Methods for providing access to wireless resources in a trunked radio communication system

• US 20020173311A1
• Filed: 05/16/2001
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: McMahon, Michael P., Gustafson, Leslie G. Jr., Biggs, Robert A., Anderson, Jeffrey S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,366,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0866 using a dedicated channel for access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems

Abstract

Methods are disclosed for providing requested access, network-initiated access and autonomous access to communication resources (101-105) by wireless communication unit(s) (112, 114), and for controlling the different types of access using access control identifier(s) assigned to the devices. Requested access requires a communication unit to send a call request (302) to a communication resource controller (106). The request (302) includes at least an identification of the communication unit and an access control identifier associated with the communication unit. Network-initiated access comprises a communication resource controller or other fixed network equipment sending a page request (502) to the communication unit which responds with a page response message (504) including the identification of the communication unit and an access control identifier. The communication resource controller (106) determines, based on the access control identifier, whether a communication resource is available to support the request. Autonomous access comprises the communication unit (112, 114) receiving a service advertisement message (402) identifying a communication resource and one or more access control identifiers associated with the communication resource. The communication unit determines its eligibility for autonomous access based on the service advertisement message. The service advertisement message may be used to indicate an availability status of communication resources as available for autonomous access or requested access or not available for selected user groups.

Claims

1. A method comprising a wireless communication unit performing the steps of:

sending, to a communication resource controller, a request for access to a communication resource, the request including at least an identification of the communication unit and an access control identifier associated with the communication unit;

receiving, from a communication resource controller, a communication resource allocation message containing the identification of the communication unit and indicia of an available communication resource to support the request, the available communication resource being determined based on the access control identifier; and

selecting, by the communication unit, the communication resource identified in the communication resource allocation message, thereby defining a selected communication resource.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for access to a communication resource comprises a call request message sent via a dedicated control channel.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the communication resource allocation message comprises a call grant message received via the dedicated control channel.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the communication unit sending packet data, via the selected communication resource, to a receiving device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the communication unit receiving packet data, via the selected communication resource, from a sending device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of sending a request for access to a communication resource is accomplished by the communication unit in response to receiving a page request message including an identification of the communication unit.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for access to a communication resource includes indicia of a requested service, the communication resource allocation message containing the identification of the communication unit, indicia of the available communication resource and indicia of the requested service.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication unit receives the access control identifier from the communication resource controller, prior to the step of sending a request for access to a communication resource.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the communication unit receives the access control identifier during a context activation procedure.

10. A method comprising:

sending, from a wireless communication unit to a communication resource controller, a call request message including an identification of the communication unit and an access control identifier associated with the communication unit;

receiving, by the communication resource controller, the call request message;

identifying, by the communication resource controller, based on the access control identifier, an available communication resource to support the call request;

upon the communication resource controller identifying an available communication resource, sending, to at least the communication unit, a call grant message containing the identification of the communication unit and indicia of the available communication resource;

receiving, by the communication unit, the call grant message; and

selecting, by the communication unit, the communication resource identified in the call grant message, thereby defining a selected communication resource.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of sending a call request message is accomplished by the communication unit in response to receiving, from the communication resource controller, a page request message including an identification of the communication unit, the call request message thereby defining a page response message.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the communication unit receiving packet data, via the selected communication resource, from a sending device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of receiving a service advertisement message is accomplished by the communication unit monitoring a dedicated control channel.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the service advertisement message indicates an availability of autonomous access to the communication resource.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of determining comprises:

comparing the access control identifiers associated with the communication resource to an access control identifier associated with the communication unit; and

if the access control identifier associated with the communication unit matches any of the access control identifiers associated with the communication resource, determining the communication unit eligible for autonomous access to the communication resource.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising, upon the communication unit determining it is eligible for autonomous access to the communication resource, selecting, by the communication unit, the communication resource;

and sending packet data, via the communication resource, to a receiving device.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising, upon the communication unit determining it is eligible for autonomous access to the communication resource, selecting, by the communication unit, the communication resource;

and receiving packet data, via the communication resource, from a sending device.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the service advertisement message indicates an availability of requested access to the communication resource.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the service advertisement message identifies the communication resource as unavailable for requested access or autonomous access.

13. A method comprising a wireless communication unit performing the steps of:

receiving a service advertisement message including indicia of a communication resource and one or more access control identifiers associated with the communication resource; and

determining, based on the service advertisement message, an eligibility of the communication unit to access the communication resource.

21. A method comprising a communication resource controller performing the steps of:

determining, for a selected user group, an availability status of one or more communication resources of a plurality of trunked communication resources at a site; and

based on the availability status, sending a channel announcement message indicating one of;

requested access, autonomous access and no access to at least a first communication resource of the one or more communication resources, by the selected user group.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of determining an availability status of the one or more communication resources for the selected user group comprises:

determining a partition status of the one or more communication resources in relation to the selected user group; and

if the selected user group is not partitioned for use of at least a first communication resource of the one or more communication resources, sending a channel announcement message indicating no access to at least the first communication resource by the selected user group.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the selected user group is partitioned for use of at least one communication resource of the one or more communication resources, thereby defining at least one partitioned resource, the step of determining an availability status comprising:

determining whether any partitioned resource is in use;

if any partitioned resource is in use, thereby defining an active resource, determining whether the active resource is below capacity for the selected user group; and

if any active resource is below capacity for the selected user group, sending a channel announcement message indicating autonomous access to the active resource by the selected user group.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein if no active resource is below capacity for the selected user group, the step of determining an availability status further comprises:

determining whether the selected user group can accept additional users; and

if the selected user group can accept additional users, sending a channel announcement message indicating requested access to the active resource by the selected user group;

otherwise

if the selected user group can not accept additional users, sending a channel announcement message indicating no access to the active resource by the selected user group.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein if no partitioned resource is in use, thereby defining one or more inactive resources, the step of determining an availability status further comprises:

determining whether the selected user group can accept additional users; and

if the selected user group can accept additional users, sending a channel announcement message indicating requested access to at least a first communication resource of the one or more inactive resources by the selected user group;

otherwise

if the selected user group can not accept additional users, sending a channel announcement message indicating no access to at least a first communication resource of the one or more inactive resources by the selected user group.