Method and apparatus for group calls in a wireless CDMA system based on dedicated codes

• US 6,333,921 B1
• Filed: 04/14/1998
• Issued: 12/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Comroe, Richard, Grube, Gary W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jung, Min
• Application Number:
  US09/060,283
• Time in Patent Office: 1,351 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/329, 370/335, 370/342, 370/312, 455/518, 455/519
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services

Abstract

Within a wireless CDMA communication system (100), at least one dedicated inbound code (232, 332, 414-416) and at least one dedicated outbound code (234, 334, 418-420) are provided solely for use in providing group calls. Based on a dedicated inbound code, a subscriber unit transmits a group call signal (505) and a base transceiver system receives the group call signal (703). In turn, the base transceiver system retransmits the group call signal based on a dedicated outbound code (709). Alternatively, or in addition, the base transceiver system sends the group call signal, along with information regarding the dedicated inbound code, to a controller (705-706). Subscriber units can receive group code updates (502, 602) indicating the particular dedicated inbound and outbound codes to be used within a given site. In this manner, the communication system can provide group call functionality in a public system.

Claims

1. A subscriber unit for use in a wireless code division multiple access communication system comprising at least one base transceiver system coupled to a controller, wherein the subscriber unit is in wireless communication with the at least one base transceiver system, the subscriber unit further comprising:

an input device that provides a group call request;

a memory, operably coupled to the input device, comprising at least one dedicated inbound code, wherein the memory further comprises at least one dedicated outbound code; and

a transmitter, operably coupled to the memory and responsive to the group call request, that transmits an inbound group call signal based on one of the at least one dedicated inbound code when the group call request is provided by input device.

2. The subscriber unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a receiver, operably coupled to the memory, that receives an outbound group call signal based on one of the at least one dedicated outbound code and that provides a detection signal when the outbound group call signal is detected; and

means for rendering the outbound group call signal audible in response to the detection signal.

3. The subscriber unit of claim 2, wherein the one of the at least one dedicated inbound code and the one of the at least one dedicated outbound code correspond to a talk group with which the subscriber unit is currently affiliated.

4. The subscriber unit of claim 1, wherein the input device further comprises:

means for requesting a group code update message comprising information regarding the at least one dedicated inbound code and at least one dedicated outbound code.

5. The subscriber unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a receiver, operably coupled to the memory, that receives a group code update message comprising information regarding the at least one dedicated inbound code and at least one dedicated outbound code.

6. A base transceiver system for use in a wireless code division multiple access communication system comprising at least one subscriber unit and a controller, wherein the base transceiver system is coupled to the controller and in wireless communication with the at least one subscriber unit, the base transceiver system comprising:

a memory comprising at least one dedicated inbound code and at least one dedicated outbound code;

a receiver, operably coupled to the memory, that receives an inbound group call signal based on one of the at least one dedicated inbound code and that provides a detection signal when the inbound group call signal is detected; and

a transmitter, coupled to the memory and the detector, that re-transmits the inbound group call signal as an outbound group call signal based on one of the at least one dedicated outbound code responsive to the detection signal.

7. The base transceiver system of claim 6, wherein the memory further comprises information associating the one of the at least one dedicated inbound code with the one of the at least one dedicated outbound code.

8. The base transceiver system of claim 6, further comprising:

means, coupled to receiver, for conveying the inbound group call signal, responsive to the detection signal, to the controller; and

means, coupled to the receiver, for conveying, to the controller and responsive to the detection signal, a first message that the inbound group call signal was received based on the one of the at least one dedicated inbound code.

9. The base transceiver system of claim 6, wherein the one of the at least one dedicated inbound code and the one of the at least one dedicated outbound code correspond to a talk group targeted by the inbound group call signal.

10. The base transceiver system of claim 6, wherein the receiver further comprises means for receiving a request for a group code update message from a subscriber unit of the at least one subscriber unit, and wherein the transmitter further comprises means for transmitting the group code update message comprising information regarding the at least one dedicated inbound code and the at least one dedicated outbound code to the subscriber unit.

11. A base transceiver system for use in a wireless code division multiple access communication system comprising at least one subscriber unit and a controller, wherein the base transceiver system is coupled to the controller and in wireless communication with the at least one subscriber unit, the base transceiver system comprising:

a memory comprising at least one dedicated inbound code and at least one dedicated outbound code;

a receiver, operably coupled to the memory, that receives an inbound group call signal based on one of the at least one dedicated inbound code and that provides a detection signal when the inbound group call signal is detected;

means, coupled to receiver, for conveying the inbound group call signal, responsive to the detection signal, to the controller coupled to the base transceiver system; and

means, coupled to the receiver, for conveying, to the controller and responsive to the detection signal, a first message that the inbound group call signal was received based on the one of the at least one dedicated inbound code.

12. The base transceiver system of claim 11, further comprising:

means for receiving, from the controller, an outbound group call signal;

means for receiving, from the controller, a second message that the outbound group call signal is to be transmitted based on one of the at least one dedicated outbound code; and

a transmitter, coupled to the memory, the means for receiving the outbound group call signal and the means for receiving the second message, that transmits the outbound group call signal based on the one of the at least one dedicated outbound code.

13. The base transceiver system of claim 12, wherein the receiver further comprises means for receiving a request for a group code update message from a subscriber unit of the at least one subscriber unit, and wherein the transmitter further comprises means for transmitting the group code update message comprising information regarding the at least one dedicated inbound code and the at least one dedicated outbound code to the subscriber unit.

