Communications system

• US 20040209580A1
• Filed: 11/17/2003
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: VANU Incorporated
• Original Assignee: VANU Incorporated
• Inventors: Lum, Victor, Steinheider, Jeffrey, Bose, Vanu, Muir, Steve, Chapin, John M.
• Application Number:
  US10/716,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20040209580A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/103
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation

Abstract

In one aspect, the invention is a method for allocating channels. The method includes determining a communication standard used by a message and determining available channels. The method also includes allocating a channel based on the available channels and the communication standard used by the message. The method may also include sending an instruction to use the channel.

Claims

1. A method for allocating channels, comprising:

determining a communication standard used by a message;

determining available channels; and

allocating a channel based on the available channels and the communication standard used by the message.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending an instruction to use the channel.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein sending comprises sending an instruction to a software-defined signal processing system to allocate the appropriate channel for the message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the spectrum of channels includes a channel dedicated to AMPS.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is a call.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is a received message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is being processed for transmission.

8. Apparatus for allocating channels, comprising:

a memory that stores executable instruction signals; and

a processor that executes the instruction signals to;

determine a communication standard used by a message;

determine available channels; and

allocate a channel based on the available channels and the communication standard used by the message.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising instructions to:

send a notification to use the channel.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein to send an instruction comprises sending an instruction to a software-defined signal processing system to allocate the appropriate channel for the message.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the spectrum of channels includes a channel dedicated to AMPS.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the message is a call.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the message is a received message.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the message is being processed for transmission.

15. An article comprising a machine-readable medium that stores executable instruction signals allocating channels, the instruction signals causing a machine to:

determine a communication standard used by a message;

determine available channels; and

allocate a channel based on the available channels and the communication standard used by the message.

16. The article of claim 15, further comprising instruction signals causing a machine to:

send notification to use the channel.

17. The article of claim 16, wherein to send notification comprises sending an instruction to a software-defined signal processing system to allocate the appropriate channel for the message.

18. The article of claim 15, wherein the spectrum of channels includes a channel dedicated to AMPS.

19. The article of claim 15, wherein the message is a call.

20. The article of claim 15, wherein the message is a received message.

21. The article of claim 15, wherein the message is being processed for transmission.

22. A software-defined signal processing system, comprising:

a controller;

a set of primary servers, each server includes software required to execute a communications standard; and

a back-up server that supports the set of primary servers in case of failure;

wherein the back-up server is configured to perform the functions of a failed server from the set of primary servers when the failed server fails.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein each primary server includes objects, network connections and memory buffers that mirror the primary server.