Call management for a multi-site mobile radio dispatch network

• US 6,272,334 B1
• Filed: 09/11/1998
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Uniden America Corporation (Cornwall Capital Management LP)
• Original Assignee: Uniden America Corporation (Cornwall Capital Management LP)
• Inventors: Rao, Suresh K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woldetatios, Yemane
• Application Number:
  US09/160,198
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 455/507, 455/509, 455/512, 455/514, 455/518, 455/519, 455/520, 455/422
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems

Abstract

A multi-site dispatch communication network includes a hub controller programmed to expedite the connection between multiple radio cells to accomplish a broadcast of the radio transmission. A routing table is employed to provide an association between the various group identification codes and the respective mobile radio cell sites servicing members of the group. A connection table is employed to identify the resources utilized in the dispatch communication connection. When a dispatch communication is initiated, the routing table is accessed to determine which mobile radio cell sites service the various members of the group. When a connection is made to establish the dispatch communication, the connection table is written with information concerning the resources utilized to complete the dispatch communication. In this manner, dispatch communications can be quickly established and terminated. The resources of the network are thereby optimized.

Claims

1. A method of controlling dispatch communications in a mobile radio network of the type having a plurality of radio cell sites, a plurality of mobile radio groups and a plurality of mobile radios assigned to each said group, comprising the steps of:

coupling together a plurality of radio cell sites by a hub controller;

programming a memory in said hub controller to store data indicating a relationship, if any, between each said mobile radio group and each said radio cell site;

programming said hub controller to decode a group ID from a data frame transmitted by a mobile radio from a source radio cell site;

programming said hub controller to use the decoded group ID to access said memory to find the radio cell sites related thereto; and

connecting the related radio cell sites to said source radio cell site;

storing in a memory of said hub controller data concerning resources utilized in carrying out the connecting step; and

storing data concerning said relationship in a first table structure, and storing data concerning said resources in a second table structure, and reading said first table structure to find data that provides a cross reference to said second table structure.

2. A method of controlling dispatch communications in a mobile radio network of the type having a plurality of radio cell sites, a plurality of mobile radio groups and a plurality of mobile radios assigned to each said group, comprising the steps of:

providing a hub controller for controlling dispatch communications between the plurality of mobile radios of a group, where the mobile radios are associated with respective said radio cell sites;

programming the hub controller with a first table for providing an association of each said mobile radio group with the mobile radio cell sites servicing the respective mobile radio groups;

programming the hub controller with a second table for writing therein by said hub controller data identifying resources employed in establishing dispatch communications between the various mobile radios of a one of said groups; and

providing cross-referencing data between said first and second tables so that when said hub controller accesses one of said first or second tables, the cross-referencing data read from said one of said first or second tables, the other of said first or second tables can be readily accessed by using said cross-referencing data.

3. The method of claim 2, further including programming static data into said first table by an operator, and programming dynamic data into said second table by said hub controller.

4. The method of claim 2, further including using a group number uniquely related to each said group of mobile radios as said cross-referencing data.

5. The method of claim 2, further including programming an identity of each said mobile radio cell site into said first table, and programming an identification of each said mobile radio group associated with said mobile radio cell site.

6. The method of claim 2, further including programming in said first table a group identification number of each said mobile radio group as associated with a respective mobile radio cell site.

7. The method of claim 2, further including programming a different record of data in said first table, each said record including data associated with a different mobile radio group.

8. The method of claim 2, further including programming into said second table a plurality of records, where each said record including connection information data associated with a different dispatch communication.

9. The method of claim 2, further including programming a busy/idle status in one said first or second tables in association with each said mobile radio group.

10. The method of claim 9, further including programming a processor so that said busy/idle status is changed when an idle voice line is allocated to a cell site originating a dispatch call and when an idle voice line is allocated to at least one destination cell site.

11. The method of claim 2, further including starting a timer when a dispatch call is established, and automatically terminating the dispatch call after a predefined period of time has elapsed by said timer.

12. The method of claim 11, further including writing in said second table a timer identification number of a timer in association with each said dispatch communication.

13. The method of claim 12, further including responding to an elapse of a timer by using a respective timer identification as a cross reference to one said first or second table.

14. The method of claim 13, further including cross referencing said second table with said timer identification to find an identification of telephone lines to idle in response to the elapse of said timer.

15. The method of claim 2, further including identifying a cell site from which a dispatch communication originated by identifying a data line on which a corresponding data communication was received.

16. A dispatch communication mobile radio network, comprising:

a plurality of radio cell sites, a plurality of mobile radio groups and a plurality of mobile radios assigned to each said group;

a hub controller for controlling dispatch communications between the plurality of mobile radios of a group, where the mobile radios are associated with various of the mobile radio cell sites;

said hub controller being programmed with a first table providing an association of each said mobile radio group with the mobile radio cell sites servicing the respective mobile radio groups;

said hub controller being programmed with a second table for writing therein by said hub controller data identifying resources employed in establishing a dispatch communication between the various mobile radios of a group; and

cross-referencing data fields for use in cross-referencing between said first and second tables so that when said hub controller accesses one of said first or second tables, data read from said cross-referencing field of said one of said first or second tables, the other of said first or second tables can be readily accessed by using said cross-referencing data.

17. A dispatch communication mobile radio network, comprising:

a hub controller having a switching network for switchably coupling a plurality of telephone lines together, where the telephone lines extend to respective radio cell sites, said hub controller including a modem for receiving and transmitting data from and to said radio cell sites;

said hub controller including a programmed processor responsive to data received by said modem for coupling together ones of said telephone lines via said switching network;

said processor being programmed with a routing table and with a connection table;

said routing table including a plurality of records, each record being associated with a different mobile radio group, and each said record being identified by a routing group number and associating a group ID for the mobile radio group for each radio cell site serving the mobile radio group; and

said connection table including a plurality of records, each record being associated with a routing group number, an in-use flag field showing whether a mobile radio group is in a busy/idle state, and a plurality of fields, each said field showing an identification of a telephone line coupling the hub controller to a respective radio cell site serving a mobile radio group.

18. The mobile radio dispatch network of claim 17, further including a timer for providing a predetermined period of time, and said processor is programmed to terminate a dispatch communication on an elapse of said timer.

19. The mobile radio dispatch network of claim 18, wherein said connection table includes a field storing an ID for said timer.