RU2370910C2 - Reply modes in push-to-talk mobile communication services - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: means of communication.

SUBSTANCE: invention refers to mobile communication and namely to reply modes available in "push-to-talk" mobile communication services. There has been proposed "push-to-talk" service operation method via mobile wireless communication network. According to that method, user of the mobile wireless terminal can choose automatic or non-automatic reply mode for incoming invitations to the session, at least for some other users. The method involves the steps at which the invitation sent by the calling side to the called side is switched to "push-to-talk" session, non-automatic reply mode request, after the invitation to the session has been received in "push-to-talk" server servicing the called side, the invitation including non-automatic reply mode request is transmitted to the called side, irrespective of any setting of automatic reply mode for the called side, and invitation is received by the called side and the call signal is generated in the terminal of the called side.

EFFECT: creating the operating method of "push-to-talk" service via mobile wireless communication network, when the calling side wants its words to be hidden and wants to avoid their being reproduced in the terminal of the called side for all of them within audible limits.

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Description

The present invention relates to cellular communications and to response modes available in push-and-talk mobile services.

State of the art

The industry group, known as the Open Alliance for Mobile Communications, has developed a “push and talk” specification via cellular communications (PoC), which aims to provide services through standard mobile wireless networks that correspond to the services of a walkie-talkie, i.e. when pressed Buttons A subscriber can be instantly connected to one or more other subscribers. Currently, PoC is defined in documents published by the Open Alliance for Mobile Communications: “Push to talk over Cellular (PoC) - Architecture”, potential version 1.0 - March 17 - 2005, and “OMA PoC Control Plane”, potential version 1.0 - March 17, 2005 In accordance with PoC standards, voice data contains “bursts” of conversation carried over a packet network, while the signaling used to establish and manage PoC sessions contains Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signaling, which is also portable through the packet network. PoC depends on the infrastructure of the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) provided on the networks by mobile operators. PoC is a specific implementation of conventional push-and-talk services (PTT).

FIG. 1 illustrates, in its most basic concepts, a PoC infrastructure that facilitates a session between a pair of wireless terminals (SIP clients) identified as UE-A and UE-B. The UEs are connected to respective radio access networks (RAN-A RA and RAN-B), which, in turn, are connected to a packet-switched core network including an IP backbone. SIP signaling is routed through the IMS, which includes SIP application servers acting as PoC servers. UEs are registered using the corresponding PoC servers (although it is possible that both UEs are registered using the same PoC server).

The basic concept of PoC identification is the desire to enable one user to be connected almost instantly to another user in such a way that the user only needs to press the call button and start talking, while his or her voice is immediately played in the terminal of another user. However, at a very early stage in the development of push-and-talk services, they realized that this might not always be desirable, at least from the point of view of the called party. As a result of this, provision was made for reproducing a ringing signal in the called terminal in much the same way as it would be provided using traditional telephone calls (push and talk services would still establish a session extremely quickly, much faster than traditional telephone calls could be established ), while users are given an alternative to choose either the automatic answer mode or the non-automatic answer (call) mode.

In accordance with the latest versions of the standards, it is possible for a user (user B) to register using his local PoC server, the “white” list of another user identifies (user A) for which the user wants to use the automatic response mode. In the case when a PoC session is requested by one of the users in the white list, this is recognized using the local PoC server of user B, and that the PoC server includes the automatic response flag in the SIP INVITATION message sent to user B. User terminal B detects the flag and automatically returns a message (response) 200 OK SIP. The session is established. If the calling user is not in the white list (or the white list is not defined), the automatic flag is included in the SIP INVITATION transmitted to the user terminal B. This is detected by the terminal and the ringing tone is played. 200 OK SIP is not sent via the terminal to its local PoC server until the user responds. IETF Project “A Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Event Package and Data Format for various settings in support for the Push-to-talk Over Cellular (PoC) service”, Miguel-Angel Garcia-Martin, draft-garcia-sipping-poc- isb-am-01 describes a method for notifying the local server of the response mode applicable to users in the white list. The user switches between non-automatic and automatic response modes by signaling the desired mode to the server using the SIP PUBLICATION message, as defined in PoC standards.

