Bulletin board resource for communication system access

• US 5,301,359 A
• Filed: 03/09/1993
• Issued: 04/05/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sarli, Anthony J. Jr., Sobti, Arun, Comroe, Richard A., Van den Heuvel, Anthony P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coles, Sr., Edward L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jackson, Jill
• Application Number:
  US08/076,924
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• Field of Search: 455/33, 455/54, 455/56, 455/9, 455/88, 455/854, 455/156, 455/34.1, 455/2, 455/56.1, 455/15, 455/33.1, 455/38.4, 455/54.1, 455/54.2, 340/825.44, 370/95.2, 370/95.1, 379/59, 379/60, 358/85
• US Class Current: 455/524
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information

Abstract

A bulletin board communication resource provides a message to communication units regarding available communication systems in a particular geographic area. The bulletin board resource also supports registration of the communication unit with one or more of these systems as selected by the communication unit.

Claims

1. A method of providing communication system access for a 2-way wireless radio frequency (RF) communication unit as between at least two RF communication systems, wherein the at least two RF communication systems are independent of one another, and wherein each communication supported by the at least two RF communication systems necessarily includes an RF wireless communication link, comprising the steps of:

A) monitoring, by the 2-way wireless RF communication unit, an RF bulletin board resource to obtain information regarding each of the at least two RF communication systems;

B) transmitting to the 2-way wireless RF communication unit on the RF bulletin board resource registration information of at least one of the at least two RF communication systems.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least two RF communication systems have differing operating characteristics.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the RF bulletin board resource is substantially independent of all of the at least two RF communication systems.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of monitoring includes obtaining the information in the form of a data message.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting includes transmitting the information as a data message.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the information monitored and the information transmitted is monitored and transmitted as data messages.

7. The method of claim 1 and further including the step of:

C) receiving on the RF bulletin board resource information regarding acknowledgment of the registration information.

8. The method of claim 7 and further comprising the step of:

D) beginning communications operation on at least one of the at least two RF communications systems for which registration information was transmitted.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the monitoring information obtained in the monitoring step includes at least identification information of the at least two RF communication systems.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of monitoring includes the step of:

A1) displaying at least part of the identification information.

11. A method of providing to a 2-way wireless radio frequency (RF) communication unit information regarding communication system capabilities for at least a first and second RF communication systems, wherein the first and second RF communication systems are independent from one another and have differing operating characteristics, and wherein each communication supported by the first and second RF communication systems necessarily includes an RF wireless communication link, comprising the steps of:

A) monitoring an RF bulletin board resource that is independent of both the first and second RF communication systems;

B) receiving information on the RF bulletin board resource regarding at least the first and second RF communication systems.

12. A method of enabling a 2-way wireless radio frequency (RF) communication unit, comprising the steps of:

A) locating, via the 2-way wireless RF communication unit, an RF bulletin board resource that transmits information regarding a plurality of independent available RF communication systems, wherein each communication supported by the at least two RF communication systems necessarily includes an RF wireless communication link;

B) receiving the information;

C) selecting, via the 2-way wireless RF communication unit, at least one desired RF communication system from said plurality of independent available RF communication systems.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the RF bulletin board resource is substantially independent of the available RF communication systems.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of receiving the information includes the step of:

B1) providing a display related at least in part to at least some of the information.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of selecting includes the step of:

C1) providing a display providing information relating to the at least one RF desired communication system.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of receiving the information includes the step of providing a display of at least some of the information, and wherein the step of selecting includes a step of providing a display regarding the at least one desired RF communication system.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of selecting further includes the step of receiving an acknowledgment of a request to operate on the at least one desired RF communication system.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of selecting further includes the step of locating the desired RF communication system and beginning operation as an RF communication unit within that RF communication system.

20. The method of claim 12 and including the further the steps of:

D) determining that the desired RF communication system is unavailable;

E) repeating from step A.

17. A method of enabling a 2-way wireless radio frequency (RF) communication unit, comprising:

A) locating an RF bulletin board resource that transmits information regarding a plurality of independent available RF communication systems, wherein each communication supported by the at least two RF communication systems necessarily includes an RF wireless communication link;

B) receiving the information;

C) selecting at least one desired RF communication system, wherein the step of selecting includes a step of transmitting a request to operate on the at least one desired RF communication system.

21. A 2-way wireless radio frequency (RF) communication unit capable of compatibly operating in a plurality of RF communication systems that have different operating characteristics from one another, wherein each communication supported by the at least two RF communication systems necessarily includes an RF wireless communication link, the 2-way wireless RF communication unit comprising:

A) transceiver means for allowing the 2-way wireless RF communication unit to transceive on at least some RF communication resources;

B) control means for controlling the transceiver means by selectively;

i) causing the transceiver means to communicate on an RF bulletin board resource to obtain information regarding available RF communication systems that are independent from one another;

ii) causing the transceiver means to communicate on the RF bulletin board resource to select at least one of the available RF communication systems; and

iii) causing the transceiver means to communicate on an RF communication resource associated with said selected at least one of said available RF communication systems.

22. The 2-way wireless RF communication unit of claim 21 wherein the 2-way wireless RF communication unit further includes display means responsive to the control means for displaying at least some information regarding said available RF communication systems.

23. The 2-way wireless RF communication unit of claim 22 wherein the display means further displays information regarding said selected at least one of said available RF communication systems.

24. A method for providing communication system access for a 2-way wireless radio frequency (RF) communication unit as between at least two RF communication systems, wherein the at least two RF communication systems are independent of one another and the at least two RF communication systems provide one or more RF communications service, and wherein each communication supported by the at least two RF communication systems necessarily includes an RF wireless communication link, comprising the steps of:

A) monitoring an RF bulletin board resource to obtain information regarding at least one of the one or more RF communication services offered by each of the at least two RF communication systems;

B) transmitting on the RF bulletin board resource registration information for at least one RF communication service of the at least two RF communication systems.