PRIORITY TALKGROUPS

• US 20160234663A1
• Filed: 02/05/2016
• Published: 08/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iridium Satellite Llc (Iridium Communications, Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Iridium Satellite Llc (Iridium Communications, Incorporated)
• Inventors: TILLET, Daniel, CHANDLER, Garrett
• Granted Patent: US 9,578,470 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18513 Transmission in a satellite or space-based system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

In one implementation, a communication device comprising one or more processors is configured to participate in a plurality of talkgroups. The one or more processors are configured to receive a communication transmitted from a satellite constellation indicating that a first priority talkgroup has been assigned for the communication device and to receive one or more signal transmitted from the satellite constellation via a control channel indicating that the first priority talkgroup is active, in response to which the one or more processors may determine that the first priority talkgroup has been assigned for the communication device and that the first priority talkgroup is active. Consequently, the one or more processors may set the communication device to the first priority talkgroup such that the communication device starts receiving communications via the first priority talkgroup.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a satellite constellation configured to provide communications for a plurality of talkgroups; and

a controller configured to control the satellite constellation,

wherein the controller is configured to;

receive a command specifying a first priority talkgroup for a first communication device and a second communication device, the first priority talkgroup being one of the plurality of talkgroups;

control the satellite constellation to light up one or more control channels, each of the one or more control channels being a control channel for at least the first priority talkgroup;

control the satellite constellation to transmit to the first communication device information indicating that the first priority talkgroup is a priority talkgroup for the first communication device;

control the satellite constellation to transmit to the second communication device information indicating that the first priority talkgroup is a priority talkgroup for the second communication device;

receive a request to instantiate the first priority talkgroup; and

in response to receiving the request to instantiate the first priority talkgroup, control the satellite constellation to transmit a signal via the one or more control channels, the signal indicating that the first priority talkgroup is active and that the first communication device and the second communication device are required to join the first priority talkgroup.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal comprises a command for at least one of the first communication device and the second communication device to stop communicating via a talkgroup of the plurality of talkgroups that is different from the first priority talkgroup and to start receiving communications via the first priority talkgroup.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine that the first priority talkgroup is no longer active;

in response to determining that the first priority talkgroup is no longer active, control the satellite constellation to transmit another signal via the one or more control channels,

the other signal comprising a command for each of the first communication device and the second communication device to stop communicating via the first priority talkgroup.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the command comprises a command for at least one of the first communication device and the second communication device to start communicating via another talkgroup of the plurality of talkgroups that is different from the first priority talkgroup and that is a talkgroup via which the at least one of the first communication device and the second communication device was communicating at the time when the at least one of the first communication device and the second communication device received the signal transmitted by the satellite constellation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive a command specifying a second priority talkgroup for the first communication device and a third communication device,

the second priority talkgroup being one of the plurality of talkgroups, and

the second priority talkgroup being a higher-priority talkgroup than the first priority talkgroup;

receive a request to instantiate the second priority talkgroup; and

in response to receiving the request to instantiate the second priority talkgroup, control the satellite constellation to transmit another signal via the one or more control channels while the first priority talkgroup is active, and

the other signal indicating that the second priority talkgroup is active and that the first communication device and the third communication device are required to join the second priority talkgroup.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive a command specifying a second priority talkgroup for the first communication device and a third communication device,

the second priority talkgroup being one of the plurality of talkgroups, and

the second priority talkgroup being a lower-priority talkgroup than the first priority talkgroup;

receive a request to instantiate the second priority talkgroup; and

in response to receiving the request to instantiate the second priority talkgroup, control the satellite constellation to transmit another signal via the one or more control channels while the first priority talkgroup is active,

the other signal indicating that the second priority talkgroup is active and that the third communication device is required to join the second priority talkgroup.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

in response to receiving the request to instantiate the first priority talkgroup, transmit a software patch to a plurality of communication devices simultaneously via the first priority talkgroup,

the plurality of communication devices comprising the first communication device and the second communication device.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

the first communication device, wherein the first communication device comprises one or more processors, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

receive the signal transmitted from the satellite constellation via a control channel of the one or more control channels;

in response to receiving the signal via the control channel, determine that the first communication device is assigned to the first priority talkgroup and that the first priority talkgroup is active; and

in response to determining that the communication device is assigned to the first priority talkgroup and that the first priority talkgroup is active, set the communication device to the first priority talkgroup such that the communication device starts receiving communications via the first priority talkgroup.

