Satellite trunked radio service system

• US 6,477,370 B1
• Filed: 07/13/1998
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Motient Services, Inc.
• Inventors: Sigler, C. Edward, Sweet, Richard S.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH C
• Application Number:
  US09/114,289
• Time in Patent Office: 1,576 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 455/426, 455/428, 455/430, 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/422, 455/450, 455/452, 455/509, 455/510, 455/511, 455/512, 455/517, 455/518, 455/524, 455/62, 455/67.1
• US Class Current: 455/427
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18539 Arrangements for managing radio, resources, i.e. for establishing or releasing a connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18567 Arrangements for providing additional services to the basic mobile satellite telephony service
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18578 Satellite systems for providing broadband data service to individual earth stations for selecting H04W; provisions for broadband connection, H04Q11/0478

Abstract

In a mobile communication system, a system for providing communication between multiple users in a closed user group arrangement includes, for example, first and second mobile earth terminals (METS) registering with the mobile system. The first MET selects a closed user group network identifier (NET ID) representing a NET group to establish voice communication therewith and transmits the NET ID to a controller. The controller receives the NET ID from the first MET, validates the first MET for communication, validates the NET ID, allocates a frequency for the NET group, and broadcasts the message to the NET group informing the NET group of the allocated frequency. The second MET tunes to the frequency in response to the message broadcast by the central controller. The closed user group arrangement provides security measures to ensure only authorized METs gain access to the NET group, dual standby mode of operation, and/or priority default operation.

Claims

1. In a mobile communication system including at least one satellite for receiving/transmitting a message from/to a mobile communication system, a method of providing priority access to a closed user group communication, comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting a NET radio request indicating the NET radio is being requested for a NET group associated therewith;

(b) allocating a frequency for the NET radio, and transmitting the frequency to the NET group;

(c) tuning by the NET group to the frequency in response to said allocating step (b); and

(d) accessing by the NET group on a priority basis the closed user group communication responsive to issuance of a priority message for priority access thereto;

(e) executing the closed user group communication responsive to said accessing step (d).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one controller controls the closed user group communication including NET radio parameters used by at least first and second METs.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one controller selectively downloads the NET IDs to first and second METs according to predetermined user criteria.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the at least one controller collects billing information regarding the closed user group communication and transmits the billing information to the mobile satellite system, and wherein the mobile communication system charges a service fee to a customer that has requested the closed user group arrangement.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(1) accessing the mobile communication system via one of a public switched telephone network and a wireless network to initiate a closed user group communication with the NET group;

(2) transmitting the message to the NET group informing the NET group of the allocated frequency and the communication associated therewith; and

(3) tuning to the frequency in response to the message transmitted by the at least one controller to communicate closed user group arrangement.

6. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

(1) transmitting by the at least one controller a non-MET message to at least one of a public switched telephone network and a wireless network including the communication associated therewith; and

(2) the at least one of the public switched telephone network and the wireless network receiving the non-MET message from the at least one controller and transmitting the non-MET message to a non-MET to establish the closed user group arrangement between the MET and the non-MET.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first MET includes a push to talk (PTT) device for generating the release of speaker message, and wherein said method further comprises the steps of the first MET activating the PTT device generating a PTT signal only when the PTT device is activated after a current speaker is one of vacant or the first MET, relieving congestion on the satellite by selectively transmitting the PTT signal.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein when the first MET activates the PTT device before one of the current speaker is vacant and the first MET, the first MET ignores the activation of the PTT device.

9. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of the at least one controller selectively downloading monitor codes to the first and second METs according to predetermined user criteria.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the monitor codes functioning to lock at least one of the first and second METs to the NET group preventing the NET group from being released when no request has been made by one of the first and second METs to be the current speaker after a predetermined period of time.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the NET group comprises at least first and second METS, and wherein said method further comprises the step of controlling the closed user group communication including NET radio parameters used by at least first and second METs.

12. In a mobile satellite system including at least one satellite for receiving/transmitting a message from/to a mobile communication system, a method of providing secure access to a closed user group communication, comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting a NET radio request indicating the NET radio is being requested for a NET group associated therewith;

(b) allocating a frequency for the NET radio, and transmitting the frequency to the NET group;

(c) tuning by the NET group to the frequency in response to said allocating step (b); and

(d) accessing by the NET group the closed user group communication responsive to issuance of a security message for authorized access thereto;

(e) executing the closed user group communication responsive to said accessing step (d).

