SessionSeparateResponse (OK)) and sends it to the first PoC client 101.

The second controlling PoC server 117 then resumes the original second PoC session, with the result that the two PoC sessions now again run independently of one another (step 417).

The first PoC session now runs again with the first PoC client 101, the second PoC client 102 and the third client 103 as subscribers, controlled by the first controlling PoC server 116 (symbolized in FIG. 4 with block 419), and the second PoC Session runs again with the first PoC client 101, the fourth PoC client 104 and the fifth client 105 as a subscriber, controlled by the second controlling PoC server 117 (symbolized in Figure 4 with block 420).

FIG. 5 shows a message flow diagram 500 in which the

Exchange of Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) messages for forming a common communication session according to a second embodiment of the invention is shown.

Also according to this exemplary embodiment of the invention, the first PoC client 101 of the user A signals, without limiting the generality, to the first controlling PoC server 116 that he / she has the current PoC session, ie the first PoC session, with another PoC session, the second PoC session. should merge. This is done by means of the request message (SessionCombineRequest) 203 generated by the first PoC client 101 and transmitted to the first controlling PoC server 116, wherein the PoC session ID of the second PoC session is provided as parameter 204. Upon receipt of the request message 203, the first controlling PoC server 116 generates a SIP INVITE message 501 and sends it to the second controlling PoC server 117, in which the first controlling PoC server 116 using a defined flag 502 (here called SessionAttachRequest ) tells the second controlling PoC server 117 that this SIP session to be set up between the two controlling PoC servers 116, 117 is intended to be used to append the second PoC session to the first PoC session.

Since the second controlling PoC server 117 agrees with this, it answers positively with a positive acknowledgment message 503 and transmits the list of the current subscribers in the second PoC session (user A 504 of the first PoC) as in the first exemplary embodiment of the invention Clients 101, users D 505 of the fourth PoC client 104 and users E 506 of the fifth PoC client 105) and a descriptive of the current status of the queue (parameter QueueStatus 507) (optional, if available)

Information and optionally further the status of the second PoC session descriptive parameters.

Now, the first controlling PoC server 116, in the same way as in the first embodiment of the invention, forms a common communication rights grant queue (step 508).

Furthermore, the second controlling PoC server 117 interrupts the second PoC session (block 509 in FIG. 5).

The first controlling PoC server 116 then signals to the first PoC client 101 and thus to the user A with a response message (SessionCombineResponse) 510 that the merging of the two PoC sessions has been carried out successfully. Now all PoC clients 101, 104, 105 from the second PoC session via their respective participating PoC server 106, 109, 110, the second controlling PoC server 117 and the first controlling PoC server 116 are involved in the first PoC session (block 511) ).

The second controlling PoC server 117 suspends, as described above, the second PoC session and acts only as a relay server, all signaling and media streams (media streams) between the participating PoC servers 109, 110 from the second PoC session and exchanges PoC Server 116 with the first controlling, but does not perform any further functions.

As an example, Figure 5 shows how a Floor Request is handled by User D. The fourth participating PoC server 109 sends a FloorRequest message 512 to the second controlling PoC server 117, which forwards this request to the first controlling PoC server 116. Also, the response message FloorGranted 513 is sent from the first controlling PoC server 116 via the second controlling PoC server 117 to the fourth participating PoC server 109.

The detachment of the second PoC session from the first PoC session takes place according to the second embodiment of the invention as follows:

After the first PoC client 101 of the user A has again sent a split request message 401 (SessionSeparateRequest) to the first controlling PoC server 116, the latter terminates the previously established SIP session with the second controlling PoC server 117 with the aid of a SIP BYE message 514. Again, the SessionID 515 of the original second PoC session is supplied as a parameter and also the new queue 519 (the queue is split into a queue for the first PoC session and a queue for the second PoC session in step 521) together with an indication of the current subscribers belonging to the second PoC session (first PoC client 101 (first subscriber 516), fourth PoC client 104 (fourth subscriber 517), fifth PoC client 105 (fifth subscriber 518)), supplied as a parameter.

The second controlling PoC server 117 confirms this with a SIP 200 OK message 520 and resumes the original second PoC session (step 522).

The first PoC session now runs again with the first PoC client 101, the second PoC client 102 and the third client 103 as subscribers, controlled by the first controlling PoC server 116 (symbolized in FIG. 5 with block 523), and the second PoC Session runs again with the first PoC client 101, the fourth PoC client 104 and the fifth client 105 as a subscriber, controlled by the second controlling PoC server 117 (symbolized in Figure 5 with block 524).

6 shows in a block diagram 600 the state of

Communication links in the PoC communication network 100 with respect to the PoC sessions after merging the first PoC session and the second PoC session to the common PoC session in the first PoC session according to the second exemplary embodiment.

The basic structure of the PoC communication network 100 according to FIG. 6 corresponds to that shown in FIG. 1, but the communication connections between the participating PoC servers 106, 107, 108, 109, 110 and the controlling PoC servers 116, 117 are different. The communication links 111, 112, 113, 114, 115 between the PoC clients 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 and the participating PoC servers 106, 107, 108, 109, 110 are unchanged.

6, there is now a communication link 601 between the first participating PoC server 106 and the first first controlling PoC server 116 and a communication connection 602, 603 between the second participating PoC server 107 and the first controlling PoC server 116 or between the third participating PoC server 108 and the first controlling PoC server 116.

Furthermore, there is a SIP communication link 604 between the first controlling PoC server 116 and the second controlling PoC server 117.

Furthermore, there is a communication connection 605, 606 between the fourth participating PoC server 109 and the first controlling PoC server 116 or between the fifth participating PoC server 110 and the second controlling PoC server 117 and via the SIP communication connection 604 with the first controlling PoC server 116th

Thus, the fourth PoC client 104 and the fifth PoC client 105 use the same connection to their participating PoC servers that they have previously used.

The above-described aspects of the invention provide, inter alia, the following advantages:

• The PoC clients, which are temporarily switched to another PoC session, do not need any new functionality, as the necessary functionality is provided by their respective participating PoC servers

• After the separation of the two PoC sessions, the contexts in the two PoC sessions that existed before the merger can be resumed. That there is no information, e.g. lost by an otherwise necessary interim termination of one of the two PoC session.

The alternative according to the second embodiment of the invention can be described as "hierarchical linking of

PoC sessions. "For example, in the exemplary embodiment, the second PoC session would be or the second controlling PoC server in the hierarchy under the first PoC session or under the first controlling PoC server. Such a hierarchy could be continued arbitrarily with several PoC sessions.

The following aspects of the invention should additionally be pointed out:

• signaling to initiate a pooling of PoC sessions; Additional SIP sessions between the controlling PoC server of a PoC session with the participating PoC servers of another session (first embodiment);

• Additional SIP session between the controlling PoC servers of two different PoC sessions (second

Embodiment);

• The second controlling PoC server plays the role of a pure relay server (second embodiment); • Merging the two FloorControl queues into a common queue according to the zipper principle;

• Signaling to stop a merge of PoC sessions.

This document cites the following publications:

[1] push-to-talk over cellular (PoC); Architecture; PoC

Release 1.0, Architecture V 1.1.0, 2003-08;

[2] RFC3265 "Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) -Specific Event Notification";

[3] draft-ietf-sipping-conference-package-08 "A Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Event Package for Conference State";

[4] push-to-talk over cellular (PoC); List Management and Dont-Disturb; PoC Release 1.0, List Management and Do-not-Disturb V 1.1.3, 2003-08;

[5] J. Rosenberg, A Framework for Conferencing with the Session Initiation Protocol, SIP Internet Draft, IETF SIPPING working group: Draft-IETF-SIPPING-conferencing- framework-02, June 2004;

