SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SETTING UP A GROUP CALL

• Main Authors: KAMINSKI, Andrew, PRETO, Vasco, KUMAR, Suresh, MORTAZAVI, Amir, CONNOR, Christopher, DAHLQVIST, Johan, KYRITSIS, Thomas, SKOGLUND, Thomas, LINDHE, Pär
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 26.04.2017
• Subjects: ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION; WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS

A group call is setup between one originating device (A) and at least two terminating devices (B, C), which each has access to a public land mobile network (131, 132, 133) and a mobile data network (121, 122, 123). The originating and terminating devices (A, B, C) include a respective software-implemented call handling tool (SWA, SWB, SWC) configured to assist a user in placing and receiving group calls. Bridge nodes (141, 142, 143) are connected to the mobile data network (121, 122, 123), the public land mobile network (131, 132, 133) and a server node (110), which, in turn, also is connected to the mobile data network (121, 122, 123). In response to a call-setup command from a user of the originating device (A), the software-implemented call handling tool (SWA), on one hand, sends a call-setup request (1) to the server node (110); and on the other hand, makes a first call (2) to a first bridge node (141) over the public land mobile network (131) using a first telephone number (#1) stored in the originating device (A). The call-setup request (1) indicates an identity of the terminating devices (B, C). Based on the call-setup request (1) and the first call (2), the server node (110) sets up a call between the originating and terminating devices (A, B, C) over a conference bridge (146) in the first bridge node (141), plus possibly other bridge nodes (147, 148) depending on where the devices (A, B, C) are located relative to one another.