This signaling process, including setting an automatic response mode and establishing a session, is illustrated in FIG. 2. The signaling flows in the user plane (for example, voice packet control protocol messaging) are not shown in the drawing. The steps illustrated in the drawing are as follows:

1. The Client In PoC configures the automatic mode on the network through the PUBLICATION request.

2. Server In PoC confirms the setting of the automatic response mode by means of the 200 response “OK” and remembers the setting of “automatic”.

3. Client A PoC decides to invite user B PoC to a PoC session and sends an INVITATION request to PoC server A.

4. Server A PoC sends an INVITATION request to server B PoC in the user's own network In PoC.

5. The PoC server B authorizes the PoC user A and selects the configured response mode, and sends a 183 “Session End” response to the PoC server A.

6. The PoC server A sends a 200 OK response to user A, and the PoC user A receives an indication that he can start talking.

7. Server In PoC sends an INVITATION request to client In PoC. The INVITATION request includes an automatic response request.

8. Client B accepts the invitation without prompting the user In PoC.

9. Server B PoC sends 200 OK to server A PoC.

PoC standards define a mechanism designed to enable the caller to override the manual response mode setting specified by the called user. This includes the inclusion of the “MAO” parameter in the SIP INVITATION message sent by the calling user to initiate a PoC session. After receiving the INVITATION containing the MAO parameter in the terminal of the called party, this terminal automatically determines whether the override of the non-automatic mode is allowed to the calling user. If enabled, then the 200 OK response is automatically returned to the local PoC server and the INVITATION is passed to the called user, including the MAO parameter. If not permitted, a ring tone is played and a response message is sent only if and when the called user answers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The author of the present invention realized that it is desirable to provide a mechanism in PoC to enable the caller to redefine the setting of the automatic response mode in the terminal of the called party in addition to the modern mechanism for overriding the setting of the non-automatic mode. This additional feature will be useful, for example, when the caller wants her words to be hidden, and wants to avoid having them reproduced in the terminal of the called party for all of them within earshot. The desire to have an override mechanism also applies when a PoC user is invited to an ongoing PoC session or when initializing a PoC session using a predefined session.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for operating a push and talk service through a mobile wireless communication network in which a user of a mobile wireless terminal can select an automatic or non-automatic response mode for incoming session invitations, at least for some other users, moreover, the method comprises the steps in which:

include in the “press and speak” session an invitation sent from the calling party to the called party, a request for a non-automatic response mode;

after receiving the invitation to the session in the push-and-talk server serving the called party, an invitation is transmitted including a request for a non-automatic response mode to the called party, regardless of any setting of the automatic response mode for the called party;

accept the invitation at the called party and generate a signal at the terminal of the called party.

Preferably, the signaling protocol used to establish and manage click-and-talk sessions is a session initialization protocol. An invitation that contains a request for a non-automatic response mode may be an INVITATION message or a SESSION of a session initialization protocol.

An invitation to a click-and-talk session can be transmitted using the said click-and-talk server to the called party only after the authorization procedure performed by the server. The method may also comprise the step of performing the authorization procedure in the push-and-talk server serving the calling party, the request being included in the invitation sent to the push-and-talk server serving the called party only if authorization is given. Each or both of the authorization procedures can be performed by comparing the identification code of the calling party and / or the called party with a list or lists of identification codes previously stored in the push-and-talk server (s).

Preferably, the method includes receiving a user prompt on the calling party to request a non-automatic response mode, and as a result, including a request in an invitation on the calling party. Alternatively, the step at which the request is included could be performed automatically, for example, as a result of a pre-installation on the calling party.

In particular, the invention is applicable to a push-and-talk service over a cellular connection.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a “push and talk” mobile wireless terminal operation method, the method comprising the step of requesting a non-automatic response mode at an invitation sent by the terminal to a terminal of the same network level.

