System and method for providing radio communication in a land mobile radio system

• US 9,020,461 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2014
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E F Johnson Company (JVC Kenwood Corporation)
• Original Assignee: E F Johnson Company (JVC Kenwood Corporation)
• Inventors: Moser, Brandon Wilson, Suzuki, John Marvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Karikari, Kwasi
• Application Number:
  US14/251,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20140220925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• 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 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system and method for providing radio communication at a scene, such as a fire or security scene, in an LMR system. The scene may include responder radios located within a building structure and a commander radio stationed outside, wherein the commander radio is in communication with the responder radios. Users operating the commander radio and responder radios cooperate by performing different, yet related, tasks at the scene. Therefore, the commander radio may be assigned a first set of features for communicating with responder radios, and responder radios may be assigned a second set of features for communicating with the commander radio. Some features of the system may include: locking one or more radio keys or radio knob settings, transmitting or receiving evacuation alerts, automatic switching between analog and digital communication, providing audible RSSI, indicating communication status of the radio, and providing out of range notification.

Claims

1. A system for providing radio communication in a Land Mobile Radio (LMR) system, the system comprising:

a first radio operable in a first mode to perform one or more first mode operations, the first mode operations comprising at least one of;

locking one or more keys or knob settings of the first radio,

transmitting an evacuation command to other radios in the LMR system, and

transmitting one or more out-of-range beacons; and

a second radio operable in a second mode to perform one or more second mode operations, the second mode operations comprising at least one of;

locking one or more keys or knob settings of the second radio,

providing at least one of an audible, visual, or physical indication of an evacuation alert in response to receiving an evacuation command,

providing at least one of an audible, visual, or physical indication of a received signal strength of the second radio,

providing at least one of an audible, visual, or physical indication when the second radio is out of communication range of a signal source, and

indicating a communication status of the second radio.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first mode operations or the second mode operations further comprises automatically switching between an analog radio communication mode and a digital radio communication mode.

3. The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein automatically switching between the analog radio communication mode and the digital radio communication mode comprises the first or second radio automatically switching between the analog radio communication mode and the digital radio communication mode based on a received signal strength of the respective first or second radio.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the received signal strength is a received analog signal strength or a received digital signal strength.

5. The system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the first or second radio automatically switches between the digital radio communication mode and the analog radio communication mode based on a comparison of the received signal strength and a second received signal strength.

6. The system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the first or second radio automatically switches between the analog radio communication mode and the digital radio communication mode when the received signal strength of the first or second radio reaches a received signal strength threshold.

7. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the one or more out-of-range beacons are transmitted at defined time intervals.

8. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the out-of-range beacons are transmitted over a communication channel.

9. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first mode operations further comprise at least one of:

providing at least one of an audible, visual, or physical indication of a received signal strength of the first radio; and

indicating a communication status of the first radio.

10. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein indicating a communication status of the second radio comprises providing at least one of an audible, visual, or physical indication of a received signal strength of the second radio.

11. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second radio is considered to be out of communication range of the signal source when the second radio fails to receive a carrier event for a defined period of time, the carrier event comprising at least one of voice communication, data communication, or an out-of-range beacon.

12. The system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

an interface for assigning one or more first mode operations to the first radio and one or more second mode operations to the second radio.

13. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein locking one or more keys or knob settings of the first or second radio occurs automatically when the first or second radio selects a communication channel.

14. A radio for providing radio communication in a Land Mobile Radio (LMR) system, the radio comprising:

a first mode of operation for communicating with other radios performing one or more first mode operations, the first mode operations comprising at least one of;

locking one or more keys or knob settings of the radio,

transmitting an evacuation command to other radios in the LMR system, and

transmitting one or more out-of-range beacons; and

a second mode of operation for performing one or more second mode operations, the second mode operations comprising at least one of;

locking one or more keys or knob settings of the radio,

providing at least one of an audible, visual, or physical indication of an evacuation alert in response to receiving an evacuation command,

providing at least one of an audible, visual, or physical indication of a received signal strength of the radio,

providing at least one of an audible, visual, or physical indication when the radio is out of communication range of a signal source, and

indicating a communication status of the radio,

wherein the radio is operable in the first mode to communicate with one or more other radios operating in the second mode, and is operable in the second mode to communicate with one or more other radios operating in the first mode.

15. The radio as set forth in claim 14, wherein at least one of the first mode operations or the second mode operations further comprises automatically switching between an analog radio communication mode and a digital radio communication mode.

16. The radio as set forth in claim 15, wherein automatically switching between the analog radio communication mode and the digital radio communication mode is based on a received signal strength of the radio.

17. The radio as set forth in claim 16, wherein the received signal strength of the radio is a received analog signal strength or a received digital signal strength.

18. The radio as set forth in claim 16, wherein the radio automatically switches between the digital radio communication mode and the analog radio communication mode based on a comparison of the received signal strength and a second received signal strength.

19. The radio as set forth in claim 16, wherein the radio automatically switches between the analog radio communication mode and the digital radio communication mode when the received signal strength reaches a received signal strength threshold.

20. The radio as set forth in claim 14, wherein the one or more out-of-range beacons are transmitted at defined time intervals.

