Data group paging service

Description

The present invention relates to a Data Group Cali Service, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for implementing such group data transmission service.

[0002] The known VGCS (Voice Group Cali Service) service, described for example in 3GPP TS 43.068, enables group definition for Downlink and Uplink common channels. A member (user) of the group can speak and everyone else listens. If another user wishes to speak, he must request a released conversation channel. In addition, the role of a dispatcher, who can speak at any time, was defined. If a user is speaking at a given moment, the speech is confused and as such is heard by all other users.

[0003] The extension of the known VGCS service for data transmission, i.e. for data transmission within a defined group, as yet not provided or defined, neither parallel to an existing group conversation nor independently thereof.

[0004] US 2005 0041697 A1 discloses a method for providing a PoC group talk service. PoC is an abbreviation for "Push-to-Talk over Cellular" and is a packet-based calling service.

[0005] WO 99 63 773 A1 discloses a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) based packet data transmission service which provides a packet handler that allocates resources for radio transmission for a given connection.

[0006] The application WO 2004 107719 A1 discloses a method of listening to subscribers on group calls.

[0007] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide methods and devices which make it possible to transmit data, for example picture data, in a voice group call service.

[0008] This object is solved according to the invention by the features of the independent patent claims.

[0009] Preferred solutions and advantageous further developments of the invention are given in the dependent claims.

[0010] According to the invention, methods and devices for implementing a group data service in GSM or LIMTS networks with data capability in conjunction with a Voice Group Cali Service (VGCS) service will be described.

According to one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method for building a data connection in a voice group call service between a plurality of group members as users of a mobile telephone network employing IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystems) functions, using the Session Initiation (SIP) protocol. Protocol) a controlled data connection is created between the transmitter, terminal and one or more receivers, wherein each user receives, in addition to the VGCS-ID, an IMS group ID, enabling the user to route to an AS (Application Server) in the IMS, which starts the service of group data transmission between users.

[0012] An embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail below with the aid of the drawings. Other features, advantages and uses of the invention will also result from this.

Fig. 1 shows a simplified architecture of a first multicast data service solution based on IMS (IP Multimedia Core Network Subsystem) and on MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service).

Fig. 2 shows a simplified multicast data service architecture based on the Service Node SK and MBMS.

[0013] According to the invention, data group transmission on a voice call may be made in conjunction with a VGC (Voice Group Cali) call - regardless of whether or not a call is in progress.

The data transmission from the user's 1. end device to the MSC (Broadcast- / Multicast-Service Center) 5 mobile radiocommunication center and further to the end devices of one or more recipients takes place in packets via GPRS network components. SGSN (Serving GPRS Support Node) 3 controls the data flow from the terminal through the BTS / BSC (Base Transceiver Station / Base-Station Color Code) and vice versa, and takes over the routing of data packets, management of logical connections and authentication functions. The GGSN (Gateway GPRS Support Node) 4 is the linking unit to the connected networks. The GGSN 4 in this case takes over the conversion of the packet formats and the conversion of the addresses between the data networks and the mobile telephone network. The MSC (Mobileservices Switching Center) 2 switchboard is only used to prepare a VGCS (Voice Group Cali Service) call. The figures show the utility data transmission interfaces with thick lines, the signal interfaces with thin lines, and the interfaces or devices which, according to the invention, require additional installation with thin lines.

[0014] The Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) is an extension of the UMTS network's capabilities for multimedia and radio services aimed at optimizing data transmission while transmitting from multiple users. MBMS works in the UMTS small cell structure and is preferred by 3GPP for standardization.

First variant - IMS, Fig. 1:

[0015] In implementation, an IMS (IP Multimedia Core Network Subsysteme) function (3GPP TS 22.228) is used. The IMS subsystems are the central integration platforms for mobile service control, customer management, and service billing in IP-based mobile telephony.

[0016] According to the invention, a protocol controlled SIP (Session

Initiation Protocol) a connection for data transmission between a sender i.e. an end device 1 and the recipients. The Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is a standard protocol for signaling that can create, modify and terminate meetings of two or more participants. This HTTP-based text protocol is used to transmit data in real time over networks using packet transmission. The SIP protocol is functionally comparable to the H.323 protocol and can be used to transmit interactive communication services including chat over IP networks. SIP information can be transported over TCP or UDP protocol. The SIP protocol has an open Internet-based structure and enables CLASS (Custom Local Area Signaling Service) services such as caller ID transfer or call forwarding on IP-based networks.

In addition to the identifier for group services (VGCS-ID), the user is also allocated a newly entered IMS group identifier (IMS group ID) stored on the SIM or UICC of the user and made available to the client of the terminal. When the user activates the VGCS-ID of the VGCS service (i.e. starting from the moment from which it receives the notifications of the relevant group or can initiate the Group Call Group itself), the client checks in the terminal whether the IMS group ID also exists for this VGCS-ID. If an IMS group ID exists, the IMS client registers with the terminal with the IMS group ID. Based on this IMS group ID, the user is routed to a special Application Server (AS) 8 in the IMS which is responsible for starting the Data group calls.