14. The base transceiver system of claim 11, wherein the one of the at least one dedicated inbound code and the one of the at least one dedicated outbound code correspond to a talk group targeted by the inbound group call signal.

15. A controller for use in a wireless code division multiple access communication system comprising a plurality of base transceiver systems in wireless communication with a plurality of subscriber units, wherein the controller is coupled to the plurality of base transceiver systems, the controller comprising:

means for receiving, from a first base transceiver system of the plurality of base transceiver systems, an inbound group call signal;

means for receiving, from the first base transceiver system, a first message that the inbound group call signal was received based on one of at least one dedicated inbound code;

means, coupled to the means for receiving the inbound group call signal, for conveying to at least one base transceiver system of the plurality of base transceiver systems the inbound group call signal as an outbound group call signal; and

means, coupled to the means for receiving the first message, for conveying to the at least one base transceiver system a second message that the outbound group call signal is to be transmitted based on one of at least one dedicated outbound code.

16. The controller of claim 15, further comprising a memory, coupled to the means for receiving the first message and the means for conveying the second message, comprising information associating the one of the at least one dedicated inbound code to the one of the at least one dedicated outbound code.

17. The controller of claim 16, wherein the memory comprises the at least one dedicated inbound code and the at least one dedicated outbound code.

18. The controller of claim 15, wherein the at least one base transceiver system includes the first base transceiver system.

19. The controller of claim 15, wherein the at least one base transceiver system excludes the first base transceiver system.

20. In a wireless code division multiple access communication system comprising at least one base transceiver system coupled to a controller and in wireless communication with at least one subscriber unit, a method for a subscriber unit of the at least one subscriber unit to participate in a communication, the method comprising steps of:

storing at least one dedicated outbound code;

receiving, via an input device, a request for a group call;

retrieving, responsive to the request, a dedicated inbound code; and

transmitting, responsive to the request, an inbound group call signal based on the dedicated inbound code.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising steps of:

receiving an outbound group call signal based on the dedicated outbound code;

detecting that the outbound group call signal has been received; and

rendering the outbound group call signal audible in response to the step of detecting the outbound group call signal.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the dedicated inbound code and the dedicated outbound code correspond to a talk group with which the subscriber unit is currently affiliated.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising a step of:

receiving a group code update message comprising information regarding the dedicated inbound code and the dedicated outbound code.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising a step of, prior to the step of receiving the group code update message:

requesting the group code update message.

25. In a wireless code division multiple access communication system comprising at least one base transceiver system coupled to a controller and in wireless communication with at least one subscriber unit, a method for the at least one base transceiver system to facilitate a communication, the method comprising steps of:

receiving an inbound group call signal based on a dedicated inbound code;

detecting that the inbound group call signal has been received; and

transmitting the inbound group call signal as an outbound group call signal based on a dedicated outbound code responsive to the step of detecting.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

conveying the inbound group call signal, responsive to the step of detecting, to the controller; and

conveying, to the controller and responsive to the step of detecting, a first message that the inbound group call signal was received based on the dedicated inbound code.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the dedicated inbound code and the dedicated outbound code correspond to a talk group targeted by the inbound group call signal.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising steps of:

receiving a request for a group code update message from a subscriber unit of the at least one subscriber unit; and

transmitting the group code update message comprising information regarding the dedicated inbound code and the dedicated outbound code to the subscriber unit.

29. In a wireless code division multiple access communication system comprising at least one base transceiver system coupled to a controller and in wireless communication with at least one subscriber unit, a method for the at least one base transceiver system to facilitate a communication, the method comprising steps of:

receiving an inbound group call signal based on a dedicated inbound code;

detecting that the inbound group call signal has been received;

conveying the inbound group call signal, responsive to the step of detecting, to the controller; and

conveying, to the controller and responsive to the step of detecting, a first message that the inbound group call signal was received based on the dedicated inbound code.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

receiving, from the controller, an outbound group call signal;

receiving, from the controller, a second message that the outbound group call signal is to be transmitted based on a dedicated outbound code; and

transmitting, responsive to the steps of receiving the outbound group call signal and receiving the second message, the outbound group call signal based on the dedicated outbound code.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the dedicated inbound code and the dedicated outbound code correspond to a talk group targeted by the inbound group call signal.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising steps of:

receiving a request for a group code update message from a subscriber unit of the at least one subscriber unit; and

transmitting the group code update message comprising information regarding the dedicated inbound code and the dedicated outbound code to the subscriber unit.

33. In a wireless code division multiple access communication system comprising a controller coupled to a plurality of base transceiver system, the plurality of base transceiver systems in wireless communication with at least one subscriber unit, a method for the controller to facilitate a communication, the method comprising steps of:

receiving, from a first base transceiver system of the plurality of base transceiver systems, an inbound group call signal;

receiving, from the first base transceiver system, a first message that the inbound group call signal was received based on a dedicated inbound code;

conveying, to at least one base transceiver system of the plurality of base transceiver systems, the inbound group call signal as an outbound group call signal; and

conveying, to the at least one base transceiver system, a second message that the outbound group call signal is to be transmitted based on a dedicated outbound code.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of conveying the second message further comprises a step of:

determining that the dedicated inbound code is associated with the dedicated outbound code.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the steps of conveying the outbound group call signal and the second message to the at least one base transceiver system includes the first base transceiver system.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the steps of conveying the outbound group call signal and the second message to the at least one base transceiver system excludes the first base transceiver system.