Abstract: A call request message is sent from an access terminal to an application server in order to request initiation of a group communication session to a communication group and to request that an allocation of the floor to the given access terminal for the duration of the given group communication session remain uninterrupted by call targets of the session. The application server announces the session, and sends a floor-grant to the access terminal after the session is accepted by at least one target. The access terminal forwards media to the application server which is then forwarded to the at least one target. The floor is not transferred away from the access terminal during the session. For example, floor requests are suppressed at the at least one target, or floor requests are sent by the at least one target but are then ignored or denied by the application server.

Abstract: A system, method, and wireless communication device for sharing media in a group communication among a plurality of wireless communications devices, such as among a Push-to-Talk (PTT) group. A wireless communication device that is a member of the communication group can send group-directed media, such as graphics, multimedia and applications, to other members of the communication group, either during a ongoing PTT communication, or independently therefrom. In one embodiment, a group communication computer device stores information on communication groups on the wireless communication network that includes the member wireless communication devices of one or more communication groups, and receives group-directed media from a sending wireless communication device sends the group-directed media either directly to the other member wireless communication devices of the communication group or stores the group-directed media such that the other member devices can access and download the group-directed media.

Abstract: A call request message is sent from an access terminal to an application server in order to request initiation of a group communication session to a communication group and to request that an allocation of the floor to the given access terminal for the duration of the given group communication session remain uninterrupted by call targets of the session. The application server announces the session, and sends a floor-grant to the access terminal after the session is accepted by at least one target. The access terminal forwards media to the application server which is then forwarded to the at least one target. The floor is not transferred away from the access terminal during the session. For example, floor requests are suppressed at the at least one target, or floor requests are sent by the at least one target but are then ignored or denied by the application server.

Abstract: A call request message is sent from an access terminal to an application server in order to request initiation of a group communication session to a communication group and to request that an allocation of the floor to the given access terminal for the duration of the given group communication session remain uninterrupted by call targets of the session. The application server announces the session, and sends a floor-grant to the access terminal after the session is accepted by at least one target. The access terminal forwards media to the application server which is then forwarded to the at least one target. The floor is not transferred away from the access terminal during the session. For example, floor requests are suppressed at the at least one target, or floor requests are sent by the at least one target but are then ignored or denied by the application server.

Abstract: A system, method, and wireless communication device for sharing media in a group communication among a plurality of wireless communications devices, such as among a Push-to-Talk (PTT) group. A wireless communication device that is a member of the communication group can send group-directed media, such as graphics, multimedia and applications, to other members of the communication group, either during a ongoing PTT communication, or independently there from. In one embodiment, a communication computer device stores information on communication groups on the wireless communication network that includes the member wireless communication devices of one or more communication groups, and receives group-directed media from a sending wireless communication device sends the group-directed media either directly to the other member wireless communication devices of the communication group or stores the group-directed media such that the other member devices can access and download the group-directed media.

Abstract: A system, method, and wireless communication device for sharing media in a group communication among a plurality of wireless communications devices, such as among a Push-to-Talk (PTT) group. A wireless communication device that is a member of the communication group can send group-directed media, such as graphics, multimedia and applications, to other members of the communication group, either during a ongoing PTT communication, or independently there from. In one embodiment, a communication computer device stores information on communication groups on the wireless communication network that includes the member wireless communication devices of one or more communication groups, and receives group-directed media from a sending wireless communication device sends the group-directed media either directly to the other member wireless communication devices of the communication group or stores the group-directed media such that the other member devices can access and download the group-directed media.

Abstract: A system and method for a server to provide an early notification to a target group devices when paging a wireless device during a push-to-talk (PTT) communication. When a wireless device is ready to transmit a PTT communication, a message is sent from the wireless device to a server that then sends an early PING message to a base station while processing a call request message from the wireless device. After processing the call request message, the server sends an announce message to the base station. On receipt of the PING message, the base station sends a paging message to all targeted devices while processing the announce message. The early PING message causes a communication channel to be established between a targeted device and the base station, and the communication channel can then be used by the announce message with less set-up time.

Abstract: A call request message is sent from an access terminal to an application server in order to request initiation of a group communication session to a communication group and to request that an allocation of the floor to the given access terminal for the duration of the given group communication session remain uninterrupted by call targets of the session. The application server announces the session, and sends a floor-grant to the access terminal after the session is accepted by at least one target. The access terminal forwards media to the application server which is then forwarded to the at least one target. The floor is not transferred away from the access terminal during the session. For example, floor requests are suppressed at the at least one target, or floor requests are sent by the at least one target but are then ignored or denied by the application server.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a network communication entity obtains a location associated with an access terminal that is attempting to participate in a communication service, determines whether the obtained location satisfies a relationship with a defined location region, the defined location region establishing a first level of service restriction for the communication service within the defined location region and establishing at least a second level of service restriction for the communication service outside of the defined location region, and restricts the access terminal in accordance with the first or second level of service restriction for the communication service based on the determination. The network communication entity may correspond to the access terminal, an access network or an application server. If the access terminal detects a current, imminent or future service restriction, the given access terminal can initiate handoff to another service mechanism and/or inform the user of the service restriction.

