Group location and route sharing system for communication units in a trunked communication system

• US 6,885,874 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2001
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Seymour, Leslie Gabor, Grube, Gary W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEST, LEWIS G
• Application Number:
  US09/995,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20030100326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 455/515, 455/41, 455/518, 455/519, 455/507, 455/414, 455/566, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/457, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/520
• US Class Current: 455/520
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems

Abstract

Methods are disclosed for sharing location and route information between communication units (e.g., talkgroup members) that are subscribed to a group location sharing service. The group location sharing service is event-based, such that the communication units may form a subset of a talkgroup desiring to actively participate or monitor an event. Communication units de-subscribe from the group location sharing service or talkgroup when they no longer desire to participate or monitor the event. Service levels may be determined for various subscribers to the group location sharing service. The service levels may include, for example, an information transmission service level and information reception service level that determine an amount, type, and/or timing of information to be sent or received by particular subscribers.

Claims

1. A method comprising a communication unit engaged in group dispatch voice call performing steps of:

receiving a message initiating a location sharing service associated with an event;

responsive to receiving the message, selectively subscribing to the location sharing service, yielding a subscription for the event, the subscription being required to resolve a location of the event; and

receiving, responsive to the subscription, location information associated with the event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication unit comprises one of:

a mobile display-based terminal and a portable display-based terminal, the method further comprising the communication unit displaying at least a portion of the location information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving location information comprises receiving periodic location information associated with a group comprising a plurality of communication units having subscribed to the location sharing service.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

sending, by the communication unit, location information associated with the event.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of sending location information comprises sending periodic location information associated with the communication unit'"'"'s own location to a group comprising a plurality of communication units having subscribed to the location sharing service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of subscribing to the location sharing service comprises:

sending a subscription request to a controller; and

receiving, from the controller, a subscription grant message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of subscribing to the location sharing service is accomplished by a third party, on behalf of the communication unit.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising steps of:

de-subscribing to the location sharing service; and

responsive to the step of de-subscribing, discontinuing receiving location information associated with the event.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of de-subscribing to the location sharing service comprises:

sending a de-subscription request to a controller; and

receiving, from the controller, a de-subscription acknowledgement message.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of sending a de-subscription request comprises sending a de-affiliation request for a talkgroup.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication unit is a member of a talkgroup, the step of receiving a message comprising receiving a voice communication announcing the location sharing service from an initiating member of the talkgroup.

12. A method comprising:

subscribing, by a group comprising a plurality of talkgroup members engaged in a group dispatch voice call, to a group location sharing service, yielding a corresponding plurality of subscriptions, the subscriptions being required to resolve a location of the event;

determining respective service levels associated with the subscriptions; and

exchanging periodic location information between the plurality of talkgroup members based on the respective service levels.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the service levels include an information transmission service level and an information reception service level.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the service levels include an event participation level, the information transmission service level and information reception service level being based on the event participation level.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the information transmission service level defines at least one of:

amount, type and liming of information to be sent from a sourcing talkgroup member, and wherein the information reception service level defines at least one of;

amount, type and timing of information to be received by a receiving talkgroup member.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of exchanging periodic location information comprises exchanging location information associated with a talkgroup member in response to a change in location of the talkgroup member exceeding a threshold value.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of exchanging periodic location information comprises exchanging location information associated with a talkgroup member in response to a location of the talkgroup member being within a geographic reference area.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of exchanging periodic location information comprises exchanging location information associated with a talkgroup member in response to a change in speed of the talkgroup member exceeding a threshold value.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of exchanging periodic location information comprises exchanging location information associated with a talkgroup member in response to deviations in route of the talkgroup member exceeding a threshold value.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of exchanging periodic location information comprises exchanging location information associated with a talkgroup member in response to deviations in travel time of the talkgroup member exceeding a threshold value.

21. In a communication system including a plurality of communication units distributed among a plurality of locations and engaged in a group dispatch voice call, the communication units being eligible for movement causing changes in the plurality of locations, a method comprising the steps of:

sending, from a first communication unit of the plurality of communication units to one or more receiving communication units of the plurality of communication units, a message initiating a group location sharing service, yielding a subscription for the event, the subscription being required to resolve a location of the event;

subscribing, by one or more of the receiving communication units, to the group location sharing service, thereby forming a group of participating units including the first communication unit and the one or more of the receiving communication units; and

receiving, by a first plurality of the participating units, responsive to the step of subscribing, periodic location update information associated with a second plurality of the participating units.

22. A wireless communication unit comprising:

a radio frequency transceiver, operable to send and receive messages initiating an event-based location sharing service;

a selection element enabling an operator, responsive to receiving a message initiating an event-based location sharing service, to selectively subscribe to the event-based location sharing service yielding a subscription for the event-based location, the subscription being required to resolve a location of an event, thereby enabling the radio frequency transceiver to receive location information associated with an event; and

an operator interface, operably connected to the transceiver, for communicating at least a portion of the location information to the operator.