Queued community repeater communications system
First Claim
1. A communications system for a central control station and a plurality of remote units, each remote unit adapted to receive and transmit messages on a single communications channel, comprising:
- (a) remote units arranged in predetermined groupings, each remote unit comprising;
means for generating a request for service for its particular group and transmitting said request to the central control station on the single communications channel; and
means for receiving a grant of service from the central control station authorizing real time utilization of the single communications channel by a particular group of remote units; and
(b) a central control station controlling access to the single communications channel, comprising;
means for detecting an end-of-transmission condition of a first remote unit of a first group;
means for establishing predetermined time periods following said detection on the single communications channel during which a remote unit of said second group may request service;
means for maintaining a grant of service to said first group of remote units following said predetermined time period whereby a second remote unit of said first group may transmit;
means for revoking said grant of service if said second remote unit does not transmit; and
means for receiving said second group remote unit request, generating a second group grant of service when said first group grant of service is revoked, and transmitting said second group grant of service to said second group.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A communication system which controls access to a single communications channel by a plurality of remote units arranged in predetermined groups is disclosed. Assignment of the channel is controlled by a central control station which provides time periods on the channel for remote units to request permission to transmit on the channel. As the channel becomes clear, the central control station transmits a grant of service to a requesting remote unit group permitting real time transmission of voice or data on the channel. At the conclusion of the transmission, the central control station detects an end-of-transmission condition and revokes the grant of service to the served remote unit group.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A communications system for a central control station and a plurality of remote units, each remote unit adapted to receive and transmit messages on a single communications channel, comprising:
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(a) remote units arranged in predetermined groupings, each remote unit comprising; means for generating a request for service for its particular group and transmitting said request to the central control station on the single communications channel; and means for receiving a grant of service from the central control station authorizing real time utilization of the single communications channel by a particular group of remote units; and (b) a central control station controlling access to the single communications channel, comprising; means for detecting an end-of-transmission condition of a first remote unit of a first group; means for establishing predetermined time periods following said detection on the single communications channel during which a remote unit of said second group may request service; means for maintaining a grant of service to said first group of remote units following said predetermined time period whereby a second remote unit of said first group may transmit; means for revoking said grant of service if said second remote unit does not transmit; and means for receiving said second group remote unit request, generating a second group grant of service when said first group grant of service is revoked, and transmitting said second group grant of service to said second group. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A communications system for a central control station and a plurality of remote radio transceivers, each transceiver adapted to communicate messages on a single duplex radio channel, comprising:
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(a) remote radio transceivers arranged in predetermined groups, each transceiver comprising; means for generating a request for service for its group and transmitting said request on an inbound frequency of the duplex radio channel to the central control station; and means for receiving a grant of service from the central control station on an outbound frequency of the duplex radio channel authorizing real time utilization of the duplex radio channel, and (b) the central control station controlling access to the single duplex radio channel, comprising; means for detecting an end-of-transmission condition of a first remote radio transceiver of a first group; means for establishing a predetermined time period on the duplex radio channel following said detection during which a remote radio transceiver of a second group may request service; means for receiving and storing said second group remote radio transceiver request for service in a queue with previous radio transceiver requests; means for maintaining a grant of service to said first group of remote radio transceivers following said predetermined time period whereby a second remote radio transceiver of said first group may transmit; means for revoking said grant of service if said second remote transceiver does not transmit; and means for generating and transmitting a grant of service on the outbound frequency of the duplex radio channel to a requesting remote radio transceiver group stored first in said queue when said first group grant of service is revoked, thereby authorizing real time utilization of the single duplex radio channel by a particular radio transceiver group. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of centrally controlling the access of a plurality of remote units arranged in predetermined groups to a single communications channel, each remote unit adapted to transmit and receive messages within its group during periods of service granted by the central control on the single communications channel, comprising the steps of:
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detecting an end-of-transmission condition of a served remote unit in a first group; establishing a predetermined time period on the single communications channel in response to said detection during which a remote unit in a second group not currently having service on the channel may request service; receiving said request for service from said remote unit of said second group not having service during said established period of time; storing said received request in a queue with previous remote unit requests; maintaining a grant of service to the first group of said served remote unit following said predetermined time period whereby a second remote unit in said first group may commence transmission; revoking said grant of service if said second remote unit in said first group does not transmit; and generating and transmitting a grant of service to a remote unit group stored first in said queue when said first group grant of service is revoked thereby authorizing real time utilization of the single communications channel by that remote unit group. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification