Device-to-Device Voice Communication Group Formation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mobile terminals are limited to one-to-one or three-party calls and rely on network devices for communication, restricting communication time and place, and lacking the ability to combine multiple groups for calls.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for voice and/or video communication that involves a primary terminal device searching for and authenticating secondary terminal devices to form a communication group, enabling end-to-end communication without relying on network devices, allowing for one-to-many connections and inter-group call combinations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If mobile terminals use traditional one-to-one or three-party call modes through network devices, then communication can be established with network support, but communication is restricted to specific time and place and requires charging

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication flexibilityVSAvoidnetwork dependency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the communication function from the network device dependency by enabling direct device-to-device communication. The terminal device establishes wireless connections directly with other terminals without requiring base stations or network infrastructure, thereby removing the network dependency constraint while maintaining communication capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a peer-to-peer communication protocol as an intermediary mechanism that enables direct communication between terminals. This protocol allows terminals to discover, authenticate, and establish connections with each other independently of network devices, serving as a mediator that replaces the traditional network infrastructure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If mobile terminals rely on mobile operator network for communication, then calls can be made through base stations, but communication time and place are limited and costs are incurred

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication availabilityVSAvoidcommunication freedom
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal device performs self-service by autonomously discovering and connecting to other terminals without requiring network operator infrastructure. The device independently manages connection establishment, authentication, and communication, thereby eliminating dependence on external network services and enabling communication anywhere and anytime

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the communication function from the network infrastructure by enabling individual terminals to perform communication tasks independently. Each terminal becomes a self-contained communication unit capable of direct peer-to-peer connections, breaking the monolithic dependency on network operators into distributed terminal-level operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If traditional call modes are used, then one-to-one or three-party calls are supported, but multiple groups cannot be combined into a single call group

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecall group flexibilityVSAvoidcall structure limitation
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple communication groups into a single unified call group by allowing dynamic addition of terminals to existing groups. The system combines separate one-to-one or small group calls into larger multi-group configurations, enabling flexible aggregation of communication participants across different initial groups

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic group formation where call groups can be flexibly created, modified, and expanded during communication. Terminals can dynamically join or leave groups, and group structures can adapt in real-time based on communication needs, transforming static call configurations into dynamic, flexible groupings

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2950563B1Voice and/or video communication method and device
Publication Date: 2019.12.25 ZTE CORP
  • EP2950563B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2950563B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2950563B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A method and apparatus for voice and/or video communication are disclosed. The method includes: a primary terminal device searching for one or more secondary terminal devices; wherein wireless communication modules are set in both the primary terminal device and the secondary terminal device; the primary terminal device sending an authentication request to a searched secondary terminal device; after the primary terminal device receives an authentication response of the secondary terminal device, the primary terminal device establishing a connection with the secondary terminal device via respective wireless communication modules to form a communication group; and the primary terminal device and the secondary terminal device in the communication group performing end-to-end voice and/or video communication according to the respective wireless communication modules. Through the embodiments of the present invention, a problem of limited communication time and place due to that mobile terminals must depend on the network of the mobile operator for communication in the related art is solved, and since other network devices or access points are not required, the limitation of time and place in the communication process is avoided, communication costs are saved, and the mobility and portability of the mobile terminal communication are improved.