Monitoring operational capability of a mobile communication device in a network

• US 10,368,256 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2017
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eagle Technology, LLC (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Eagle Technology, LLC (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Layne, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Hoang-Chuong Q
• Application Number:
  US15/823,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20190166509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

A mobile communication device (MCD) in a network uses a land mobile radio (LMR) transceiver to facilitate voice communications through an LMR network to a dispatch center. A broadband cellular network (BCN) wireless modem in communication with the MCD implements a BCN wireless communication protocol for broadband data communications between the MCD and a remote dispatch center. When a BCN access interruption occurs, the MCD will automatically communicate to the remote dispatch center a notification of the BCN access interruption, by using the LMR network, and data otherwise communicated through the BCN is automatically communicated through the LMR network.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring an operational capability of a mobile communication device (MCD) in a network, comprising:

using a land mobile radio (LMR) transceiver implementing a LMR wireless communication protocol to facilitate at least narrowband voice communications for the MCD through an LMR network when communicating with a remote dispatch center;

using a broadband cellular network (BCN) modem in communication with the MCD for implementing a BCN wireless communication protocol to facilitate at least broadband data communications between the MCD and the remote dispatch center;

determining a BCN access interruption wherein the broadband data communication through the BCN is temporarily not possible for the MCD; and

responsive to the determining, automatically communicating from the MCD to the remote dispatch center a notification of the BCN access interruption, by using the LMR network.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising automatically temporarily storing in a data store accessible to the MCD at least one of audio and video media data that has been received by the MCD, under conditions of the BCN access interruption.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising automatically communicating the at least one of audio and video media data that has been stored at the MCD when data communication capability through the BCN is restored.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

using the BCN to facilitate data communications necessary for at least one low data rate MCD application when the BCN is accessible to the MCD;

automatically using the LMR network to facilitate data communications for the at least one low data rate MCD application upon occurrence of the BCN access interruption.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the at least one low data rate MCD application is selected from the group consisting of an IP voice application, an IP video application, a text messaging application, a form generator application, and a report generator application.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selectively using the LMR network in place of the BCN network to report GPS location information to the remote dispatch center under a condition where the BCN access interruption has occurred.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selectively using the LMR network in place of the BCN network to report vehicle on-board diagnostic data to at least one remote maintenance facility server under a condition where the BCN access interruption.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying information concerning the occurrence of the BCN access interruption on a display screen at a dispatch center responsive to receiving the notification.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the LMR wireless communication protocol is selected from the group consisting of P25 and TETRA.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the BCN wireless communication protocol is LTE.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the LMR wireless communication protocol is a trunking type communication system.

12. A mobile communication device (MCD), comprising:

at least one land mobile radio (LMR) wireless communication circuit configured for implementing an LMR wireless communication protocol; and

at least one electronic processor configured to utilize the at least one LMR wireless communication circuit to;

facilitate at least narrowband voice communications for the MCD through an LMR network when communicating with a remote dispatch center;

use a broadband cellular network (BCN) wireless modem in communication with the MCD for implementing a BCN wireless communication protocol to facilitate at least broadband data communications between the MCD and the remote dispatch center;

determine an occurrence of a BCN access interruption wherein the broadband data communication through the BCN wireless modem is temporarily not possible for the MCD; and

responsive to the determining, automatically cause the MCD to communicate to the remote dispatch center a notification of the BCN access interruption, by using the LMR network.

13. The MCD according to claim 12, wherein the at least one electronic processor is further configured to automatically selectively cause at least one of audio and video media data that has been received by the MCD to be temporarily stored in the MCD under conditions of the BCN access interruption.

14. The MCD according to claim 13, wherein the at least one electronic processor is further configured to automatically selectively cause the at least one of audio and video media data that has been stored at the MCD to be communicated using the BCN wireless modem when it determines that BCN access through said BCN wireless modem has been restored.

15. The MCD according to claim 12, wherein the at least one electronic processor is further configured to cause the MCD to:

use the BCN wireless modem to facilitate data communications necessary for at least one low data rate MCD application executing on the MCD when the BCN is accessible to the BCN wireless modem;

selectively use the LMR network to facilitate data communications for the at least one low data rate MCD application upon occurrence of the BCN access interruption.

16. The MCD according to claim 15, wherein the at least one low data rate MCD application is selected from the group consisting of an IP voice application, an IP video application, a text messaging application, a form generator application, and a report generator application.

17. The MCD according to claim 12, wherein the at least one electronic processor is further configured to selectively cause the at least one LMR wireless communication circuit to report GPS location information of the MCD to the remote dispatch center under a condition where the BCN access interruption has occurred.

18. The MCD according to claim 12, wherein the at least one electronic processor is further configured to cause the at least one LMR wireless communication circuit to report vehicle on-board diagnostic data to at least one remote maintenance facility server under a condition where the BCN access interruption has occurred.

19. The MCD according to claim 12, wherein the LMR wireless communication protocol is selected from the group consisting of P25 and TETRA.

20. The MCD according to claim 19, wherein the BCN wireless communication protocol is LTE.