Slot cycle assignment within a communication system

• US 20020191583A1
• Filed: 06/14/2001
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Crocker, Ronald Thomas, Harris, John M., Kelley, Sean, Spear, Stephen, De Clerck, Daniel, Fleming, Philip Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 7,158,502 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/345
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

To address the need for a dispatch mobile (303, 305, 307) to more quickly make a call, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention those remote units operating in a dispatch mode (303, 305, 307) will receive a first slot cycle, while those remote units not operating in a dispatch mode (302, 304, 306, 308) will receive a second slot cycle. The second slot cycle is greater than the first slot cycle, so that those remote units operating in dispatch mode (303, 305, 307) will “wake up” during the slot cycle normally utilized for interconnect calls. Because shorter slot cycles are utilized for remote units operating in dispatch mode (303, 305, 307), the time it takes to make a dispatch call is greatly reduced. Additionally the minimum slot cycle duration typically used for standard calls remains unchanged, greatly conserving battery life.

Claims

1. A method for assigning a slot cycle within a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a first slot cycle for a first plurality of remote units;

determining a second slot cycle for a second plurality of remote units;

assigning the first slot cycle to the first plurality of remote units; and

assigning the second slot cycle to the second plurality of remote units.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the first slot cycle for the first plurality of remote units comprises the step of determining the first slot cycle for a plurality of remote units operating in a first mode.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the second slot cycle for the second plurality of remote units comprises the step of determining the second slot cycle for a plurality of remote units operating in a second mode.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of assigning the first slot cycle to the first plurality of remote units comprises the step of transmitting a first message over a paging channel, the first message comprising the first slot cycle.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of broadcasting the second slot cycle to the second plurality of remote units comprises the step of transmitting a second message over the paging channel, the second message comprising the second slot cycle.

6. A method comprising the steps of:

determining a mode of operation;

receiving a first slot cycle;

receiving a second slot cycle; and

using the first slot cycle when operating in a first mode of operation otherwise using the second slot cycle when operating in a second mode of operation.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of determining the mode of operation comprises the step of determining a mode of operation taken from the group consisting of a dispatch mode of operation and a non-dispatch mode of operation.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of using the first slot cycle when operating in a first mode of operation otherwise using the second slot cycle when operating in a second mode of operation, comprises the step of using the first slot cycle when operating in a dispatch only mode of operation, otherwise using the second slot cycle during a non-dispatch only mode of operation.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of using the first slot cycle when operating in a first mode of operation otherwise using the second slot cycle when operating in a second mode of operation further comprises the step of using both the first and the second slot cycles simultaneously when operating in both the first and the second mode.

10. An apparatus comprising:

first transmission circuitry having as an input, a first slot cycle, the first transmission circuitry broadcasting the first slot cycle to a first plurality of remote units utilizing a first mode of operation; and

second transmission circuitry having as an input, a second slot cycle, the second transmission circuitry broadcasting the second slot cycle to a second plurality of remote units utilizing a second mode of operation.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first transmission circuitry is paging channel transmission circuitry.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the second transmission circuitry is paging channel transmission circuitry.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first plurality of remote units comprise remote units operating in a dispatch mode.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the second plurality of remote units comprise remote units operating in a non-dispatch mode.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the logic circuitry utilizes the first slot cycle when operating only in a dispatch mode, otherwise utilizes the second slot cycle when operating in a non-dispatch mode.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver receiving a first and a second slot cycle; and

logic circuitry coupled to the receiver, the logic circuitry determining a mode of operation and utilizes the first slot cycle when operating in a first mode of operation, otherwise utilizes the second slot cycle when operating in a second mode of operation.