Group Call Service Area Detection and Multicast Joining

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing telecommunication systems face inefficiencies in managing group call participation, particularly in efficiently notifying and adding wireless devices to group calls when they enter a service area, and in managing resource usage during group calls.

Innovation Solution

The system automatically detects the availability of group call participation for wireless devices entering a service area, notifies users, and allows them to join group calls by receiving downlink group call voice data from access nodes, leveraging multicasting to optimize resource usage and efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the system manually notifies and adds wireless devices to group calls, then user control and accuracy are improved, but system complexity and notification overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegroup call participation accuracyVSAvoidnotification management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wireless device automatically detects its own entry into the service area and autonomously joins the group call without requiring manual notification from the network, thereby reducing notification overhead while maintaining accurate participation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-configures service area boundaries and group call parameters in advance, so when a device enters the service area, the group call joining process can be immediately triggered without complex real-time negotiation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the system uses unicasting for group call data transmission, then individual device reception quality is improved, but network resource consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevoice data reception qualityVSAvoidnetwork resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges multiple unicast transmission streams into a single multicast stream for group call data, allowing all devices in the service area to receive the same voice data simultaneously, thereby reducing overall network resource consumption while maintaining reception quality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The multicast transmission mechanism serves multiple devices simultaneously with a single transmission, making the system universally efficient for group call scenarios while retaining the ability to switch to unicast for individual private calls when needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If the system automatically joins group calls upon service area entry, then user convenience is improved, but unwanted call participation may occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegroup call joining convenienceVSAvoidunwanted call participation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides feedback to the user through notifications when automatic joining is detected, allowing users to confirm or cancel unwanted group call participation, thereby maintaining convenience while preventing harmful automatic joining

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the automatic joining behavior based on user preferences and context, enabling flexible control where users can opt-out of automatic joining for specific group calls or service areas, balancing convenience with user control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Adaptability or versatility

If the system manages group calls without service area constraints, then call accessibility is improved, but resource efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegroup call accessibilityVSAvoidnetwork resource efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different resource allocation strategies based on location, using multicast efficiently within defined service areas where multiple devices are present, while maintaining unicast flexibility for devices outside these areas, thereby optimizing overall resource efficiency without compromising accessibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10299084B1Systems and methods for providing group call service areas

Publication Date: 2019.05.21 SPRINT SPECTRUM LLC

AI summary

Systems and methods are described for providing group call service areas. It may be detected at a wireless device that participation in a group call with a first group call identification is available, wherein the detecting is based on entry into a service area for the group call. The wireless device may be automatically registered to join the group call. A user of the wireless device may be notified that participation in the group call is available. The wireless device may join the group call after receiving an indication from the user, wherein joining the group call includes receiving downlink group call voice data from an access node in communication with the wireless device.