Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100161728 | METHOD OF IDENTIFYING AND CONVEYING A ROLE ASSOCIATED WITH USERS IN A COMMUNICATION - A method for identifying and conveying a role of a first user relative to a second user in a communication comprises using a communication server to determine an identity of the first user, determine an identity of the second user, determine a relationship between the first user and the second user, determine an associated role with the first user relative to the relationship between the first user and the second user, and convey the associated role of the first user relative to the relationship to the second user. The communication server receives an indication that a communication between the users is initiated. The communication server and/or a source are configured for tracking one or more of the identities, relationships, and roles of the first and second users. Each user may have a plurality of roles and the identity and roles may by fixed or dynamically assigned. | 06-24-2010 |
20100234057 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ENABLING SELECTIVE PRIVACY IN A PUSH TO TALK (PTT) WIRELESS GROUP COMMUNICATION SESSION - A method and device for enabling selective privacy in a push to talk (PTT) wireless group communication session provides improved control over sharing of user identity information. The method includes processing at a PTT server a request for selective privacy. The PTT server then processes one or more selective privacy parameters, whereby at least a first session participant is enabled to receive an identification of a second session participant and a third session participant is not enabled to receive an identification of the second session participant. The PTT server then facilitates the PTT wireless group communication session between at least the first session participant, second session participant, and third session participant according to the one or more selective privacy parameters. | 09-16-2010 |
20110047558 | METHOD FOR PRESENCE INFORMATION SUBSCRIPTION IN A GROUP COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM - In a group communications system, a group watcher module subscribes to presentities of interest for a particular group by communicating, to at least one presence server module, a set of subscriptions to a plurality of presentities, wherein each subscription contains a set of event notification criteria for a presentity. When the group watcher module detects a change in presence information for the set of subscriptions, it determines current members of the group and distributes the change in presence information to the current members. | 02-24-2011 |
20110074579 | METHOD FOR USING RECORDING RULES AND PREVIOUS VALUE SELECTION RULES FOR PRESENCE INFORMATION IN A COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM - In a communications system, a presence server maintains and distributes presence information in accordance with recording rules and previous value selection rules. The presence server: associates a recording rule with each presence information element in a subset of a plurality of presence information elements for a presentity; maintains a set of previous values according to the recording rule associated with the presence information element, for each presence information element in the subset; receives an initial subscribe request from a watcher for one or more presence information elements in the subset; and in response to the initial subscribe request, notifies the watcher of a number of the previous values maintained for each presence information elements in the subscribe request, wherein the number of the previous values that is sent is determined by a previous value selection rule associated with each presence information element. | 03-31-2011 |
20110119387 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MINIMIZING BANDWIDTH USAGE BETWEEN A COMMUNICATION SERVER AND A MEDIA DEVICE - A communication server implements a method that minimizes bandwidth usage between a media device and the communication server in a communication system where separate session and floor control protocols are used. Where multiple clients have established separate sessions to access a media source at a media device and upon determining that the multiple clients are attempting to access the same media source, the communication server implements floor control logic to tie multiple floor arbiters together across the separate sessions to cause a single media stream to be sent from the media source and received at the communication server for distribution to the clients, thereby minimizing the bandwidth on the uplink between the media device and the communication server. | 05-19-2011 |
20110150219 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF INCREASING ENCRYPTION SYNCHRONIZATION AVAILABILITY - Methods for increasing encryption synchronization availability include collecting encryption synchronization data from a first superframe received at a gateway. The encryption synchronization data is for decrypting media in a second superframe also received at the gateway. The encryption synchronization data from the first superframe is used to form a composite encryption synchronization codeword for decrypting media in a third superframe formed by the gateway, wherein the third superframe includes the composite encryption synchronization codeword and at least a portion of the media from the second superframe. The third superframe is sent to a receiving device so that media in the third superframe can be decrypted by the receiving device using the composite encryption synchronization codeword that is included in the same superframe as the media that is being decrypted. | 06-23-2011 |
