Paging method and apparatus

• US 6,282,406 B1
• Filed: 06/15/2000
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GPNE Corp.
• Original Assignee: Digicomm, Ltd.
• Inventors: Tsui, Po S., Wong, Gabriel K.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH C
• Application Number:
  US09/594,662
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 455/38.1, 455/38.4, 455/31.1, 455/31.2, 455/31.3, 455/509, 455/510, 455/515, 455/517, 455/224, 340/825.44, 340/825.2, 370/330, 370/336, 370/350, 370/436, 370/450
• US Class Current: 340/7.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/002 Transmission of channel access control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/02 Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/022 One-way selective calling networks, e.g. wide area paging
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/025 with acknowledge back capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/022 Selective call receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/185 Selective call encoders for paging networks, e.g. paging centre devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A two-way paging system utilizes four local frequencies for transmissions between pager units (22) and a central control station (20). A first local frequency (f₁) carries a local clock; a second local frequency (f₂) carries communications packets from the central control station to paging units; a third local frequency (f₃) carries communication packets from the pager units to the central control station; and a fourth local frequency (f₄) carries a status or request signal from the paging units (22) to the central control station (20). Transmissions on the fourth local frequency (f₄) are in accordance with a time divided slot allocation among pager units accessing the central control station (20). For a two-way paging system having a plurality of central control stations (420_x) servicing a corresponding plurality of cells, a total of eight frequencies are utilized within any one cell. Four of the utilized frequencies are the local frequencies (f₁-f₄) [which may differ from cell to cell], and four of the utilized frequencies are lower power common frequencies or switching frequencies (C₁-C₄) which are used to switch or hand-off a pager unit (422) traveling from one cell to another.

Claims

1. A method of operating a data communication system, the data communication system including a communication controller and a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:

transmitting a first signal from the communication controller to a first node, said first signal specifying a timeslot in which the first node may transmit a capacity request signal to the communication controller;

when the first node has data to transmit, and upon receipt of the first signal, transmitting a capacity request signal from the first node to the communication controller, said capacity request signal including a request for an allocation of bandwidth capacity to transmit data from the first node to the communication controller;

in response to the capacity request signal, transmitting a data grant signal from the communication controller to the node, said data grant signal specifying at least one timeslot for the first node to transmit data to the communication controller; and

in response to receiving the data grant signal, transmitting data from the first node to the communication controller.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting data from the first node to the communication controller at a timeslot specified by the data grant signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the capacity request signal is a time slotted signal carried on a predetermined frequency.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said capacity request signal and said data are transmitted to the communication controller via a first channel, and wherein the data grant signal and the first signal are transmitted to the first node via a second channel.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first channel is a time-slotted channel carried on a first frequency, and wherein the second channel is a time-slotted channel carried on a second frequency.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said system is a pager system, wherein said communication controller comprises a base station, and wherein said first node is a pager device.

7. A method of operating a data communication network, the data communication network including a communication controller and a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:

transmitting a request-enabling signal from the communication controller to a first node;

when the first node has data to transmit, and in response to receiving the request-enabling signal, transmitting a request signal from the first node to the communication controller;

in response to receiving the request signal from the first node, transmitting an authorization signal from the communication controller to the first node; and

in response to receiving the authorization signal, transmitting data from the node to the communication controller.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the request-enabling signal is a time slotted signal carried on a predetermined frequency, said request-enabling signal specifying a particular time slot for the first node to transmit said request signal to the communication controller.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said request signal and said data are transmitted to the communication controller via a first channel, and wherein the authorization signal and the request-enabling signal are transmitted to the first node via a second channel.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first channel is a time-slotted channel carried on a first frequency, and wherein the second channel is a time-slotted channel carried on a second frequency.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein said network is a pager network, wherein said communication controller comprises a base station, and wherein said first node is a pager device.

12. A data communication system comprising:

a communication controller; and

a plurality of nodes in communication with the communication controller;

the communication controller being configured or designed to transmit a request-enabling signal to a first node;

the first node being configured or designed to transmit a request signal to the communication controller in response to receiving the request-enabling signal, the request signal relating to data to be transmitted to the communication controller;

the communication controller being further configured or designed to transmit an authorization signal to the first node in response to receiving the request signal;

the first node being further configured or designed to transmit data to the communication controller in response to receiving the authorization signal.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the request-enabling signal is a time slotted signal carried on a predetermined frequency, said request-enabling signal specifying a particular time slot for the first node to transmit said request signal to the communication controller.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said request signal and said data are transmitted to the communication controller via a first channel, and wherein the authorization signal and the request-enabling signal are transmitted to the first node via a second channel.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first channel is a time-slotted channel carried on a first frequency, and wherein the second channel is a time-slotted channel carried on a second frequency.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein said system is a pager system, wherein said communication controller comprises central control station, and wherein said first node is a pager device.