Mechanism for establishing a communications group

A method of establishing a communications group in a communications network comprising user equipments the method further comprising:

• sending (2-4, 2-5) a request from one user equipment (UEA) acting as a master equipment to at least one slave user equipment (UEB, UEC) over a communications medium, preferably a short-range communications medium, said request prompting the user of the slave user equipment (UEB, UEC) to send user information for group establishment in the communications network;
• at least one slave user equipment (UEB, UEC) sending a response (2-8, 2-12) comprising user information for group establishment, over the communications medium to the master user equipment (UEA);
• the master user equipment (UEA) creating or modifying the group based on the information received in responses from the at least one slave user equipment (UEB, UEC);
• and
• the master user equipment (UEA) sending the information on the created or modified group to the network for establishing said group.

A method of establishing a communications group in a communications network further comprising:

• sending (2-4, 2-5) a request from master user equipment (UEA) to at least one slave user equipment (UEB, UEC) over a communications medium, preferably a short-range communications medium, said request prompting the user of the slave user equipment (UEB, UEC) to send user information for group establishment in the communications network;
• at least one slave user equipment (UEB, UEC) sending over the communications medium a response (2-8, 2-12) comprising user information for group establishment to the master user equipment (UEA) for communication in the communication network;
• the master user equipment (UEA) creating or modifying the group based on the information received in responses from the at least one slave user equipment (UEB, UEC);
• and
• the master user equipment (UEA) sending the information on the created or modified group to all members of the group over the communications medium.

User equipment comprising a group communications capability, the equipment further comprising

• means for sending (2-4, 2-5) a request to at least one slave user equipment (UEB, UEC) over a communications medium, preferably a short-range communications medium, said request prompting the user of the slave user equipment (UEB, UEC) to send user information for group establishment for communication in the communication network;
• means for receiving from at least one slave user equipment (UEB, UEC) over the communications medium a response (2-8, 2-12) comprising user information for group establishment;
• means for creating or modifying the group based on the information received in responses from the at least one slave user equipment (UEB, UEC);
• and
• means for sending the information on the created or modified group to the network for establishing said group.

User equipment comprising a group communications capability, the equipment further comprising

• means for sending (2-4, 2-5) a request to at least one slave user equipment (UEB, UEC) over a communications medium prompting the user of the slave user equipment (UEB, UEC) to send user information for group establishment;
• means for receiving from at least one slave user equipment (UEB, UEC) over the communications medium a response (2-8, 2-12) comprising user information for group establishment;
• means for creating or modifying the group based on the information received in responses from the at least one slave user equipment (UEB, UEC);
• and
• means for sending the information on the created or modified group to all members of the group via the communications medium.

A communications system, comprising

• a mobile communications network,
• a plurality of user equipment each including a group communications capability in the mobile communications network, and a transceiver for further communication over a short-range communications medium, further comprising:
• at least one user equipment being configured to operate as master user equipment (UEA) and to send (2-4, 2-5) a request to at least one slave user equipment (UEB, UEC) over the short-range communications medium prompting the user of the slave user equipment (UEB, UEC) to send user information for group establishment in the mobile communications network;
• at least one user equipment being configured to operate as slave user equipment (UEB, UEC) and to send to the master user equipment (UEA) over the short-range communications medium a response (2-8, 2-12) comprising user information for group establishment;
• the master user equipment (UEA) being further configured to create or modify the group based on the information received in responses from the at least one slave user equipment (UEB, UEC);
• and
• the master user equipment (UEA) being further configured to send the information on the created or modified group to the mobile communications network for establishing said group.

A communications system, comprising

• a mobile communications network,
• a plurality of user equipment each including a group communications capability in the mobile communications network, and a transceiver for further communication over a short-range communications medium, further comprising:
• at least one user equipment being configured to operate as master user equipment (UEA) and to send (2-4, 2-5) a request to at least one slave user equipment (UEB, UEC) over the short-range communications medium prompting the user of the slave user equipment (UEB, UEC) to send user information for group establishment in the mobile communications network;
• at least one user equipment being configured to operate as slave user equipment (UEB, UEC) and to send to the master user equipment (UEA) over the short-range communications medium a response (2-8, 2-12) comprising user information for group establishment;
• the master user equipment (UEA) being further configured to create or modify the group based on the information received in responses from the at least one slave user equipment (UEB, UEC);
• and
• the master user equipment (UEA) being further configured to send the information on the created or modified group to all members of the group over the short-range communications medium.