MMETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DYNAMIC LOCATION-BASED GROUP FORMATION USING VARIABLE DISTANCE PARAMETERS

• US 20170006448A1
• Filed: 03/24/2014
• Published: 01/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: IGUMNOV, ALEXEI VLADIMIROVICH, SAVELIEV, FEDOR GRIGORIEVICH
• Granted Patent: US 9,686,665 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/022 with dynamic range variability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• 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 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

Dynamic group formation in a wireless radio communication system including a plurality of subscriber units is implemented using variable distance parameters. First, a request for a new group call relative to a defined location is received at a controller from a requesting device. A current location of each of a plurality of potential responding second subscriber units is determined. A maximum response distance associated with each of the second subscriber units is determined as a function of a stored mode of transport associated with each of the second subscriber units. A group is formed including second subscriber units having current locations that fall within the maximum response distance relative to the defined location associated with that second subscriber unit. Audio or data transmitted by the requesting device is then caused to be provided to the second subscriber units in the formed group.

Claims

1. A method of dynamic location-based group formation using variable distance parameters in a wireless radio communication system comprising a plurality of subscriber units, the method comprising:

receiving, at a controller from one of a first subscriber unit and a dispatch console, a request for a new group call relative to a defined location;

determining a current location of each of a plurality of potential responding second subscriber units;

determining a maximum response distance associated with each of the second subscriber units, the maximum response distance determined at least as a function of a stored mode of transport associated with each of the second subscriber units;

forming a group comprising second subscriber units having current locations that fall within the maximum response distance, relative to the defined location, associated with that second subscriber unit; and

causing one or more of audio and data transmitted by the one of the first subscriber unit and the dispatch console to be provided to the second subscriber units in the formed group.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning a group identifier to the formed group, and providing the group identifier to the one of the first subscriber unit and the dispatch console.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing the group identifier to all second subscriber units in the formed group.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein causing the one or more of audio and data transmitted by the one of the first subscriber unit and the dispatch console to be provided to the second subscriber units in the formed group comprises the first subscriber unit transmitting the one or more of audio and data with the group identifier, the second subscriber units directly receiving the one or more of audio and data transmitted by the first subscriber unit, and the second subscriber units playing back the received one or more of audio and data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the one or more of audio and data transmitted by the one of the first subscriber unit and the dispatch console to be provided to the second subscriber units in the formed group comprises receiving the one or more of audio and data transmitted by the one of the first subscriber unit and the dispatch console at one of a push-to-talk (PTT) server and a repeater, and forwarding, via the one of the PTT server and the repeater, the one or more of audio and data transmitted by the first subscriber unit and the dispatch console to the second subscriber units in the formed group.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for the group call is received from the dispatch console, and the defined location is determined based on a current location of the first subscriber unit.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the current location of the first subscriber unit is determined by the first subscriber unit and provided to the controller or is separately provided to the controller via a separate location server device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the defined location is specified in the request and is different from the current location of the first subscriber unit.

9. The method of claim 1, the maximum response distance further determined as a function of a type of district in which the defined location is located, the type of district including at least one of city and country.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the maximum response distance for some modes of transport are larger in the city district than the country district, while the maximum response distance for other modes of transport are smaller in the city district than in the country district.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the type of district is obtained via a geographic information system (GIS) based on the defined location or is specified in the request.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the modes of transport include at least on-foot mode of transport and ground-based vehicular mode of transport.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the modes of transport further include human-powered mode of transport, waterway mode of transport, and air-based mode of transport.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein:

human-powered mode of transport includes at least bicycles and scooters;

ground-based vehicular mode of transport includes at least cars and motorcycles;

air-based mode of transport includes at least helicopters; and

waterway mode of transport includes at least boats.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving a mode of transport mapping that, for each of the second subscriber units, associates the second subscriber unit with a particular mode of transport.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a notification of a changed mode of transport associated with a third subscriber unit, and updating a stored mapping associating the third subscriber unit with a particular mode of transport with the changed mode of transport indicated in the notification.

17. The method of claim 1, the maximum response distance further determined as a function of one or more of current traffic information, current weather condition information, and time of day information.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the defined location is an incident location associated with an emergency event.

19. A controller for dynamic location-based group formation using variable distance parameters, the controller comprising:

a transceiver;

a data store; and

one or more processors configured to;

receive, via the transceiver and from one of a first subscriber unit and a dispatch console, a request for a new group call relative to a defined location;

determine a current location of each of a plurality of potential responding second subscriber units;

determine a maximum response distance associated with each of the second subscriber units, the maximum response distance determined at least as a function of mode of transport associated with each of the second subscriber units stored in the data store;

form a group comprising second subscriber units having current locations that fall within the maximum response distance, relative to the defined location, associated with that second subscriber unit; and

cause, via the transceiver, one or more of audio and data transmitted by the one of the first subscriber unit and the dispatch console to be provided to the second subscriber units in the formed group.

20. The controller of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

assign a group identifier to the formed group; and

provide, via the transceiver, the group identifier to one or both of (i) the one of the first subscriber unit and the dispatch console and (ii) all second subscriber units in the formed group.