Method and system for simultaneously sharing wireless communications among multiple wireless handsets

Abstract

A method and system for simultaneously sharing wireless communications among multiple wireless handsets deployed in a wireless network having at least one cell site associated therewith includes a first and second wireless handset for transmitting a request for the same wireless communication. The wireless network then assigns a first wireless receive channel to the first wireless handset and the second wireless handset and simultaneously transmits the requested wireless communication to the first and second wireless handsets for receipt by the first wireless receive channel. If the requested wireless communication originates from a source handset, and the first and second handsets are located in direct communication proximity to the source handset, the source handset itself negotiates the common wireless receive channel for receiving the requested wireless communication.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for simultaneously sharing wireless communications among multiple wireless handsets deployed in a wireless network having at least one cell site coverage area associated therewith, the method comprising: 
 receiving a request for the same wireless communication from a first and second wireless handset;    assigning a first wireless receive channel to the first wireless handset and the second wireless handset; and    simultaneously transmitting the requested wireless communication via the first wireless receive channel for receipt by the first and second wireless handsets.    
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein simultaneously transmitting the requested wireless communication further includes simultaneously transmitting the requested wireless communication at a power level based on the location of the first and second wireless handsets.  
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 2  further comprising receiving the simultaneously transmitted wireless communication at the first and second wireless handsets at varying levels of receive signal strength.  
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the first and second wireless handsets are located in different cell site coverage areas and wherein the first wireless receive channel assigned to the second wireless handset is the same as the first wireless receive channel assigned to the first wireless handset.  
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the first and second wireless handsets are located in different cell site coverage areas and wherein the first wireless receive channel assigned to the second wireless handset is different from the first wireless receive channel assigned to the first wireless handset.  
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in claim i wherein receiving the request includes receiving a command signal selecting one of a plurality of pre-established communication choices.  
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 6  wherein the command signal is a predetermined number entered by a subscriber of one of the first and second wireless handsets.  
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 6  wherein the command signal is a number key depression made by a subscriber of one of the first and second wireless handsets as prompted by the one of the first and second wireless handsets.  
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein each of the first and second wireless handsets has a wireless transmit channel for transmitting communications and the method further comprising dynamically muting the wireless transmit channels of each of the first and second wireless handsets so as to restrict conversation during the simultaneous transmission of the wireless communication.  
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 receiving a request from the first and second wireless handsets to participate in a multi-party communication while assigned the first wireless receive channel; and  
 assigning a first wireless transmit channel to the first and second wireless handsets so as to allow multi-party communication between the first and second wireless handsets while simultaneously receiving the same wireless communication.  
 
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the wireless communication includes at least one of an audio, video, and data communication.  
     
     
         12 . A system for simultaneously sharing wireless communications among multiple wireless handsets deployed in a wireless network having at least one cell site coverage area associated therewith, the system comprising: 
 a first and second wireless handset each for transmitting a request for the same wireless communication; and    the wireless network for assigning a first wireless receive channel to the first wireless handset and the second wireless handset and simultaneously transmitting the requested wireless communication via the first wireless receive channel for receipt by the first and second wireless handsets.    
     
     
         13 . The system as recited in  claim 12  wherein the wireless network, in simultaneously transmitting the requested wireless communication, is further operative to simultaneously transmit the requested wireless communication at a power level based on the location of the first and second wireless handsets.  
     
     
         14 . The system as recited in  claim 13  wherein the first and second wireless handsets are further operative to receive the simultaneously transmitted wireless communication at varying levels of receive signal strength.  
     
     
         15 . The system as recited in  claim 12  wherein the first and second wireless handsets are located in different cell site coverage areas and wherein the first wireless receive channel assigned to the second wireless handset is the same as the first wireless receive channel assigned to the first wireless handset.  
     
     
         16 . The system as recited in  claim 12  wherein the first and second wireless handsets are located in different cell site coverage areas and wherein the first wireless receive channel assigned to the second wireless handset is different from the first wireless receive channel assigned to the first wireless handset.  
     
     
         17 . The system as recited in  claim 12  wherein each of the first and second wireless handsets are further operative to transmit a command signal selecting one of a plurality of preestablished communication choices.  
     
     
         18 . The system as recited in  claim 17  wherein the command signal is a predetermined number entered by a subscriber of one of the first and second wireless handsets.  
     
