Priorty communication system and method of operation

• US 6,745,043 B1
• Filed: 09/03/1998
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens Information And Communication Mobile LLC (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Iglehart, David, Jreij, Elie A., Lester, Leland
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US09/148,991
• Time in Patent Office: 2,098 Days
• Field of Search: 455/512, 455/527, 455/162.2, 455/519, 455/404, 455/521, 455/422, 455/426, 455/447, 455/464, 455/518, 455/505, 455/450, 455/463, 455/404.1, 455/422.1, 455/426.1, 379/161, 379/208
• US Class Current: 455/512
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

A priority communication system (12) is provided. The priority communication system (12) comprises a plurality of communication devices (16) and a switching system (18) for communicating with the plurality of communication devices (16) over a limited number of communication channels (20). The switching system (18) operates to assign a received communication signal (24) to an open communication channel (20) based on a priority rating of the received communication signal (24). The switching system (18) may also operate to terminate a communication link having a priority rating lower than the priority rating of the received communication signal (24) in order to open a communication channel (20) and establish a communication link for the received communication signal (24).

Claims

1. A priority communication system comprising:

a plurality of cordless telephones operable to communicate with a switching system over a limited number of communications channels dedicated to the cordless telephones, the number of cordless telephones being greater than the number of communication channels dedicated to the cordless telephones; and

the switching system comprising one or more base stations and operable to;

establish a direct communication link with any of the cordless telephones; and

prioritize a plurality of received communication signals by assigning each received communication signal of a cordless telephone to an open communication channel based on a priority rating of the received communication signal to establish the direct communication link with a cordless telephone, the number of cordless telephones being greater than the number of base stations.

2. The priority communication system of claim 1, wherein the switching system is also operable to terminate a communication link having a priority rating lower than the priority rating of the received communication signal to yield the open communication channel;

and

assigning the received communication signal to the open communication channel to establish the direct communication link with a communication device.

3. A method of establishing a prioritized communication link comprising:

providing a switching system for a cordless telephone system, the switching system for the cordless telephone system having a programmable priority communication list comprising a plurality of signal identifiers, the priority communication list associating each signal identifier with a priority rating, the switching system operable to establish a direct communication link with any of a plurality of communication devices over a limited number of communication channels dedicated to the communication devices;

receiving a communication signal at the switching system, the communication signal having a signal identifier of the plurality of signal identifiers;

assigning a priority rating to the received communication signal based on a comparison of the signal identifier and the priority communication list, the priority communication list associating the signal identifier with the priority rating;

terminating a communication link having a lower priority rating than the received communication signal to open a communication channel; and

assigning the received communication signal to the open communication channel to establish the prioritized communication link with a communication device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the signal identifier is a password entered into the respective cordless telephone, and the priority communication list comprises a list of passwords.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the signal identifier comprises a phone number identifying a cordless telephone, and the priority communication list comprises a list of phone numbers.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the signal identifier comprises a user identification tag specific to a cordless telephone, and the priority communication list comprises a list of priority user identification tags.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the steps of assigning a priority rating, terminating a communication link, and assigning the communication signal comprises:

assigning a priority level to the communication signal based on a comparison of the signal identifier and the priority communication list, and wherein;

a first priority level operates to assign the received communication signal to the next available open communication channel to establish the prioritized communication link; and

a second priority level operates to provide a communication link with a pre-termination notification signal prior to terminating the communication link in order to open a communication channel, the received communication signal is then assigned to the open communication channel to establish the prioritized communication link.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first priority level is associated with a communication signal having a signal identifier that is not recognized in the priority communication list.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the second priority level is associated with a communication signal having a signal identifier that is recognized in the priority communication list.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising a third priority level that operates to immediately terminate a lower priority level communication link in order to open a communication channel, the received communication signal is then assigned to the open communication channel to establish the prioritized communication link.

11. A method of establishing a prioritized communication link in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

providing a base station for a cordless telephone system, the base station having a programmable priority communication list comprising a plurality of signal identifiers, the priority communication list associating each signal identifier with a priority rating, the base station operable to establish a direct communication link with any of a plurality of cordless handsets over a limited number of radio frequency channels dedicated to the cordless handsets, the number of cordless handsets being greater than the number of communication channels dedicated to the cordless handsets;

receiving a communication signal at the base station, the communication signal having a signal identifier of the plurality of signal identifiers;

prioritizing a plurality of received communication signals by assigning a priority rating to each communication signal based on a comparison of the signal identifier and the priority communication list, the priority communication list associating the signal identifier with the priority rating;

terminating a communication link having a lower priority rating to open a radio frequency channel; and

assigning the communication signal to the open radio frequency channel to establish the prioritized communication link with a cordless handset.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the signal identifier comprises a user identification code entered into the handset.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the signal identifier comprises a user identification tag, and the priority communication list comprises a list of priority user identification tags.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the steps of assigning a priority rating, terminating a communication link, and assigning the communication signal comprises:

assigning a priority level to the communication signal based on a comparison of the signal identifier and the priority communication list, and wherein;

a first priority level operates to assign the received communication signal to the next available open radio frequency channel to establish the prioritized communication link; and

a second priority level operates to provide a lower priority level communication link with a pre-termination notification signal prior to terminating the lower priority level communication link in order to open a radio frequency channel, the received communication signal is then assigned to the open radio frequency channel to establish the prioritized communication link.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first priority level is associated with a communication signal having a signal identifier that is not recognized in the priority communication list.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the second priority level is associated with a communication signal having a signal identifier that is recognized in the priority communication list.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising a third priority level that operates to immediately terminate a previously assigned communication signal having a lower priority rating in order to open a communication channel, the third priority level communication signal is then assigned to the open communication channel to establish the prioritized communication link.

18. A system for establishing a communication link, comprising:

a plurality of cordless telephones for a cordless telephone system; and

a switching system for the cordless telephone system having a priority communication list associating a plurality of signal identifiers with a plurality of priority ratings, the switching system operable to;

establish a communication link with any of the cordless telephones over a limited number of communication channels;

receive a communication signal having a signal identifier of the plurality of signal identifiers;

assign a first priority rating to the received communication signal according to the priority communication list;

terminate a first communication link associated with a second priority rating to open a communication channel; and

assign the received communication signal to the open communication channel to establish a second communication link.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the switching system is operable to provide the first communication link with a pre-termination notification signal prior to terminating the first communication link.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the switching system is operable to immediately terminate the first communication link.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the switching system is operable to assign a communication signal associated with a second priority rating to an open communication channel to establish a communication link with a cordless telephone.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the signal identifier comprises a password entered into a cordless telephone.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the signal identifier comprises a phone number identifying a cordless telephone.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the signal identifier comprises a user identification tag specific to a cordless telephone.