20110154446 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING IDENTITY PRIVACY IN A COMMUNICATION SESSION - A system and methods for controlling identity privacy in a communication session include processing, at a communication server, a request from a first participant of the communication session to add a second participant to the communication session. Based on the request, the communication server establishes a set of privacy rules related to the second participant that control sharing of identity information between the second participant and a third participant of the communication session. | 06-23-2011 |
20110161397 | METHOD FOR PRESENCE NOTIFICATION BASED ON A SEQUENCE OF EVENTS - A client entity generates a subscription to a presentity that includes a sequence of events which define a trigger that controls when a presence server sends a notification to the client entity; and the subscription further indicates a time period parameter for the sequence of events. Upon receiving the subscription, the presence server receives and monitors presence information based on the indicated time period parameter to detect an occurrence of the sequence of events, and sends the notification to the client entity when the presence information satisfies the trigger. | 06-30-2011 |
20110250922 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ESTABLISHING AN INTER-RADIO FREQUENCY SUBSYSTEM INTERFACE (ISSI) GROUP CALL - A hosted inter-radio frequency subsystem interface (HIF) maintains a list of affiliated radio frequency subsystems (RFSSs), the list identifies at least one serving RFSS. An affiliation request is transmitted from the HIF to the home RFSS, which is a home RFSS of the group. The HIF receives from the serving RFSS a request to initiate an inter-RFSS group call to the group using HIF addressing. The HIF transmits a request to the home RFSS to initiate the inter-RFSS group call using serving RFSS addressing. A data packet from the home RFSS or the serving RFSS is received at the HIF. Upon receipt, the HIF transmits a copy of the data packet to the serving RFSS if the data packet was received from the home RFSS; otherwise, the HIF transmits a copy of the data packet to the home RFSS if the data packet was received from the serving RFSS. | 10-13-2011 |
20110250923 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ESTABLISHING AN INTER-RADIO FREQUENCY SUBSYSTEM INTERFACE (ISSI) UNIT-TO-UNIT CALL - A method and device enable establishing an inter-radio frequency subsystem interface (ISSI) unit-to-unit call between a calling unit of a calling home radio frequency subsystem (RFSS), and a called unit of a called home RFSS, through a hosted ISSI function (HIF). The method includes processing, at the HIF, a first invite message received from the calling home RFSS, wherein the first invite message includes a first request uniform resource identifier (URI) that designates an alias system unit identification (SU-ID). In response to the first invite message, transmitting, from the HIF to the called home RFSS, a second invite message, including a second request URI that designates a real SU-ID, wherein the HIF acts as the calling home RFSS. The unit-to-unit call is thus established between the calling unit and the called unit through the calling home RFSS, the HIF, and the called home RFSS. | 10-13-2011 |
20110263288 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EXTENDING A BROADCAST GROUP SERVICE - A method and apparatus for extending a virtual channel of a communication area to a user equipment is disclosed. A message including a virtual channel identity and an area identity from the user equipment is received at a call controller. The call controller determines that the virtual channel identity is associated with a communication area and the area identity is associated with an area outside the communication area. The call controller then determines whether a virtual channel extension feature is enabled on the user equipment, and if so, receives data from the user equipment and then distributes the data on the virtual channel. | 10-27-2011 |
20120082098 | METHODS FOR REDUCING SET UP TIME FOR COMMUNICATIONS AMONG MULTIPLE USER EQUIPMENT IN A LONG TERM EVOLUTION SYSTEM - Methods for reducing set-up time for communications among multiple user equipment (UE) in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication system are described. In accordance with one method, an LTE subsystem that includes a eNodeB and a Mobility Management Entity (MME): receives a request for an LTE connection from a first UE associated with a virtual channel, and responsive to contents in the request for the LTE connection, generates on behalf of the first UE, a request to transmit media on the virtual channel, which the LTE system sends to an application server to trigger an establishment of a call to deliver a media transmission from the first UE to at least one other UE associated with the virtual channel. | 04-05-2012 |
20120135775 | METHOD OF CONTROLLING SHARING OF PARTICIPANT IDENTITY IN A GROUP COMMUNICATION SESSION - A system and methods for increasing the granularity of privacy control in a group communication session are presented. A privacy rule is established for a participant in the session. The privacy rule specifies for different identity sharing triggers whether the participant identity is to be shared with other participants in the session. The privacy of the participant is able to be different dependent on the particular identity sharing trigger. The privacy rule is set by participant initiating the session, a separate server, or the participant. In the last case, the participant is able to specify privacy for a media or data stream when requesting the floor to transmit the stream. The identity of the participant is automatically modified dependent on session context information. | 05-31-2012 |
