Hybrid push-to-talk for mobile phone networks

摘要

A Hybrid Push-to-Talk (PTT) function for use in wireless communications networks, such as cellular mobile telephone networks. The cellular mobile telephone network includes a Real-Time Exchange (RTX) that interfaces to at least one Mobile Switching Center (MSC) in the cellular mobile telephone network to provide instant two-way half-duplex voice messaging within a group of users. In the Hybrid PTT function, first or initial talkbursts or volleys are transmitted by the RTX from an originating mobile to terminating mobiles on pre-established Internet Protocol (IP) sessions between the RTX and the mobiles. In addition, circuit channels are established by the RTX with the mobiles through the MSC in parallel with the first talkburst or volley. Thereafter, second or subsequent talkbursts or volleys are transmitted by the RTX from the originating mobile to the terminating mobiles on the circuit channels.

主权项

1. A system for providing advanced voice services in a cellular telephone network, comprising:
a cellular telephone network for making calls between mobiles, wherein the calls are initiated by call setup and in-band signaling within the cellular telephone network and voice frames for the calls are switched between the mobiles by one or more mobile switching centers across bearer paths in the cellular telephone network, at least one real-time exchange that interfaces to at least one of the mobile switching centers in the cellular telephone network to provide advanced voice services therein, the advanced voice services providing instant two-way half-duplex voice messaging within a group of users of the cellular telephone network, the instant two-way half-duplex voice messaging comprises a Hybrid Push-to-Talk (PTT) call, wherein one or more first or initial talkbursts or volleys comprising voice packets are transmitted by the real-time exchange from an originating mobile to one or more terminating mobiles on one or more pre-established Internet Protocol (IP) sessions between the real-time exchange and the mobiles, one or more circuit channels are established by the real-time exchange with the mobiles through the at least one of the mobile switching centers in parallel with the first or initial talkbursts or volleys being transmitted, and one or more second or subsequent talkbursts or volleys are transmitted by the real-time exchange from the originating mobile to the terminating mobiles on the circuit channels, and wherein a Group Home real-time exchange acts as a controller of the Hybrid PTT call, each of the mobiles pre-establishes the IP sessions with its own Home real-time exchange, the Home real-time exchange establishes the IP sessions with the Group Home real-time exchange, and the Hybrid PTT call is routed through the Home real-time exchange to the Group Home real-time exchange, and a mobile that is outside the cellular telephone network pre-establishes the IP sessions with its own Home real-time exchange via a Roaming Gateway.