Method and apparatus for transmitting data over a radio communications network
First Claim
1. A data communications system that includes a radio link, comprising:
- a full duplex radio repeater for receiving a data message over a radio frequency (RF) working channel assigned using a different RF control channel and retransmitting the received message and for transmitting a status indicator during an idle time when the repeater is not retransmitting received messages;
a first half-duplex radio that either transmits or receives signals over the assigned RF working channel;
a first device for conducting a data communication with the radio or with a second device connected to the radio over the assigned RF working channel through the repeater;
wherein during the data communication, the radio and the device monitor the status indicator to determine which of the radio or the second device and the first device is permitted to transmit a data message over the assigned RF working channel.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a trunked radio data communications system using half-duplex radios, plural data messages are exchanged over a single RF working channel using a technique where a working channel repeater assigned to a data call sends status messages to both the data originating radio and the data receiving radio indicating which radio is currently enabled to transmit a data message over the working channel. Each time the currently enabled radio sends a data message to the working channel repeater, the repeater changes the status message so that the other radio can respond. As a result, data messages can be efficiently and reliably exchanged over the same working channel without collision or having to request and set up a new working channel for each data message.
76 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A data communications system that includes a radio link, comprising:
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a full duplex radio repeater for receiving a data message over a radio frequency (RF) working channel assigned using a different RF control channel and retransmitting the received message and for transmitting a status indicator during an idle time when the repeater is not retransmitting received messages; a first half-duplex radio that either transmits or receives signals over the assigned RF working channel; a first device for conducting a data communication with the radio or with a second device connected to the radio over the assigned RF working channel through the repeater; wherein during the data communication, the radio and the device monitor the status indicator to determine which of the radio or the second device and the first device is permitted to transmit a data message over the assigned RF working channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 24, 25)
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5. A radio data communications system, comprising:
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a base station including plural working channel repeaters and a control channel repeater with the control channel repeater coordinating allocation of the working channel repeaters over a radio control channel to handle radio communications over corresponding radio working channels; plural half-duplex radios which establish radio communications over available radio working channels using the radio control channel and requesting a working channel; and first and second computers, at least one of which is connected to one of the half-duplex radios, conducting a data communication using one of the working channel repeaters over an assigned radio working channel, wherein during the data communication, data messages from the first and second computers are exchanged using the one half-duplex radio in simulated full duplex message exchange without collision on the assigned radio working channel. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 9, 10, 26)
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8. A radio communications system, comprising:
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a base station including plural working channel repeaters and a control channel repeater with the control channel repeater coordinating allocation of the working channel repeaters over a radio control channel to handle radio communications over corresponding radio working channels; plural radios which establish radio communications over available radio working channels using the radio control channel and requesting a working channel; and first and second computers, at least one of which is connected to one of the radios, conducting a communication, data messages from the first and second computers are exchanged without collision on the assigned radio working channel, wherein the one working channel repeater transmits a synchronization message that includes the status indicator during an idle period when the one repeater is not repeating a data message.
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11. In a radio data communications system including a full duplex radio repeater for receiving a data message over an assigned radio channel and retransmitting the received message, first and second radios that transceive data messages over the assigned radio channel, a method comprising the steps of:
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establishing a data communication between the first and second radios over the assigned radio channel; transmitting a status indicator; transmitting a sequence of synchronization messages on the assigned RF channel during an idle time when the repeater is not retransmitting received data messages, each synchronization message including the status indicator; and monitoring the status indicator to determine which of the radios is permitted to transmit a data message over the assigned RF channel. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. In a radio data communications system including a base station having plural working channel repeaters and one control channel repeater, and first and second radios, a radio data communications method comprising the steps of:
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the first radio requesting a radio working channel over the radio control channel to conduct a data communication including a first data message with the second radio; the control channel repeater allocating one of the working channel repeaters to handle the data communication and transmitting over the radio control channel to the first and second radios an assigned radio working channel to handle the data communication; transmitting the first data message from the first radio over the assigned working channel; receiving the first data message at the one working channel repeater and retransmitting the first data message to the second radio and indicating that only the second radio is currently permitted to transmit on the assigned radio working channel; and transmitting a second data message from the second radio over the assigned working channel intended for the first radio using the one working channel repeater. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27)
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Specification