QUALITY OF SERVICE (QoS) ACQUISITION AND PROVISIONING WITHIN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

Abstract

In an embodiment, an access network (AN) receives a message configured to prompt a conditional allocation of Quality of Service (QoS) resources to an access terminal (AT). The message can be received from the AT or from an application server (AS) that arbitrates a communication session for the AT. In another embodiment, if the AT determines that a QoS resource request has not yet been granted, the AT waits until the traffic channel (TCH) has been obtained for a communication session before resending the QoS resource request. In another embodiment, if the AT determines to initiate or join a second communication session before a confirmation that QoS resources for a first communication session are relinquished, the AT waits until the confirmation is received before a request for QoS resources for the second communication session is sent.

1 . A method of setting up a group communication session requiring Quality of Service (QoS) resources at an access terminal within a wireless communications system, comprising:
 sending a first request, within a second serving area, to obtain traffic channel (TCH) resources and QoS resources for the group communication session, the first request based at least in part on a first access terminal identifier that identifies the access terminal within a first serving area that is separate from the second serving area;   determining that the TCH resources have been allocated to the access terminal and that the QoS resources have not been allocated to the access terminal;   sending a second request, in response to the determining [[step]] and within the second serving area, that requests the QoS resources for the group communication session, the second request based at least in part on a second access terminal identifier that identifies the access terminal within the second serving area; and   receiving an allocation of the QoS resources within the second serving area in response to the second request.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that the first request has failed to obtain the QoS resources;   permitting the group communication session attempt to continue even though the first request is determined to have failed to obtain the QoS resources; and   performing the sending of the second request after the permitting.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the determining that the request for QoS resources has failed is based on an expiration of a timer or a message indicating failure for the first request. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending an identifier request to obtain the second access terminal identifier; and   receiving, in response to the identifier request, an assignment message assigning the second access terminal identifier,   wherein the sending the first request is performed before the second access terminal identifier is assigned, and the sending the second request is performed after the second access terminal identifier is assigned.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second serving areas correspond to different cells or sectors within the wireless communications system. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the group communication session corresponds (i) to a call between the access terminal and one other access terminal, or (ii) to a call between the access terminal and two or more other access terminals. 
     
     
         7 . A method of setting up a group communication session at an access terminal within a wireless communications system, comprising:
 determining to terminate a first communication session;   sending a first request to an access network to relinquish Quality of Service (QoS) resources for the first communication session;   determining to set-up a second communication session before the access network confirms the QoS resources for the first communication session are relinquished;   receiving a message from the access network that confirms that the QoS resources for the first communication session have been relinquished; and   responsive to the received message, sending a second request to the access network to establish QoS resources for the second communication session.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the access terminal corresponds to an originator of the second communication session, further comprising:
 responsive to the determining to set-up the second communication session, sending one or more call messages to the access network to request set-up of the second communication session by an application server before the access network confirms the QoS resources for the first communication session are relinquished.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the access terminal corresponds to a target of the second communication session, further comprising:
 receiving an announce message that announces the second communication session,   wherein the determining to set-up the second communication session corresponds to a decision by the access terminal to accept the announce message.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the group communication session corresponds (i) to a call between the access terminal and one other access terminal, or (ii) to a call between the access terminal and two or more other access terminals. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the determining to terminate is based on an independent decision of the access terminal or a user of the access terminal to terminate the first communication session. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the determining to terminate is based on a given message from the access network that instructs the access terminal to terminate the first communication session. 
     
     
         13 . An access terminal configured to set-up a group communication session requiring Quality of Service (QoS) resources within a wireless communications system, comprising:
 logic configured to send a first request, within a second serving area, to obtain traffic channel (TCH) resources and QoS resources for the group communication session, the first request based at least in part on a first access terminal identifier that identifies the access terminal within a first serving area that is separate from the second serving area;   logic configured to determine that the TCH resources have been allocated to the access terminal and that the QoS resources have not been allocated to the access terminal;   logic configured to send a second request, in response to the determination and within the second serving area, that requests the QoS resources for the group communication session, the second request based at least in part on a second access terminal identifier that identifies the access terminal within the second serving area; and   logic configured to receive an allocation of the QoS resources within the second serving area in response to the second request.   
     
     
         14 . The access terminal of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 logic configured to determine that the first request has failed to obtain the QoS resources;   logic configured to permit the group communication session attempt to continue even though the first request is determined to have failed to obtain the QoS resources,   wherein the logic configured to send the second request sends the second request after the logic configured to permit permits the group communication session attempt.   
     
     
         15 . The access terminal of  claim 14 , wherein the logic configured to determine that the first request for the QoS resources determines that the first request for the QoS resources has failed based on an expiration of a timer or a message indicating failure for the first request. 
     
     
         16 . The access terminal of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 logic configured to send an identifier request to obtain the second access terminal identifier; and   logic configured to receive, in response to the identifier request, an assignment message assigning the second access terminal identifier,   wherein the logic configured to send the first request sends the first request before the second access terminal identifier is assigned, and the logic configured to send the second request sends the second request after the second access terminal identifier is assigned.   
     
     
         17 . The access terminal of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second serving areas correspond to different cells or sectors within the wireless communications system. 
     
     
         18 . The access terminal of  claim 13 , wherein the group communication session corresponds to a call between the access terminal and one other access terminal. 
     
     
         19 . The access terminal of  claim 13 , wherein the group communication session corresponds to a call between the access terminal and two or more other access terminals. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the second request is sent to a server configured to arbitrate the group communication session, and   wherein the second request is configured to prompt the server to send a message to the second serving area to facilitate the allocation of the QoS resources.