Abstract: A system and method for a server to provide an early notification to a target group devices when paging a wireless device during a push-to-talk (PTT) communication. When a wireless device is ready to transmit a PTT communication, a message is sent from the wireless device to a server that then sends an early PING message to a base station while processing a call request message from the wireless device. After processing the call request message, the server sends an announce message to the base station. On receipt of the PING message, the base station sends a paging message to all targeted devices while processing the announce message. The early PING message causes a communication channel to be established between a targeted device and the base station, and the communication channel can then be used by the announce message with less set-up time.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a call originator sends, to an application server, a request to initiate a given communication session with at least one call target, the received request configured to indicate to the application server that the given communication session is associated with a high-priority. The application server configures a call announcement to force the at least one call target to accept the given communication session, and transmits the configured call announcement to the at least one call target. The at least one call target receives the call announcement, and determines that the call announcement is configured to force the given access terminal to accept the given communication session. Responsive to the determination, the at least one call target transmits an acknowledgment to the call announcement that indicates that the at least one call target has accepted the given communication session.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing lawful intercept in group calls is described herein. When a group call is established having a monitoring target as a member, a monitoring component obtains signaling, location, and data related to the monitoring target, correlates this information, and provides it to a call intercept component.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a server determines to update at least one group session key (GSK) parameter for a given multicast group, the at least one GSK parameter configured to permit encryption, decryption and/or authentication of multicast messaging exchanged between members of the given multicast group during a multicast communication session. The server sends a notification to a plurality of multicast group members of the given multicast group that an update of the at least one GSK parameter for the given multicast group is available. At least one of the multicast group members receives the notification and sends a provisioning request to retrieve the updated at least one GSK parameter, the provisioning request including information specific to the given multicast group member. The server generates and encrypts the updated at least one GSK parameter and sends the encrypted at least one GSK parameter to the at least one multicast group member.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing lawful intercept in group calls is described herein. When a group call is established having a monitoring target as a member, a monitoring component obtains signaling, location, and data related to the monitoring target, correlates this information, and provides it to a call intercept component.

Abstract: In an embodiment, network information associated with a plurality of user equipments (UEs) is determined by an application server. For example, the network information can include information indicative of whether the respective UEs are connected to fast-response networks or slow-response networks. The application server receives a request from an originating UE to initiate a communication session to at least one target UE among the plurality of UEs. The application server selectively requests the originating UE to extend a wait timer based at least in part upon the determined network information for the at least one target UE, wherein expiration of the wait timer prompts the originating UE to fail the communication session. The originating UE receives the extension request from the application server and extends the wait timer such that call failure due to wait timer expiration is delayed and/or avoided.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a server determines to update at least one group session key (GSK) parameter for a given multicast group, the at least one GSK parameter configured to permit encryption, decryption and/or authentication of multicast messaging exchanged between members of the given multicast group during a multicast communication session. The server sends a notification to a plurality of multicast group members of the given multicast group that an update of the at least one GSK parameter for the given multicast group is available. At least one of the multicast group members receives the notification and sends a provisioning request to retrieve the updated at least one GSK parameter, the provisioning request including information specific to the given multicast group member. The server generates and encrypts the updated at least one GSK parameter and sends the encrypted at least one GSK parameter to the at least one multicast group member.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a call originator sends, to an application server, a request to initiate a given communication session with at least one call target, the received request configured to indicate to the application server that the given communication session is associated with a high-priority. The application server configures a call announcement to force the at least one call target to accept the given communication session, and transmits the configured call announcement to the at least one call target. The at least one call target receives the call announcement, and determines that the call announcement is configured to force the given access terminal to accept the given communication session. Responsive to the determination, the at least one call target transmits an acknowledgment to the call announcement that indicates that the at least one call target has accepted the given communication session.

Abstract: A call request message is sent from an access terminal to an application server in order to request initiation of a group communication session to a communication group and to request that an allocation of the floor to the given access terminal for the duration of the given group communication session remain uninterrupted by call targets of the session. The application server announces the session, and sends a floor-grant to the access terminal after the session is accepted by at least one target. The access terminal forwards media to the application server which is then forwarded to the at least one target. The floor is not transferred away from the access terminal during the session. For example, floor requests are suppressed at the at least one target, or floor requests are sent by the at least one target but are then ignored or denied by the application server.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a network communication entity obtains a location associated with an access terminal that is attempting to participate in a communication service, determines whether the obtained location satisfies a relationship with a defined location region, the defined location region establishing a first level of service restriction for the communication service within the defined location region and establishing at least a second level of service restriction for the communication service outside of the defined location region, and restricts the access terminal in accordance with the first or second level of service restriction for the communication service based on the determination. The network communication entity may correspond to the access terminal, an access network or an application server. If the access terminal detects a current, imminent or future service restriction, the given access terminal can initiate handoff to another service mechanism and/or inform the user of the service restriction.

Abstract: A system, method, and wireless communication device for sharing media in a group communication among a plurality of wireless communications devices, such as among a Push-to-Talk (PTT) group. A wireless communication device that is a member of the communication group can send group-directed media, such as graphics, multimedia and applications, to other members of the communication group, either during a ongoing PTT communication, or independently therefrom. In one embodiment, a group communication computer device stores information on communication groups on the wireless communication network that includes the member wireless communication devices of one or more communication groups, and receives group-directed media from a sending wireless communication device sends the group-directed media either directly to the other member wireless communication devices of the communication group or stores the group-directed media such that the other member devices can access and download the group-directed media.