Multimode land mobile radio

• US 20060262800A1
• Filed: 06/24/2005
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eagle Technology, LLC (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pine Valley Investments, LLC (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Martinez, Dennis Michael, Vaughan, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,145,262 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/395.520
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A multimode land mobile radio (LMR) and a method of communicating land mobile radio (LMR) content using an LMR device are provided. The LMR includes an LMR communication portion configured to provide communication with an LMR network and a cellular data network communication portion configured to provide communication with a cellular data network.

Claims

1. A land mobile radio (LMR) comprising:

an LMR communication portion configured to provide communication with an LMR network; and

a cellular data network communication portion configured to provide communication with a cellular data network.

2. An LMR in accordance with claim 1 wherein the cellular data network communication portion comprises a cellular radio modem.

3. An LMR in accordance with claim 1 wherein the LMR communication portion is configured to communicate using an LMR protocol and the cellular data network communication portion is configured to communicate using an LMR-over-cellular protocol.

4. An LMR in accordance with claim 3 wherein the LMR-over-cellular protocol comprises a packet switching protocol.

5. An LMR in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a user interface configured to receive a user input to select one of the LMR communication portion and cellular data network portion for communication of LMR content.

6. An LMR in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a processor configured to automatically select one of the LMR communication portion and cellular data network communication portion for communication of LMR content.

7. An LMR in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a processor configured to automatically select one of the LMR communication portion and cellular data network portion for communication of LMR content based on at least one of an operating condition, a user setting and a predetermined setting.

8. An LMR in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a display configured to identify a selected communication network.

9. An LMR in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a housing having the LMR communication portion and cellular data network communication portion therein and configured to provide handheld operation.

10. An LMR in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a housing having the LMR communication portion and cellular data network communication portion therein and configured in a desktop or dashboard operating configuration.

11. An LMR in accordance with claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to encapsulate LMR content using a packet switching protocol when communicating using the cellular data network communication portion.

12. An LMR in accordance with claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to allow at least one of end-to-end encryption and end-to-end digital encoding with at least one other LMR unit.

13. A multimode terminal device comprising:

a land mobile radio; and

a cellular radio modem.

14. A multimode terminal device in accordance with claim 13 wherein the land mobile radio is configured to communicate LMR content using an LMR protocol and the cellular data modem is configured to communicate LMR content using an LMR-over-cellular protocol.

15. A multimode terminal device in accordance with claim 14 wherein the LMR-over cellular protocol comprises a packet switching protocol and further comprising an LMR encapsulation module configured to encapsulate LMR content using a packet switching protocol when communication using the cellular radio modem.

16. A multimode terminal device in accordance with claim 13 wherein the land mobile radio is configured to communicate LMR content using one of a Project 25 (TIA 102), an ETSI TETRA airlink protocol, an OpenSky M/A-COM proprietary format, a NetworkFirst and an EDACS system proprietary format.

17. A multimode terminal device in accordance with claim 13 wherein the cellular radio modem is configured to communicate LMR content using one of General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), Evolution Data Optimized (EV-DO), Universal Mobile Telephone Service (UMTS) and 802.11 system standard.

18. A multimode terminal device in accordance with claim 13 further comprising a processor configured to automatically select for communication of LMR content one of the land mobile radio and cellular radio modem based on at least one of an operating condition, a user setting and a predetermined setting.

19. A multimode terminal device in accordance with claim 13 further comprising a user interface configured to receive a user input to select for communication of LMR content one of the land mobile radio and the cellular radio modem.

20. A method of communicating land mobile radio (LMR) content using an LMR device, said method comprising:

configuring a land mobile radio to communicate LMR content using one of an LMR network and a cellular data network, the LMR content encapsulated using a packet switching protocol when communicating using the cellular data network.

21. A land mobile radio (LMR) comprising:

a cellular radio modem; and

an LMR encapsulation module for encapsulating LMR content to communicate via the cellular radio modem.