Method and apparatus for establishing an invite-first communication session

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments provide methods and apparatus for establishing an invite-first communication session in a wireless communication network. The method includes receiving an invite message from an inviter, forwarding the invite message to at least one invitee, receiving a response from one of the at least one invitee in response to the invite message, and establishing the communication session between the inviter and the at least one invitee.

1 . A method for placing an invite-first communication session in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
 receiving an input from an inviter who wishes to invite at least one invitee;   forwarding an invite message including an expiration time for responding to the invite message to the at least one invitee regardless of whether the at least one invitee has an established dedicated traffic channel;   receiving a response from one of the at least one invitee in response to the invite message; and   establishing a communication session between the inviter and the at least one invitee.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the establishing the communication session comprises establishing a half-duplex communication session. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving the invite message comprises receiving the invite message on a common channel of a wireless network infrastructure. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the receiving comprises receiving the invite message as short data bursts. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the forwarding comprises forwarding the invite message on a common channel of a wireless network infrastructure. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the forwarding comprises forwarding the invite message as short data bursts. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising establishing a traffic channel before the receiving the invite message. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the receiving the invite message comprises receiving the invite message on the established traffic channel. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising establishing a traffic channel for each of the at least one invitee before the forwarding the invite message. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the forwarding the invite message comprises forwarding the invite message on the established traffic channel for each of the at least one invitee. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising establishing a traffic channel before the forwarding the invite message. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the forwarding the invite message comprises forwarding the invite message on the established traffic channel. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein if the expiration time has expired before the receiving the response, sending an indication to the at least one invitee accordingly, instead of the establishing the communication session. 
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for establishing an invite-first communication session in a wireless communication network, comprising:
 at least one instruction to receive an input from an inviter who wishes to invite at least one invitee;   at least one instruction to forward an invite message including an expiration time for responding to the invite message to the at least one invitee regardless of whether the at least one invitee has an established dedicated traffic channel;   at least one instruction to receive a response from one of the at least one invitee in response to the invite message; and   at least one instruction to establish a communication session between the inviter and the at least one invitee.   
     
     
         15 . A server configured to establish an invite-first communication session in a wireless communication network, comprising:
 means for receiving an invite message from an inviter;   means for forwarding the invite message including an expiration time for responding to the invite message to at least one invitee regardless of whether the at least one invitee has an established dedicated traffic channel;   means for receiving a response from one of the at least one invitee in response to the invite message; and   means for establishing a communication session between the inviter and the at least one invitee.   
     
     
         16 . The server of  claim 15 , wherein the means for establishing the communication session comprises means for establishing a half-duplex communication session. 
     
     
         17 . The server of  claim 15 , wherein the means for receiving the invite message comprises means for receiving the invite message on a common channel of a wireless network infrastructure. 
     
     
         18 . The server of  claim 17 , wherein the receiving the invite message comprises receiving the invite message as short data bursts. 
     
     
         19 . The server of  claim 15 , wherein the means for forwarding comprises means for forwarding the invite message on a common channel of a wireless network infrastructure. 
     
     
         20 . The server of  claim 19 , wherein the means for forwarding comprises means for forwarding the invite message as short data bursts. 
     
     
         21 . The server of  claim 15 , further comprising means for establishing a traffic channel before the receiving the invite message. 
     
     
         22 . The server of  claim 21 , wherein the means for receiving the invite message comprises means for receiving the invite message on the established traffic channel. 
     
     
         23 . The server of  claim 15 , further comprising means for establishing a traffic channel for each of the at least one invitee before the forwarding the invite message. 
     
     
         24 . The server of  claim 23 , wherein the means for forwarding the invite message comprises means for forwarding the invite message on the established traffic channel for each of the at least one invitee. 
     
     
         25 . The server of  claim 15 , wherein if the expiration time has expired before the receiving the response, further comprising means for sending an indication to the at least one invitee accordingly, instead of the establishing the communication session. 
     
     
         26 . A server for placing an invite-first communication session in a wireless communication network, comprising:
 a memory unit;   a receiver;   a transmitter; and   a processor coupled to the memory unit, the receiver, and the transmitter, the processor configured to:
 receive an input from an inviter who wishes to invite at least one invitee; 
 forward an invite message including an expiration time for responding to the invite message to the at least one invitee regardless of whether the at least one invitee has an established dedicated traffic channel; 
 receive a response from one of the at least one invitee in response to the invite message; and 
 establish a communication session between the inviter and the at least one invitee. 
   
     
     
         27 . The server of  claim 26 , wherein establishing the communication session comprises establishing a half-duplex communication session. 
     
     
         28 . The server of  claim 26 , wherein forwarding the invite message comprises forwarding the invite message on a common channel of a wireless network infrastructure. 
     
     
         29 . The server of  claim 26 , wherein the processor is further configured to establish a traffic channel before forwarding the invite message. 
     
     
         30 . The server of  claim 26 , wherein if the expiration time has expired before receiving the response, the processor is further configured to send an indication to the at least one invitee accordingly, instead of establishing the communication session.