In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for operating a push-and-talk server in a mobile wireless communication network, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a click-and-talk prompt from a terminal of a calling client, the prompt including a request for a non-automatic response mode transmit a request, including a request for a non-automatic response mode, to the terminal of the called client, and wait for the response message to be received from the terminal of the called client before proceeding with the establishment session.

In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile wireless terminal having a processor and memory configured to facilitate terminal participation in a “push and talk” session facilitated by a mobile wireless communication network, and a user interface designed to enable a user to interact with a processor and memory, the processor being configured to receive a user input from a user interface, iziruyuschego session "push to talk" generate invitations "push to talk" to be sent to the called terminal and the inclusion in non-automatic answer mode request invitation and send the invitation to the called terminal.

In accordance with a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a “push and talk” server for use in a mobile wireless communication network to provide a “push and talk” service to wireless mobile terminals, the server comprising:

an input for receiving a push-and-talk invitation from a first wireless mobile terminal for a second wireless mobile terminal, the invitation may include a request for a non-automatic response mode;

an output for transmitting a received click-and-talk invitation to a second wireless mobile destination terminal;

a processor programmed with the ability to determine whether or not the received invitation asks for a non-automatic response mode, and if it includes and if the automatic response mode for the second wireless mobile terminal is set, overrides the automatic mode setting and sends the invitation to the second wireless mobile terminal, which includes a request for a non-automatic response mode, through the mentioned output.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a mobile wireless communication network facilitating a push-and-talk service via cellular;

FIG. 2 illustrates the signaling in the network of FIG. 1 related to establishing a session in an automatic response mode;

FIG. 3 illustrates the signaling in the network of FIG. 1, associated with a procedure for redefining an automatic response mode during session establishment.

Detailed Description of Certain Preferred Embodiments

The push-and-talk service via cellular (PoC) is described above with reference to FIG. 1 and redefinition of a non-automatic response mode is discussed with reference to FIG. 2. The following description suggests the introduction of an additional sign of redefinition, namely, a sign of redefinition of the automatic response mode, the need for which was not previously understood. One skilled in the art will recognize that widespread use of this new feature may require amendment and / or expansion in the PoC specification.

When the first PoC user (user A) wants to interact with the second PoC user (user B) using a non-automatic response mode, for example, when user A does not want to talk until user B is in a position that no one else can to eavesdrop on a conversation, user A can include in the invitation sent to user B a request that a non-automatic response mode can be used, overriding any automatic response mode that can be set user B. FIG. 3 shows a simplified example of a signaling flow when a PoC user A invites another PoC user to a PoC session and includes a request for a non-automatic response mode in the invitation. This request takes the form of an existing request for a non-automatic response mode provided in the specification (but currently intended to be added to the invitation only in the local PoC server of user A).

The response mode is configured as follows.

1. The client in PoC configures the automatic mode in the network by means of the PUBLICATION request.

2. The server In PoC confirms the setting of the automatic response mode by means of the 200 “OK” response and remembers the “automatic” setting.

When the user And PoC presses the button PoC on his terminal, the steps are as follows.

3. The PoC client A decides to invite user B to the PoC session and sends an INVITATION request to the PoC server. A non-automatic response mode is included in the INVITATION request in client A.

4. The PoC server A sends an INVITATION request to the PoC server in the user's own PoC network.

5. The server in PoC sends an INVITATION request to the client in PoC. The INVITATION request includes a request for a non-automatic response mode received in the INVITATION request from the PoC server A. An indication of enabling a non-automatic response mode instead of a configured response mode may be subject to authorization in the PoC server, i.e., to determine whether user B is authorized or not to override the automatic response mode with user A.

6. The client In PoC sends a 180 call response to the server In PoC and indicates to the user In PoC that the invitation to the PoC session has been accepted.

7. The server In PoC sends a “call” response to the server And PoC.

8. A PoC server sends a “call” response to A PoC client. The PoC client A indicates to the PoC user A that the PoC user B is informed of the invitation, and that the PoC client B is waiting for the user To PoC to receive, for example, a ring tone is played in client B.

