Voice connectivity of push-to-talk clients
Embodiments include a system, method, and computer program product for providing seamless PTT services to a user. In an embodiment, a push-to-talk (PTT) component provides, to the user, PTT services with a talk group through a connectivity to a data channel in a mobile network. A voice monitoring component monitors attributes of data connectivity on the data channel to determine when a voice quality falls below a threshold. When the voice quality is determined to fall below the threshold, a connectivity component requests the user to switch the connectivity to a voice channel. Then, the connectivity component dials a telephone number through the voice channel to access a voice conference bridge that provides the PTT services. To provide the PTT services, the voice conference bridge sets up a routing path to a session initiation protocol session for the talk group, and routes voice communication through the SIP session.
1. A system, comprising:
a memory;
one or more processors coupled to the memory, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
provide push-to-talk (PTT) services via a data channel that accesses a mobile network;
monitor an attribute of data connectivity on the data channel;
measure an attribute of voice data received within the data channel comprising a clock drift;
determine that a voice quality based at least on the attribute of data connectivity and the attribute of voice data measured does not satisfy a threshold;
provide a confirmation prompt to switch from the data channel to a voice channel that accesses the mobile network;
dial a telephone number through the voice channel to access a voice conference bridge; and
route PTT communications via the voice channel.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the attribute of data connectivity comprises a packet response time, a signal strength, a network speed, a packet loss rate, or a ping.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
connect to the voice channel;
disconnect from the data channel; and
mute a microphone until at least a PTT button of a respective talk group is activated.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
activate the PTT button; and
unmute the microphone by transmitting a dual tone multi frequency (DTMF) command via the voice channel.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
deactivate the PTT button; and
mute the microphone by transmitting a different DTMF command than the DTMF command used to unmute the microphone via the voice channel.
6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
monitor voice attributes of voice communications received via the voice channel;
concurrently monitor a second attribute of data connectivity on an available data channel;
determine that the voice quality on the available data channel satisfies the threshold; and
switch from the voice channel to the available data channel to access PTT services and multimedia communications.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein to concurrently monitor, the one or more processors are further configured to:
periodically transmit a first short message via the available data channel;
receive a second short message via the available data channel; and
determine the voice quality based on the first and second short messages.
8. The system of claim 6 , wherein to switch from the voice channel to the available data channel, the one or more processors are further configured to:
terminate a connectivity to the voice channel; and
connect to the data channel.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein to connect to the data channel, the one or more processors are further configured to transmit via the data channel: an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a media access control (MAC) address, a username and a password combination, and an email address.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein to route PTT communications, the one or more processors are further configured to:
transmit to the voice conference bridge via the voice channel, identification (ID) information indicating a talk group corresponding to an activated PTT button, wherein the ID information is saved in association with the talk group in the memory.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the ID information indicating the talk group comprises a dual tone multi frequency (DTMF) command.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the PTT communications routed comprises: an automatic number identification (ANI) identifying the system.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive a voice communication in a voice communication session via the voice channel, wherein the voice communication session is associated with a respective talk group of which a user of the system is a member.
14. A method, comprising:
providing push-to-talk (PTT) services via a data channel that accesses a mobile network;
monitoring an attribute of data connectivity on the data channel;
measuring an attribute of voice data received within the data channel comprising a clock drift;
determining that a voice quality based at least on the attribute of data connectivity and the attribute of voice data measured does not satisfy a threshold;
providing a confirmation prompt to switch from the data channel to a voice channel that accesses the mobile network;
dialing a telephone number through the voice channel to access a voice conference bridge; and
routing PTT communications via the voice channel.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the attribute of data connectivity comprises a packet response time, a signal strength, a network speed, a packet loss rate, or a ping.
16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
connecting to the voice channel;
disconnecting from the data channel; and
muting a microphone until at least a PTT button of a respective talk group is activated.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
monitoring voice attributes of voice communications received via the voice channel;
concurrently monitoring a second attribute of data connectivity on an available data channel;
determining that the voice quality on the available data channel satisfies the threshold; and
switching the connectivity from the voice channel to the available data channel to access PTT services and multimedia communications.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the switching comprises:
terminating the connectivity to the voice channel; and
connecting to the available data channel.
19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
transmitting to the voice conference bridge, via the voice channel, identification (ID) information indicating a talk group corresponding to an activated PTT button.
20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the PTT communications routed comprises: an automatic number identification (ANI) identifying a computing device performing the method, wherein a plurality of talk groups are associated with the ANI.
21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
receiving a voice communication in a voice communication session via the voice channel, wherein the voice communication session is associated with a respective talk group of which a user of the computing device is a member.