[5] US 5,195,086

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

100 PoC communication network

101 first PoC client

102 second PoC client

103 third PoC client

104 fourth PoC client

105 fifth PoC client

106 first participating PoC server

107 second participating PoC server

108 third participating PoC server

109 fourth participating PoC server

110 fifth participating PoC server

111 Mobile radio communication connection

112 Mobile radio communication connection

113 MobiI communications link

114 Mobile radio communication connection

115 Mobile communication connection

116 first controlling PoC server

117 second controlling PoC server

118 first communication connection

119 second communication connection

120 third communication connection

121 fourth communication connection

122 fifth communication connection

123 sixth communication link

200 message flow diagram

201 block

202 block

203 request message

204 PoC Session ID second PoC session

205 merge request message

206 fusion confirmation message

207 users A

208 users D

209 users E 210 QueueStatus

211 first SIP INVITE message

212 second SIP INVITE message

213 parameters

214 first SIP 200 OK message

215 block

216 second SIP 200 OK message

217 block

218 process step

219 Communication session takeover message

220 Request Response Message

221 block

222 block

300 block diagram

301 communication connection

302 communication connection

303 communication connection

304 communication connection

305 communication connection

400 message flow diagram

401 split request message

402 parameters

403 first SIP BYE message

404 parameters

405 second SIP BYE message

406 parameters

407 first SIP 200 OK message

408 block

409 second SIP 200 OK message

410 block

411 block

412 Communication Session Split Display message

413 first participant

414 fourth participant

415 fifth participant 416 queue

417 process step

418 Communication Session Split Response Message

419 block

420 block

500 message flowchart

501 SIP INVITE message

502 flag

503 Positive confirmation message

504 users A

505 users D

506 users E

507 QueueStatus

508 process step

509 block

510 response message

511 block

512 FloorRequest message

513 Response message FloorGranted

514 SIP BYE message

515 SessionID

516 first participant

517 fourth participant

518 fifth participant

519 new queue

520 SIP 200 OK message

521 process step

522 process step

523 block

524 block

600 block diagram

601 communication connection

602 communication connection

603 communication connection

604 SIP communication connection 605 communication connection

606 communication connection

Claims

claims

1. Method of forming a common

Communication session from a first communication session with multiple communication session participants

Communication devices each associated with a subscriber server of a first plurality of subscriber servers and participating in the first communication session by means of the respective subscriber server, and a second communication session with a plurality of communication session subscriber communication devices, each a subscriber server of a second Are associated with a plurality of subscriber servers and participate in the second communication session by the respective subscriber server, wherein the first communication session is controlled by a first communication session control server, the second communication session being controlled by a second communication session control server, In response to a request to merge the communication session user communication devices in the common communication session, one of the two communication session control servers shares a common communication communication session with the other

Requests communication session control server by means of a merge request message, and

• one of the two communication session control servers sets up the shared communication session

In which the communication session control server setting up the common communication session transmits a fusion message to each of the subscriber servers of the first plurality of subscriber servers and / or the second plurality of subscriber servers, and In which the respective subscriber server assigns the communication session user communication device assigned to it to the common communication session.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is sent from a communication session user communication device of the first communication session and / or the second communication session.

A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first communication session control server establishes the common communication session.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein in the fusion request message a communication session identification information of the second communication session is included.

The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second communication session control server transmits an acknowledgment message to the first communication session control server.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the confirmation message includes a list of the communication session user communication devices of the second communication session.

7. The method according to claim 5 or β, wherein in the confirmation message information about the communication right assignment of the communication session user communication devices of the second communication session is included.

8. The method according to claim 7, 44 in which the information about the communication rights assignment of the communication session participant

Communication facilities of the second communication session has a communication right queue information with which the future communication right assignment of the

Communication session participant communication devices is specified in the second communication session.

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the communication right assignment in the common

Communication session taking into account the information on the communication rights allocation of

The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the second communication session control server establishes the common communication session.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein in the fusion request message a communication session identification information of the first communication session is included.

The method of claim 10 or 11, wherein the merged request message includes a list of the communication session user communication devices of the first communication session.

13. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein in the fusion request message information about the communication right assignment of

Communication session participant communication facilities of the first communication session is included.