21. The radio as set forth in claim 14, wherein the out-of-range beacons are transmitted over a communication channel.

22. The radio as set forth in claim 14, wherein the first mode operations further comprise at least one of:

providing at least one of an audible, visual or physical indication of a received signal strength of the radio; and

indicating a communication status of the radio.

23. The radio as set forth in claim 14, wherein indicating a communication status of the radio comprises providing at least one of an audible, visual, or physical indication of a received signal strength of the radio.

24. The radio as set forth in claim 14, wherein the radio is considered to be out of communication range of the signal source when the radio fails to receive a carrier event for a defined period of time, the carrier event comprising at least one of voice communication, data communication, or an out-of-range beacon.

25. The radio as set forth in claim 14, wherein locking one or more keys or knob settings of the radio occurs automatically when the radio selects a communication channel.

26. A method for providing radio communication in a Land Mobile Radio (LMR) system that includes a first radio in communication with a second radio, the method comprising:

operating the first radio in a first mode to perform one or more first mode operations, the first mode operations comprising at least one of;

locking one or more keys or knob settings of the first radio,

transmitting an evacuation command to other radios in the LMR system, and

transmitting one or more out-of-range beacons; and

operating the second radio in a second mode to perform one or more second mode operations, the second mode operations comprising at least one of;

locking one or more keys or knob settings of the second radio,

providing at least one of an audible, visual, or physical indication of an evacuation alert in response to receiving an evacuation command from the first radio,

providing at least one of an audible, visual, or physical indication of a received signal strength of the second radio,

providing at least one of an audible, visual, or physical indication when the second radio is out of communication range of a signal source, and

indicating a communication status of the second radio.

27. The method as set forth in claim 26, further comprising transmitting the one or more out-of-range beacons at defined time intervals.

28. The method as set forth in claim 26, wherein locking one or more keys or knob settings of the first or second radio comprises automatically locking one or more keys or knob settings of the first or second radio when the first or second radio selects a communication channel.

29. The method as set forth in claim 26, wherein the first mode operations further comprise at least one of:

providing at least one of an audible, visual or physical indication of a received signal strength of the first radio; and

indicating a communication status of the first radio.

30. The method as set forth in claim 26, wherein at least one of the first mode operations or the second mode operations further comprises automatically switching between an analog radio communication mode and a digital radio communication mode.

31. The method as set forth in claim 30, wherein automatically switching between the analog radio communication mode and the digital radio communication mode comprises:

comparing a received analog signal strength to a received digital signal strength;

switching to the analog radio communication mode if the received analog signal strength is greater than the received digital signal strength; and

switching to the digital radio communication mode if the received digital signal strength is greater than the received analog signal strength.

32. The method as set forth in claim 30, wherein automatically switching between the analog radio communication mode and the digital radio communication mode comprises:

comparing a received signal strength to a first received signal strength threshold and a second received signal strength threshold;

switching to the analog radio communication mode if the received signal strength is greater than the first received signal strength threshold; and

switching to the digital radio communication mode if the received signal strength is less than the second received signal strength threshold.

33. The method as set forth in claim 32, wherein the first received signal strength threshold is equal to the second received signal strength threshold.

34. The method as set forth in claim 32, wherein the received signal strength is a received analog signal strength or a received digital signal strength.

35. The method as set forth in claim 26, wherein providing at least one of an audible, visual or physical indication of the received signal strength of the second radio comprises:

measuring the received signal strength of the second radio; and

providing the at least one of the audible, visual or physical indication of the measured received signal strength.

36. The method as set forth in claim 35, wherein the received signal strength is measured upon receipt or transmission of a call, or upon detection of a carrier event.

37. The method as set forth in claim 26, wherein providing at least one of an audible, visual or physical indication of the received signal strength of the second radio comprises:

measuring the received signal strength of the second radio;

comparing the measured received signal strength to one or more signal thresholds; and

providing the at least one of the audible, visual or physical indication of the measured received signal strength when the measured received signal strength reaches one of the one or more signal thresholds.

38. The method as set forth in claim 26, wherein indicating the communication status of the second radio comprises:

requesting a received signal strength level from the first radio;

receiving the received signal strength level from the first radio if the second radio is in communication range of the first radio; and

providing at least one of an audible, visual, or physical indication of the received signal strength level.

39. The method as set forth in claim 38, further comprising:

repeating the request for the received signal strength level from the first radio one or more times if the second radio fails to receive the received signal strength level from the first radio; and

providing the at least one of the audible, visual, or physical indication that the second radio is out of communication range of the signal source if the second radio fails to receive the received signal strength level from the first radio after the one or more times of repeating the request for the received signal strength level.

40. The method as set forth in claim 38, further comprising:

repeating the request for the received signal strength level from the first radio one or more times if the second radio fails to receive the received signal strength level from the first radio; and

providing a message indicating whether the second radio fails to receive the received signal strength level from the first radio after the one or more times of repeating the request for the received signal strength level.

41. The method as set forth in claim 26, wherein providing the at least one of the audible, visual, or physical indication that the second radio is out of communication range of the signal source comprises:

monitoring a communication channel; and

providing the at least one of the audible, visual, or physical indication that the second radio is out of communication range of the signal source if the second radio fails to detect a carrier event over the communication channel for a defined period of time, the carrier event comprising at least one of voice communication, data communication, or an out-of-range beacon.