Setting up a full-duplex communication session and transitioning between half-duplex and full-duplex during a communication session within a wireless communications system

A method of transitioning between half-duplex and full-duplex within a wireless communications system, comprising:

• conducting a half-duplex communication session between an originating device and at least one target device;
• receiving a request, from a requesting device that corresponds to either the originating device or the at least one target device, to transition the half-duplex communication session to a full-duplex communication session;
• determining that the requesting device does not hold a floor for the half-duplex communication session;
• in response to the determining, setting up a uni-directional communication link from the requesting device to at least a current floor-holder of the half-duplex communication session, and forwarding media from the requesting device over the uni-directional communication link before a transition of the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session is completed;
• and
• selectively transitioning the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session in response to the received request.

A method of transitioning between half-duplex and full-duplex within a wireless communications system, comprising:

• participating in a half-duplex communication session between an originating device and at least one target device;
• sending, by a requesting device that corresponds to either the originating device or the at least one target device, a request to transition the half-duplex communication session to a full-duplex communication session;
• if the requesting device does not hold a floor for the half-duplex communication session, setting up a uni-directional communication link from the requesting device to at least a current floor-holder of the half-duplex communication session, and forwarding media from the requesting device over the uni-directional communication link before a transition of the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session is completed;
• and
• transitioning the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session if the sent request is granted.

A method of transitioning between half-duplex and full-duplex within a wireless communications system, comprising:

• participating in a half-duplex communication session between an originating device and at least one target device;
• receiving a notification that another session participant has requested to transition the half-duplex communication session to a full-duplex communication session;
• if the other session participant that requested the transition does not hold a floor for the half-duplex communication session, setting up a uni-directional communication link from the other session participant to at least a current floor-holder of the half-duplex communication session, and receiving media from the other session participant over the uni-directional communication link before a transition of the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session is completed;
• and
• selectively transitioning the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session in response to the notification.

An access terminal configured to participate in server-arbitrated communication sessions within a wireless communications system, comprising:

• means for receiving an announce message that announces at least a half-duplex communication session;
• means for selectively accepting the announced half-duplex communication session;
• means for establishing the half-duplex communication session by setting up a half-duplex communication channel from an originating device;
• means for determining whether the announced half-duplex communication session is associated with a potential full-duplex communication session;
• means for selectively accepting the full-duplex communication session;
• means for receiving media from the originating device over the half-duplex communication channel before the full-duplex communication session is established.

A server configured to arbitrate communication sessions between access terminals within a wireless communications system and to transition communication sessions between half-duplex and full-duplex, comprising:

• means for conducting a half-duplex communication session between an originating device and at least one target device;
• means for receiving a request, from a requesting device that corresponds to either the originating device or the at least one target device, to transition the half-duplex communication session to a full-duplex communication session;
• means for setting up, in response to a determination that the requesting device does not hold a floor for the half-duplex communication session, a uni-directional communication link from the requesting device to at least a current floor-holder of the half-duplex communication session;
• means for forwarding media from the requesting device over the uni-directional communication link before a transition of the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session is completed;
• and
• means for selectively transitioning the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session in response to the received request.

An access terminal configured to participate in server-arbitrated communication sessions within a wireless communications system, comprising:

• means for participating in a half-duplex communication session between an originating device and at least one target device;
• means for sending, by the access terminal as a requesting device that corresponds to either the originating device or the at least one target device, a request to transition the half-duplex communication session to a full-duplex communication session;
• means for setting up a uni-directional communication link from the requesting device to at least a current floor-holder of the half-duplex communication session if the requesting device does not hold a floor for the half-duplex communication session;
• means for forwarding media from the requesting device over the uni-directional communication link before a transition of the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session is completed;
• and
• means for transitioning the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session if the sent request is granted.

An access terminal configured to participate in server-arbitrated communication sessions within a wireless communications system, comprising:

• means for participating in a half-duplex communication session between an originating device and at least one target device;
• means for receiving a notification that another session participant has requested to transition the half-duplex communication session to a full-duplex communication session;
• means for setting up a uni-directional communication link from the other session participant to at least a current floor-holder of the half-duplex communication session if the other session participant that requested the transition does not hold a floor for the half-duplex communication session;
• means for receiving media from the other session participant over the uni-directional communication link before a transition of the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session is completed;
• and
• means for selectively transitioning the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session in response to the notification.

An access terminal configured to participate in server-arbitrated communication sessions within a wireless communications system, comprising:

• logic configured to receive an announce message that announces at least a half-duplex communication session;
• logic configured to selectively accept the announced half-duplex communication session;
• logic configured to establish the half-duplex communication session by setting up a half-duplex communication channel from an originating device;
• logic configured to determine whether the announced half-duplex communication session is associated with a potential full-duplex communication session;
• logic configured to selectively accept the full-duplex communication session;
• logic configured to receive media from the originating device over the half-duplex communication channel before the full-duplex communication session is established.

