Internet protocol radio dispatch system and method

• US 8,761,071 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2012
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions Connectivity Incorporated (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cassidian Communications Incorporated (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Inventors: Olivier, Pierre, Roberts, Douglas Gordon
• Primary Examiner(s): Lai, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, ANDREW CHUNG CHEUNG
• Application Number:
  US13/488,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20130114493A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 370/312, 370325-356, 370/389, 370/392, 370/400, 370/401, 379/37, 379/45
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/57 for mobile receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5069 for group communication, multicast communication or broadcast communication
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A method and system for dispatching calls using a packet network is disclosed. The use of distributed call management modules, enables various communication systems, such as RF and PSTN systems, to communicate with each other over the IP network. Audio devices from the various communication systems are each assigned an IP multicast group. Distributed call management modules covert signals from the audio devices into IP packets and transmit the IP packets to designated IP multicast groups over the IP network.

Claims

1. A distributed dispatch control system configured to use a packet network in providing signaling connectivity to a plurality of devices, the system comprising:

a plurality of distributed call management modules, each distributed call management module being adapted to serve a device of the plurality of devices and each distributed management call module having a respective group address for said device, each distributed management call module being at least partially implemented by hardware;

each distributed call management module configured to convert signaling from the served device into packets for distribution through the packet network using the respective group address via one of the plurality of distributed management modules; and

each distributed call management module configured to;

receive packets addressed to the at least one selected group address and convert such packets for distribution to at least one device of the plurality of devices,

wherein each distributed call management module is configured to perform arbitration functions for the at least one device that the distributed management module is serving by;

receiving one or more acceptances of a transmission from one or more devices of the plurality of devices, at least one of the one or more devices comprising at least two operator workstations;

selecting at least one of the operator workstations to handle the transmission from the one or more devices; and

granting access to transmit data between the served device and the selected operator workstation.

2. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1 wherein at least some of the distributed call management modules serve multiple devices.

3. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one device comprises at least one telephony unit.

4. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 3, wherein the at least one telephony unit is a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) telephone unit.

5. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 3, wherein the at least one telephony unit is an IP (Internet Protocol) based telephony unit.

6. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein the packet network is an IP (Internet Protocol) network.

7. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein signals from the served device include audio packets for delivery to a plurality of devices.

8. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein the selected operator workstation broadcasts to other channels, and the distributed call management module responsible for the selected operator workstation subscribes to the IP multicast groups of the other channels and sends the IP packets to all of the distributed call management modules responsible for the channels that the selected operator workstation chose.

9. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein each distributed call management module is further configured to perform arbitration functions for the device that the distributed management module is serving by:

originating a transmission;

receiving one or more acceptances from one or more devices of the plurality of devices;

selecting one of the devices to handle the transmission.

10. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, further comprising the plurality of devices.

11. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein the respective group addresses are IP multicast group addresses.

12. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein each distributed call management module comprises a software module operating on one of dedicated hardware or a computer.

13. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein each distributed call management module comprises:

a processing engine for converting the signaling from the served device to a protocol understandable by the packet network and for converting signals from the packet network to signaling understandable by the served device, said processing engine being at least partially implemented by hardware;

a signal management engine for directing the converted signaling to the respective group address, said signal management engine being at least partially implemented by hardware; and

a packet processor for encoding the converted signaling as packets and for decoding packets received from the packet network, said packet processor configured to send and receive packets over the packet network, said packet processor being at least partially implemented by hardware.

14. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein the distributed call management module is configured to convert said received packets using at least one of MGCP (Media Gateway Control Protocol), MEGACO (Media Gateway Control) protocol, H.323 protocol, or SIP protocol.

15. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein the distributed call management module is configured to convert said signaling using any one of G.711, G.723.1, G.729, GSM, IMBE and TETRA protocols.

16. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein configuration of any device is possible without system interruption.

17. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein failure of one distributed call management module will affect only the operation of said failed distributed management module.

18. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of devices comprises at least one radio unit and at least one operator workstation.

19. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 18, wherein each distributed call management module serving an operator workstation is configured to monitor a plurality of group addresses each associated with a radio channel.

20. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 18, wherein at least one radio unit is an Internet Protocol based radio unit.

21. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 18, wherein the at least one operator workstation comprises at least one remote operator workstation is connected over a public network.

22. The distributed dispatch control system according to claim 18, wherein processing for a transmission originated by the at least one radio unit comprises:

transmitting packets to the respective group address;

monitoring, using at least one operator workstation, the respective group address responding to an acceptance of the transmission; and

selecting one of the one or more operator workstations to handle the transmission.

23. A method of dispatching a transmission between devices connected to a packet network, the method comprising:

obtaining, via a distributed call management module, a multicast group address for each device;

receiving, via the distributed call management module, the transmission from a served device, the transmission including the multicast group address assigned to the served device;

converting, via the distributed call management module, at least a portion of the transmission received from the served device to packets for distribution through the packet network based on the respective group address;

communicating, via the distributed call management module, at least one of the received packets to devices assigned the multicast group address;

receiving, via the distributed call management module, one or more acceptances of the packets from respective devices, at least one of the respective devices comprising an operator workstation;

selecting, via the distributed call management module, one operator workstation that has provided an acceptance to handle the transmission; and

granting, via the distributed call management module, access to transmit data between the served device and the selected operator workstation.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising converting the packets into a format understandable by a second audio device.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the assigning comprises assigning a unique IP multicast group address to each device.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising assigning a status IP multicast group address for transmission of status information.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein assigning the multicast group address comprises statically defining the multicast group address.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein assigning the multicast group address comprises assigning a separate multicast group address to each device.

29. The method according to claim 23, further comprising:

subscribing a second device to the multicast group of the served device;

converting a transmission from the second audio device to second packets; and

transmitting the second packets to the multicast group address of the second audio device.