Method and apparatus for providing push-to-talk services in a cellular communication system

Abstract

To reduce a delay between a time that a user of an originating mobile station (MS) requests to set up a Push-To-Talk (PTT) call and the time that the user may begin to speak, a communication system provides a ‘wake up list’ of other mobile stations (MSs) that may be awakened prior to the originating MS requesting to set up a PTT call. To further reduce the delay, the user may begin speaking prior to completion of the call setup. The speech is stored and is conveyed to a called MS when the call is setup. If the call does not get setup or a user of the called MS is not present, the stored speech may be conveyed to the called MS as a voice message. The stored speech, or new speech, may also be used as an announcement of a call instead of the typical “beep” or “chirp.”

1 . A method for establishing a Push-To-Talk (PTT) communication session in a wireless communication system comprising: 
 receiving a request to wake up a mobile station;    in response to receiving the request to wake up a mobile station, waking up the mobile station; and    receiving a request to set up a PTT communication session with the mobile station, wherein the request to set up a PTT communication session is received after receipt of the request to wake up the mobile station.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile station comprises a second mobile station and wherein receiving a request to wake up a mobile station comprises: 
 receiving an indication from a user of a first mobile station of the user's desire to initiate a PTT communication session;    in response to receiving the indication, conveying, by the first mobile station, a request to wake up the second mobile station; and    receiving, by an infrastructure, the request to wake up the second mobile station.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein receiving an indication comprises receiving an instruction from a user of the first mobile station to power up the first mobile station.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein receiving an indication comprises receiving an instruction from a user of the first mobile station to open a phone book.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving a request to wake up a mobile station comprises receiving, from a first mobile station, a request to wake up a second mobile station, wherein the second mobile station is associated with a wake up list associated with the first mobile station.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the wake up list comprises information concerning one or more mobile stations that may be awakened in anticipation of the first mobile station establishing a Push-To-Talk communication session.  
   
   
       7 . A method for establishing a Push-To-Talk (PTT) communication session in a wireless communication system comprising: 
 receiving a request from a user of a mobile station to set up a Push-To-Talk communication session;    receiving speech from the user of the mobile station prior to completion of the set up of the communication session;    storing the received speech to produce stored speech; and    when set up of the communication session is completed, conveying the stored speech.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 prior to completion of the set up of the communication session, terminating the setting up of the Push-To-Talk communication session; and    in response to termination of the setting up of the communication session, conveying the stored speech as a voice mail message.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein terminating comprises: 
 inquiring of the user as to whether to terminate the communication session; and    in response to the inquiry, receiving an instruction to terminate the setting up of the Push-To-Talk communication session.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein conveying comprises: 
 prompting the user for an instruction as to whether to convey a voice mail message;    in response to the prompt, receiving an instruction to convey the stored speech as a voice mail message; and    conveying the stored speech as a voice mail message.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 prior to completion of the set up of the communication session, terminating the setting up of the Push-To-Talk communication session; and    in response to termination of the setting up of the communication session, conveying the stored speech as a voice mail message.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein terminating comprises: 
 inquiring of the user as to whether to terminate the communication session; and    in response to the inquiry, receiving an instruction to terminate the setting up of the Push-To-Talk communication session.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the mobile station comprises a first mobile station, wherein the method further comprises, when the communication session is set up, determining whether a user of the second mobile station is present, and wherein conveying the stored speech comprises conveying the stored speech when the user of the second mobile station is present.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising, when the user of the second mobile station is not present, conveying the stored speech as a voice mail message.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein conveying the stored speech as a voice mail message comprises: 
 when the user of the second mobile station is not present, prompting the user for an instruction as to whether to convey a voice mail message;    in response to the prompt, receiving an instruction to convey the stored speech as a voice mail message; and    conveying the stored speech as a voice mail message.    
   
   
       16 . A method for establishing a Push-To-Talk (PTT) communication session in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: 
 receiving a request from a user of a first mobile station to set up a PTT communication session;    receiving speech from the user; and    conveying the received speech as an alert to a second mobile station.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 receiving, by the second mobile station, the conveyed speech; and    playing, by the second mobile station, the received speech as an alert.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of receiving speech comprises: 
 receiving speech from the user of the first mobile station prior to completion of the set up of the communication session;    storing the received speech to produce stored speech; and    wherein conveying comprises conveying the stored speech as an alert to the second mobile station.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising, when the communication session is set up, determining whether a user of the second mobile station is present, and wherein conveying the stored speech comprises, when the user of the second mobile station is present, conveying the stored speech as an alert to a user of the second mobile station.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of receiving speech comprises: 
 receiving a request from the user of the first mobile station to reserve a floor of the communication session; and    in response to receiving the request to reserve a floor, receiving speech from the user of the first mobile station.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein receiving speech from the user comprises: 
 when the communication session is set up, determining whether a user of the second mobile station is present;    when the user of the second mobile station is present, notifying the user of the first mobile station to begin speaking; and    in response to the notification, receiving speech from the user of the first mobile station.    
   
   
       22 . A control switch comprising a processor that receives a request to wake up a mobile station, in response to receiving the request to wake up a mobile station, wakes up the mobile station, and receives a request to set up a Push-To-Talk (PTT) communication session with the mobile station, wherein the request to wake up a mobile station is received prior to receipt of the request to set up a PTT communication session with the mobile station.  
   
