Paging method using power shifted transmitters
First Claim
1. A method of transmitting information from a group of radio transmitters to portable pagers, comprising:
- (a) causing each transmitter in the group of transmitters to transmit, at given power output levels, the information to the pagers; and
thereafter(b) temporarily changing the power output levels of at least one transmitter within the group of transmitters and causing each transmitter in the group of transmitters to re-transmit at least part of the information to at least some of the portable pagers.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Transmitters (18) in a two-way radio communication system (10) transmit location inquiries to subscribing pagers (14), each transmission occurring at a given power output level. Each pager (14) is capable of responding with an acknowledgment signal identifying a particular transmitter whose signal was captured. Messages are sent to those pagers which respond with proper acknowledgments. To locate a pager which failed to acknowledge receipt of a signal from a particular transmitter, the power output level of at least one transmitter, and preferably a group of transmitters, is changed, and the transmitters re-transmit the location inquiry at the changed power output levels. A similar power-shifting technique is provided for transmitters in a one-way communication system.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of transmitting information from a group of radio transmitters to portable pagers, comprising:
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(a) causing each transmitter in the group of transmitters to transmit, at given power output levels, the information to the pagers; and
thereafter(b) temporarily changing the power output levels of at least one transmitter within the group of transmitters and causing each transmitter in the group of transmitters to re-transmit at least part of the information to at least some of the portable pagers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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5. A method of transmitting information to pagers from a group of transmitters located in clusters of cells, comprising:
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(a) establishing given power output levels for the transmitters, and using the transmitters to simulcast information to selected pagers; and (b) in each cluster of cells, changing the power output level of at least one transmitter, and again using the transmitters to simulcast the information sent in step (a). - View Dependent Claims (6)
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13. A method of communicating with pagers by use of transmitters and fixed site receivers located in clusters of cells, comprising:
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(a) causing the transmitters to transmit, at given power output levels and to selected pagers, information including location inquiries, wherein the selected pagers are capable of responding to receipt of the information by sending to the fixed site receivers acknowledgment signals indicating whether an acknowledging pager properly detected a location inquiry; (b) using one or more selected transmitters to transmit messages to pagers which sent acknowledgment signals indicative of proper detection of a location inquiry; and (c) increasing the power output level of each transmitter in a first cell of each cluster, decreasing the power output level of each transmitter in a second cell of each cluster, and holding constant the power output level of each transmitter in a third cell of each cluster, and re-transmitting a further location inquiry to pagers that failed to properly detect a location inquiry sent in step (a).
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14. A method of communicating with pagers by use of transmitters and fixed site receivers located in three-cell clusters, with a transmitter and fixed site receiver in each cell, the method comprising:
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(a) causing the transmitters to transmit, at given power output levels and to selected pagers, information including location inquiries, wherein the selected pagers are capable of responding to receipt of the information by transmitting acknowledgment signals indicating whether an acknowledging pager properly detected a location inquiry, acknowledgment signals of various signal strengths being received by the fixed site receivers; (b) using one or more selected transmitters to transmit messages to pagers which sent acknowledgment signals indicative of proper detection of a location inquiry; (c) identifying one or more fixed site receivers that received acknowledgment signals with the strongest signal strengths; (d) for each cluster in which there is an identified fixed site receiver, increasing the power output level of each transmitter in a first cell of such cluster, decreasing the power output of each transmitter in a second cell of the same cluster, and holding constant the power output of each transmitter in a third cell of the same cluster; and (e) using at least the transmitters mentioned in step (d) to re-transmit a further location inquiry to pagers that failed to properly detect a location inquiry sent in step (a).
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Specification