Gateway for Group Communication Network Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing group communication systems, such as push-to-talk, cannot access group or list information stored outside their central group/list management server, leading to inaccessible data in repositories like LDAP servers, which is inconvenient and difficult to maintain synchronisation when duplicating data.
Innovation Solution
A virtual user agent that allows user terminals to access and add users from external databases by receiving invitations, obtaining details, and resolving formats to establish communications without modifying the terminals or system, enabling access to external group information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If data is duplicated from LDAP server to GLMS, then external group information becomes accessible to PTT users, but maintaining synchronization between the two databases becomes difficult and troublesome
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a Gateway as an intermediary component that sits between the PTT system and external group/list servers. This Gateway mediates all interactions, allowing PTT users to access external group information without direct duplication to GLMS. The Gateway handles format conversion, authentication, and data retrieval, eliminating the synchronization problem by maintaining a single source of truth in the external server while providing PTT-compatible access through the intermediary.
2Device complexity
If PTT system only uses GLMS for group information, then system architecture remains simple, but existing group information in LDAP servers becomes inaccessible
Solution Approach 1:
The Gateway is designed with multi-functionality to handle multiple protocols and data formats from different external servers (LDAP, SQL, etc.) while presenting a unified PTT-compatible interface. It can authenticate users, retrieve group information, convert data formats, and manage communications with various external systems, thereby extending the PTT system's versatility without requiring multiple specialized components.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual duplication of LDAP data to GLMS is performed, then external data becomes available in PTT, but the process is inconvenient and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The Gateway performs preliminary actions by automatically establishing connections to external servers, pre-fetching group information, and maintaining ready-to-use data caches. When PTT users need external group information, the Gateway has already prepared the data in the appropriate format, eliminating manual duplication efforts and reducing maintenance time significantly.
4Adaptability or versatility
If PTT system accesses external databases directly, then comprehensive group information becomes available, but user terminals and system require modification
Solution Approach 1:
The Gateway serves as an intermediary that handles all complex interactions with external databases, including authentication, data retrieval, and format conversion. User terminals continue to use standard PTT protocols through the GLMS interface, while the Gateway translates between external database formats and PTT formats, eliminating the need for terminal or system modifications.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for use with a group communication network having an addressing database, the apparatus being addressable by a user terminal connected to the network, the apparatus comprising: a receiver module for receiving an invitation from a user terminal connected to the network, the receiving means being arranged to accept the invitation to cause the user terminal and the apparatus to establish a communication, a data retrieval module for obtaining details of one or more users to be added to the communication, the details of being obtained from other than the addressing database, and a communication module for adding at least one user to the communication using the obtained details.