Method for dynamically regrouping subscribers on a communications system

• US 5,014,345 A
• Filed: 10/20/1988
• Issued: 05/07/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Coombes, Daniel J., Zdunek, Kenneth J., Borras, Jaime A., Comroe, Richard A., Sasuta, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Application Number:
  US07/260,537
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 455/5, 455/11, 455/17, 455/49, 455/53, 455/54, 455/56, 455/58, 455/61, 455/186, 455/68, 370/11, 379/58-63, 340/825.07, 340/825.50, 340/825.52, 340/825.47
• US Class Current: 455/519
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems

Abstract

An improved communication system is disclosed wherein at least one reprogramming station is added to a communication system. The reprogramming station is constructed and arranged to communicate with the subscriber units thereby either reprogramming or regrouping them. The subscribing units receive the reprogramming command and acknowledge individually, altering a memory means until either reprogrammed back to the original state, or to another state. In another mode, the reprogramming station transmits a regrouping command wherein two or more groups are combined to form a super group.

Claims

1. In a two-way wireless communication system having at least one reprogramming station and a plurality of subscriber units arranged in groups and having operational information including at least an identification code stored therein, a method for dynamically reprogramming any of said subscriber units comprising the steps of:

(a) at said at least one reprogramming station;

(1) requesting access to a wireless communication channel;

(2) receiving a grant to use said wireless communication channel;

(3) transmitting, over said wireless communication channel, a current ID code and a reprogramming command code together with reprogramming information;

(4) receiving acknowledgment of reprogramming;

(b) at least one of said plurality of subscriber units;

(1) receiving from said wireless communication channel at least said reprogramming information;

(2) replacing at least a portion of said information with said reprogramming information;

(3) acknowledging said replacement of said reprogramming information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said replacing step comprises the steps of:

(a) addressing at least one memory location in at least one reprogrammable non-volatile memory means; and

(b) storing said reprogramming information over at least a portion of said operational information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said reprogramming information comprises at least one subscriber unit ID code.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said reprogramming information comprises at least one subscriber unit fail-soft channel assignment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said reprogramming information comprise a command code causing at least one of said plurality of subscriber units to inhibit any group identification code changes.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said reprogramming information comprises a command code causing at least one of said plurality of subscriber units to permit group identification code changes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said reprogramming information comprises a command code causing at least one of said plurality of subscriber units to disregard any previously transmitted reprogramming information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said reprogramming information comprises a command code causing at least one of said plurality of subscriber units to disregard at least a portion of any previously transmitted reprogramming information.

9. In a two-way communication system having at least one reprogramming station and a plurality of subscriber units arranged in groups, a method for any of said subscriber units to request identification code reprogramming comprising the steps of:

(a) at said at least one of said plurality of subscriber units;

(1) transmitting a reprogramming request code;

(2) receiving a reprogramming request acknowledge code; and

(b) at said at least one reprogramming station;

(1) receiving said reprogramming request code;

(2) transmitting said reprogramming request acknowledgment code;

(3) displaying said reprogramming request information to at least one reprogramming station operator.

10. In a two-way wireless communication system, having a plurality of subscriber units arranged in groups and at least one reprogramming station constructed and arranged to access any of the subscribers and transmit reprogramming information thereby dynamically altering at least one operational parameter of the subscriber unit, a method for any of the subscribers to request reprogramming, comprising the steps of:

(1) generating a reprogramming request code;

(2) transmitting said reprogramming request code over a wireless communication channel;

(3) receiving a reprogramming request acknowledge code from said wireless communication channel;

(4) receiving reprogramming information from said wireless communication channel;

(5) replacing at least a portion of any current information with said received information; and

(6) acknowledging the replacement of said reprogramming information over said wireless communication channel.

11. In a two-way wireless trunked communication system having at least one central controller and reprogramming station, and a plurality of subscriber units arranged in groups, a method for any of the subscribers to request reprogramming comprising the steps of:

(a) at any of said plurality of subscriber units;

(1) transmitting a reprogramming request to the central controller over a wireless communication channel;

(2) receiving a reprogramming request acknowledgment from the central over said wireless communication channel;

(b) at said at least one central controller;

(1) receiving said reprogramming request from the subscriber over said wireless communication channel;

(2) transmitting said reprogramming request to the reprogramming station;

(3) receiving said reprogramming request acknowledgment from the reprogramming station;

(4) transmitting said reprogramming request acknowledgment to the subscriber over said wireless communication channel;

(c) at said at least one reprogramming station;

(1) receiving said reprogramming request from the central controller;

(2) generating said reprogramming request acknowledgment;

(3) transmitting said reprogramming request acknowledgment to the central controller.

12. In a two-way communication system having at least one reprogramming station and a plurality of subscriber units arranged in groups and having operational information including at least an identification code sorted therein, a method for dynamically reprogramming any of said subscriber units comprising the step of:

(a) at said at least one reprogramming station;

(1) requesting access to a wireless communication channel;

(2) receiving a grant to use said wireless communication channel;

(3) transmitting, over said wireless communication channel, a current ID code and a reprogramming command code together with reprogramming information;

(4) receiving acknowledgement of at least receipt of the reprogramming information;

(b) at at least one of said plurality of subscriber units;

(1) receiving from said wireless communication channel at least said reprogramming information;

(2) replacing at least a portion of said information with said reprogramming information;

(3) acknowledging at least receipt of the reprogramming information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of acknowledging at least receipt of the reprogramming information includes the step of acknowledging said replacement of said reprogramming information.

14. In a subscriber unit for use in a two-way wireless communication system, wherein the two-way wireless communication system includes at least one reprogramming station that is constructed and arranged to:

request access to a wireless communication channel;

receive a grant to use the wireless communication channel; and

transmit, over the wireless communication channel, reprogramming information; and

wherein the subscriber unit has operational information, including at least an identification code, stored therein, a method for dynamically reprogramming the subscriber unit, comprising the steps of;

(A) receiving from the wireless communication channel at least the reprogramming information;

(B) replacing at least a portion of the operational information with said reprogramming information;

(C) acknowledging through the wireless communication channel at least receipt of the reprogramming information.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of acknowledging through the wireless communication channel at least receipt of the reprogramming information includes the step of acknowledging the replacement of said reprogramming information.