14. The method according to claim 13, Hi in which the information about the communication rights assignment of the communication session participant

Communication facilities of the first communication session has a communication right queue information with which the future communication right assignment of the

Communication session participant communication devices is specified in the first communication session.

15. The method according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the communication right assignment in the common communication session taking into account the information about the communication rights assignment of the communication session participant communication devices of the first communication session and / or the second communication session takes place.

16. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein for at least a portion of the messages, the Session Initiation Protocol is used.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication sessions are push-to-talk communication sessions.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the communication sessions are push-to-talk-over-cellular communication sessions or conferencing communication sessions.

19. A method of forming a first communication session with a plurality of communication session user communication devices, each associated with a subscriber server of a first plurality of subscriber servers and participating in a common communication session by the respective subscriber server, and a second communication session with a plurality communication session participant Communication devices, which are each assigned to a subscriber server of a second plurality of subscriber servers and participate by means of the respective subscriber server to the common communication session, from the common communication session, wherein the first communication session of a first

Communication session control server is controlled, wherein the second communication session is controlled by a second communication session control server, • in response to a request, the

Splitting the communication session participant from the common communication session into the first communication session and the second communication session, assigning the communication session user communication devices to the first communication session and the second communication session with one of the two communication session control servers, and wherein one of the two communication session

Control server notifies the other communication session control server by means of a split message dividing the communication session participant communication devices.

20. A communication session control server for forming a common communication session from a first communication session with a plurality of communication session user communication devices each associated with a subscriber server of a first plurality of subscriber servers and by the respective subscriber server at the first communication session participate, and a second communication session with a plurality of communication session subscriber communication devices, each associated with a subscriber server of a second plurality of subscriber servers and by means of the respective subscriber server Mq participate in the second communication session, wherein the first communication session is controlled by the communication session control server, wherein the second communication session is controlled by another communication session control server, the communication session control server having a processor configured such is that the following procedural steps are feasible:

Upon a request to merge the communication session user communication devices in the common communication session, the communication session control server requests a common communication session at the other communication session control server by means of a fusion request message,

• the communication session control server sets up the shared communication session and

The communication session control server transmits a fusion message to each of the subscriber servers of the first plurality of subscriber servers and / or the second plurality of subscriber servers signaling the respective subscriber server associated with the subscriber server Assign communication session participant communication device of the common communication session.

21. A communication session control server for forming a common communication session from a first communication session with a plurality of communication session user communication devices each associated with a subscriber server of a first plurality of subscriber servers and by the respective subscriber server at the first communication session and a second communication session with multiple communication session participants.

Communication devices, each one subscriber server of a second plurality of subscriber servers associated with and participate in the second communication session by the respective subscriber server, wherein the first communication session is controlled by the communication session control server, wherein the second communication session of another

Communication session control server, the communication session control server having a processor arranged to be responsive to receiving a fusion request message from another communication session control server to which a communication session is being communicated requesting, establishing the common communication session and transmitting a fusion message to each of the subscriber servers of the first plurality of subscriber servers and / or the second plurality of subscriber servers, which signals the respective subscriber server to communicate with it. Associate subscriber communication device of the common communication session.

A communication session control server for forming a first communication session with a plurality of communication session user communication devices, each associated with a subscriber server of a first plurality of subscriber servers and participating in a common communication session by the respective subscriber server, and one second communication session with a plurality of communication session subscriber communication devices, each associated with a subscriber server of a second plurality of subscriber servers and participating in the common communication session by the respective subscriber server, from the common communication session, wherein the first communication session of the communication session - Control server is controlled, with the second communication session from another Communication session control server is controlled, wherein the communication session control server comprises a processor, which is arranged such that the following method steps are feasible: • Upon request, the communication session control

Participants from the joint communication session to the first communication session and the second

Splitting communication session, the orders

Communication Session Control Server The Communication Session Attendee

Communication facilities of the first

Communication session and the second

Communication session to, and

The communication session control server informs the other communication session control server by means of a split message dividing the

Communication session participant

Communication facilities with.