Method of assigning a voice/data channel as a temporary control channel in a radio communications system
First Claim
1. In a central controller used in a radio communications system including a plurality of voice channels, the central controller allocating the voice channels to a plurality of subscribers using a first operational control channel, at least one of the voice channels being control-capable, an improved method of sustaining a predetermined level of communications service to the plurality of subscribers in the system, the improved method comprising the steps of:
- evaluating a current loading condition for the first operational control channel;
comparing said current loading condition with an upper loading threshold;
enabling, responsive to said step of comparing, at least one of said control-capable voice channels as a temporary control channel to produce a second operational control channel for concurrent operation with the first operational control channel;
for talk group subscribers belonging to a common talk group, detecting when at least one of said talk group subscribers is presently using the first operational channel; and
re-directing, responsive to the step of detecting, said at least one of said talk group subscribers to the second operational control channel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method is employed by a central controller of a radio communications system, which method provides for sustaining a predetermined level of communication service. The system includes a plurality of voice channels which are allocated among a plurality of subscribers (108-112) using a first control channel (102). In a preferred embodiment, at least one of the voice channels (104, 106) is also control-capable. The method includes evaluating (502) a current loading condition, and comparing (504) this loading condition with an upper loading threshold. Where appropriate, the controller assigns (506) one of the control-capable voice channels as a temporary control channel.
138 Citations
20 Claims
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1. In a central controller used in a radio communications system including a plurality of voice channels, the central controller allocating the voice channels to a plurality of subscribers using a first operational control channel, at least one of the voice channels being control-capable, an improved method of sustaining a predetermined level of communications service to the plurality of subscribers in the system, the improved method comprising the steps of:
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evaluating a current loading condition for the first operational control channel; comparing said current loading condition with an upper loading threshold; enabling, responsive to said step of comparing, at least one of said control-capable voice channels as a temporary control channel to produce a second operational control channel for concurrent operation with the first operational control channel; for talk group subscribers belonging to a common talk group, detecting when at least one of said talk group subscribers is presently using the first operational channel; and re-directing, responsive to the step of detecting, said at least one of said talk group subscribers to the second operational control channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In a central controller used in a radio communications system including a plurality of voice channels, the central controller allocating the voice channels to a plurality of subscribers using a first operational control channel, at least one of the voice channels being control-capable, the central controller including a database for storing subscribers information, which database includes records for the subscriber unit ID'"'"'s along with a corresponding control channel ID, an improved method of sustaining a predetermined level of communications service to the plurality of subscribers in the system, the improved method comprising the steps of:
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evaluating a current loading condition for the first operational control channel; comparing said current loading condition with an upper loading threshold; receiving a registration request from a first of the plurality of subscribers on a request control channel; retrieving, from the database, a control channel identification (ID) associated with said requesting subscriber; enabling, responsive to said step of comparing, at least one of said control-capable voice channels as a temporary control channel to produce a second operational control channel for concurrent operation with the first operational control channel; determining whether said control channel ID matches an identification of the request control channel; and
directing, responsive to the step of determining, the first subscriber to said control channel identified in the step of retrieving. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. In a radio communications system having a first communication channel configuration, the system further having a central controller for allocating a plurality of voice channels to facilitate communication between radios in the system, the first configuration comprising a predetermined combination of voice channels and control channels, a method of providing a predetermined level of communications service to the radios, the method comprising the steps of:
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at the central controller; evaluating a current loading condition; determining whether the first communication channel configuration is capable of sustaining a level of communications service which is at least equal to the predetermined level; altering, responsive to said step of determining, the first communication channel configuration to produce a second communication channel configuration, wherein said second communication channel configuration includes an additional operational control channel for concurrent operation with those control channels established by the first communication channel configuration;
identifying radios that are members of a common talk group to produce identified talk group radios;detecting whether at least one of the identified talk group radios is presently monitoring a control channel other than the additional operational control channel; and directing, responsive to the step of detecting, the at least one of the identified talk group radios to monitor the additional operational control channel; at the at least one of the identified talk group radios; monitoring, responsive to said step of directing, said additional operational control channel. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification