Method and apparatus for determining a quality level of an analog signal in a radio communication system
First Claim
1. A fixed site used in a radio communication system, wherein the fixed site is for generating an outbound radio signal which includes periodic synchronous cycles, wherein a cycle includes an analog portion within which a signal quality level of a first information signal is determined by a selective call radio, the fixed site comprising:
- a system controller, comprising;
analog information means, for generating the first information signal;
quality signal means, for generating a quality assessment signal;
a message handler, coupled to said analog information means and quality signal means, for determining a selective call radio address of the selective call radio and assembling cycle information including the selective call radio address, the first information signal, and the quality assessment signal; and
a cell site controller, coupled to said message handler, for sending the cycle information to a transmitter over a communication link;
a radio transmitter, coupled to said cell site controller, comprising;
a transmitter controller for receiving the cycle information;
a frequency modulator for transmitting a control frame generated by frequency modulating a radio carrier with the selective call radio address; and
an amplitude modulator for transmitting the analog portion of an analog frame, wherein the analog portion is generated by amplitude modulating the radio carrier with the first information signal and the quality assessment signal.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A radio transmitter (103) transmits a cycle (320) including a digital portion (330) generated by frequency modulating a radio carrier with a digital signal and an analog portion (440) generated by amplitude modulating a radio carrier with an analog signal. A selective call radio (106) frequency demodulates the digital signal; amplitude demodulates the analog signal; decodes a message address (510); generates a quality signal indication (643) while a quality assessment signal (420) is being received; processes an information signal (550) in response to a message received signal (641); records at least one measurement of the quality assessment signal (420) during the quality signal indication (643); determines a signal quality level of the information signal (550) from the at least one measurement of the quality assessment signal (420); and generates a sensible alert in response to the signal quality level.
55 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A fixed site used in a radio communication system, wherein the fixed site is for generating an outbound radio signal which includes periodic synchronous cycles, wherein a cycle includes an analog portion within which a signal quality level of a first information signal is determined by a selective call radio, the fixed site comprising:
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a system controller, comprising; analog information means, for generating the first information signal; quality signal means, for generating a quality assessment signal; a message handler, coupled to said analog information means and quality signal means, for determining a selective call radio address of the selective call radio and assembling cycle information including the selective call radio address, the first information signal, and the quality assessment signal; and a cell site controller, coupled to said message handler, for sending the cycle information to a transmitter over a communication link; a radio transmitter, coupled to said cell site controller, comprising; a transmitter controller for receiving the cycle information; a frequency modulator for transmitting a control frame generated by frequency modulating a radio carrier with the selective call radio address; and an amplitude modulator for transmitting the analog portion of an analog frame, wherein the analog portion is generated by amplitude modulating the radio carrier with the first information signal and the quality assessment signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A selective call radio for use in a radio communication system, wherein the radio communication system transmits an outbound radio signal which includes periodic synchronous cycles, the selective call radio comprising:
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a receiver front end for receiving and converting a cycle of the outbound radio signal, wherein the cycle has a digital portion and an analog portion which are, respectively, frequency modulated by a digital signal and amplitude modulated by an analog signal, and wherein the analog signal includes a quality assessment signal and an information signal, and wherein the digital signal includes a message address; a frequency modulation (FM) demodulator, coupled to said receiver front end, for demodulating the outbound radio signal to recover the digital signal; an amplitude modulation (AM) demodulator, coupled to said receiver front end, for demodulating the outbound radio signal to recover the analog signal; a digital control section, coupled to said FM demodulator, for decoding the message address, for generating a message received signal when the message address matches a selective call address stored in the selective call radio within predetermined limits, and for generating a quality signal indication while the quality assessment signal is being received; an analog section, coupled to said digital control section and said AM demodulator, for processing the analog signal in response to the message received signal, for recording at least one measurement of the quality assessment signal during the quality signal indication, and for determining a signal quality level of the information signal from the at least one measurement of the quality assessment signal; and an alert device, coupled to said digital control section, for generating a sensible alert in response to the signal quality level. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method used in a radio communication system for determining a signal quality level of an analog signal received by a selective call radio within an analog portion of a cycle of an outbound radio signal, wherein the radio communication system transmits periodic synchronous cycles in the outbound radio signal, the method comprising:
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within a system controller, the steps of; generating a digital signal which includes a message address of the selective call radio; generating the analog signal which includes a quality assessment signal and an information signal; and coupling said digital and analog signals to a transmitter; wherein the method further comprises, within a radio transmitter, the step of transmitting a cycle including a digital portion generated by frequency modulating a radio carrier with the digital signal and an analog portion generated by amplitude modulating a radio carrier with the analog signal, and wherein the method further comprises, within the selective call radio, the steps of; receiving said digital and analog portions; frequency demodulating the digital signal; amplitude demodulating the analog signal; decoding the message address; generating a message received signal when the message address matches a selective call address stored in the selective call radio within predetermined limits; generating a quality signal indication while the quality assessment signal is being received; processing the information signal in response to the message received signal; recording at least one measurement of the quality assessment signal during the quality signal indication; determining a signal quality level of the information signal from the at least one measurement of the quality assessment signal; and generating a sensible alert in response to the signal quality level.
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13. A method used in a selective call radio, wherein the selective call radio is for use in a radio communication system which transmits periodic synchronous cycles in an outbound radio signal, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a radio signal including a cycle, wherein the cycle has a digital portion and an analog portion sequentially transmitted which are, respectively, frequency modulated by a digital signal and amplitude modulated by an analog signal, and wherein the analog signal includes a quality assessment signal and an information signal, and wherein the digital signal includes a message address; frequency demodulating the digital signal; amplitude demodulating the analog signal; decoding the message address; generating a message received signal when the message address matches a selective call address stored in the selective call radio within predetermined limits; generating a quality signal indication while the quality assessment signal is being received; processing the information signal in response to the message received signal; recording at least one measurement of the quality assessment signal during the quality signal indication; determining a signal quality level of the information signal from the at least one measurement of the quality assessment signal; and generating a sensible alert in response to the signal quality level. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification