Group radio communication system and method using interconnected radio sub-networks

• US 6,591,111 B1
• Filed: 12/10/1999
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Heuvel, Dean Paul Vanden, Hayden, Rhett Garrett, Blanchard, Scott David, Ganucheau, Charles Joseph Jr., Stosz, Jonathan David
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US09/459,319
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 455/426, 455/427, 455/428, 455/429, 455/430, 455/446, 455/516, 455/520, 455/507, 455/560, 455/524, 455/526, 455/517, 455/518, 455/11.1, 455/12.1, 455/519, 370/230, 370/400, 370/401, 370/402, 370/404, 370/405, 370/408
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18584 Arrangements for data networking, i.e. for data packet routing, for congestion control data switching networks H04L12/00

Abstract

A group radio communication system (20) includes a group controller (24) which communicates through a satellite-based packet switched data communication network (22) to converters (28). The converters (28) are located within radio coverage areas (36) of various radio sub-networks (26). Each radio sub-network (26) includes a base station (32), controller (30) and any number of subscriber radios. The controllers (30) manage point-to-multipoint communications between subscriber radios (34) within their radio sub-networks (26), and the group controller (24) manages point-to-multipoint communications between radio sub-networks (26). The converters (28) translate between protocols (38, 38′) established for communications within specific radio sub-networks (26) and a protocol (56) established for communication over the packet switched data communication network (22). The group controller (24) duplicates and distributes packets (118) originating in one radio sub-network (26) to other radio sub-networks (26).

Claims

1. A group radio communication system comprising:

a first radio sub-network configured to implement point-to-multipoint communication sessions within said first radio sub-network;

a second radio sub-network configured to implement point-to-multipoint communication sessions within said second radio sub-network; and

a group controller in data communication with said first radio sub-network and said second radio sub-network, said group controller being configured to manage a common point-to-multipoint communication session involving said first radio sub-network and said second radio sub-network;

a packet switched data communication network coupled between said first radio sub-network and said group controller and between said second radio sub-network and said group controller;

a radio sub-network controller associated with each of said first and second radio sub-networks and a plurality of subscriber radios in communication with said radio sub-network controller, and

each of said radio sub-network controllers is configured to resolve conflicts between substantially concurrent requests from said plurality of subscriber radios in communication with said radio sub-network controller to be origination points for a point-to-multipoint monolog and to provide subscriber traffic distribution to said plurality of subscriber radios in communication with said radio sub-network controller.

2. A group radio communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said packet switched data communication network is implemented using switching nodes located in one or more Earth-orbiting satellites.

3. A group radio communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

packets originating from said first radio sub-network are received at said group controller; and

said group controller is configured to distribute said packets to said second radio sub-network.

4. A group radio communication system as claimed in claim 3 wherein:

said second radio sub-network has a radio sub-network controller in communication with said group controller and has at least one subscriber radio in communication with said radio sub-network controller; and

said radio sub-network controller receives said packets from said group controller and distributes said packets to said at least one subscriber radio.

5. A group radio communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said group radio communication system additionally comprises a third radio sub-network configured to implement point-to-multipoint communication sessions within said third radio sub-network; and

said group controller is configured to receive packets originating from a first one of said first, second, and third radio sub-networks and to distribute said packets to second and third ones of said first, second, and third radio sub-networks.

6. A group radio communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said first radio sub-network comprises a first converter configured to translate between said first radio sub-network and said packet switched data communication network; and

said second radio sub-network comprises a second converter configures to translate between said second radio sub-network and said packet switched data communication network.

7. A group radio communication system as claimed in claim 6 wherein:

said first radio sub-network comprises a first radio sub-network controller and at least one first radio sub-network subscriber radio, said at least one first radio sub-network subscriber radio and said first converter being configured to communicate with said first radio sub-network controller using a communication protocol established for said first radio sub-network; and

said second radio sub-network comprises a second radio sub-network controller and at least one second radio sub-network subscriber radio, said at least one second radio sub-network subscriber radio and said second converter being configured to communicate with said second radio sub-network controller using a communication protocol established for said second radio sub-network.

8. A group radio communication system as claimed in claim 7 wherein:

said data communication network is a packet switched data communication network; and

said first and second converters are configured as interfaces to said packet switched data communication network.

9. A group radio communication system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said group controller interfaces to said packet switched data communication network.

10. A group radio communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said group controller is configured to resolve a conflict between substantially concurrent requests from said first and second radio sub-networks to be an origination point for a point-to-multipoint monolog within said common point-to-multipoint communication session.

11. A group radio communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said first and second radio sub-networks have overlapping radio coverage areas; and

said first and second radio sub-networks have incompatible communication protocols.

12. A group radio communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second radio sub-networks have non-overlapping radio coverage area.

13. A method of implementing a common point-to-multipoint communication session involving first and second radio sub-networks, said method comprising:

coupling said first radio sub-network to a packet switched communication network;

coupling said second radio sub-network to said packet switched communication network;

coupling a group controller to said data communication network;

routing a point-to-multipoint monolog from said first radio sub-network through said group controller to said second radio sub-network;

converting said point-to-multipoint monolog into packets for distribution through said packet switched data communication network and said group controller;

receiving said point-to-multipoint monolog at a first converter configured to communicate in said first radio sub-network using a communication protocol established for said first radio sub-network; and

transmitting said point-to-multipoint monolog as packets over said packet switched data communication network using a protocol established for said packet switched data communication network.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein:

said first radio sub-network comprises a first radio sub-network controller and a plurality of first radio sub-network subscriber radios;

said second radio sub-network comprises a second radio sub-network controller and a plurality of second radio sub-network subscriber radios;

said method additionally comprises providing point-to-multipoint communication session management services for said first and second radio sub-networks at said group controller;

said method additionally comprises providing point-to-multipoint communication session management services for said plurality of first radio sub-network subscriber radios at said first radio sub-network controller; and

said method additionally comprises providing point-to-multipoint communication session management services for said plurality of second radio sub-network subscriber radios at said second radio sub-network controller.

15. A method as claimed in claim 13 additionally comprising:

implementing said first and second radio sub-networks to have overlapping radio coverage areas; and

implementing said first and second radio sub-networks to have incompatible communication protocols.

16. A method as claimed in claim 13 additionally comprising implementing said first and second radio sub-networks to have non-overlapping radio coverage areas.

17. A group radio communication system comprising:

a first radio sub-network configured to implement point-to-multipoint communication sessions within said first radio sub-network, said first radio sub-network having a plurality of first subscriber radios in radio communication with a first sub-network controller and a first converter in radio communication with said first sub-network controller;

a second radio sub-network configured to implement point-to-multipoint communication sessions within said second radio sub-network, said second radio sub-network having a plurality of second subscriber radios in radio communication with a second sub-network controller and a second converter in radio communication with said second sub-network controller;

a packet switched data communication network in data communication with said first and second sub-network controllers, said packet switched data communication network being implemented using switching nodes located in one or more Earth-orbiting satellites; and

a group controller in data communication with said packet switched data communication network and said first and second sub-network controllers through said first and second converters, respectively, said group controller being configured to manage a common point-to-multipoint communication session involving said pluralities of first and second subscriber radios.