Communication system with voice priority for remote stations

• US 4,635,285 A
• Filed: 04/12/1984
• Issued: 01/06/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Coombes, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lev, Robert G.
• Application Number:
  US06/599,319
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 179/2 E-2 EC, 455/33, 455/53, 455/54, 455/56
• US Class Current: 455/403
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems

Abstract

A two-way radio communications system of the simplex or half-duplex type having a communication link to a duplex telephone system is provided wherein the simplex or half duplex mobile radio is provided priority to talk upon demand. The communication link is provided without the time delays inherent in conventional systems.

Claims

1. A two-way radio communication system for communicating with a duplex telephone system comprising:

a common controller;

a duplex interconnect station providing a communication link between the duplex telephone system and the two-way radio communication system;

a plurality of simplex remote stations, each having means for generating a demand-to-talk signal for transmission on a control channel to said common controller at any time including the time when a land telephone party in the duplex telephone system is transmitting on a voice channel via said duplex interconnect station;

said common controller having means responsive to said demand-to-talk signal for transmitting a control signal to said duplex interconnect station, and

said duplex interconnect station having means responsive to said control signal for establishing a communications path for transmitting audio from the remote station generating said demand-to-talk signal to the telephone land party.

2. A communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of simplex remote stations further comprises means for transmitting an end-of-transmission signal on said control channel.

3. A communication system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said common controller further comprises means responsive to said end-of-transmission signal for transmitting an acknowledge signal on said control channel to the simplex remote station and for transmitting a second control signal on the voice channel to said duplex interconnect station.

4. A communication system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said duplex interconnect station further comprises means responsive to said second control signal for establishing a communications path for transmitting audio from the telephone land party to the remote station.

5. A communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said common controller further comprises means responsive to a demand-to-talk signal for transmitting an acknowledge signal on said control channel to the simplex remote station.

6. A communication system as claimed in claim 5 wherein each of said plurality of simplex remote stations further comprises means responsive to said acknowledge signal for enabling the remote station to transmit on the voice channel.

7. A two-way radio communication system for communicating with a duplex telephone system comprising:

a common controller;

a duplex interconnect station providing a communication link between the duplex telephone system and the radio communication system;

a plurality of simplex remote stations, each having;

means for generating a demand-to-talk signal for transmission on a control channel to said common controller while a land telephone party in the duplex telephone system is transmitting on a voice channel via said duplex interconnect station;

means responsive to an acknowledge signal for enabling the remote station to transmit on the voice channel; and

means for transmitting an end-of transmission signal on said control channel;

said common controller having;

means responsive to said demand-to-talk signal for transmitting both a control signal on said voice channel to said duplex interconnect station and said acknowledge signal on said control channel to said remote station; and

means responsive to said end-of-transmission signal for transmitting a second control signal on said voice channel to said duplex interconnect station;

said duplex interconnect station having;

means responsive to said control signal for establishing a communications path for transmitting audio from the remote station to the telephone land party; and

means responsive to said second control signal for establishing a communications path for transmitting audio from the telephone land party to the remote station.

8. A simplex remote station for use in a two-way radio communication system including a control channel for signalling between a common controller and a plurality of simplex remote stations and a duplex interconnect station, with the duplex interconnect station effecting a communications link to a duplex telephone system, said simplex remote station comprising:

means for transmitting a demand-to-talk signal on the control channel to the common controller at any time including the time when a land telephone party in the duplex telephone system is transmitting on a voice channel via the duplex interconnect station; and

means for enabling the remote station to transmit on the voice channel responsive to the transmission of said demand-to-talk signal.

9. A simplex remote station as claimed in claim 8 further comprising means for transmitting an end-of-transmission signal on the control channel to the common controller at the conclusion of each transmission by the remote station.

10. A duplex interconnect station for effecting a communications link between a duplex telephone system and a two-way radio communications system which includes a common controller and a plurality of simplex remote stations, said duplex interconnect station comprising:

means for detecting a first control signal generated by the common controller, and, in response thereto, establishing an audio communications path for transmitting audio from a particular remote station to a telephone land party in the duplex telephone system and for simultaneously disabling any transmission by the land party in the duplex telephone system; and

means for detecting a second control signal generated by the common controller, and, in response thereto, establishing an audio communications path for transmitting audio from the telephone land party in the duplex telephone system to the particular remote station and for simultaneously enabling a transmission by the telephone land party in the duplex telephone system.

11. A method of controlling the direction of a audio path between a duplex telephone system and a two-way radio communication system which includes a control channel for signalling between a common controller and a plurality of simplex remote stations and a duplex interconnect station, with the duplex interconnect station effecting a communications link on a voice channel to the duplex telephone system, said method comprising:

a. transmitting a demand-to-talk signal on the control channel by a simplex remote station at any time including the time when a telephone land party in the duplex telephone system is transmitting on the voice channel;

b. establishing an audio communications path in the duplex interconnect station for transmitting audio on the voice channel from the remote station to the telephone land party responsive to said demand-to-talk signal; and

c. enabling the simplex remote station to transmit on the voice channel to the telephone land party.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

generating an end-of-transmission signal at the conclusion of the transmission by the mobile station; and

establishing an audio communications path in the duplex interconnect station for transmitting audio from the telephone land party to the remote station responsive to said end-of-transmission signal.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the step of establishing an audio communications path in the duplex interconnect station for transmitting audio from the telephone land party to the remote station includes enabling a transmission by the land telephone party.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said step of establishing an audio communications path in the duplex interconnect station for transmitting audio on the voice channel from the remote station to the telephone land party includes disabling a transmission by the land telephone party.

15. A method of controlling the direction of a simplex audio path between a duplex telephone system and a two-way radio communication system which includes a control channel for signalling between a common controller and a plurality of simplex remote stations and a duplex interconnect station, with the duplex interconnect station effecting a communications link on a voice channel to the duplex telephone system, said method comprising:

a. transmitting a demand-to-talk signal on the control channel by a simplex remote station while a telephone land party in the duplex telephone system is transmitting on the voice channel;

b. establishing an audio communications path in the duplex interconnect station for transmitting audio on the voice channel from the remote station to the telephone land party responsive to said demand-to-talk signal;

c. transmitting an acknowledge signal on the control channel by the common controller to the simplex remote station;

d. enabling the simplex remote station to transmit audio on the voice channel to the telephone land party responsive to said acknowledge signal;

e. transmitting an end-of-transmission signal on the control channel by the simplex remote station at the conclusion of the audio transmission; and

f. establishing an audio communications path in the duplex interconnect station for transmitting audio on the voice channel from the telephone land party to the remote station responsive to said end-of-transmission signal.