Instantiating talkgroups

• US 9,491,595 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2016
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iridium Satellite Llc (Iridium Communications, Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Iridium Satellite Llc (Iridium Communications, Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tillet, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): SHARMA, SUJATHA R
• Application Number:
  US15/016,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20160234660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 277 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18513 Transmission in a satellite or space-based system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/25 Maintenance of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/34 Selective release of ongoing connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

In one implementation, information specifying a geographic area for a talkgroup may be received. In addition, information specifying that the talkgroup is a “warm” talkgroup may be received. In response to the receipt of the information specifying that the talkgroup is a “warm” talkgroup, a satellite constellation may be controlled to continuously light up a control channel in the geographic area for the talkgroup. A request to instantiate the talkgroup via the control channel may be received. In response thereto, the satellite constellation may be controlled to continuously light up a traffic channel in the geographic area for the talkgroup. Subsequently, the talkgroup may be determined to be inactive. In response thereto, the satellite constellation may be controlled to stop continuously lighting up the traffic channel in the geographic area while continuing to continuously light up the control channel in the geographic area.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving information specifying a geographic area for a talkgroup;

receiving information specifying that the talkgroup is a “

warm”

talkgroup;

in response to receiving the information specifying that the talkgroup is a “

warm”

talkgroup;

determining that a first satellite of a satellite constellation is responsible for providing talkgroup coverage for the geographic area;

in response to determining that the first satellite is responsible for providing talkgroup coverage for the geographic area, controlling the first satellite to continuously light up one or more control channels in the geographic area and to establish a direct and continuous connection, using the one or more control channels, with each communication device of a plurality of communication devices disposed in the geographic area;

determining that the first satellite has moved to a new location such that the first satellite is no longer responsible for providing talkgroup coverage for the geographic area; and

in response to determining that the first satellite has moved to the new location such that the first satellite is no longer responsible for providing talkgroup coverage for the geographic area;

determining that a second satellite of the satellite constellation is responsible for providing talkgroup coverage for the geographic area;

controlling the second satellite to continuously light up the one or more control channels in the geographic area; and

controlling the first satellite to stop continuously lighting up the one or more control channels in the geographic area;

receiving a request to instantiate the talkgroup via a control channel of the one or more control channels;

in response to receiving the request to instantiate the talkgroup via the control channel, controlling the satellite constellation to continuously light up one or more traffic channels in the geographic area, the one or more traffic channels being traffic channels for the talkgroup;

determining that the talkgroup is inactive; and

in response to determining that the talkgroup is inactive, controlling the satellite constellation to stop continuously lighting up the one or more traffic channels in the geographic area while continuing to continuously light up the one or more control channels in the geographic area.

2. A method comprising:

receiving information specifying a geographic area for a talkgroup;

receiving information specifying that the talkgroup is a “

warm”

talkgroup;

in response to receiving the information specifying that the talkgroup is a “

warm”

talkgroup, controlling a satellite constellation to continuously light up one or more control channels in the geographic area, the one or more control channels being control channels for the talkgroup;

receiving a request to instantiate the talkgroup via a control channel of the one or more control channels;

in response to receiving the request to instantiate the talkgroup via the control channel, controlling the satellite constellation to continuously light up one or more traffic channels in the geographic area, the one or more traffic channels being traffic channels for the talkgroup;

determining that the talkgroup is inactive; and

in response to determining that the talkgroup is inactive, controlling the satellite constellation to stop continuously lighting up the one or more traffic channels in the geographic area while continuing to continuously light up the one or more control channels in the geographic area.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein controlling the satellite constellation to continuously light up the one or more control channels in the geographic area comprises:

determining that a first satellite of the satellite constellation is responsible for providing talkgroup coverage for the geographic area;

in response to determining that the first satellite is responsible for providing talkgroup coverage for the geographic area, controlling the first satellite to continuously light up the one or more control channels in the geographic area;

determining that the first satellite has moved to a new location such that the first satellite is no longer responsible for providing talkgroup coverage for the geographic area; and

in response to determining that the first satellite has moved to the new location such that the first satellite is no longer responsible for providing talkgroup coverage for the geographic area;

determining that a second satellite of the satellite constellation is responsible for providing talkgroup coverage for the geographic area;

controlling the second satellite to continuously light up the one or more control channels in the geographic area; and

controlling the first satellite to stop continuously lighting up the one or more control channels in the geographic area.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein controlling the satellite constellation to continuously light up the one or more control channels in the geographic area comprises:

controlling the satellite constellation to continuously light up one or more control channels that are unique to the talkgroup, such that the one or more control channels do not provide information about any talkgroup other than the talkgroup.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein controlling the satellite constellation to continuously light up the one or more control channels in the geographic area comprises:

controlling the satellite constellation to continuously light up one or more control channels that are shared by a plurality of talkgroups including the talkgroup, such that the one or more control channels provide information about one or more talkgroups other than the talkgroup.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein controlling the satellite constellation to continuously light up the one or more control channels in the geographic area comprises:

controlling a satellite of the satellite constellation to continuously light up one control channel in each beam provided by the satellite that covers the geographic area.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein controlling the satellite constellation to continuously light up the one or more control channels in the geographic area comprises:

controlling the satellite constellation to continuously light up at least one control channel in each beam provided by the satellite constellation that covers the geographic area, such that the one or more control channels are available to the entire geographic area while the satellite constellation continuously lights up the one or more control channels in the geographic area.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining that the talkgroup is no longer a “