9. A communication device configured to participate in a plurality of talkgroups, the communication device comprising:

one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

receive a communication transmitted from a satellite constellation indicating that a first priority talkgroup has been assigned for the communication device, the first priority talkgroup being one of the plurality of talkgroups;

receive one or more signal transmitted from the satellite constellation via a control channel indicating that the first priority talkgroup is active, the control channel being a control channel for at least the first priority talkgroup;

in response to receiving the one or more signal via the control channel, determine that the first priority talkgroup has been assigned for the communication device and that the first priority talkgroup is active; and

in response to determining that the first priority talkgroup has been assigned for the communication device and that the first priority talkgroup is active, set the communication device to the first priority talkgroup such that the communication device starts receiving communications via the first priority talkgroup.

10. The communication device of claim 9,

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to set the communication device to a particular talkgroup of the plurality of talkgroups such that the communication device communicates via the talkgroup prior to setting the communication device to the first priority talkgroup, the particular talkgroup being different from the first priority talkgroup,

wherein, when setting the communication device to the first priority talkgroup such that the communication device starts receiving communications via the first priority talkgroup, the one or more processors are configured to switch a setting of the communication device from the particular talkgroup to the first priority talkgroup such that the communication device stops communicating via the particular talkgroup and starts receiving communications via the first priority talkgroup, and

wherein communicating via the particular talkgroup comprises at least one of:

receiving communications via the talkgroup; and

transmitting communications via the talkgroup.

11. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive another signal transmitted from the satellite constellation via the control channel;

in response to receiving the other signal via the control channel, determine that the first priority talkgroup is no longer active; and

in response to determining that the first priority talkgroup is no longer active, switch the setting of the communication device from the first priority talkgroup to the particular talkgroup such that the communication device stops receiving communications via the first priority talkgroup and starts communicating via the particular talkgroup.

12. The communication device of claim 9,

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive another communication transmitted from the satellite constellation indicating that a second priority talkgroup that is a higher-priority talkgroup than the first priority talkgroup has been assigned for the communication device, the second priority talkgroup being one of the plurality of talkgroups;

while the first priority talkgroup remains active and the communication device remains set to the first priority talkgroup, receive another signal transmitted from the satellite constellation via the control channel indicating that the second priority talkgroup is active;

in response to receiving the other signal via the control channel, determining that the communication device is assigned to a second priority talkgroup, that the second priority talkgroup is a higher-priority talkgroup than the first priority talkgroup, and that the second priority talkgroup is active; and

in response to determining that the communication device is assigned to the second priority talkgroup, that the second priority talkgroup is a higher-priority talkgroup than the first priority talkgroup, and that the second priority talkgroup is active, switch a setting of the communication device from the first priority talkgroup to the second priority talkgroup such that the communication device stops communicating via the first priority talkgroup and starts receiving communications via the second priority talkgroup, and

wherein communicating via the first priority talkgroup comprises at least one of;

receiving communications via the first priority talkgroup; and

transmitting communications via the first priority talkgroup.

