Method and apparatus for group calls in a wireless CDMA communication system

• US 6,178,166 B1
• Filed: 05/28/1999
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Xu, Hua, Wilson, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsu, Alpus H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Qureshi, Afsar M.
• Application Number:
  US09/322,649
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 370/335, 370/342, 370/260, 455/445, 455/450, 455/38.1, 455/38.3, 455/517, 455/518, 455/519, 455/522, 455/68, 455/69, 455/70, 375/200
• US Class Current: 370/335
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/32 TPC of broadcast or control channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/38 TPC being performed in particular situations

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for group calls in wireless CDMA communication systems, addressing the need for reliable and efficient reverse power control in CDMA group calls. A communication infrastructure (108-110) upon receiving a group call request from a communication unit (e.g., 103), allocates a single voice channel (e.g., 120-121) in each cell that provides service to one or more communication units of the group (101). The communication infrastructure further allocates a reverse power control channel (e.g., 125-127) to each communication unit of the group. Thus, each communication unit of the group receives voice information for the group call via the voice channel in that communication unit'"'"'s site or cell, and each communication unit receives inbound (i.e., reverse) power control information via the reverse power control channel allocated to that communication unit. In this manner, the present invention efficiently provides reverse power control information to multiple communication units and, therefore, facilitates the establishment of group calls in CDMA systems.

Claims

1. A method for a wireless CDMA communication infrastructure to establish a group call, wherein the wireless CDMA communication infrastructure comprises a plurality of base transceiver systems, and wherein each base transceiver system, of the plurality of base transceiver systems, provides wireless communication service to any communication unit, of a plurality of communication units, that is in the service coverage area of that base transceiver system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, from a requesting communication unit of a group, a request for a group call with other communication units of the group, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of communication units are logically arranged into the group;

allocating a single voice channel for the group call at each base transceiver system of the plurality of base transceiver systems that is providing communication service to at least one communication unit of the group, wherein the voice channel at each base transceiver system is allocated for the conveyance of non-power-adjustment information exclusively; and

allocating a power adjustment channel for the group call for each communication unit of the group at the base transceiver system, of the plurality of base transceiver systems, that is providing communication service to that communication unit, wherein the power adjustment channel for each communication unit of the group is allocated for the conveyance of power adjustment information exclusively.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of notifying each communication unit of the group of the identity of the single voice channel allocated for the group call.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of notifying each communication unit of the group of the identity of the power adjustment channel allocated for that communication unit.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of sending to each communication unit of the group power adjustment information via the power adjustment channel allocated for that communication unit.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of sending voice information to the communication units of the group via the single voice channel allocated for the group call at each base transceiver system, of the plurality of base transceiver systems, that is providing communication service to at least one communication unit of the group.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, from each communication unit of the group, power adjustment information corresponding to the single voice channel allocated for the group call at the base transceiver system that is providing communication service to that communication unit; and

receiving, from each communication unit of the group, power adjustment information corresponding to the power adjustment channel allocated for that communication unit.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of adjusting, responsive to the power adjustment information received from each communication unit of the group, transmission power of the single voice channel at each base transceiver system that is providing communication service to at least one communication unit of the group.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of increasing the transmission power of the single voice channel at a base transceiver system, of the plurality of base transceiver systems, when at least one communication unit of the group indicates that greater transmit power of the single voice channel at the base transceiver system is needed.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of adjusting, responsive to the power adjustment information from each communication unit of the group, transmission power of the power adjustment channel allocated for that communication unit.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving from a communication unit of the group voice information for the group call.

11. A method for a communication unit of a plurality of communication units that are logically arranged into a group to participate in a group call with the other communication units of the group, wherein a wireless CDMA communication infrastructure provides wireless communication service to the communication unit, the method comprising steps of:

receiving, from the wireless CDMA communication infrastructure, voice information corresponding to a group call via a voice channel allocated for the group call, wherein the voice channel was allocated for the conveyance of non-power-adjustment information exclusively;

receiving, from the wireless CDMA communication infrastructure, inbound power adjustment information via a power adjustment channel allocated for the communication unit, wherein the power adjustment channel and the voice channel are separate CDMA channels and wherein the power adjustment channel was allocated for the conveyance of power adjustment information exclusively; and

transmitting, to the wireless CDMA communication infrastructure, outbound power adjustment information corresponding to the voice channel and to the power adjustment channel.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of transmitting, to the wireless CDMA communication infrastructure, a request for the group call.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of adjusting, responsive to the inbound power adjustment information, transmission power of the outbound power adjustment information.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of transmitting, to the wireless CDMA communication infrastructure, voice information corresponding to the group call.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of adjusting, responsive to the inbound power adjustment information, transmission power of the voice information corresponding to the group call.

16. A wireless CDMA communication infrastructure comprising:

a first base transceiver system capable of receiving, from a requesting communication unit of a group of communication units, a request for a group call with the other communication units of the group;

a second base transceiver system capable of providing wireless communication services to at least one communication unit of the group of communication units; and

a controller, coupled to the first base transceiver system and the second base transceiver system, capable of allocating a single voice channel for the group call at the first base transceiver system and a single voice channel at the second base transceiver system, and capable of allocating a single power adjustment channel for the group call for each communication unit of the group, wherein the voice channel at the first base transceiver system and the voice channel at the second base transceiver system are allocated for the conveyance of non-power-adjustment information exclusively and wherein the power adjustment channel for each communication unit of the group is allocated for the conveyance of power adjustment information exclusively.

17. A communication unit comprising:

a transmitter;

a receiver capable of receiving, from a wireless CDMA communication infrastructure, voice information corresponding to a group call via a voice channel allocated for the group call, and capable of receiving, from the wireless CDMA communication infrastructure, inbound power adjustment information via a power adjustment channel allocated for the communication unit, wherein the power adjustment channel and the voice channel are separate CDMA channels, wherein the voice channel was allocated for the conveyance of non-power-adjustment information exclusively, and wherein the power adjustment channel was allocated for the conveyance of power adjustment information exclusively; and

a processor, coupled to the transmitter and the receiver, capable of instructing the transmitter to transmit, to the wireless CDMA communication infrastructure, outbound power adjustment information corresponding to the voice channel and to the power adjustment channel.

18. The communication unit of claim 17, wherein the processor is further capable of instructing the transmitter to adjust, responsive to the inbound power adjustment information, transmission power of the outbound power adjustment information.

19. The communication unit of claim 17, wherein the processor is further capable of instructing the transmitter to transmit, to the wireless CDMA communication infrastructure, voice information corresponding to the group call.

20. The communication unit of claim 17, wherein the processor is further capable of instructing the transmitter to adjust, responsive to the inbound power adjustment information, transmission power of the voice information corresponding to the group call.