20120149421 | METHOD AND SYSTEM OF PROVIDING SERVICE TO A MOBILE DEVICE IN A COMMUNICATION NETWORK - A mobile device registers with an infrastructure device coupled to a first communication network and then sends a request to activate PTT service in the first communication network. A communication server is adapted to receive the request to activate the PTT service, and to, thereby, activate the PTT service for the mobile device in the first communication network. Responsive to receiving the request to activate the PTT service, the communication server makes a determination to register the mobile device with a second communication network, generates a service registration message, on behalf of the mobile device, to register the mobile device with the second communication network, and sends the service registration message to the second communication network. | 06-14-2012 |
20120170501 | METHODS FOR TRANPORTING A PLURALITY OF MEDIA STREAMS OVER A SHARED MBMS BEARER IN A 3GPP COMPLIANT COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - An infrastructure device in a 3GPP compliant system performs a method transporting a plurality of media streams over a shared MBMS bearer. The 3GPP compliant system includes a RAN partitioned into a plurality MBMS services areas, wherein each MBMS service area has at least one already existing shared MBMS bearers for transporting the media streams. The infrastructure device: receives a first request to transmit a first media stream to a first communication group; identifies a shared MBMS bearer in a first 3GPP MBMS service area that is already transporting a second media stream to a second communication group; and determines whether the shared MBMS bearer has sufficient capacity to transport both the first media stream and the second media stream simultaneously. When the shared MBMS bearer has sufficient capacity, the infrastructure device simultaneously sends both the first media stream and the second media stream on the shared MBMS bearer. | 07-05-2012 |
20120170502 | METHODS FOR BINDING AND UNBINDING A MBMS BEARER TO A COMMUNICATION GROUP IN A 3GPP COMPLIANT SYSTEM - A 3GPP compliant system includes a radio access network (RAN) partitioned into a plurality MBMS services areas, wherein each MBMS service area has a plurality of MBMS bearers established a priori for transporting media streams. An infrastructure device: receives a request to transmit a media stream to a communication group, wherein the request to transmit is received after the MBMS bearers were established; determines a MBMS bearer in a MBMS service area to assign to transport the media stream; generates a MBMS connect message that binds the communication group to the assigned MBMS bearer, wherein the MBMS connect message includes an identifier for the communication group and an identifier for the assigned MBMS bearer; and sends the MBMS connect message to members of the communication group. | 07-05-2012 |
20120170547 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SELECTING A TARGET CELL FOR HANDOVER OF USER EQUIPMENT IN A LONG TERM EVOLUTION SYSTEM - A method and system for selecting a target cell for handover of user equipment in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication system are described. In accordance with the method, a serving cell: determines virtual channels supported by each of a plurality of neighboring cells; determines a set of virtual channels of interest to a UE; selects a subset of the neighboring cells, which supports at least one virtual channel in the set of virtual channels of interest to the UE; modifies handover behavior, and uses results of the modified handover behavior to select one of the neighboring cells, from the subset, as a target cell for handover of the UE. | 07-05-2012 |
20120172028 | METHODS FOR ASSIGNING A PLETHORA OF GROUP COMMUNICATIONS AMONG A LIMITED NUMBER OF PRE-ESTABLISHED MBMS BEARERS IN A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - An infrastructure device in a 3GPP compliant system performs a method to allocate MBMS bearers. The 3GPP compliant system includes a RAN partitioned into a plurality MBMS services areas, wherein each MBMS service area has a plurality of pre-established MBMS bearers for transporting media streams. The infrastructure device: receives a request to transmit a media stream to a communication group; selects a set of the MBMS service areas for transporting the media stream; determines an available MBMS bearer in each selected MBMS service area to assign to transport the media stream; and identifies the assigned MBMS bearers to members of the communication group. In addition, a UE performs a method for MBMS service area location update in the 3GPP compliant system. Accordingly, the UE: determines a 3GPP MBMS service area in which the UE is currently located; and identifies the 3GPP MBMS service area to an infrastructure device. | 07-05-2012 |
20130064160 | METHODS FOR MANAGING AT LEAST ONE BROADCAST/MULTICAST SERVICE BEARER - A central resource manager is communicatively coupled to a broadcast/multicast service (BMS) capable system. The BMS capable system has a radio access network that includes at least one BMS service area and a total number of BMS bearers for transporting media streams. Each BMS service area has associated therewith a portion of the total number of BMS bearers. The central resource manager allocates, to a first local call controller of a plurality of local call controllers, a first portion of the total number of BMS bearers to be managed locally by the first local call controller, and identifies the first portion of the total number of BMS bearer to the first local call controller. The central resource manager also manages a second portion of the total number of BMS bearers for a subsequent allocation to at least one local call controller of the plurality of local call controllers. | 03-14-2013 |