   
       23 . The control switch of  claim 22 , wherein receiving a request to wake up a mobile station comprises receiving, from a first mobile station, a request to wake up a second mobile station, wherein the second mobile station is associated with a wake up list associated with the first mobile station.  
   
   
       24 . The control switch of  claim 23 , wherein the wake up list comprises information concerning one or more mobile stations that may be awakened in anticipation of the first mobile station establishing a Push-To-Talk communication session.  
   
   
       25 . The control switch of  claim 24 , further comprising at least one memory device coupled to the process and in which is maintained the wake up list.  
   
   
       26 . The control switch of  claim 22 , further comprising, in response to receiving a request to set up a Push-To-Talk (PTT) communication session, establishing the requested PTT communication session.  
   
   
       27 . A mobile station that receives an indication from a user of the mobile station of the user's desire to initiate a Push-To-Talk (PTT) communication session, in response to receiving the indication, conveys a request to wake up another mobile station, and subsequent to receiving the indication from the user of the user's desire to initiate a Push-To-Talk (PTT) communication session, and receives an instruction from the user to set up a PTT communication session.  
   
   
       28 . The mobile station of  claim 27 , wherein the mobile station receives an indication by receiving an instruction from the user of the mobile station to power up the first mobile station.  
   
   
       29 . The mobile station of  claim 27 , wherein the mobile station receives an indication by receiving an instruction from the user of the mobile station to open a phone book.  
   
   
       30 . The mobile station of  claim 27 , wherein the another mobile station is associated with a wake up list associated with the mobile station.  
   
   
       31 . The mobile station of  claim 27 , wherein the mobile station comprises at least one memory device that is coupled to the processor and in which is maintained the wake up list.  
   
   
       32 . A mobile station that receives a request from a user of the mobile station to set up a Push-To-Talk communication session, receives speech from the user of the mobile station prior to completion of the set up of the communication session, stores the received speech to produce stored speech and, when set up of the communication session is completed, conveys the stored speech.  
   
   
       33 . The mobile station of  claim 32 , wherein the mobile station, prior to completion of the set up of the communication session, terminates the setting up of the Push-To-Talk communication session and, in response to terminating of the setting up of the communication session, conveys the stored speech as a voice mail message.  
   
   
       34 . The mobile station of  claim 33 , wherein the mobile station further inquires of the user as to whether to terminate the communication session and, in response to the inquiry, receives an instruction to terminate the setting up of the Push-To-Talk communication session.  
   
   
       35 . The mobile station of  claim 33 , wherein the mobile station conveys the stored speech by prompting the user for an instruction as to whether to convey a voice mail message, in response to the prompt, receiving an instruction to convey the stored speech as a voice mail message, and conveying the stored speech as a voice mail message.  
   
   
       36 . The mobile station of  claim 32 , wherein the mobile station further, prior to completion of the set up of the communication session, terminates the setting up of the Push-To-Talk communication session and, in response to terminating the setting up of the communication session, conveys the stored speech as a voice mail message.  
   
   
       37 . The mobile station of  claim 36 , wherein the mobile station terminates the setting up of the communication session by inquiring of the user as to whether to terminate the Push-To-Talk communication session and, in response to the inquiry, receives an instruction to terminate the setting up of the Push-To-Talk communication session.  
   
   
       38 . The mobile station of  claim 32 , wherein the mobile station comprises a first mobile station, wherein, when the communication session is set up, the first mobile station determines whether a user of a second mobile station is present, and wherein the first mobile station conveys the stored speech when the user of the second mobile station is present.  
   
   
       39 . The mobile station of  claim 38 , wherein the first mobile station conveys the stored speech as a voice mail message when the user of the second mobile station is not present.  
   
   
       40 . The mobile station of  claim 39 , wherein the first mobile station conveys the stored speech as a voice mail message by, when the user of the second mobile station is not present, prompting the user for an instruction as to whether to convey a voice mail message, in response to the prompt, receiving an instruction to convey the stored speech as a voice mail message, and conveying the stored speech as a voice mail message.  
   
   
       41 . A mobile station that receives a request from a user of the mobile station to set up a PTT communication session, receives speech from the user, and conveys the received speech as an alert to another mobile station.  
   
   
       42 . The mobile station of  claim 41 , wherein the mobile station comprises a first mobile station, the another mobile station comprises a second mobile station, and the wherein the first mobile station further receives speech from a third mobile station and plays the received speech as an alert.  
   
   
       43 . The mobile station of  claim 41 , wherein the mobile station receives the speech from the user prior to completion of the set up of the communication session, stores the received speech to produce stored speech, and wherein the mobile station conveys the received speech by conveying the stored speech as an alert.  
   
   
       44 . The mobile station of  claim 43 , wherein, when the communication session is set up, the mobile station determines whether a user of the another mobile station is present, and wherein the mobile station conveys the received speech by, when the user of the another mobile station is present, conveying the stored speech as an alert to the another mobile station.  
   
   
       45 . The mobile station of  claim 41 , wherein the mobile station receives speech by receiving a request from the user of the first mobile station to reserve a floor of the communication session and, in response to receiving the request to reserve a floor, receiving speech from the user.  
   
   
       46 . The mobile station of  claim 41 , wherein the mobile station receives speech from the user by, when the communication session is set up, determining whether a user of the another mobile station is present, when the user of the another mobile station is present, notifying the user of the mobile station to begin speaking and, in response to the notification, receiving speech from the user of the mobile station