To make objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be described in detail hereinafter with reference to the drawings and embodiments.
The embodiments of the present invention provide a method, terminal, conference application server and system for implementing the Push-To-Talk (PTT) services based on a telephone conference system. According to the embodiments of the present invention, a conference room with half-duplex communication mode is set in the telephone conference system and buttons corresponding to PTT service requests are set in the terminal; the telephone conference system establishes a connection between the terminal and the corresponding conference room; the terminal accessing the conference room may request the telephone conference system for the PTT service by pressing the corresponding button, to talk with other members in the conference room or the group.
Principle of the telephone conference is that, a soft switch system establishes the connection between conference members from various geological locations and the telephone conference system. After accessing the telephone conference system, the conference room members can talk with other conference room members or groups in a straightway and full-duplex mode. The soft switch system includes: a media gateway device and a soft switch device.
The signaling flow procedure of the terminal accessing the telephone conference system is: a conference room member dials a conference access number using an ordinary telephone to initiate a call to the telephone conference system; the call reaches the media gateway device through a Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN) and then reaches the soft switch device; the soft switch device analyzes the called number and send the call to the corresponding telephone conference system; the telephone conference system performs operations, such as resource application, according to the call from the terminal; and the terminal succeeds in accessing the telephone conference system if the resource is successfully applied.
In the embodiment of the present invention, the soft switch system comprising various media gateway devices and soft switch devices provides the access service for various kinds of terminals, the telephone conference system provides the PTT service for terminals accessing the telephone conference system, and all conference room members access the telephone conference system through their own terminals. Because there is a corresponding relation between a conference room member and a terminal through which the conference room member accesses the telephone conference system, for the convenience of description, a conference room member and a terminal are equivalent in the specific embodiments below.
Block 101: a conference room with half-duplex communication mode is set in the telephone conference system, and buttons corresponding to the PTT service requests are set in the terminal.
One or more conference rooms may be created in the telephone conference system by the same way as that of the prior art. Because the member relationship in the PTT service is relatively constant, the conference room may be set with fixed conference room members. The conference rooms and the conference room members thereof may be maintained and grouped by means of WEB.
The communication mode of the existing telephone conference system is full-duplex communication. In the conference room with half-duplex communication mode set in the embodiment of the present invention, the terminal cannot speak until it obtains a corresponding PTT service authority. The conference room discards media data from the terminal without the service authority, and plays media data from the terminal with the service authority to other conference room members in the conference room.
The terminal buttons set in this block, which are corresponding to the PTT service requests, are used by the terminal to request the telephone conference system for corresponding PTT service authorities. The conference room member may be informed of the terminal buttons by way of Interactive Voice Response (IVR) button or by other ways. Hereby, a PTT service request may be at least one of the following requests: a request for applying for a microphone, a request for releasing the microphone, a request for inviting a member, a request for deleting a member, a request for a group call to all members in the current conference room, a request for a group call to members of the session of the current conference room, a request for muting, a request for recording the voice, a request for shutting down the current conference room and a request for switching to another session. Practically, other PTT service requests may also be added according to practical application requirements.
Block 102: the terminal sends a conference access number to the telephone conference system to access the telephone conference system.
In the block 102, the terminal may either send the conference access number including both the access number and the conference Identity (ID) to the telephone conference system, or send the access number to telephone conference system before sending the conference ID upon a prompt from the telephone conference system. The telephone conference system may also require the conference room member to input a password. In this embodiment, the access number is the identifier of the telephone conference system, and is a number provided by the telephone conference system for the conference room member to access the telephone conference system; the conference ID is an identifier of the conference room in the telephone conference system.
Block 103: the telephone conference system authenticates the terminal, if the authentication is unsuccessful, that is, the terminal has not the authority of accessing the telephone conference system, the process advances to block 104; otherwise, the process advances to block 105.
In the block 103, the telephone conference system may authenticate the terminal according to the number of the terminal; the telephone conference system may also authenticate the terminal trying to access the telephone conference system according to the password and conference ID input by the conference room member.
