Channel allocation mechanism
First Claim
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1. A communication system of at least two communication channels having at least two formats of messages to be sent from a central controller to a plurality of subscriber units, the communication system comprising:
- means for receiving a report of at least one significant message event;
means, coupled to said means for receiving, for maintaining an inbound queue for a first communication channel, said inbound queue able to contain an identification of at least one subscriber unit requesting inbound communications in either or both of the at least two formats of messages and associating at least one queue timer with said identification;
means, coupled to said means for receiving, for maintaining an outbound queue for said first communication channel, said outbound queue able to contain an identification of at least one subscriber unit requesting outbound communications in either or both of the at least two formats of messages and associating at least one queue timer with said identification;
means, coupled to said means for receiving, for modifying said inbound queue and said outbound queue;
means, coupled to said means for maintaining an inbound queue and said means for maintaining an outbound queue, for analyzing said inbound queue and said outbound queue to determine utilization of said first communication channel; and
means, coupled to said means for analyzing, for releasing said first communication channel.
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Abstract
A channel allocation mechanism especially useful in a trunked communication system that can accommodate both voice and data signals, and that operates in true trunked manner to efficiently utilize spectral resources.
49 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A communication system of at least two communication channels having at least two formats of messages to be sent from a central controller to a plurality of subscriber units, the communication system comprising:
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means for receiving a report of at least one significant message event; means, coupled to said means for receiving, for maintaining an inbound queue for a first communication channel, said inbound queue able to contain an identification of at least one subscriber unit requesting inbound communications in either or both of the at least two formats of messages and associating at least one queue timer with said identification; means, coupled to said means for receiving, for maintaining an outbound queue for said first communication channel, said outbound queue able to contain an identification of at least one subscriber unit requesting outbound communications in either or both of the at least two formats of messages and associating at least one queue timer with said identification; means, coupled to said means for receiving, for modifying said inbound queue and said outbound queue; means, coupled to said means for maintaining an inbound queue and said means for maintaining an outbound queue, for analyzing said inbound queue and said outbound queue to determine utilization of said first communication channel; and means, coupled to said means for analyzing, for releasing said first communication channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of channel allocation in a communication system of at least two communication channels having at least two formats of messages to be sent from a central controller to a plurality of subscriber units, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a report of at least one significant message event; maintaining, responsive to said receiving, an inbound queue containing for a first communication channel, said inbound queue able to contain an identification of at least one subscriber unit requesting inbound communications in either or both of the at least two formats of messages and associating at least one queue timer with said at least one identification and associating a message counter with said identification; maintaining, responsive to said receiving, an outbound queue for said first communication channel, said outbound queue able to contain an identification of at least one subscriber unit requesting outbound communications in either or both of the at least two formats of messages and associating at least one queue timer with said identification; modifying, responsive to said receiving, said inbound queue and said outbound queue; analyzing, responsive to said maintaining an inbound queue and said maintaining an outbound queue, said inbound queue and said outbound queue to determine utilization of said first communications channel; and
releasing, responsive to said analyzing, said first communication channel. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A communication system of at least two communication channels having at least two formats of messages to be sent from a central controller to a plurality of subscriber units, the communication system comprising:
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means for receiving a report of at least one significant message event; means for evaluating said report of at least one significant message event; means, coupled to said means for evaluating, for marking a first communication channel with a channel state; means, coupled to said means for evaluating, for maintaining an inbound queue for said first communication channel, said inbound queue able to contain an identification of at least one subscriber unit requesting inbound communications in either or both of the at least two formats of messages and associating at least one queue timer with said identification; means, coupled to said means for evaluating, for maintaining an outbound queue for said first communication channel, said outbound queue able to contain an identification of at least one subscriber unit requesting outbound communications in either or both of the at least two formats of messages and associating at least one queue timer with said identification; means, coupled to said means for evaluating, for adding said identification to said inbound queue when appropriate; means, coupled to said means for evaluating for adding said identification to said outbound queue when appropriate; means, coupled to said means for evaluating, for deleting said identification from said inbound queue when appropriate; means, coupled to said means for evaluating, for deleting said identification from said outbound queue when appropriate; means, coupled to said means for receiving, for maintaining an inbound queue for a second communication channel; means, coupled to said means for evaluating, for checking for said identification in said inbound queue for said second communication channel; means, coupled to said means for checking, for causing said identification to be removed from said inbound queue for said second communication channel; means for indicating that a unit is ready to receive; means, coupled to said means for indicating, for removing said identification from said inbound queue; means for adding said identification to an outbound queue; means, coupled to said means for evaluating, for examining said channel state of said first communication channel; means, coupled to said means for examining, for analyzing said inbound queue and said outbound queue to determine utilization of said first communication channel; and means, coupled to said means for analyzing, for releasing said first communication channel.
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20. A method of channel allocation in a communication system of at least two communication channels having at least two formats of messages to be sent from a central controller to a plurality of subscriber units, comprising the steps off
receiving a report of at least one significant message event; -
evaluating said report of at least one significant message event; marking a first communication channel with a channel state, responsive to said evaluating; maintaining, responsive to said evaluating, an inbound queue for said first communication channel, said inbound queue able to contain an identification of at least one subscriber unit requesting inbound communications in either or both of the at least two formats of messages and associating at least one queue timer with said identification; maintaining, responsive to said evaluating, an inbound queue for said first communication channel, said inbound queue able to contain an identification of at least one subscriber unit requesting inbound communications in either or both of the at least two formats of messages and associating at least one queue timer with said identification; adding, responsive to said evaluating, said identification to said inbound queue when appropriate; adding, responsive to said evaluating, said identification to said outbound queue when appropriate; deleting, responsive to said evaluating, said identification from said inbound queue when appropriate; deleting, responsive to said evaluating, said identification from said outbound queue when appropriate; maintaining an inbound queue for a second communication channel; checking, responsive to said evaluating, for said identification in said inbound queue for said second communication channel; causing said identification to be removed from said inbound queue for said second communication channel; means for indicating that a unit is ready to receive; removing, responsive to said indicating, said identification from said inbound queue; adding said identification to an outbound queue; examining, responsive to said evaluating, said channel state of said first communication channel; analyzing, responsive to said examining, said inbound queue and said outbound queue to determine utilization of said first communication channel; and releasing, responsive to said analyzing, said first communication channel.
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21. A communication system of at least two communication channels having at least two formats of messages to be sent from a central controller to a plurality of subscriber units, the communication system comprising:
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means for receiving a grant for a first channel for a subscriber unit having an identification; means, coupled to said means for receiving, for adding said identification to an inbound queue for said first channel; means, coupled to said means for adding, for starting an inbound timer associated with said identification and having a first time value; means for receiving an inbound message; means, coupled to said means for receiving said inbound message, for setting said inbound timer with a second time value; and means for removing said identification from said inbound queue whenever said inbound timer expires. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of channel allocation in a communication system of at least one communication channel having at least two formats of messages to be sent from a central controller to a plurality of subscriber units, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a grant for a first channel for a subscriber unit having an identification; adding, responsive to said receiving, said identification to an inbound queue for said first channel; starting, responsive to said adding, an inbound timer associated with said identification and having a first time value; receiving an inbound message; setting, responsive to said receiving said inbound message, said inbound timer with a second time value; and removing said identification from said inbound queue whenever said inbound timer expires. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification