Multiple protocol land mobile radio system

• US 20080031207A1
• Filed: 08/07/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eagle Technology, LLC (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: M/A Com
• Inventors: Martinez, Dennis Michael, Vaughan, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,194,682 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• 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

Abstract

A multiple protocol land mobile radio (LMR) and a method for communicating LMR content are provided. The method includes communicating the LMR content using a plurality of LMR transport protocols within a single LMR network. The method further includes encapsulating the LMR content based on an LMR application layer protocol for a portion of the single LMR network through which the LMR content is to be communicated.

Claims

1. A method for communicating land mobile radio (LMR) content, said method comprising:

communicating the LMR content using a plurality of LMR transport protocols within a single LMR network; and

encapsulating the LMR content based on an LMR application layer protocol for a portion of the single LMR network through which the LMR content is to be communicated.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising using a multi-layer protocol stack for communicating the LMR content.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein the multi-layer protocol stack comprises an LMR application layer and an LMR transport layer.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein the protocol for the LMR application layer is different than the protocol for the LMR transport layer.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the LMR content comprises content defining at least one of LMR services, operations and controls and including at least one of voice data, emergency signal data, control data relating to selecting a particular talk group, LMR data for transfer between a radio unit and a server and reprogramming data.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising performing end-to-end encryption between a plurality of LMR units.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising performing end-to-end digital voice encoding between a plurality of LMR units.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising configuring the LMR content for communication using one of a Project 25 (TIA 102) protocol, an ETSI TETRA airlink protocol, an OpenSky proprietary format, an EDACS proprietary format, and a NetworkFirst format.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising automatically selecting the transport protocol.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising selecting the transport protocol based on a user input.

11. A wireless communication system comprising:

a land mobile radio (LMR) infrastructure configured to communicate with a plurality of LMR units within a plurality of coverage areas of an LMR system, at least some of the plurality of coverage areas having different transport protocols; and

an interface configured to process received LMR content that is encapsulated using a first LMR transport protocol and reencapsulate the LMR content for communication using a second LMR transport protocol.

12. A wireless communication system in accordance with claim 11 wherein the LMR infrastructure is configured to communicate the LMR content using a multi-layer protocol stack.

13. A wireless communication system in accordance with claim 11 wherein the LMR infrastructure is configured to communicate using one of a Project 25 (TIA 102) protocol, an ETSI TETRA airlink protocol, an OpenSky proprietary format, an EDACS proprietary format, and a NetworkFirst format.

14. A wireless communication system in accordance with claim 11 wherein the LMR infrastructure is configured to communicate LMR content comprising content defining at least one of LMR services, operations and controls and including at least one of voice data, emergency signal data, control data relating to selecting a particular talk group, LMR data for transfer between a radio unit and a server and reprogramming data.

15. A wireless communication system in accordance with claim 11 wherein an application layer and a transport layer of the LMR content are configured based on different LMR protocols.

16. A land mobile radio (LMR) unit comprising:

at least one voice encode/decoder; and

a plurality of modems connected to the at least one voice encoder/decoder, the plurality of modems each configured to communicate using a different LMR transport protocol.

17. An LMR unit in accordance with claim 16 further comprising an LMR transport layer module configured to provide the transport layer protocol for communication.

18. An LMR unit in accordance with claim 17 further comprising an LMR encapsulation module configured to encapsulate LMR content to be communicated based on a selected application layer protocol.

19. An LMR unit in accordance with claim 17 further comprising an LMR application layer module configured to provide an application layer protocol for communication.

20. An LMR unit in accordance with claim 19 wherein the transport layer protocol is different than the application layer protocol.