Method to identify voice over packet device capability and use it to make appropriate calls with other client devices

A system comprising:

• a radio access network for providing wireless mobile packet data communications for a plurality of mobile stations, at least some of the mobile stations having a plurality of different packet communication capabilities;
• a server coupled to the radio access network for distributing packets of digitized audio for an audio over packet communication received from a broadcasting mobile station, which have been communicated through the radio access network to a mobile station client device intended to receive the audio over packet communication,
• wherein the server receives registration information from the broadcasting mobile station and the mobile station client device prior to a respective first push to talk (PTT) session between the broadcasting mobile station and the mobile station client device, the registering including receiving information indicating respective communication capabilities of the broadcasting mobile station and the mobile station client device when the broadcasting mobile station and the mobile station client device are capable of transmitting their respective communication capabilities to the server, the received communication capabilities of the broadcasting mobile station and the mobile station client device being at least one of hardware and software capabilities inherent to the broadcasting mobile station and the mobile station client device prior to the respective first PTT session, wherein the broadcasting mobile station transmits, during a PTT session subsequent to the registration, packets of digital audio information to the mobile station client device, using:
• a default communication capability when, prior to the PTT session subsequent to the registration, either the broadcasting mobile station does not receive the communication capabilities of the mobile station client device from the server or the server indicates prior to the PTT session subsequent to the registration to use the default communication capability, and
• communication capabilities of the mobile station client device that are compatible with communication capabilities of the broadcasting mobile station when, prior to the PTT session subsequent to the registration, the broadcasting mobile station receives the communication capabilities of the mobile station client device from the server prior to the PTT session subsequent to the registration, and
• wherein when the default communication capability is used during the PTT session subsequent to the registration, switching from transmitting using the default communication capability during the PTT session subsequent to the registration to transmitting using the communication capabilities of the mobile station client device that are compatible with communication capabilities of the broadcasting mobile station during another PTT session with the mobile station client device in response to the server indicating to the broadcasting mobile station to use, during the another PTT session the communication capabilities of the mobile station client device.

A call processing method comprising steps of:

• receiving, by a server, registration information from a mobile device and one client device of a plurality of client devices configured for voice over packet communication via a radio access network prior to a respective first push to talk (PTT) session for the mobile station and the plurality of client devices, the registration including receiving information indicating respective communication capabilities of the mobile station and the one client device when the mobile station and the one client device are capable of transmitting their respective communication capabilities, the received communication capabilities of the mobile station and the one client device being at least one of hardware and software capabilities inherent to the mobile station and the one client device prior to the respective first PTT session;
• and
• transmitting, during a PTT session subsequent to the registration, packets of encoded voice from the mobile station through the radio access network, for communication to one client device, using:
• a default communication capability when, prior to the PTT session subsequent to the registration, either the mobile station does not receive the communication capabilities of the one client device from the server or the server indicates prior to the PTT subsequent to the registration to use the default communication capability, and
• communication capabilities of the one client device that are compatible with communication capabilities of the mobile station when, prior to the PTT session subsequent to the registration, the mobile station receives the communication capabilities of the one client device from the server prior to the PTT session subsequent to the registration;
• when the default communication capability is used during the PTT session subsequent to the registration, switching from transmitting using the default communication capability during the PTT session subsequent to the registration to transmitting using the communication capabilities of the one client device that are compatible with communication capabilities of the mobile station during another PTT session with the one client device in response to the server indicating to the mobile station to use, during the another PTT session the communication capabilities of the one client device.