For example, the telephone conference system may store in advance all the terminal numbers that have authorities to access the telephone conference system. When receiving the access number from a terminal, the telephone conference system compares the number of the terminal trying to access with the stored terminal numbers. If the number of the terminal matches a stored terminal number, it is determined that the terminal trying to access has a authority to access the telephone conference system, the authentication is successful and block 105 is executed subsequently; otherwise, it is determined that the terminal trying to access has not a authority, the authentication is unsuccessful and block 104 is executed subsequently.
Alternatively, the telephone conference system may store in advance the passwords that are authorized to access the telephone conference system. When receiving a password from a terminal, the telephone conference system compares the password input by the terminal with the stored passwords. If the password matches a stored password, it is determined that the terminal trying to access has a authority to access the telephone conference system, the authentication is successful and block 105 is executed subsequently; otherwise, it is determined that the terminal trying to access has not a authority to access the telephone conference system, the authentication is unsuccessful and block 104 is executed subsequently.
Block 104: the terminal is prevented from accessing the telephone conference system and the process is terminated.
Block 105: the telephone conference system judges whether the conference room member trying to access this telephone conference system is a privileged member; if the conference room member trying to access this telephone conference system is a privileged member, the process advances to block 106; otherwise, the process advances to block 107.
The telephone conference system may store in advance terminal numbers or passwords of the privileged members and then, by means of the similar method of authenticating the terminal in block 103, judges whether the member trying to access this telephone conference system is the privileged member.
Block 106: the connection is established between the terminal and the corresponding conference room, and the conference room member using this terminal is allowed to speak without restriction.
In this block, the telephone conference system establishes the connection between the terminal and the corresponding conference room according to the conference ID in the conference access number sent by the terminal. Since the conference room member using this terminal is the privileged member, the conference room member using this terminal does not need to apply for the microphone before speaking; the telephone conference system plays all media data from this privileged member to all terminals in this conference room, and the privileged member may speak in the conference room without any restriction. The PTT service based on the telephone conference system is implemented.
Block 107: the connection is established between the terminal and the corresponding conference room, and the corresponding PTT services are provided according to the pressed button in the terminal.
The telephone conference system establishes the connection between the terminal and the corresponding conference room according to the conference ID included in the conference access number sent by the terminal, and provides the corresponding PTT services according to the pressed button in the terminal.
An example, in which 7 IVR buttons are set to correspond to various PTT service requests according to Block 101, will be described to explain how to provide the PTT services.
Button 1 corresponds to the request for applying for a microphone. Terminal numbers or passwords authorized to apply for the microphone may be set in the telephone conference system, or all the conference room members may be authorized to apply for the microphone. Pressing button 1 of the terminal means applying for the microphone; and if other members of this conference room are applying for speaking, this application is invalid.
Button 2 corresponds to the request for releasing the microphone. After finishing speaking, the member presses the button 2 to release the microphone. Two separate buttons may be set to respectively correspond to the requests for applying for the microphone and releasing the microphone. Alternatively, one button may be set, wherein pressing the button means applying for the microphone and releasing the button means releasing the microphone. For example, a special dial unit may be set at the terminal, and a button corresponding to this dial unit may be set at a keypad of the terminal. The button is normally open. When the button is pressed, the dial unit sends to the telephone conference system a request for applying for the microphone; when this button is released, the dial unit sends to the telephone conference system a request for releasing the microphone. Therefore, it is convenient for the user.
In additional, in order to prevent the button corresponding to the request for apply for the microphone from being pressed by a common conference room member for such a long time that other conference room members cannot apply for the microphone, a speaking timer may be set in the telephone conference system, wherein this speaking timer's overtime duration may be set and modified by way of WEB. If the telephone conference system detects that a conference room member's speaking time exceeds the overtime duration, the telephone conference system withdraws the microphone. In addition, a silence timer may be set in the telephone conference system, wherein the silence timer's overtime duration may be set and modified by way of WEB. When detecting that a conference room member with the microphone has been quiet for a long time, the telephone conference system withdraws the microphone.
