Location-based call management for geographically-distributed communication systems

• US 20030058824A1
• Filed: 09/25/2001
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Petterson, John Allen, Biggs, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US09/962,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20030058824A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems

Abstract

Location-based call management methods for geographically-distributed communication systems, including conventional (FIG. 1) and trunking (FIG. 3) systems operable in full duplex mode. A base station controller (111) of a conventional system receives (202) a message, determines (204) a message priority and sends (210, 214, 220) the message to recipient devices selected from among a console (122), local base station (101) and adjacent base station(s) (102, 103) based on the message priority. A zone controller (308) of a trunking system determines an associated site (301) and one or more adjacent sites (302, 303) for a prospective talkgroup call and, based on availability (406, 416, 428) of resources, assigns (424, 432) site(s) to the call. A mobile communication device (320) determines (506, 510) a selected site and adjacent site(s) and respective talkgroups, affiliates (508) with the selected site talkgroup and enters (512) the adjacent site talkgroup(s) in a scan list. Thereafter, the communication device is able to receive (518) calls for the affiliated or adjacent site talkgroups.

Claims

1. In a communication system providing group dispatch communication capability for a plurality of communication devices linked to a controller by one or more communication paths, a method comprising the controller performing steps of:

receiving, from a sourcing communication device of the plurality of communication devices, a message comprising one or more packets;

determining, based on a priority of the sourcing communication device, a message priority;

sending the message, via one or more of the communication paths, to a number of recipient communication devices of the plurality of communication devices, if the recipient communication devices are not already being sent a higher priority message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the recipient communication devices include at least one console, the step of sending a message comprising:

sending the message to the at least one console if it is not already being sent a higher priority message and if it is not the sourcing communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the recipient communication devices include a local base station, the step of sending a message comprising:

sending the message to the local base station if it is not already being sent a higher priority message.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the recipient communication devices further include at least one adjacent base station, the step of sending a message comprising:

sending the message to the at least one adjacent base station if it is not already being sent a higher priority message and if it is not the sourcing communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more packets comprise audio packets.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more packets comprise data packets.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more packets comprise control signaling packets.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a base station controller of a non-trunked communication system.

9. In a communication system including a plurality of base sites having geographically distributed coverage areas, the base sites providing group dispatch communication capability for communication devices distributed among the coverage areas, a method comprising:

receiving, from a first member of a first talkgroup, a request for a prospective talkgroup call;

identifying a site of the plurality of base sites associated with the prospective talkgroup call, defining an associated site;

determining an availability of resources at the associated site;

in response to a positive determination of availability at the associated site,

assigning the associated site to support the call;

identifying one or more sites of the plurality of base sites in a window of proximity to the associated site, defining adjacent sites;

determining an availability of resources at the adjacent sites; and

in response to a positive determination of availability at one or more of the adjacent sites, assigning the one or more adjacent sites to support the call.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of determining an availability of resources at the associated site comprises:

determining that resources at the associated site are being used for an active talkgroup call of the first talkgroup, sourced by a second member of the first talkgroup;

determining priorities of the first member and second member;

if the first member is higher priority than the second member, assigning the first member to replace the second member as source of the active talkgroup call, and making a positive determination of availability.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising,

if the first member is lower priority than the second member, making a negative determination of availability;

and rejecting the request for a prospective talkgroup call.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of determining an availability of resources at the associated site comprises:

determining that resources at the associated site are being used for an active talkgroup call of a second talkgroup;

determining priorities of the first talkgroup and second talkgroup;

if the first talkgroup is higher priority than the second talkgroup, pre-empting the active call of the second talkgroup, thereby causing resources to become available for the first talkgroup; and

making a positive determination of availability.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising,

if the first talkgroup is lower priority than the second talkgroup, making a negative determination of availability;

and busying the request until such time as resources become available for the prospective call.

14. In a communication system including a plurality of base sites having geographically distributed coverage areas, a method comprising a communication device eligible for movement between the coverage areas performing steps of:

selecting a local site of the plurality of base sites, thereby defining a selected site;

identifying a talkgroup associated with the selected site;

registering affiliation with the talkgroup, the talkgroup thereby defining an affiliated talkgroup;

identifying one or more sites of the plurality of base sites in a window of proximity to the selected site, defining one or more adjacent sites;

identifying, for each of the one or more adjacent sites, an associated talkgroup, thereby defining one or more adjacent site talkgroups;

upon receiving a call grant message indicative of a talkgroup call for the affiliated talkgroup, selecting a communication resource that enables the communication device to receive the call; and

upon receiving a call grant message indicative of a talkgroup call for an adjacent site talkgroup, selecting a communication resource that enables the communication device to receive the call unless the communication device is presently receiving a call for the affiliated talkgroup.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of selecting a communication resource comprises selecting at least one of:

a radio channel and timeslot identified in the call grant message.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of selecting a communication resource comprises joining a multicast group address identified in the call grant message.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein, in response to defining one or more adjacent site talkgroups, the communication device stores indicia of the adjacent site talkgroups in a scan list, the communication device being operable, in a scan mode, to access the one or more of the adjacent site talkgroups identified in the scan list.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein, before storing indicia of the adjacent site talkgroups in a scan list, the communication device clears the scan list of any previous indicia of adjacent site talkgroups.