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the security message comprises a scrambling vector, and the scrambling vector is generated in accordance with the following steps:

(1) generating a first security key having first and second components using a first process having first and second input signals, the first input signal comprising a second security key and the second input signal comprising at least one of a transmit frequency and a receive frequency;

(2) generating the scrambling vector responsive to the first security key.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the security message is generated in accordance with the following steps:

(1) generating a first security key having first and second components using a first process having first and second input signals, the first input signal comprising a second security key and the second input signal comprising at least one of a transmit frequency and a receive frequency; and

(2) generating the security message responsive to at least one of the first and second components of the first security key.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the at least one of the transmit frequency and the receive frequency comprises both the transmit and receive frequencies.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the second input signal further comprises information received from a communication bulletin board in the mobile communication network system.

17. In a mobile satellite system including at least one satellite for receiving/transmitting a message from/to a mobile communication system, a method of providing communication between mobile earth terminals (METs) via a dual standby operation permitting communication alternately between a closed user group arrangement (NET radio) and a mobile telephone service (MTS), said method comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting, alternately or substantially simultaneously, a MTS request indicating the MTS is being requested or a NET radio request indicating the NET radio is being requested for a NET group associated therewith;

(b) allocating a frequency for at least one of the MTS and the NET radio, and transmitting the frequency to at least one of the METs and the NET group;

(c) tuning by the at least one of the METs and the NET group to the frequency in response to said allocating step (b); and

(d) at least one of the METs alternately selecting between the NET radio request representing the NET radio, and the MTS request representing the MTS.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the at least one controller controls the closed user group satellite communication including net radio parameters used by the first and second METs.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the at least one controller selectively downloads the NET IDs to the first and second METs according to predetermined user criteria.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the at least one controller collects billing information regarding the closed user group satellite communication and transmits the billing information to the mobile satellite system, and wherein the mobile satellite system charges a service fee to a customer that has requested the closed user group arrangement.

21. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

(1) a non-MET accessing the mobile satellite system via one of a public switched telephone network and a wireless network to initiate a communication with the NET group;

(2) the at least one controller transmitting the message to the NET group informing the NET group of the allocated frequency and the communication associated therewith; and

(3) the NET group tuning to the allocated frequency in response to the message to communicate with the non-MET in a substantially closed user group arrangement.

22. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

(1) the first MET selecting the NET ID representing the NET group including at least the first MET and a non-MET serviced by one of a public switched telephone network and a wireless network to establish communication therewith;

(2) the first MET transmitting the NET ID to the at least one controller;

(3) the at least one controller receiving the NET ID, determining that the NET group includes the non-MET, and transmitting a non-MET message to the one of the public switched telephone network and the wireless network including the communication associated therewith; and

(4) the one of the public switched telephone network and the wireless network receiving the non-MET message from the at least one controller and transmitting the non-MET message to the non-MET to establish the closed user group arrangement between the first MET and the non-MET.

23. The method according to claim 17, wherein the first MET includes a push to talk (PTT) device for generating the release of speaker message, and wherein said method further comprises the steps of the first MET activating the PTT device generating a PTT signal after the current speaker is one of vacant or the first MET, relieving congestion on the at least one satellite by selective transmission of the PTT signal.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein when the second MET activates the PTT device before one of the current speaker is vacant and the first MET, the method ignores the activation of the PTT device.

25. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of the at least one controller selectively downloading monitor codes to the first and second METs according to predetermined user criteria.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the monitor codes functioning to lock at least one of the first and second METs to the NET group preventing the NET group from being released when no request has been made by the first and second METs to be the current speaker after the predetermined period of time.

27. In a mobile satellite system including at least one satellite for receiving/transmitting a message from/to a mobile communication system, a system for providing communication between multiple users in a closed user group arrangement, comprising:

at least first and second mobile earth terminals (METs) responsively communicable in the mobile satellite system, and adapted to select a closed user group network identifier (NET ID) representing a NET group; and

at least one controller responsively connectable to the first and second METs via the at least one satellite,

wherein the at least one of the at least first and second METs adapted to transmit a priority message to at least one of the NET group and a priority NET group, and the at least one of the NET group and the priority NET group adapted to receive the priority message as the communication in the closed user group arrangement.