A server configured to arbitrate communication sessions between access terminals within a wireless communications system and to transition communication sessions between half-duplex and full-duplex, comprising:

• a processor, a memory and a communications interface configured to:
• conduct a half-duplex communication session between an originating device and at least one target device;
• receive a request, from a requesting device that corresponds to either the originating device or the at least one target device, to transition the half-duplex communication session to a full-duplex communication session;
• determine that the requesting device does not hold a floor for the half-duplex communication session;
• setup, in response to the determination, a uni-directional communication link from the requesting device to at least a current floor-holder of the half-duplex communication session;
• forward media from the requesting device over the uni-directional communication link before a transition of the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session is completed;
• and
• selectively transition the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session in response to the received request.

An access terminal configured to participate in server-arbitrated communication sessions within a wireless communications system, comprising:

• logic configured to participate in a half-duplex communication session between an originating device and at least one target device;
• logic configured to send, by the access terminal as a requesting device that corresponds to either the originating device or the at least one target device, a request to transition the half-duplex communication session to a full-duplex communication session;
• logic configured to setup a uni-directional communication link from the requesting device to at least a current floor-holder of the half-duplex communication session if the requesting device does not hold a floor for the half-duplex communication session;
• logic configured to forward media from the requesting device over the uni-directional communication link before a transition of the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session is completed;
• and
• logic configured to transition the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session if the sent request is granted.

An access terminal configured to participate in server-arbitrated communication sessions within a wireless communications system, comprising:

• logic configured to participate in a half-duplex communication session between an originating device and at least one target device;
• logic configured to receive a notification that another session participant has requested to transition the half-duplex communication session to a full-duplex communication session;
• logic configured to setup a uni-directional communication link from the other session participant to at least a current floor-holder of the half-duplex communication session if the other session participant that requested the transition does not hold a floor for the half-duplex communication session;
• logic configured to receive media from the other session participant over the uni-directional communication link before a transition of the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session is completed;
• and
• logic configured to selectively transition the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session in response to the notification.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by an access terminal configured to participate in server-arbitrated communication sessions within a wireless communications system, cause the access terminal to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

• program code to receive an announce message that announces at least a half-duplex communication session;
• program code to selectively accept the announced half-duplex communication session;
• program code to establish the half-duplex communication session by setting up a half-duplex communication channel from an originating device;
• program code to determine whether the announced half-duplex communication session is associated with a potential full-duplex communication session;
• program code to selectively accept the full-duplex communication session;
• program code to receive media from the originating device over the half-duplex communication channel before the full-duplex communication session is established.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by a server configured to arbitrate communication sessions between access terminals within a wireless communications system and to transition communication sessions between half-duplex and full-duplex, cause the server to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

• program code to conduct a half-duplex communication session between an originating device and at least one target device;
• program code to receive a request, from a requesting device that corresponds to either the originating device or the at least one target device, to transition the half-duplex communication session to a full-duplex communication session;
• program code to determine that the requesting device does not hold a floor for the half-duplex communication session;
• program code to setup, in response to the determination, a uni-directional communication link from the requesting device to at least a current floor-holder of the half-duplex communication session;
• program code to forward media from the requesting device over the uni-directional communication link before a transition of the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session is completed;
• and
• program code to selectively transition the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session in response to the received request.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by an access terminal configured to participate in server-arbitrated communication sessions within a wireless communications system, cause the access terminal to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

• program code to participate in a half-duplex communication session between an originating device and at least one target device;
• program code to send, by the access terminal as a requesting device that corresponds to either the originating device or the at least one target device, a request to transition the half-duplex communication session to a full-duplex communication session;
• program code to setup a uni-directional communication link from the requesting device to at least a current floor-holder of the half-duplex communication session if the requesting device does not hold a floor for the half-duplex communication session;
• program code to forward media from the requesting device over the uni-directional communication link before a transition of the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session is completed;
• and
• program code to transition the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session if the sent request is granted.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by an access terminal configured to participate in server-arbitrated communication sessions within a wireless communications system, cause the access terminal to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

• program code to participate in a half-duplex communication session between an originating device and at least one target device;
• program code to receive a notification that another session participant has requested to transition the half-duplex communication session to a full-duplex communication session;
• program code to setup a uni-directional communication link from the other session participant to at least a current floor-holder of the half-duplex communication session if the other session participant that requested the transition does not hold a floor for the half-duplex communication session;
• program code to receive media from the other session participant over the uni-directional communication link before a transition of the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session is completed;
• and
• program code to selectively transition the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session in response to the notification.