Push-to-talk reverse channel establishment

1. A push-to-talk radio resource controller comprising:

a forward channel resource request module, for requesting push-to-talk channel resources for forward traffic from an originating mobile device to at least one called mobile device;

a reverse channel resource request module, for requesting push-to-talk channel resources for reverse traffic from the at least one called mobile device to the originating mobile device, before a forward push-to-talk circuit from the originating mobile device to the at least one called mobile device is released;

an allocation rules module, coupled to the forward channel resource request module and the reverse channel resource request module; and

a channel resource availability module, coupled to the allocation rules module.

2. A push-to-talk radio resource controller in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

a forward channel release module, coupled to the channel resource availability module; and

a reverse channel release module, coupled to the channel resource availability module.

3. A push-to-talk radio resource controller in accordance with claim 1 wherein the channel resource availability module comprises:

a forward channel resource availability module; and

a reverse channel resource availability module.

4. A push-to-talk radio resource controller in accordance with claim 3 wherein the forward channel resource availability module comprises:

a connection for receiving an external release trigger.

5. A push-to-talk radio resource controller in accordance with claim 3 wherein the reverse channel resource availability module comprises:

a connection for receiving an external release trigger.

6. A push-to-talk radio resource controller in accordance with claim 3 wherein the forward channel resource availability module comprises:

a timer for determining an internal release trigger.

7. A push-to-talk radio resource controller in accordance with claim 3 wherein the reverse channel resource availability module comprises:

a timer for determining an internal release trigger.

8. A method for establishing a reverse channel in a push-to-talk (PTT) system comprising the steps of:

initiating a forward PTT circuit for forward traffic from an originating device to at least a first called device;

initiating a first reverse PTT circuit for reverse traffic from the first called device to the originating device before the forward PTT circuit is released;

releasing the forward PTT circuit; and

releasing the first reverse PTT circuit.

9. A method for establishing a reverse channel in a push-to-talk (PTT) system according to claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

initiating a second reverse PTT circuit from a second called device to the originating device, before releasing the forward PTT circuit; and

releasing the second reverse PTT circuit, before releasing the forward PTT circuit.

10. A method for establishing a reverse channel in a push-to-talk (PTT) system according to claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

initiating a second reverse PTT circuit from a second called device to the originating device, before releasing the forward PTT circuit; and

releasing the second reverse PTT circuit, before releasing the first reverse PTT circuit.

11. A method for establishing a reverse channel in a push-to-talk (PTT) system according to claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a release trigger for the second called device, before releasing the second reverse PTT circuit.

12. A method for establishing a reverse channel in a push-to-talk (PTT) system according to claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

initiating a second reverse PTT circuit from a second called device to the originating device, before releasing the forward PTT circuit; and

releasing the second reverse PTT circuit, after releasing the first reverse PTT circuit.

13. A method for establishing a reverse channel in a push-to-talk (PTT) system according to claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for access from the originating device, before initiating the forward PTT circuit.

14. A method for establishing a reverse channel in a push-to-talk (PTT) system according to claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for access from the first called device, before releasing the first reverse PTT circuit.

15. A method for establishing a reverse channel in a push-to-talk (PTT) system according to claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a release trigger for the originating device, before releasing the forward PTT circuit.

16. A method for establishing a reverse channel in a push-to-talk (PTT) system according to claim 15 , wherein the release trigger is an external release trigger generated by the originating device.

17. A method for establishing a reverse channel in a push-to-talk (PTT) system according to claim 15 , wherein the release trigger is an internal release trigger generated by a PTT radio resource controller.

18. A method for establishing a reverse channel in a push-to-talk (PTT) system according to claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a release trigger for the first called device, before releasing the first reverse PTT circuit.

19. A method for establishing a reverse channel in a push-to-talk (PTT) system according to claim 18 , wherein the release trigger is an external release trigger generated by the first called device.

20. A method for establishing a reverse channel in a push-to-talk (PTT) system according to claim 18 , wherein the release trigger is an internal release trigger generated by a PTT radio resource controller.