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Method for determining available frequencies in selective call receivers

  • US 5,740,534 A
  • Filed: 02/22/1996
  • Issued: 04/14/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. In a portable communication unit, a method for determining available frequency channels comprising the steps of:

  • determining a control channel by scanning through a plurality of predetermined frequency channels for use as an active control channel for receiving the signal;

    receiving the signal on the control channel representative of the available frequency channels associated with a geographic region;

    storing the signal representative of the available frequency channels associated with the geographic region, the signal comprising;

    a channel identifier;

    a frequency assignment; and

    an active channel indicator indicating frequency assignments active in a current geographic region and an adjacent geographic region;

    associating channel identifiers with frequency assignments in response to active channel indicators indicating that the frequency assignments correspond to the available frequency channels in the current geographic region and the adjacent geographic region;

    storing the channel identifiers associated with the frequency assignments for designating the available frequency channels in the current geographic region and the adjacent geographic region;

    searching for an address and the channel identifier on the control channel;

    decoding the channel identifier received on the control channel designating an available frequency channel in the current geographic region where a message will be transmitted; and

    switching to the available frequency channel indicated by the channel identifier for receiving the message.

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