Button 3 corresponds to the request for a group call to all the members in the current conference room. The terminal numbers or passwords authorized to initiate a group call to all the conference room members in the current conference room may be set in the telephone conference system. When the button 3 of the terminal authorized to initiate a group call to all the members is pressed, all conference room members in the current conference room are called. Furthermore, when a privileged member presses the button 3, the called conference room members in sessions will be directly added to the primary conference room.
Button 4 corresponds to the request for a group call to the conference room members in a session of the current conference room. The terminal numbers or passwords authorized to initiate a group call to the conference room members in the session of the current conference room may be set in the telephone conference system. When the button 4 of the authorized terminal is pressed, the telephone conference system prompts that an identity of the called session is to be inputted, and the conference room members in the session with the inputted identity of the current conference room are called.
Button 5 corresponds to the request for inviting a conference room member. The terminal numbers or passwords authorized to invite a conference room member may be set in the telephone conference system. When the button 5 of the authorized terminal is pressed, the telephone conference system will prompt that the number of the invited conference room member is to be inputted, and the conference room member with the inputted number is called. Hereby, the called conference room member may be either a registered member or an unregistered member of this conference room.
Button 6 corresponds to the request for switching to another session. The terminal numbers or passwords authorized to switch to another sub session may be set in the telephone conference system. When the button 6 of the authorized terminal is pressed, the terminal requests for switching to another session; the telephone conference system prompts the terminal to input an identifier of the target session. Alternatively, the telephone conference system may automatically split the conference. Thus switching communication group according to specific requirement is implemented.
Button 7 corresponds to the request for recording the voice. The terminal numbers or passwords authorized to record the voice may be set in the telephone conference system. When the button 7 of the authorized terminal is pressed, the terminal requests for recording the voice, and the telephone conference system starts to perform relevant recording operations.
The above mentioned PTT services are examples of the present invention. In practical applications, other buttons may be set to accomplish other functions, such as deleting a member, muting the voice, shutting down the conference and so on, and terminal numbers or passwords authorized to perform such functions may be set in the telephone conference system. In addition, a corresponding relationship between various PTT services and the priorities of the terminal numbers or the passwords may be set in the telephone conference system, wherein the corresponding relationship may be modified and maintained by way of WEB. When receiving a same PTT service from more than one terminal, the telephone conference system determines the terminal with the highest priority according to the corresponding relationship between the PTT services and the priorities of the terminal numbers or the passwords, and provides the requested service for the terminal with the highest priority.
Therefore the PTT service based on the telephone conference system according to the embodiment of the present invention is implemented.
Corresponding to the above described method for providing the PTT service based on the telephone conference system, the embodiments of the present invention provide a terminal, a conference application server and a system for implementing the PTT service. Hereinafter, the terminal, the conference application server and the system for implementing the PTT service will be described in detail with reference to specific embodiments.
The terminal 201 is configured to send a conference access number and a conference ID to the communication network 202, access the conference application server 205 through the communication network 202, the media processing device 203 and the soft switch device 204, and request the conference application server 205 for PTT services by pressing the buttons after accessing a conference room of the conference application server 205.
The communication network 202 is configured to forward the conference access number and the conference ID received from the terminal 201 to the soft switch device 204, and transmit the media flow between the terminal 201 and the media processing device 203.
The media processing device 203 is configured to transmit the media flow between the terminal 201 and the conference application server 205 as well as the signaling flow between the terminal 201 and the soft switch device 204.
The soft switch device 204 is configured to establish the connection between the terminal 201 and the corresponding conference application server 205 according to the access number of the terminal 201.
The conference application server 205 is configured to create the conference rooms with half-duplex communication mode, store the corresponding relation between the terminal buttons and the PTT services, authenticate the terminal 201 trying to access the conference application server 205, establish the connection between the terminal 201 and the corresponding conference room according to the conference ID inputted by the terminal 201 after the terminal 201 is authenticated, and provide corresponding PPT services according to the pressed buttons of the terminal 201.
The maintaining terminal 206 is configured to maintain the conference application server 205, e.g. maintain the conference room, the members in the conference room and so on.
The file server 207 is configured to store the PTT service data, the conference room data, the member data, the member authority, the password data and so on.
In practical application, the conference application server 205 may prompt the terminal 201 to input a password while authenticating the terminal 201. Further more, some additional functions of the conference system, such as releasing the microphone, inviting the member, deleting the member, making a group call to all the members in the current conference room, making a group call to all the members in a certain session of the current conference room, muting, recording, shutting down the conference, switching to another session and so on, may be added to the conference application server 205 according to specific requirements, and terminal numbers or passwords that are authorized to perform these functions as well as the corresponding member priorities may be set in the system. Both the corresponding relation between the PTT service functions and the authorities and the corresponding relation between the PTT service functions and the member priorities may be maintained and modified through the maintaining terminal 206 and/or the file server 207.
In addition, a special dial unit may be set at the existing terminal in practical application and a button corresponding to this dial unit may be set at a keypad of the terminal. The button is normally open. When the button is pressed, the dial unit sends to the telephone conference system a request for applying for the microphone; when this button is released, the dial unit sends to the telephone conference system a request for releasing the microphone. This dial unit may be set at the terminal or at an accessory of this terminal, such as an ear phone of this terminal. Taking a mobile phone terminal for example, this dial unit may be set inside the mobile phone or at the mobile phone's ear phone for the user's convenience.
The storing module 310 is used for storing the corresponding relation between the PTT services and the terminal buttons, i.e. the corresponding relation between the PTT services and the requests corresponding to the terminal buttons.
The first access module 320 is used for creating the conference rooms with half-duplex communication mode and establishing the connection between the terminal and the conference room.
The service providing module 330 is used for receiving the request sent by the terminal and providing the PTT service corresponding to the request.
The conference application server shown in
Further more, the storing module 310 shown in
Further more, the storing module 310 shown in
Further more, the storing module 310 shown in
Further more, the storing module 310 shown in
Further more, the storing module 310 shown in
Further more, the conference application server shown in
The second access module 410 is used to access the conference room, wherein the conference room is configured with half-duplex communication mode and is set in the conference application server. The PTT service requesting module 420 is used to request the conference application server for corresponding PTT service through the terminal buttons.
As described above, the terminal may further include: a dial unit 430 and a button corresponding to the dial unit 430. The dial unit 430 is used to, when the button corresponding to the dial unit 430is pressed, send a request for applying for the microphone to the conference application server and, when the button corresponding to the dial unit 430is released, send a request for releasing the microphone to the conference application server.
It may be seen from the above embodiments that, conference rooms with half-duplex communication mode are set in the telephone conference system and buttons corresponding to requests for PTT services are set in the terminal; the telephone conference system establishes the connection between the terminal and the corresponding conference room; thereafter, the terminal accessing the conference room may request the telephone conference system for corresponding PTT services by pressing corresponding buttons, such as applying for the microphone and so on, and talk with other conference room members or groups. Therefore, the PTT services are implemented based on the telephone conference system so as to benefit from the wide signal coverage of the mobile network and void the large call delay of the PoC technology.
It may be seen from the above technical schemes that, in the embodiments of the present invention, a conference room with half-duplex communication mode is set in the telephone conference system, and terminal buttons are set to correspond to PTT service requests; thereafter the telephone conference system establishes the connection between the terminal and the corresponding conference room; therefore, the terminal accessing the conference room may request the telephone conference system of corresponding PTT service by way of the terminal buttons, and further talk with other members in the conference room or groups. Therefore, based on a conference system, a simple PTT service is implemented.
By making use of the characteristic that the mobile network has wider signal coverage than the traditional PTT service network, the embodiments of the present invention implement a PTT service with wide coverage; furthermore, by making use of the characteristic that the QoS of the conference system is more reliable than that of a VoIP-based PoC, the embodiments of the present invention implement a PTT service with small call delay.
The above illustration is just embodiments of the present invention and not intended to limit the present invention. Any modification, equivalent substitute and improvement within the spirit of the present invention are in protection scope of the present invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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200610139727.3 | Sep 2006 | CN | national |