System and method for providing an early notification when paging a wireless device

Abstract

A system and method for a server to provide an early notification to a target group devices when paging a wireless device during a push-to-talk (PTT) communication. When a wireless device is ready to transmit a PTT communication, a message is sent from the wireless device to a server that then sends an early PING message to a base station while processing a call request message from the wireless device. After processing the call request message, the server sends an announce message to the base station. On receipt of the PING message, the base station sends a paging message to all targeted devices while processing the announce message. The early PING message causes a communication channel to be established between a targeted device and the base station, and the communication channel can then be used by the announce message with less set-up time.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for reducing delay in a push-to-talk (PTT) communication in a wireless communication network, comprising:
 receiving at a server a first message from an originating wireless device, the first message is a call request message;   identifying at least one target wireless device for the PTT communication in response to receiving the first message;   transmitting a second message, in response to receiving the first message, from the server to a base station to determine whether the at least one target wireless device is online, the second message having a header with an empty message body and being transmitted before an announce message is sent by the server to the base station;   transmitting the announce message from the server to the base station in response to receiving the first message and after transmitting the second message, but before receiving an acknowledgement receipt of the second message; and   receiving at the server, after transmitting the announce message, at least one message acknowledging receipt of the second message and the announce message from the at least one target wireless device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising checking call limitations for the least one target wireless device before transmitting the second message. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting a vocoder and a media host for the PTT communication after transmitting the second message but before transmitting the announce message. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising allocating resources by the server to the originating wireless device after transmitting the second message but before transmitting the announce message. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second message is a PING message. 
     
     
         6 . A server capable of handling push-to-talk (PTT) communications in a communication network and configured with software instructions to:
 receive a call request message from an originating wireless device for a PTT communication-identifying at least one target wireless device in response to receiving the call request message;   transmit a testing message to determine whether the at least one target wireless device is online to a base station before allocating resources to the PTT communication;   allocate resources to the at least one target wireless device;   transmit an announce message to the base station in response to receiving the call request message and after allocating the resources to the PTT communication after transmitting the testing message, but before receiving an acknowledgement receipt of the testing message; and   receive, after transmitting the announce message, at least one message acknowledging receipt of the testing message and the announce message from the at least one target wireless device.   
     
     
         7 . The server of  claim 6 , wherein the server is further configured with software instructions to check call limitations for the least one target wireless device before transmitting the second message. 
     
     
         8 . The server of  claim 6 , wherein the server is further configured with software instructions to select a vocoder and a media host for the PTT communication after transmitting the second message but before transmitting the announce message. 
     
     
         9 . The server of  claim 6 , wherein the server is further configured with software instructions to allocate resources to the originating wireless device after transmitting the second message but before transmitting the announce message. 
     
     
         10 . The server of  claim 6 , wherein the second message is a PING message. 
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon machine-readable instructions configured to cause a server to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a first message from an originating wireless device, wherein the first message is a call request message;   identifying at least one target wireless device for a push-to-talk (PTT) communication in response to receiving the first message;   transmitting a second message, in response to receiving the first message, to a base station to determine whether the at least one target wireless device is online, the second message having a header with an empty message body and being transmitted before an announce message is sent by the server to the base station;   transmitting the announce message to the base station in response to receiving the first message and after transmitting the second message, but before receiving an acknowledgement receipt of the second message; and   receiving, after transmitting the announce message, at least one message acknowledging receipt of the second message and the announce message from the at least one target wireless device.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the stored machine-readable instructions are configured to cause a server to perform operations comprising checking call limitations for the least one target wireless device before transmitting the second message. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the stored machine-readable instructions are configured to cause a server to perform operations comprising selecting a vocoder and a media host for the PTT communication after transmitting the second message but before transmitting the announce message. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the stored machine-readable instructions are configured to cause a server to perform operations comprising allocating resources by the server to the originating wireless device after transmitting the second message but before transmitting the announce message. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the second message is a PING message.