28. In a mobile satellite system including at least one satellite for receiving/transmitting a message from/to a mobile communication system, a system for providing communication between multiple users in a closed user group arrangement, comprising:

at least first and second mobile earth terminals (METs) responsively communicable in the mobile satellite system, and adapted to select a closed user group network identifier (NET ID) representing a NET group including at least the first and second METs; and

at least one controller responsively connectable to the first and second METs via the at least one satellite, the at least one controller adapted to receive the NET ID from the first MET, allocate a frequency for the NET group, and transmit the message to the NET group including the second MET to inform the NET group of the allocated frequency and the communication associated therewith, the second MET adapted to tune to the allocated frequency in response to receiving the message, and one of the at least first and second METs designatable as a speaker for the NET group,

wherein at least one of the first and second METs adapted to generate a security message for authorized access to the communication, and to tune to the allocated frequency for the NET group using the security message.

29. In a mobile satellite system including at least one satellite for receiving/transmitting a message from/to a mobile communication system, a system for providing satellite communication between multiple users in a closed user group arrangement, comprising:

at least first and second mobile earth terminals (METs) responsively communicable in the mobile satellite system, and adapted to select a closed user group network identifier (NET ID) representing a NET group including at least the first and second METs; and

at least one controller responsively connectable to the first and second METs via the at least one satellite, the at least one controller adapted to receive the NET ID from the first MET, allocate a frequency for the NET group, and transmit the message to the NET group including the second MET to inform the NET group of the allocated frequency and the communication associated therewith, the second MET adapted to tune to the frequency in response to receiving the message, and one of the at least first and second METs designatable as a speaker for the NET group,

wherein the system is further adapted to provide dual standby operation permitting communication between the at least one of the first and second METs in at least one of a closed user group arrangement (NET radio) and a mobile telephone service (MTS).

30. In a mobile communication system for receiving/transmitting a message from/to a mobile communication device, a system for providing communication between multiple users in a closed user group arrangement, comprising:

at least first and second mobile communication devices responsively communicable in the mobile communication system, and adapted to select a closed user group network identifier (NET ID) representing a NET group; and

at least one controller responsively connectable to the first and second mobile communication devices,

wherein the at least one of the at least first and second mobile communication devices adapted to transmit a priority message to at least one of the NET group and a priority NET group, and the at least one of the NET group and the priority NET group adapted to receive the priority message as the communication in the closed user group arrangement.

31. In a mobile communication system for receiving/transmitting a message, a system for providing communication between multiple users in a closed user group arrangement, comprising:

at least first and second mobile communication devices responsively communicable in the mobile communication system, and adapted to select a closed user group network identifier (NET ID) representing a NET group including at least the first and second METs; and

at least one controller responsively connectable to the first and second mobile communication devices, the at least one controller adapted to receive the NET ID from the first mobile communication device, allocate a frequency for the NET group, and transmit the message to the NET group to inform the NET group of the allocated frequency, the second mobile communication device adapted to tune to the allocated frequency in response to receiving the message, and one of the at least first and second mobile communication devices designatable as a speaker for the NET group,

wherein at least one of the first and second mobile communication devices adapted to generate a security message for authorized access to the communication, and to tune to the allocated frequency for the NET group using the security message.

32. In a mobile communication system including for receiving/transmitting a message, a system for providing communication between multiple users in a closed user group arrangement, comprising:

at least first and second mobile devices responsively communicable in the mobile communication system, and adapted to select a closed user group network identifier (NET ID) representing a NET group including at least the first and second mobile devices; and

at least one controller responsively connectable to the first and second mobile devices, the at least one controller adapted to receive the NET ID from the first mobile device, allocate a frequency for the NET group, and transmit the message to the NET group including the second mobile device to inform the NET group of the allocated frequency and the communication associated therewith, the second mobile device adapted to tune to the frequency in response to receiving the message, and one of the at least first and second mobile devices designatable as a speaker for the NET group,

wherein the system is further adapted to provide dual standby operation permitting communication between the at least one of the first and second mobile devices in at least one of the closed user group arrangement (NET radio) and a mobile telephone service (MTS).