PoC Floor Control via Idle State Notification

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Solution Overview

Problem

In Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) communication, users face unfair acquisition of the floor and lack of awareness about the remaining time for their speaking turn, leading to inconvenience and inefficiency.

Innovation Solution

A PoC server and terminal system that sets a floor idle state at the initiation of communication, notifies both users of the floor idle state, and provides advance-release notifications with remaining time and warning alerts to ensure fair and informed floor acquisition.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the floor is automatically granted to the calling user when PoC communication is initiated, then the calling user can immediately speak, but the called user cannot acquire the floor fairly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefloor acquisition easeVSAvoidfloor acquisition fairness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by setting the floor state to idle before communication begins. The PoC server notifies both calling and called terminals of the idle floor state in advance, allowing either party to fairly acquire the floor when needed, rather than automatically granting it to one party.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Device complexity

If the floor is granted without notifying users of remaining time, then the system is simple, but users lack awareness of speaking time limits

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidfloor time awareness
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback by having the PoC server notify the terminal of the floor idle state and provide advance release notifications with remaining time information. This feedback loop keeps users informed about floor status and time limits without significantly increasing system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If the floor is released without advance notification, then the system operates simply, but users experience inconvenience due to sudden floor loss

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication efficiencyVSAvoiduser convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by sending advance release notifications to the terminal before the floor is actually released. This allows users to prepare for the upcoming floor loss, reducing inconvenience while maintaining communication efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback by notifying the terminal of the floor idle state and providing advance release notifications with remaining time information. This feedback mechanism keeps users informed about floor status changes, improving user experience without significantly impacting communication efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP1734721B1PoC Server, PoC terminal, floor control method and PoC terminal control method
Publication Date: 2013.08.28 NTT DOCOMO INC
  • EP1734721B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1734721B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP1734721B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A floor can be fairly acquired in a PoC communication. In the PoC server which controls a floor in a PoC communication, a floor is put in an idle state in a PoC communication after a session establishing process required in the PoC communication. The information about the floor idle state is notified to terminals TA and TC which perform the PoC communication. When the PoC communication is initiated, the idle state of the floor is simultaneously noticed to both calling and called users, thereby realizing fair acquisition of a floor.