     
         19 . The system as recited in  claim 17  wherein the command signal is a number key depression made by a subscriber of one of the first and second wireless handsets as prompted by the one of the first and second wireless handsets.  
     
     
         20 . The system as recited in  claim 12  wherein each of the first and second wireless handsets has a wireless transmit channel for transmitting communications and wherein the wireless network is further operative to dynamically mute the wireless transmit channels of each of the first and second wireless handsets so as to restrict conversation during the simultaneous transmission of the wireless communication.  
     
     
         21 . The system as recited in  claim 12  wherein each of the first and second wireless handsets are further operative to transmit a request to participate in a multi-party communication while assigned the first wireless receive channel and wherein the wireless network is further operative to assign a first wireless transmit channel to the first and second wireless handsets so as to allow multi-party communication between the first and second wireless handsets while they are simultaneously receiving the same wireless communication.  
     
     
         22 . The system as recited in  claim 12  wherein the wireless communication includes at least one of an audio, video, and data communication.  
     
     
         23 . A method for simultaneously sharing wireless communications among multiple wireless handsets deployed in a wireless network having at least one cell site coverage area associated therewith, wherein the wireless communications originates from a source handset, the method comprising: 
 receiving a request at the source handset for the same wireless communication from a first and second wireless handset located within direct communication proximity to the source handset;    assigning a first wireless receive channel to the first and second wireless handsets in response to the request; and    simultaneously transmitting the requested wireless communication via the first wireless channel for receipt by the first and second wireless handsets.    
     
     
         24 . The method as recited in  claim 23  wherein simultaneously transmitting the requested wireless communication further includes simultaneously transmitting the requested wireless communication at a power level based on the location of the first and second wireless handsets.  
     
     
         25 . The method as recited in  claim 24  further comprising receiving the simultaneously transmitted wireless communication at the first and second wireless handsets at varying levels of receive signal strength.  
     
     
         26 . The method as recited in  claim 23  wherein receiving the request includes receiving a command signal selecting one of a plurality of pre-established communication choices.  
     
     
         27 . The method as recited in  claim 26  wherein the command signal is a predetermined number entered by a subscriber of one of the first and second wireless handsets.  
     
     
         28 . The method as recited in  claim 26  wherein the command signal is a number key depression made by a subscriber of one of the first and second wireless handsets as prompted by the one of the first and second wireless handsets.  
     
     
         29 . The method as recited in  claim 23  wherein each of the first and second wireless handsets has a wireless transmit channel for transmitting communications and the method further comprising dynamically muting the wireless transmit channels of each of the first and second wireless handsets so as to restrict conversation during the simultaneous transmission of the wireless communication.  
     
     
         30 . The method as recited in  claim 23  further comprising: 
 receiving a request from the first and second wireless handsets to participate in a multi-party communication while assigned the first wireless receive channel; and  
 assigning a first wireless transmit channel to the first and second wireless handsets so as to allow multi-party communication between the source handset and the first and second wireless handsets while simultaneously receiving the same wireless communication.  
 
     
     
         31 . The method as recited in  claim 23  wherein the source handset is located in a first cell site coverage area and the wherein the wireless network further includes a second cell cite coverage area, the method further comprising: 
 receiving a request for the same wireless communication at the wireless network from a third wireless handset located in one of the first cell site coverage area outside direct communication proximity to the source handset and a second cell site coverage area different from the first cell site coverage area;  
 assigning a second wireless receive channel to the third wireless handset; and  
 simultaneously transmitting the requested wireless communication via the first wireless receive channel for receipt by the first and second wireless handsets and via the second wireless receive channel for receipt by the third wireless handset.  
 
     
     
         32 . The method as recited in  claim 31  wherein the first and second wireless receive channels are the same.  
     
     
         33 . The method as recited in  claim 31  wherein the first and second wireless receive channels are different.  
     
     
         34 . The method as recited in  claim 31  wherein the third wireless handset has a wireless transmit channel for transmitting communications, the method further comprising: 
 receiving a request from at least one of the first, second and third wireless handsets to participate in a multi-party communication while assigned the first and second wireless receive channels, respectively; and  
 assigning a first wireless transmit channel to the first and second wireless handsets and a second wireless transmit channel to the third wireless handset so as to allow multi-party communication between the first, second and third wireless handsets while simultaneously receiving the same wireless communication.  
 