9. When user B accepts the invitation, the client In PoC sends an INVITATION request to the server In PoC.

10. Server B PoC sends 200 OK to server A PoC.

11. The PoC server A sends a 200 OK response to user A, and the PoC user A receives an indication that he can start talking. Roc session established.

It will be readily understood that the procedure described in this application enables the calling client, the PoC client A, to influence the decision made by the PoC server B, regardless of the response mode for client B.

The procedure described in this application is also applicable to a scenario in which a PoC user is invited to participate in an ongoing PoC session and in which the PoC session is initialized using a predefined session. In the latter case, the only significant difference with the approach described above is that the request for a non-automatic response mode is included in the APPEAL request sent by the PoC client inviting the PoC user, and not in the INVITATION message.

One skilled in the art will understand that various modifications can be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (12)

1. The method of operation of the push-and-talk service through a mobile wireless communication network in which a user of a mobile wireless terminal can select an automatic or non-automatic response mode for incoming session invitations for at least some other users, the method comprising the steps of which include in the push-and-talk session, an invitation sent from the calling party to the called party, a request that they use the non-automatic response mode, overriding any automatic mode a response selected by said called party; after receiving the invitation to the session in the push-and-talk server serving the called party, transmitting the invitation including the request to the called party, regardless of any setting of the automatic response mode for the called party; and accept the invitation on the called side and generate a signal in the terminal of the called side. 2. The method according to claim 1, in which the signaling protocol used to establish and manage click-and-talk sessions is a session initialization protocol, and the invitation that contains the request is one of the messages: INVITATION or CONTACT session initialization protocol. 3. The method according to claim 1, in which the invitation to the session "click and speak" is transmitted using the server "click and speak" to the called party only after the authorization procedure performed by the server. 4. The method according to claim 1, comprising the step of performing the authorization procedure in a push-and-talk server serving the calling party, the request being included in the invitation sent to the push-and-talk server serving the called party only if authorization given. 5. The method according to claim 3, in which the authorization procedure (s) is performed by comparing the identification code of the calling party and / or the called party with a list or lists of identification codes previously stored in the click-and-talk server (s). 6. The method according to claim 1, comprising the steps of receiving a user prompt on the calling party to request a non-automatic response mode, and as a result including the request in an invitation on the calling party. 7. The method according to claim 1, comprising the step of including said request on the calling party automatically. 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the push-and-talk service is a push-and-talk service via cellular. 9. A method of operating a mobile wireless terminal with a push-and-talk capability, the method comprising the step of including said request in an invitation sent by the terminal to a terminal of the same network level. 10. The method of operation of the push-and-talk server in a mobile wireless communication network, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a push-and-talk invitation from a terminal of a calling client, the prompt including a request that a non-automatic response mode is used, overriding any automatic response mode selected for the called client terminal, transmit a request including the request to the called client terminal and wait for the response message from the called client terminal to be received until rodolzheniya establishing a session. 11. A mobile wireless terminal having a processor and memory configured to facilitate the participation of the terminal in a push and talk session facilitated by a mobile wireless communication network and a user interface designed to enable a user to interact with the processor and memory, the processor configured to receive a user input from a user interface that initializes a click and talk session, generating a click and talk prompt ri "to send to the called terminal and include in the invitation a request that they use a non-automatic response mode, overriding any automatic response mode selected by the called terminal, and send an invitation to the called terminal. 12. A push and talk server for use in a mobile wireless communication network to provide a push and talk service to wireless mobile terminals, the server comprising an input for receiving a push and talk invitation from a first wireless mobile terminal intended for the second wireless mobile terminal, the invitation includes a request that they use a non-automatic response mode, overriding any automatic response mode selected with schyu said second wireless mobile terminal; an output for transmitting a received click-and-talk invitation to a second wireless mobile destination terminal; and a processor programmed to determine whether or not the received invitation includes said request, and if it includes and if the automatic response mode for the second wireless mobile terminal is set, overriding the automatic mode setting and transmitting the invitation to the second wireless mobile terminal , including a request to override the automatic response mode, through the mentioned output.

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