13. The communication device of claim 9,

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive another communication transmitted from the satellite constellation indicating that a second priority talkgroup that is a lower-priority talkgroup than the first priority talkgroup has been assigned for the communication device, the second priority talkgroup being one of the plurality of talkgroups;

while the first priority talkgroup remains active and the communication device remains set to the first priority talkgroup, receive another signal transmitted from the satellite constellation via the control channel indicating that the second priority talkgroup is active;

in response to receiving the other signal via the control channel, determining that the communication device is assigned to a second priority talkgroup, that the second priority talkgroup is a lower-priority talkgroup than the first priority talkgroup, and that the second priority talkgroup is active; and

in response to determining that the communication device is assigned to the second priority talkgroup, that the second priority talkgroup is a lower-priority talkgroup than the first priority talkgroup, and that the second priority talkgroup is active while the communication device is set to the first priority talkgroup and the first priority talkgroup is active, maintain a setting of the communication device to the first priority talkgroup such that the communication device continues communicating via the first priority talkgroup, and

wherein communicating via the first priority talkgroup comprises at least one of;

receiving communications via the first priority talkgroup; and

transmitting communications via the first priority talkgroup.

14. The communication device of claim 9,

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive an input command prior to setting the communication device to the first priority talkgroup, the input command requesting that the first priority talkgroup be instantiated;

in response to receiving the input command, control the communication device to transmit a request to the satellite constellation to instantiate the first priority talkgroup, and

wherein, when receiving the one or more signal via the control channel, the one or more processors are configured to receive the one or more signal transmitted from the satellite constellation via the control channel as a response to the request to instantiate the first priority talkgroup.

15. A method comprising:

receiving a command specifying a first priority talkgroup for a first communication device and a second communication device, the first priority talkgroup being one of a plurality of talkgroups;

controlling a satellite constellation to light up one or more control channels, each of the one or more control channels being a control channel for at least the first priority talkgroup;

controlling the satellite constellation to transmit to the first communication device information indicating that the first priority talkgroup is a priority talkgroup for the first communication device;

controlling the satellite constellation to transmit to the second communication device information indicating that the first priority talkgroup is a priority talkgroup for the second communication device;

receiving a request to instantiate the first priority talkgroup; and

in response to receiving the request to instantiate the first priority talkgroup, controlling the satellite constellation to transmit a signal via the one or more control channels, the signal indicating that the first priority talkgroup is active and that the first communication device and the second communication device are required to join the first priority talkgroup.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein controlling the satellite constellation to transmit the signal via the one or more control channels comprises:

controlling the satellite constellation to transmit a command for at least one of the first communication device and the second communication device to stop communicating via a talkgroup of the plurality of talkgroups that is different from the first priority talkgroup and to start receiving communications via the first priority talkgroup.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining that the first priority talkgroup is no longer active;

in response to determining that the first priority talkgroup is no longer active, controlling the satellite constellation to transmit another signal via the one or more control channels,

the other signal comprising a command for each of the first communication device and the second communication device to stop communicating via the first priority talkgroup.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a command specifying a second priority talkgroup for the first communication device and a third communication device,

the second priority talkgroup being one of the plurality of talkgroups, and

the second priority talkgroup being a higher-priority talkgroup than the first priority talkgroup;

receiving a request to instantiate the second priority talkgroup; and

in response to receiving the request to instantiate the second priority talkgroup, controlling the satellite constellation to transmit another signal via the one or more control channels while the first priority talkgroup is active, and

the other signal indicating that the second priority talkgroup is active and that the first communication device and the third communication device are required to join the second priority talkgroup.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a command specifying a second priority talkgroup for the first communication device and a third communication device,

the second priority talkgroup being one of the plurality of talkgroups, and

the second priority talkgroup being a lower-priority talkgroup than the first priority talkgroup;

receiving a request to instantiate the second priority talkgroup; and

in response to receiving the request to instantiate the second priority talkgroup, controlling the satellite constellation to transmit another signal via the one or more control channels while the first priority talkgroup is active,

the other signal indicating that the second priority talkgroup is active, that the third communication device is required to join the second priority talkgroup and that the first communication device is required to remain in the first priority talkgroup.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

in response to receiving the request to instantiate the first priority talkgroup, transmitting an emergency communication to a plurality of communication devices simultaneously via the first priority talkgroup, the plurality of communication devices comprising the first communication device and the second communication device.