System and method for allocating frequency channels in a two-way messaging network
First Claim
1. In a radio frequency communication network having a plurality of transmitter and receiver units for communication with a portable two-way selective call communication device, a method for allocating a plurality of frequency channels to a plurality of said transmitter units for which there is a demand that the transmitter units transmit messages comprising:
- grouping said plurality of transmitter units in a plurality of zones, each zone including one or more transmitter units for simulcasting messages, wherein said grouping step further includes;
determining whether a first zone has a demand for the transmission of messages by the transmitter units in the zone that is greater than a predetermined demand threshold; and
determining whether the first zone is dividable if said first zone has a demand that is greater than said demand threshold; and
splitting said first zone into a second and a third zone if said first zone is determined to be dividable, said second and third zones not being correlated;
determining which of said zones if any are correlated;
determining whether a channel proposed for assignment to a given zone is currently assigned to another zone that is correlated with said given zone; and
assigning said proposed channel to said given zone if said proposed channel is not currently assigned to another zone that is correlated with said given zone.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In order to allocate frequency channels to transmitter units, the transmitter units are grouped in zones, each zone having one or more transmitter units (10, 20, 30) therein. A system controller (40) calculates a zone priority value which is a function of the zone'"'"'s message traffic level and message latency. The zone priority value determines the order in which a zone is assigned a frequency channel. A channel priority value is calculated for each channel or sub-channel that can be accessed by the transmitter units (10, 20, 30) in the zone based on a probability of success and a mean quality margin value wherein the priority value of a channel determines the order in which an available channel is considered for assignment to a zone. A proposed channel is assigned to a given zone only if the proposed channel passes a channel quality check. The channel quality check may be based on co-channel and adjacent channel interference values. Alternatively, the channel quality check may be based on a determination of whether a channel proposed for assignment to a given zone is currently in use by another zone that is correlated with the given zone. Zones are merged and divided in order to provide increasing system capacity and better channel quality as the customer demands grow.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. In a radio frequency communication network having a plurality of transmitter and receiver units for communication with a portable two-way selective call communication device, a method for allocating a plurality of frequency channels to a plurality of said transmitter units for which there is a demand that the transmitter units transmit messages comprising:
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grouping said plurality of transmitter units in a plurality of zones, each zone including one or more transmitter units for simulcasting messages, wherein said grouping step further includes;
determining whether a first zone has a demand for the transmission of messages by the transmitter units in the zone that is greater than a predetermined demand threshold; and
determining whether the first zone is dividable if said first zone has a demand that is greater than said demand threshold; and
splitting said first zone into a second and a third zone if said first zone is determined to be dividable, said second and third zones not being correlated;determining which of said zones if any are correlated; determining whether a channel proposed for assignment to a given zone is currently assigned to another zone that is correlated with said given zone; and assigning said proposed channel to said given zone if said proposed channel is not currently assigned to another zone that is correlated with said given zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. In a radio frequency communication network having a plurality of transmitter and receiver units for communication with a portable two-way selective call communication device, a system for allocating a plurality of frequency channels to a plurality of said transmitter units for which there is a demand that the transmitter units transmit messages comprising:
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means for grouping said plurality of transmitter units in a plurality of zones, each zone including one or more transmitter units for simulcasting messages, wherein said grouping means further includes;
means for determining whether a first zone has a demand for the transmission of messages by the transmitter units in the zone that is greater than a predetermined demand threshold;
means for determining whether said first zone is dividable if said first zone has a demand that is greater than said demand threshold; and
means for splitting said first zone into a second and a third zone if said first zone is determined to be dividable, said second and third zones not being correlated;means for determining which of said zones if any are correlated; channel assignment means for determining whether a channel proposed for assignment to a given zone is currently assigned to another zone that is correlated with said given zone, said channel assignment means assigning said proposed channel to said given zone if said proposed channel is not currently assigned to another zone that is correlated with said given zone. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. In a radio frequency communication network having a plurality of transmitter units and associated receiver units for communicating with a portable two-way selective call receiving device, a system for organizing said transmitter units to assign frequency channels thereto for transmission of messages comprising:
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means for determining whether a first transmitter unit is correlated with a second transmitter unit; means for assigning correlated transmitter units to a transmitter group; means for assigning transmitter units to a zone including; means for determining whether a first zone has a demand for the transmission of messages that is greater than a predetermined threshold demand; means for determining whether said first zone is dividable based upon whether said first zone has at least two transmitter units each of which is assigned to a different transmitter group; and means for splitting said first zone into a second zone and a third zone that are not correlated if a said first zone is determined to be dividable. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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Specification