warm”

talkgroup; and

in response to determining that the talkgroup is no longer a “

warm”

talkgroup, controlling the satellite constellation to stop continuously lighting up the one or more control channels in the geographic area.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining that the talkgroup has been inactive for at least a predetermined period of time;

in response to determining that the talkgroup has been inactive for at least the predetermined period of time, determining that the talkgroup is no longer a “

warm”

talkgroup;

in response to determining that the talkgroup is no longer a “

warm”

talkgroup, controlling the satellite constellation to stop continuously lighting up the one or more control channels in the geographic area.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein controlling the satellite constellation to continuously light up the one or more control channels in the geographic area comprises:

controlling the satellite constellation to establish a direct and continuous connection, using the one or more control channels, with each communication device of a plurality of communication devices disposed in the geographic area.

11. A system comprising:

a satellite constellation configured to provide communications for a talkgroup; and

a controller configured to control the satellite constellation,

wherein the controller is configured to;

receive information specifying a geographic area for the talkgroup;

receive information specifying that the talkgroup is a “

warm”

talkgroup;

in response to receiving the information specifying that the talkgroup is a “

warm”

talkgroup, control the satellite constellation to continuously light up one or more control channels in the geographic area, the one or more control channels being control channels for the talkgroup;

receive a request to instantiate the talkgroup via a control channel of the one or more control channels;

in response to receiving the request to instantiate the talkgroup via the control channel, control the satellite constellation to continuously light up one or more traffic channels in the geographic area, the one or more traffic channels being traffic channels for the talkgroup;

determine that the talkgroup is inactive; and

in response to determining that the talkgroup is inactive, control the satellite constellation to stop continuously lighting up the one or more traffic channels in the geographic area while continuing to continuously light up the one or more control channels in the geographic area.

12. The system of claim 11,

wherein the satellite constellation comprises:

a first satellite; and

a second satellite, and

wherein, when controlling the satellite constellation to continuously light up the one or more control channels in the geographic area, the controller is configured to;

determine that the first satellite is responsible for providing talkgroup coverage for the geographic area;

in response to determining that the first satellite is responsible for providing talkgroup coverage for the geographic area, control the first satellite to continuously light up the one or more control channels in the geographic area;

determine that the first satellite has moved to a new location such that the first satellite is no longer responsible for providing talkgroup coverage for the geographic area; and

in response to determining that the first satellite has moved to the new location such that the first satellite is no longer responsible for providing talkgroup coverage for the geographic area;

determine that the second satellite is responsible for providing talkgroup coverage for the geographic area;

control the second satellite to continuously light up the one or more control channels in the geographic area; and

control the first satellite to stop continuously lighting up the one or more control channels in the geographic area.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein, when controlling the satellite constellation to continuously light up the one or more control channels in the geographic area, the controller is configured to:

control the satellite constellation to continuously light up one or more control channels that are unique to the talkgroup, such that the one or more control channels do not provide information about any talkgroup other than the talkgroup.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein, when controlling the satellite constellation to continuously light up the one or more control channels in the geographic area, the controller is configured to:

control the satellite constellation to continuously light up one or more control channels that are shared by a plurality of talkgroups including the talkgroup, such that the one or more control channels provide information about one or more talkgroups other than the talkgroup.

15. The system of claim 11,

wherein the satellite constellation comprises:

a satellite configured to generate a plurality of beams, and

wherein, when controlling the satellite constellation to continuously light up the one or more control channels in the geographic area, the controller is configured to;

control the satellite to continuously light up one control channel in each beam of the plurality of beams provided by the satellite that covers the geographic area.

16. The system of claim 11,

wherein the satellite constellation is configured to generate a plurality of beams, and

wherein, when controlling the satellite constellation to continuously light up one or more control channels in the geographic area, the controller is configured to:

control the satellite constellation to continuously light up at least one control channel in each beam of the plurality of beams provided by the satellite constellation that covers the geographic area, such that the control channel is available to the entire geographic area while the satellite constellation continuously lights up the one or more control channels in the geographic area.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine that the talkgroup is no longer a “

warm”

talkgroup; and

in response to determining that the talkgroup is no longer a “

warm”

talkgroup, control the satellite constellation to stop continuously lighting up the one or more control channels in the geographic area.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine that the talkgroup has been inactive for at least a predetermined period of time;

in response to determining that the talkgroup has been inactive for at least the predetermined period of time, determine that the talkgroup is no longer a “

warm”

talkgroup;

in response to determining that the talkgroup is no longer a “

warm”

talkgroup, control the satellite constellation to stop continuously lighting up the one or more control channels in the geographic area.

19. The system of claim 11,

wherein the satellite constellation is configured to generate a plurality of beams including a plurality of carrier channels,

wherein, when controlling the satellite constellation to continuously light up the one or more traffic channels in the geographic area, the controller is configured to:

continuously light up one or more carrier channels of the plurality of carrier channels as the one or more traffic channels for the talkgroup, each of the one or more carrier channels corresponding to a respective one of the one or more traffic channels, and

wherein the controller is further configured to;

light up the one or more carrier channels as one or more traffic channels for another talkgroup while the one or more carrier channels are not being lit up as the one or more traffic channels for the talkgroup.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the satellite constellation comprises a plurality of Low Earth Orbiting satellites.