Enhancing voice communication between a group of users in a network
Voice communication is enhanced between a group of users in a network by providing data for transmission to the group of users; adding to the data other information relating to a new active user; and transmitting the combined data and information in a single message to all other users in the group.
1 - 15 . (canceled)
16 . A method of enhancing voice communication between a group of users in a network, comprising:
providing data indicating a new active user;
adding to the data other information relating to the new active user to produce combined data and information; and
transmitting the combined data and information to all other users in the group.
17 . A method according to claim 16 , wherein the information includes an identifier of the new active user.
18 . A method according to claim 17 , wherein the network is a mobile communication network.
19 . A method according to claim 18 , wherein the information appears on a visual display of a device used by the other users.
20 . A method according to claim 19 , wherein said providing includes receiving the information as text from the new active user transmitted via a short message service.
21 . A method according to claim 18 , wherein the mobile communication network is a global system for mobile communication network.
22 . A method according to claim 21 , wherein said transmitting of the combined data and information includes transmitting across a network to a base station interface in an existing message.
23 . A method according to claim 22 , wherein the base station interface is between a mobile switching center and a base station controller.
24 . A method according to claim 22 , wherein the existing message is an uplink seized message.
25 . A method according to claim 18 , wherein said transmitting of the combined data and information is across a wireless interface between a base station and the users, using an existing message.
26 . A method according to claim 25 , wherein the data and information are contained within one radio block on the wireless interface.
27 . A method according to claim 25 , wherein the existing message on the wireless interface is an uplink busy message.
28 . A method according to claim 27 , wherein the device used by each of the users is one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant and a personal computer.
29 . A method according to 28 , wherein the identifier is a pre-allocated talker identifier.
30 . A mobile switching center providing enhanced voice communication between a group of users in a network, comprising:
at least one receiving unit receiving information relating to a new active user;
at least one processor programmed to add the information relating to the new active user to data indicating communication status to produce combined data and information; and
at least one transmission unit transmitting the combined data and information to all other users in the group.
31 . A mobile switching center according to claim 30 , wherein the information relating to the new active user is identifying information of the new active user.
32 . A mobile switching center according to claim 31 , wherein said at least one receiving unit receives the information from the new active user via a short message service text message.
33 . A mobile switching center according to claim 32 , wherein the mobile switching center is in a global system for mobile communication network and the data indicating communication status is an uplink busy message.
34 . A mobile switching center according to claim 33 , wherein the uplink busy message includes an identifier of a privileged subscriber.