METHOD OF CONTROL SIGNALING IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20110105168A1
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Natarahjan, Harish, McDonald, Daniel J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,243,750 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/509
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

A method for Fixed Network Equipment (FNE) to control the three of four and one of four slow associated control channel (SACCH) pattern on an Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) Project 25 (P25) trunked voice channel is provided. Knowledge of this pattern by both the FNE and radio allows for unique information to be signaled in each type of SACCH. According to some embodiments, an operation enables controlling the floor (inbound) while there is an independent outbound (floor) (e.g. Console takeover). The provided operation also allows each radio to differentiate inbound floor control signaling from outbound caller identification (ID). Having the infrastructure control the inbound SACCH pattern and communicate this to all radios, makes the correct detection of the transmitted pattern from the radio more reliable.

Claims

1. A method of providing control signaling to a group of wireless communication devices communicating on a voice channel, the method comprising:

operating at least one fixed network equipment to;

determine a pattern of timeslots including a positioning of a first set of timeslots and a positioning of a second set of timeslots within the voice channel using information received in a message; and

signal the pattern of timeslots to one or more wireless communication devices communicating on the voice channel.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the voice channel operates using an Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) Project 25 (P25) Media Access Control (MAC) standard, and wherein the message comprises at least one of a control channel Sync Broadcast message and information in an Information Inter-slot Signaling CHannel (I-ISCH).

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the information received in the message comprises at least one of a one of four timeslot pattern and a three of four timeslot pattern.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the first subset of the timeslots comprise Non-Random Access Slow Associated Control Channel (Non-RA SACCH) signaling, and

the second set of the timeslots comprise RA SACCH signaling.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein:

the first subset of timeslots further comprise three of four slow associated control channel signaling timeslots; and

the second subset of timeslots further comprise one of four slow associated control channel signaling timeslots.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 further comprising:

operating one of the wireless communication devices communicating on the voice channel to determine a 1 of 4 Random Access SACCH pattern from a Sync Broadcast message received on a Control Channel when the one of the wireless communication devices is a synchronized wireless communication device; and

operating the one of the wireless communication devices communicating on the voice channel to determine a 1 of 4 Random Access SACCH pattern from an I-ISCH when the one of the wireless communication devices is an unsynchronized wireless communication device.

7. The method as recited in claim 5 further comprising:

operating the one of the wireless communication devices communicating on the voice channel to determine a three of four Non-Random Access SACCH pattern from a Sync Broadcast message received on a Control Channel when the one of the wireless communication devices is a synchronized wireless communication device; and

operating the one of the wireless communication devices communicating on the voice channel to determine a three of four Non-Random Access SACCH pattern from an I-ISCH when the one of the wireless communication devices is an unsynchronized wireless communication device.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the pattern of timeslots is signaled at least one of prior to and during an active call.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a group voice channel user signal from a transmitting wireless communication device to the group of wireless communication devices;

transmitting a radio identification (ID) of the transmitting wireless communication device within the first subset of timeslots of the group voice channel user signal, and transmitting an ID of zero within the second subset of timeslots of the group voice channel user signal at a destination site; and

transmitting the radio ID of the transmitting wireless communication device within the first subset of timeslots and the second set of timeslots of the group voice channel user signal at a source site.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein:

the first subset of timeslots comprise three of four slow associated control channel signaling timeslots; and

the second subset of timeslots comprise one of four slow associated control channel signaling timeslots.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

setting the radio ID to zero in the second set of timeslots at the source site when the transmitting wireless communication device dekeys.

12. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising prior to transmitting the group voice channel user signal from the transmitting wireless communication device:

providing a Call Grant to the transmitting wireless communication device; and

setting the radio ID to the radio ID of the transmitting wireless communication device of the Call Grant for group voice channel user signaling.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

keying a console to transmit on the voice channel; and

transmitting a console ID of the console within the first subset of timeslots of the group voice channel user signal, and transmitting an ID of zero within the second subset of timeslots of the group voice channel user signal.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising prior to keying the console:

setting the radio ID to zero in the group voice channel user signal in one or more random access timeslots at each of a plurality of destination sites.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the random access timeslots comprises random access slow associated control channel.

16. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

keying one of the wireless communication devices on the voice channel; and

transmitting a radio ID of the one of the wireless communication devices within the first subset of timeslots of the group voice channel user signal, and transmitting an ID of zero within the second subset of timeslots of the group voice channel user signal at the source site.

17. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

indicating that a console is transmitting in a take over Call Grant; and

populating each of a plurality of group voice channel user messages with a console ID from the take over Call Grant in the first subset of timeslots at a source and destination site.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising:

continuing to transmit the radio ID of the transmitting wireless communication device in the group voice channel user at the source site in the second subset of timeslots.

19. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

keying another wireless communication device on the voice channel;

updating a plurality of group voice channel user messages to include an ID of the other wireless communication device at a site of the other wireless communication device;

sending a MAC_Release message in the next available timeslot; and

updating the first subset of timeslots of the group voice channel user signal to include the ID of the other wireless communication device, and a radio ID of zero within the second subset of timeslots of the group voice channel user signal at the associated site of a previously transmitting wireless communication device.

20. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

keying another wireless communication device on the voice channel at a same site as the transmitting radio;

updating of a plurality of GVCU messages to include an ID of the other wireless communication device;

sending a MAC_Release message by a base station to the transmitting wireless communication device; and

updating the first subset of timeslots and the second subset of timeslots of the group voice channel user signal to include the ID of the other wireless communication device.

21. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

dekeying the transmitting wireless communication device in response to receiving a radio ID of other wireless communication device in the second subset of timeslots.