     
     
         35 . The method as recited in  claim 34  wherein the first and second wireless transmit channels are the same.  
     
     
         36 . The method as recited in  claim 34  wherein the first and second wireless transmit channels are different.  
     
     
         37 . The method as recited in  claim 23  wherein the wireless communication includes at least one of an audio, video, and data communication.  
     
     
         38 . A system for simultaneously sharing wireless communications among multiple wireless handsets deployed in a wireless network having at least one cell site coverage area associated therewith, wherein the wireless communications originates from a source handset, the system comprising: 
 a first and second wireless handset located within direct communication proximity to the source handset in a first cell site coverage area for transmitting a request for the same wireless communication; and    the source handset for assigning a first wireless receive channel to the first and second wireless handsets in response to the request and simultaneously transmitting the requested wireless communication via the first wireless receive channel for receipt by the first and second wireless handsets.    
     
     
         39 . The system as recited in  claim 38  wherein the source handset, in simultaneously transmitting the requested wireless communication, is further operative to simultaneously transmit the requested wireless communication at a power level based on the location of the first and second wireless handsets.  
     
     
         40 . The system as recited in  claim 39  wherein the first and second wireless handsets are further operative to receive the simultaneously transmitted wireless communication at varying levels of receive signal strength.  
     
     
         41 . The system as recited in  claim 38  wherein each of the first and second wireless handsets are further operative to transmit a command signal selecting one of a plurality of preestablished communication choices.  
     
     
         42 . The system as recited in  claim 41  wherein the command signal is a predetermined number entered by a subscriber of one of the first and second wireless handsets.  
     
     
         43 . The system as recited in  claim 41  wherein the command signal is a number key depression made by a subscriber of one of the first and second wireless handsets as prompted by the one of the first and second wireless handsets.  
     
     
         44 . The system as recited in  claim 38  wherein each of the first and second wireless handsets has a wireless transmit channel for transmitting communications and wherein the source handset is further operative to dynamically mute the wireless transmit channels of each of the first and second wireless handsets so as to restrict conversation during the simultaneous transmission of the wireless communication.  
     
     
         45 . The system as recited in  claim 38  wherein each of the first and second wireless handsets are further operative to transmit a request to participate in a multi-party communication while assigned the first wireless receive channel, and wherein the source handset is further operative to assign a first wireless transmit channel to the first and second wireless handsets so as to allow multi-party communication between the source handset and the first and second wireless handsets while they are simultaneously receiving the same wireless communication.  
     
     
         46 . The system as recited in  claim 38  wherein the source handset is located in a first cell site coverage area and wherein the wireless network further includes a second cell site coverage area, the method further comprising: 
 a third wireless handset located in one of the first cell site coverage area outside direct communication proximity to the source handset and a second cell site coverage area different from the first cell site coverage area for transmitting a request for the same wireless communication; and  
 the wireless network for receiving the request from the third wireless, assigning a second wireless receive channel to the third wireless handset, and simultaneously transmitting the requested wireless communication via the second wireless receive channel for receipt by the third wireless handset.  
 
     
     
         47 . The system as recited in  claim 46  wherein the first and second wireless receive channels are the same.  
     
     
         48 . The system as recited in  claim 46  wherein the first and second wireless receive channels are different.  
     
     
         49 . The system as recited in  claim 46  wherein the third wireless handset further includes a wireless transmit channel for transmitting communications, the system further comprising: 
 at least one of the first, second and third wireless handsets transmitting a request to participate in a multi-party communication while assigned the first and second wireless receive channels, respectively;  
 the source handset for assigning a first wireless transmit channel to the first and second wireless handsets; and  
 the wireless network for assigning a second wireless transmit channel to the third wireless handset so as to allow multi-party communication between the first, second and third wireless handsets while simultaneously receiving the same wireless communication.  
 
     
     
         50 . The system as recited in  claim 49  wherein the first and second wireless transmit channels are the same.  
     
     
         51 . The system as recited in  claim 49  wherein the first and second wireless transmit channels are different.  
     
     
         52 . The system as recited in  claim 38  wherein the wireless communication includes at least one of an audio, video, and data communication.