INTERNET PROTOCOL RADIO DISPATCH SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20130114493A1
• Filed: 06/04/2012
• Published: 05/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions Connectivity Incorporated (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cassidian Communications Incorporated (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Inventors: Olivier, Pierre, Roberts, Douglas Gordon
• Granted Patent: US 8,761,071 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/57 for mobile receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5069 for group communication, multicast communication or broadcast communication
• 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 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A method and system for dispatching calls using a packet network is disclosed. The use of distributed call management modules, enables various communication systems, such as RF and PSTN systems, to communicate with each other over the IP network. Audio devices from the various communication systems are each assigned an IP multicast group. Distributed call management modules covert signals from the audio devices into IP packets and transmit the IP packets to designated IP multicast groups over the IP network.

Claims

1. A distributed dispatch control system configured to use a packet network in providing signaling connectivity to a plurality of devices, the system comprising:

a plurality of distributed call management modules, each distributed call management module being adapted to serve a device of the plurality of devices and each distributed call management module having a respective group address for said device, each distributed call management module being at least partially implemented by hardware;

each distributed call management module configured to convert signaling from the served device into packets for distribution through the packet network using the respective group address for receipt by any distributed call management modules monitoring the group address; and

each distributed call management module configured to;

receive packets addressed to the at least one selected group address and convert such packets for distribution to the audio device,

wherein each distributed call management module is configured to perform arbitration functions for the device that the distributed call management module is serving by;

receiving one or more acceptances of a received call from one or more devices of the plurality of devices, at least one of the one or more devices comprising operator workstations;

selecting at least one of the operator workstations to handle the call; and

granting access to transmit data received from the served device to the selected operator workstation.

2. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1 wherein at least some of the distributed call management modules serve multiple devices.

3. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one device comprises at least one telephony unit.

4. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 3, wherein the at least one telephony unit is a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) telephone unit.

5. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein the packet network is an IP (Internet Protocol) network.

6. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 3, wherein the at least one telephony unit is an IP (Internet Protocol) based telephony unit.

7. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein originating a call from the served device comprises communicating audio packets for a call to a plurality of devices.

8. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein the selected operator workstation broadcasts to other channels, and the distributed call management module responsible for the selected operator workstation subscribes to the IP multicast groups of the other channels and sends the IP packets to all of the distributed call management modules responsible for the channels that the selected operator workstation chose.

9. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein each distributed call management module is further configured to perform arbitration functions for the device that the distributed call management module is serving by:

originating a call;

receiving one or more acceptances of the call from one or more devices of the plurality of devices;

selecting one of the devices to handle the call.

10. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, further comprising the plurality of devices.

11. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein the respective group addresses are IP multicast group addresses.

12. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein each distributed call management module comprises a software module operating on dedicated hardware.

13. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein each distributed call management module comprises a software module operating on a computer.

14. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein each distributed call management module comprises:

a processing engine for converting the signaling from the served device to a protocol understandable by the packet network and for converting signals from the packet network to signaling understandable by the served device, said processing engine being at least partially implemented by hardware;

a call and management processing engine for directing the converted signaling to the respective group address, said call and management processing engine being at least partially implemented by hardware; and

a packet processor for encoding the converted signaling as packets and for decoding packets received from the packet network, said packet processor configured to send and receive packets over the packet network, said packet processor being at least partially implemented by hardware.

15. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein the distributed call management module is configured to convert said received packets using MGCP (Media Gateway Control Protocol).

16. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein the distributed call management module is configured to convert said received packets using MEGACO (Media Gateway Control) protocol.

17. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein the distributed call management module is configured to convert said received packets using H.323 protocol.

18. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein the distributed call management module is configured to convert said received packets using SIP protocol.

19. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein the distributed call management module is configured to convert said signaling using any one of G.711, G.723.1, G.729, GSM, IMBE and TETRA protocols.

20. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein configuration of any device is possible without system interruption.

21. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein failure of any one distributed call management module will only affect the operation of said failed distributed call management module.

22. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein at least one device has access to only a predefined subset of system resources.

23. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, configured for use with the plurality of devices comprising at least one radio unit and at least one operator workstation.

24. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 23, wherein each distributed call management module serving an operator workstation is configured to monitor a plurality of group addresses each associated with a radio channel.

25. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 23, wherein at least one radio unit is an Internet Protocol based radio unit.

26. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 23, wherein the at least one operator workstation comprises at least one remote operator workstation is connected over a public network.

27. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 23, wherein call processing for a call originated by the at least one radio unit comprises:

transmitting via packets for the call on the respective group address;

monitoring, using at least one operator workstation, the respective group address responding to an acceptance of the call, and selecting one of the one or more operator workstations to handle the call.