Group communication

1. An apparatus comprising:

a communication interface for sending and receiving data;

a memory for storing instructions to control the apparatus; and

a processor coupled to the communication interface and the memory, the processor configured to, when executing the instructions stored in the memory, cause the apparatus to:

form a message comprising a request to establish a group communication to a server hosting a pre-arranged group, the request comprising:

a predefined uniform resource identifier (URI) that identifies the pre-arranged group, the pre-arranged group comprising a predefined plurality of members at an invitation phase prior to establishing the group communication,

a parameter indicating that the group communication is intended for a sub-group of the pre-arranged group, the sub-group comprising less than all of the predefined plurality of members, and

a user-defined list that identifies individual members of the sub-group of the pre-arranged group; and

send, via the communication interface, the message to the server for inviting the intended sub-group of the pre-arranged group.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the information on members of the intended sub-group comprises an identifier for each member of the intended sub-group.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein each identifier is a URI.

4. A method comprising:

forming a message comprising a request to establish a group communication to a server hosting a pre-arranged group, the request comprising:

a predefined uniform resource identifier (URI) that identifies the pre-arranged group, the pre-arranged group comprising a predefined plurality of members at an invitation phase prior to establishing the group communication,

a parameter indicating that the group communication is intended for a sub-group of the pre-arranged group, the sub-group comprising less than all of the predefined plurality of members, and

a user-defined list that identifies individual members of the sub-group of the pre-arranged group; and

sending the message to the server for inviting the sub-group of the pre-arranged group.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the information on members of the intended sub-group comprises an identifier for each member of the intended sub-group.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein each identifier is a URI.

7. A server comprising:

a communication interface for sending and receiving data;

a memory configured to maintain information relating to at least one pre-arranged group, wherein each pre-arranged group comprises a predefined plurality of members at an invitation phase prior to establishing the group communication and corresponds to a predefined uniform resource identifier (URI); and

a processor coupled to the communication interface and the memory, the processor configured to, when executing the instructions stored in the memory, cause the server to:

receive, in a message via the communication interface, a request to establish group communication related to a pre-arranged group via a corresponding predefined uniform resource identifier, the request comprising the URI that corresponds to the pre-arranged group;

determine whether a parameter is included in the request, the parameter indicating that the group communication is intended for a sub-group of the pre-arranged group, the sub-group comprising less than all of the predefined plurality of members; and

in response to determining that the request includes the parameter, establish a session for the group communication related to the pre-arranged group and inviting the intended sub-group of the pre-arranged group, the sub-group comprising a user-defined list included in the request when the parameter is also included in the request and that identifies individual members of the pre-arranged group.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein when inviting the intended sub-group of the pre-arranged group, the processor further causes the server to:

obtain information on members of the intended sub-group;

send, via the communication interface, an invitation to each member of the intended sub-group that is verified to be included in the pre-arranged group.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor, when executing the instructions stored in the memory, further causes the server to:

for each member of the intended sub-group, compare the information of the each member with the predefined plurality of members of the pre-arranged group.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein information on members of the intended sub-group comprises an identifier for each member of the intended sub-group.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein each identifier is a URI.

12. A method comprising:

receiving, at a server, a message comprising a request to establish group communication related to a pre-arranged group, the request comprising a predefined uniform resource identifier (URI) that corresponds to the pre-arranged group, wherein the pre-arranged group comprises a predefined plurality of members at an invitation phase prior to establishing the group communication and corresponds to the predefined URI;

determining, at the server, whether a parameter is included in the request, the parameter indicating that the group communication is intended for a sub-group of the pre-arranged group, the sub-group comprising less than all of the predefined plurality of members; and

in response to determining that the request includes the parameter, establishing a session for the group communication related to the pre-arranged group and inviting the intended sub-group of the pre-arranged group, the sub-group comprising a user-defined list included in the request when the parameter is also included in the request and that identifies individual members of the pre-arranged group.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein inviting the intended sub-group of the pre-arranged group comprises:

obtaining information on members of the intended sub-group;

sending an invitation to each member of the intended sub-group that is verified to be included in the pre-arranged group.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

for each member of the intended sub-group, compare the information of the each member with the predefined plurality of members of the pre-arranged group.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein information on members of the intended sub-group comprises an identifier for each member of the intended sub-group.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein each identifier is a URI.