20130279375 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENABLING INTEROPERABILITY BETWEEN A BROADBAND NETWORK AND A NARROWBAND NETWORK - A method and apparatus for enabling interoperability between a broadband network and a narrowband network includes an interworking server maintaining at least one virtual narrowband site, each comprising a plurality of virtual narrowband channels known by a controlling server within the narrowband network, wherein each virtual narrowband channel, when assigned by the controlling server, represents a corresponding set of broadband resources. A first broadband device coupled to the broadband network is associated with a first virtual narrowband site. The interworking server further exchanges signaling with the controlling server to enable communications by the first broadband device using a set of broadband resources corresponding to a first virtual narrowband channel of the first virtual narrowband site, wherein the first virtual narrowband channel is assigned by the controlling server for use by a virtual narrowband device which represents the first broadband device. | 10-24-2013 |
20140120973 | ENHANCED NETWORK-NETWORK INTERFACE SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MULTIMEDIA BROADCAST MULTICAST SERVICES - A method between a controlling server and a participating server, a network, and a server include enhanced signaling via a Multicast-Broadcast Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) report allowing User Equipment (UE) to communicate MBSFN areas to a controlling server. Thus, the enhanced controlling server's Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Services (MBMS) decisions can count all visiting devices in addition to its own in its MBSFN areas. The method, network, and server include new signaling and additional info to provide a participating server with MBSFN areas that will have MBMS activated for a group session. This enhances the participating server's determination of which its visiting devices need unicast bearers. The participating server can add information related to the current MBSFN area of its UE to a message to the controlling server indicating joining the UE to a group. | 05-01-2014 |
20140126452 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MBMS SUPPORT - A system and method handles a group session of a communication group. The method includes determining server association data and access network association data for each mobile unit in a communication group. The server association data indicates a first association with a Push-To-Talk (PTT) server. The access network association data indicates a second association with an operating area respective to the PTT servers. The method includes determining a first MU of the MUs in the communication group being associated with a first PTT server and associated with a MBMS operating area of a second PTT server, the first PTT server controlling the group session. When none of the MUs participating in the group session is associated with the second PTT server, the method includes inviting the second PTT server to join the group session of the communication group. | 05-08-2014 |
20140177436 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MULTIMEDIA BROADCAST MULTICAST SERVICE - A method and apparatus for assigning Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (E-MBMS) bearers in at least two Multimedia Broadcast Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) areas in a 3GPP compliant wireless communication system is provided. An infrastructure device receives identifiers of a primary preferred MBSFN area and a secondary preferred MBSFN area from a User Equipment (UE). The infrastructure device assigns a first E-MBMS bearer in a first MBSFN and a second E-MBMS bearer in a second MBSFN, to support a call to the UE, the first and second E-MBMS bearers providing the same media transmission to the UE as part of a group call. The infrastructure device may receive an attribute parameter comprising a request for Make Before Break service or a request for a boost to coverage, from the UE. | 06-26-2014 |
20140177437 | METHOD AND APPARATUS MULTIMEDIA BROADCAST/MULTICAST SERVICE COVERAGE BOOST - A method of assigning Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (E-MBMS) bearers in a Multimedia Broadcast Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) area in a 3GPP compliant wireless communication system is provided. An infrastructure device is operably coupled to a radio access network comprising one or more MBSFN areas, wherein each MBSFN area supports a plurality of E-MBMS bearers for transporting media streams to user equipments (UE). The infrastructure device receives, from a UE, an identifier of a preferred MBSFN area and a request for a boost to the quality of the transmissions. The infrastructure device assigns first and second E-MBMS bearers in an MBSFN area to support a call to the UE, the first and second E-MBMS bearers providing the same information to the UE in their media content streams. The UE may employ application layer time-diversity reception of the media content. | 06-26-2014 |
20140177506 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IDENTIFYING A MULTIMEDIA BROADCAST/MULTICAST SERVICE (MBMS) AREA IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - A method and eMBMS-enabled infrastructure device are disclosed that provide an updated mechanism for a client, or user equipment (UE), to report its location such that an eMBMS-enabled application desiring eMBMS location information can uniquely identify the MBSFN in which the UE is located. The method and eMBMS-enabled infrastructure device identify an eMBMS area associated with a user equipment UE by receiving, from the UE, a Multicast Broadcast Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) Area update message from a user equipment, wherein the MBSFN Area update message uniquely identifies an MBSFN Area and includes an extension identifier derived from one or more of a cell identifier, an eNodeB identifier, an identifier of a group of cells, a service identifier, a tracking area identifier, and a paging area identifier, and optionally further may include an MBSFN AreaID, and determining an MBSFN Area serving the user equipment based on the received eMBMS area identifier. | 06-26-2014 |