Implementing push-to-talk in a multimedia conferencing system
Systems and methods of providing push-to-talk communication techniques in a multimedia conferencing session are provided. For instance, a push-to-talk mode can be implemented in a conferencing session associated with a conferencing system comprising a plurality of endpoints. At least one of the endpoints can be a full duplex endpoint. A request for transmission capabilities can be received from a first endpoint. Transmission capabilities can be granted to the first endpoint based at least in part on one or more floor control parameters associated with the conferencing session. Subsequent to granting transmission capabilities to the first endpoint, audio data can be provided from the first endpoint to at least one endpoint of the plurality of endpoints in the conferencing session.
1. A computer-implemented method of implementing floor control in a conferencing session, the method comprising:
receiving, by one or more computing devices, a radio resource presence message from a radio gateway, the radio resource presence message indicating an entry of one or more radio endpoints into the conferencing session, wherein the one or more radio endpoints communicate using only half-duplex communication techniques, and are incapable of communicating using full-duplex communication techniques, wherein the conferencing session is associated with a conferencing system comprising a plurality of endpoints, and wherein at least one of the endpoints in the conferencing system is a full-duplex endpoint capable of communicating in the conferencing session using full-duplex communication techniques, and wherein the radio resource presence message is received while the conferencing session is operating in a full-duplex mode wherein each endpoint is communicating in the conferencing session using full-duplex communication techniques;
in response to receiving the radio resource presence message, switching, by the one or more computing devices, the conferencing session from the full-duplex mode to a push-to-talk mode;
receiving, by the one or more computing devices, a transmission capabilities request from a first endpoint of the conferencing session;
granting, by the one or more computing devices, transmission capabilities to the first endpoint based at least in part on one or more floor control parameters associated with the conferencing session; and
subsequent to granting transmission capabilities to the first endpoint, providing, by the one or more computing devices, audio data from the first endpoint to at least one endpoint of the plurality of endpoints.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting, by the one or more computing devices, a removal from the conferencing session of the one or more endpoints that are incapable of communicating in the conferencing session using full-duplex communication techniques; and
responsive to detecting the removal of the one or more endpoints that are incapable of communicating in the conferencing session using full-duplex communication techniques, suspending, by the one or more computing devices, the push-to-talk mode.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, responsive to receiving the transmission capabilities request from the first endpoint, determining, by the one or more computing devices, whether to grant transmission capabilities to the first endpoint based at least in part on the one or more floor control parameters.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the one or more computing devices, a transmission capabilities request from a second endpoint; and
determining, by the one or more computing devices, whether to grant transmission capabilities to the second endpoint based at least in part on the one or more floor control parameters.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:
revoking, by the one or more computing devices, transmission capabilities from the first endpoint; and
granting, by the one or more computing devices, transmission capabilities to the second endpoint.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising denying, by the one or more computing devices, transmission capabilities to the second endpoint.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the transmission capabilities request comprises a request to transmit the audio data.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more floor control parameters comprise at least one of a current floor allocation, an order or timing of transmission capabilities requests, identifying data associated with one or more endpoints in the conferencing session, relative ranks associated with the one or more endpoints in the conferencing session, contextual information asserted by one or more endpoints in the conferencing session, relative importance of one or more endpoints in the conferencing session, endpoint types of one or more endpoints in the conferencing session, or respective locations of one or more endpoints in the conferencing session.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
responsive to granting transmission capabilities to the first endpoint, providing, by the one or more computing devices, a transmission capabilities grant message to the first endpoint.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
subsequent to granting transmission capabilities to the first endpoint, receiving, by the one or more computing devices, a transmission capabilities request from a second endpoint; and
denying, by the one or more computing devices, the transmission capabilities request.
11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein switching the conferencing session from the full-duplex mode to the push-to-talk mode comprises implementing, by the one or more computing devices, a floor control within the conferencing session.
12. A computing system comprising:
one or more processors;
one or more memory devices, the one or more memory devices storing computer-readable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations, the operations comprising:
receiving a radio resource presence message from a radio gateway, the radio resource presence message indicating an entry of one or more endpoints into the conferencing session, wherein the one or more radio endpoints communicate using only half-duplex communication techniques, and are incapable of communicating using full-duplex communication techniques, wherein the conferencing session is associated with a conferencing system comprising a plurality of endpoints, and wherein at least one of the endpoints in the conferencing session is a full-duplex endpoint capable of communicating in the conferencing session using full-duplex communication techniques, and wherein the radio resource presence message is received while the conferencing session is operating in a full-duplex mode wherein each endpoint is communicating in the conferencing session using full-duplex communication techniques;
in response to receiving the radio resource presence message, switching the conferencing session from the full-duplex mode to a push-to-talk mode;
receiving a transmission capabilities request from a first endpoint of the conferencing session;
granting transmission capabilities to the first endpoint based at least in part on one or more floor control parameters associated with the conferencing session; and
subsequent to granting transmission capabilities to the first endpoint, providing audio data from the first endpoint to at least one endpoint of the plurality of endpoints.
13. The computing system of claim 12 , the operations further comprising:
detecting a removal from the conferencing session of the one or more endpoints that are incapable of communicating in the conferencing session using full-duplex communication techniques; and
responsive to detecting the removal of the one or more endpoints that are incapable of communicating in the conferencing session using full-duplex communication techniques, suspending the push-to-talk mode.
14. One or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-readable instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations, the operations comprising:
receiving a radio resource presence message from a radio gateway, the radio resource presence message indicating an entry of one or more endpoints into the conferencing session, wherein the one or more radio endpoints communicate using only half-duplex communication techniques, and are incapable of communicating using full-duplex communication techniques, wherein the conferencing session is associated with a conferencing system comprising a plurality of endpoints, and wherein at least one of the endpoints in the conferencing session is a full-duplex endpoint capable of communicating in the conferencing session using full-duplex communication techniques, and wherein the radio resource presence message is received while the conferencing session is operating in a full-duplex mode wherein each endpoint is communicating in the conferencing session using full-duplex communication techniques;
in response to receiving the radio resource presence message, switching the conferencing session from the full-duplex mode to a push-to-talk mode;
receiving a transmission capabilities request from a first endpoint of the conferencing session;
granting transmission capabilities to the first endpoint based at least in part on one or more floor control parameters associated with the conferencing session; and
subsequent to granting transmission capabilities to the first endpoint, providing audio data from the first endpoint to at least one endpoint of the plurality of endpoints.