# US 9,520,982 B2 · Setting up a full-duplex communication session and transitioning between half-duplex and full-duplex during a communication session within a wireless communications system

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- Number: US 9,520,982 B2
- Document ID: US9520982B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/955,896
- Filed: 2013-07-31
- Published: 2013-11-28
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2008-08-11
- Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated
- Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated
- Inventors: Ashu Razdan; Eric Rosen; David Ross; Beth Brewer; Arulmozhi Ananthanarayanan; Mohammed Ataur Rahman Shuman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9520982B2

## CPC

- H04L 5/14: Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
- H04W 4/10: Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
- H04W 76/45: for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

In an embodiment, an originating device sends a request, to a server, to initiate a full-duplex session with a target device. Responsive to the full-duplex request, a half-duplex session is set-up from the originating device to the target device before the full-duplex session is set-up. The target device indicates its acceptance of the half-duplex session, receives half-duplex media from the originating device and selectively indicates its acceptance of the full-duplex session. In another embodiment, during a session currently supported either by half-duplex or full-duplex, the server arbitrating the session receives a request from one of the session participants to transition the session to another duplex-type. The server then selectively transitions the duplex-type of the session.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of establishing a full-duplex communication session within a wireless communications system, comprising:
receiving an announce message that announces at least a half-duplex communication session;
selectively accepting the announced half-duplex communication session;
establishing the half-duplex communication session by setting up a half-duplex communication channel from an originating device;
determining whether the announced half-duplex communication session is associated with a potential full-duplex communication session;
selectively accepting the full-duplex communication session;
receiving media from the originating device over the half-duplex communication channel before the full-duplex communication session is established.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the received announce message announces both the half-duplex and full-duplex communication sessions.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the received announce message indicates that a first call accept message accepts the announced half-duplex communication session and a second call accept message accepts the full-duplex communication session.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the received announce message is configured to force acceptance of the half-duplex and full-duplex communication sessions.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
establishing the full-duplex communication session by setting up a full-duplex communication channel with the originating device;
exchanging media with the originating device over the full-duplex communication channel after the full-duplex communication session is established.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein sending media to the originating device on the full-duplex communication channel implicitly indicates that the full-duplex communication session is accepted.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein a call accept message indicates that the full-duplex communication session is accepted.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the potential full-duplex communication session is rejected either by sending a call reject message or failing to send a call accept message.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the half-duplex communication session and full-duplex communication session are announced in different announce messages.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the different announce messages are configured to force acceptance of the half-duplex and full-duplex communication sessions, respectively.

### Claim 11

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.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising: terminating the uni-directional communication link after the selectively transitioning completes the transition of the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
transitioning from the full-duplex communication session back to the half-duplex communication session by buffering media from a given floor-holder of the half-duplex communication session under transition, and
sending the buffered media to each non-floor-holder of the half-duplex communication session under transition when a threshold number of non-floor-holders of the half-duplex communication session under transition become available.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
notifying each device that is participating in the half-duplex communication session that a duplex-transition has been requested,
wherein the selectively transitioning is conditioned upon a threshold number of devices agreeing to the duplex-transition.

### Claim 15

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.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising:
terminating the uni-directional communication link after the transitioning completes the transition of the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session.

### Claim 17

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.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising:
terminating the uni-directional communication link after the selectively transitioning completes the transition of the half-duplex communication session to the full-duplex communication session.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the selectively transitioning forces a device receiving the notification to perform the transition.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the selectively transitioning establishes a full-duplex communication channel at the device receiving the notification, further comprising:
muting a communication interface at the device receiving the notification upon establishment of the full-duplex communication channel;
prompting a user of the device receiving the notification to accept the full-duplex communication session; and
selectively un-muting the communication interface based on the whether the user responds to the prompt by accepting the full-duplex communication session.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the selectively transitioning includes:
determining whether to accept the duplex-transition.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the selectively transitioning further includes:
if the determining determines to accept the duplex-transition, accepting the duplex-transition either by (i) sending a message to a server controlling the full-duplex communication session indicating that the full-duplex communication session is accepted, or (ii) sending media to the server.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the selectively transitioning further includes:
if the determining determines not to accept the duplex-transition, rejecting the duplex-transition either by (i) sending a message to a server controlling the full-duplex communication session indicating that the full-duplex communication session is rejected, or (ii) refraining from sending a message to the server controlling the full-duplex communication session indicating that the full-duplex communication session is accepted.

### Claim 24

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.

### Claim 25

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.

### Claim 26

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.

### Claim 27

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.

### Claim 28

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.

### Claim 29

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.

### Claim 30

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.

### Claim 31

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.

### Claim 32

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.

### Claim 33

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.

### Claim 34

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.

### Claim 35

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.

### Claim 36 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein selectively accepting the full-duplex communication session includes:
prompting a user to determine if the user wishes to answer the announce message in order to join the full-duplex communication session; and
receiving a response to the prompt from the user,
wherein the full-duplex communication session is established if the response indicates that the user wishes to answer the announce message, and
wherein the full-duplex communication session is not established if the response indicates that the user does not wish to answer the announce message.

### Claim 37 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the media corresponds to device-captured media that is captured by the originating device before the full-duplex communication session.