[0018] The Application Server AS (Application Server) 8 establishes a connection with all members of the group by means of the mechanisms provided for in IMS and ensures that only one member of the group can always upload data and all others receive the data. The user ability to transmit is suitably signaled to the client and displayed on the user terminal. The send request is sent by the client via SIP messages to the Application Server (AS).

[0019] Additionally, a predefined dispatcher can send data sent to a given user simultaneously to all group members, similarly to the VGCS.

[0020] The connection for receiving the data is either via selected channels (point to point connections) or by enabling the MBMS service (Multimedia Broadcast Multicast System, 3GPP TS 22.146). In the latter case, the application server AS (Application Server) must establish a connection with the BM-SC (Broadcast- / Multicast-Service Center) 5, from which the data is further distributed to individual users in multicast mode.

[0021] The correct receipt of the data may be confirmed by the individual customers with a receipt.

[0022] The Application Server (AS) 8 uses the GCR (Group Cali Registers) 6 data to obtain the information necessary to establish a connection for multicast. Both functions can also be implemented together.

[0023] Furthermore, for multicast data transmission an interface is required between the BM-SC 5 and the GCR 6 register or the AS 8 server.

A second variant, Service Node (SK) is not part of the present invention, Fig. 2_

[0024] Instead of the SIP controlled direct data flow according to the first variant, the data of the sender, i.e. the terminal 1, is sent to a Service Node (SK) 9 which acts as a relay and forwards the data to all recipients.

In this connection, the user must additionally administer an IP address for the service node, in addition to the group identifier Group-ID for the VGC. This address is stored on the SIM or UICC card and is available to the customer of the end device. As soon as the user activates the Group-ID for the VGCS service (i.e. the moment from which he receives notifications of the appropriate group or can start the Group Cali group call himself), the client checks in the terminal whether the IP address of the node also exists for this Group-ID. service. If it exists, GPRS is activated in the terminal - the user gets an online connection.

If the user starts to transmit data, they are routed together with the Group-ID by the SGSN 3 and GGSN 4 to the predefined IP address behind which the Service Node 9 can optionally be used. APN name (Access Point Name). Service Node 9_ now checks the sender's permission based on the sender's IP address or IMSI card number and the Group-ID group ID and transmits the data to the recipients (i.e. to the rest of the group). The required data (entitlements, group membership) from the GCR (Group Cali Register) 6 are provided to the service node. For this, an interface is required between the GCR 6 and the service node 9. A joint implementation of the GCR 6 and the service node 9 is also possible.

[0027] Additionally, a predefined dispatcher may send data sent to a given user in parallel to all group members, similarly to the VGCS.

[0028] Service Node 9 need not wait to receive all data from the sender before forwarding it to the recipients. In this case, the normal router procedure is sufficient.

[0029] As there are no signaling messages for session control in this case, special mechanisms need to be used, if required, to control the flow of the transmission. The control can, for example, be implemented using the so-called token. The client, i.e. endpoint 1, which wishes to obtain the right to transmit, sends to Service Node 9 the specified dataset which corresponds to the token with the specified dataset. In this way, the sender, i.e. ending engine 1 knows it can transmit. Finally, the client, i.e. the endpoint 1, re-sends the token to the service node 9, which can now pass it on to someone else. This can be done on the basis of requests remembered in the meantime or on the basis of the first incoming request (Reguest) after the token is returned.

[0030] The distribution of data from the service node 9 to the recipients takes place via point-to-point connections or optionally via the MBMS system. For this purpose, the service node 9 has to forward the data to the BM-SC 5. The connection of the GCR 6 register with the BM-SC 5 central enables the completion of data and thus transfer to the appropriate group. Such a connection can also take place via the service node 9.

General options

[0031] Control of the connection flow for the data is optional and may be independent from the control of the flow of the VGCS.

[0032] It is possible to limit the amount of data to be transferred (data volume) or to limit the transmission time. Ie. after reaching the maximum volume or time, the sender loses the right to broadcast and may be reallocated to another user.

List of symbols and abbreviations

[0033]

End Camera (EU)

Mobileservices Switching Center (MSC)

Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN)

Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN)

Broadcast- / Multicast - Service Center (BM-SC)

Group Cali Register (GCR)

Cali State Control Function (CSCF)

Application Server (AS)

Service node

UE End device (user device)

SGSN A node that supports packet transmission in the GSM i

LIMTS (Serving GPRS Support Node)

GGSN Node handling packet transmission to and outside the system

GSM and LIMTS (Gateway GPRS Support Node)

MSC Mobileservices Switching

Center)

CSCF Call session control function in IMS (Cali State Control

Function)

GCR Group Cali Register

AS Application Server

SK Service node

BM-SC Radio / Group Service Center (Broadcast- / Multicast Service Center (