Wireless communication device and network controller for affiliation with associated groups and method thereof

Abstract

A wireless communication device facilitated by a network controller and corresponding methods select a list of requested groups for affiliation from a list of associated groups. The list of requested groups is sent to a network infrastructure where it is processed according to a set of rules. A final list of groups for affiliation is made and the network infrastructure is configured to support the affiliated groups. The list of affiliated groups may also be sent to the wireless communication device.

1 . A wireless communication device arranged and constructed to request a group affiliation comprising: 
 a user interface coupled and responsive to a controller operable to enable selection from a list of associated groups, wherein the wireless communication device is a member of each associated group, of a list of requested affiliation groups, wherein the wireless communication device is able to select at least one affiliation group from the list of requested affiliation groups so that the wireless communication device can commence communications with the selected at least one affiliation group; and    a transmitter coupled and responsive to the controller capable of sending the list of requested affiliation groups to a network controller.    
   
   
       2 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1  wherein the list of requested affiliation groups comprises one of a mandatory group, an optional group to be included and an automatic group to be excluded.  
   
   
       3 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1  wherein the controller is further operable to limit a number of groups in the list of requested affiliation groups.  
   
   
       4 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1  wherein the list of requested affiliation group s comprises one of a list of all requested groups for affiliation and a list of requested changes to a current list of affiliated groups.  
   
   
       5 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a receiver coupled and responsive to the controller operable to receive a list of affiliated groups from the network controller, the list of affiliated groups comprising a portion of the list of requested affiliation groups.    
   
   
       6 . The wireless communication device of  claim 5 , wherein the list of affiliated groups further comprises: 
 one of a compulsory affiliated group, a compulsory affiliated group being that which must be included in the list of affiliated groups, and an automatically affiliated group, an automatically affiliated group being that which is included when not specifically excluded in the list of requested affiliation groups.    
   
   
       7 . The wireless communication device of  claim 6  wherein the list of affiliated groups further comprises: 
 a descriptive message comprising information regarding a difference between the list of affiliated groups and the list of requested affiliation groups.    
   
   
       8 . The wireless communication device of  claim 7  wherein: 
 the controller and the user interface are further operable to display any one of the list of associated groups, the list of requested affiliation groups, the list of affiliated groups and the descriptive message.    
   
   
       9 . The wireless communication device of  claim 5  wherein the controller is further operable to enable the wireless communication device to participate in group communication according to the list of affiliated groups.  
   
   
       10 . The wireless communications device of  claim 5  wherein the receiver is further operable to receive the list of associated groups from the network controller.  
   
   
       11 . A network controller arranged and constructed for supporting group affiliations of wireless communication devices, the network controller comprising: 
 a receiver operable to receive a list of requested affiliation groups from a wireless communication device the list of requested affiliation groups comprising a plurality of associated groups, wherein the wireless communication device is a member of each associated group and wherein the affiliated groups are associated groups, wherein the wireless communication device is able to select at least one affiliation group from the list of requested affiliation groups so that the wireless communication device can commence communications with the selected at least one affiliation group; and    a processor operable to process, according to a set of rules, the list of requested affiliation groups to create a list of affiliated groups further operable to include the wireless communication device as a member of a set of groups according to the list of affiliated groups thereby insuring that the wireless communication device has an opportunity to participate in group communication according to the list of affiliated groups.    
   
   
       12 . The network controller of  claim 11 , wherein the set of rules limits a number of groups allowed in the list of affiliated groups.  
   
   
       13 . The network controller of  claim 11  wherein the set of rules comprises: 
 a list of mandatory groups, a mandatory group being that which must be included in the list of affiliated groups.    
   
   
       14 . The network controller of  claim 11  wherein the set of rules comprises: 
 a list of preset affiliated groups, a preset affiliated group being a group that is included in the list of affiliated groups unless specifically excluded in the list of requested affiliation groups.    
   
   
       15 . The network controller of  claim 11  wherein the list of requested affiliation groups comprises one of a list of all groups to be affiliated and a list of changes to a current list of affiliated groups.  
   
   
       16 . The network controller of  claim 11  further comprising: 
 a transmitter, coupled and responsive to the processor, capable of sending the list of affiliated groups to the wireless communication device.    
   
   
       17 . The network controller of  claim 16  wherein the processor provides a message comprising information regarding a difference between the list of affiliated groups and the list of requested affiliation groups to the transmitter for sending to the wireless communication device.  
   
   
       18 . The network controller of  claim 16  wherein the transmitter, responsive to the processor, is further capable of sending to the wireless communication device a list of associated groups, the list of associated groups being the list of groups from which the wireless communication device may choose to affiliate.  
   
   
       19 . A method for a wireless communication device to request a group affiliation comprising: 
 selecting from a list of associated groups to which the wireless communication device is a member to create a list of requested affiliation groups to which the wireless communication device, is able to select at least one affiliation group from the list of requested affiliation groups so that the wireless communication device can commence communications with the selected at least one affiliation group; and    sending the list of requested affiliation groups to a network infrastructure.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising: 
 receiving from the network infrastructure a list of affiliated groups, the list of affiliated groups comprising a portion of the list of requested affiliation groups.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising: 
 configuring the wireless communication device for operation using the list of affiliated groups.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the list of affiliated groups further comprises one of a compulsory affiliated group, a compulsory affiliated group being a group that must be included in the list of affiliated groups, and a preset affiliated group, a preset affiliated group being a group that is included when not specifically excluded in the list of requested affiliation groups.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the selecting step further comprises: 
 enforcing a limit a number of groups in the list of requested affiliation groups.