United States Patent [19]
`Childress et al.
`
`[54] DYNAMIC REGROUPING IN A TRUNKED
`RADIO COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM
`
`[75] Inventors: Jeffrey S. Childress; David L. Hattey,
`both of Lynchburg, Va.
`
`[73] Assignee:
`
`General Electric Company,
`Lynchburg, Va.
`[21] Appl. No.: 229,814
`[22] Filed:
`Aug. 8, 1988
`
`[51] Int. Cl.5 ............................................. .. H04B 7/15
`[52] US. Cl. ................................... .. 455/111; 455/17;
`455/341; 455/561; 379/63
`[58] Field of Search .................................. .. 455/33-34,
`455/11-12, 17, 56, 51, 54; 379/57-59, 63, 60;
`340/825.01, 825.05, 825.52, 825.44; 370/951,
`110.1; 375/114, 107, 108
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`[56]
`
`3,292,178 12/1966 Magnuski ............................ .. 455/38
`3,458,664 7/1969 Adlhoch et al. .
`379/63
`
`3,571,519 3/1971 Tsimbidis . . . . . . . . . . . . .
`
`. . . .. 379/63
`
`3,696,210 10/1972 Peterson et a1. .
`3,801,956 4/1974 Braun et a]. .... ..
`
`....... .. 370/13
`.. 364/7151]
`
`3,898,390 8/1975 Wells et a1. . . . . . .
`
`. . . . . . . .. 379/59
`
`379/60
`3,906,166 9/1975 Cooper et a].
`379/63
`3,936,616 2/1976 DiGian?lippo
`3,970,801 7/1976 Ross et a]. ........................... .. 379/63
`(List continued on next page.)
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`61-102836(A) l/l986 Japan.
`wos701s37 5/1987 PCT 1m'1 Appl..
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`Federal Information Processing Standards, Pub. No.46,
`Data Encryption Standard, US Dept of Comm, NTIS,
`(5285 Port Royal Rd., Spring?eld, Va 22161 “Voice
`and Data Transmission”, Arrendondo, Teggeler and
`Smith, Bell Systems Technology Journal, vol. 58, No. 1,
`Jan. 1978, pp. 97-122.
`_
`“AmeriCom’s Network Switch”, product brochure,‘
`
`lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
`5,117,501
`May 26, 1992
`
`USOOSl 17501A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`Jan. 26, 1988, AmeriCom Corporation, Atlanta, Geor
`gia 30340.
`“AmeriCom’s Network Supervisor”, product bro
`chures, Jan. 26, 1988, AmeriCom Corporation, Atlanta,
`Georgia 30340.
`_
`“Motorola Announces the Syntor X 9000B Mobile
`Radio for SMARTNET Systems;” Motorola, Inc.,
`Shaumburg, 11 60196; press release of Aug. 6, 1987; and
`Motorola Introduces SMARTNET MOSTAR Mobile
`Radio for Trunked and Conventional 800 MHz Sys
`tems, press release of Jun. 27, 1986.
`Press Release dated Jun. 14, 1988 by Motorola, Inc.
`entitled “406-420 MHz ‘Secure’ SMARTNET Systems
`Trunked Communications for Federal Government
`Users”.
`Primary Examiner-Reinhard J. Eisenzopf
`Assistant Examiner-Andrew Faile
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Nixon & Vanderhye
`[57]
`ABSTRACT
`In a trunked radio frequency communications system, a
`dynamic regrouping scheme includes an effective user
`interface, automatic support of multi-site systems, the
`capability to program individual radio transceivers with
`multiple new groups dynamically, a fast rate of recon
`?guration, instantaneous switch over to prevent radios
`from residing in immature groups, and a satisfactory
`mode of operation should the site controller (or site
`controllers in non-fault tolerant systems) fail. Some of
`the dynamic regrouping features includes unlimited
`prestored plans and source and destination groups per
`plan, regrouping at the plan or destination group level,
`an advanced user interface, automatic support of multi
`ple sites, fast regrouping at the rate of over 30 radios per
`second while reducing loading on the system control
`channel, and fast activation/deactivation. Each plan
`can be immediately activated or deactivated and users
`are effectively regrouped together. An alternate control
`channel is used to regroup transceivers to avoid undue
`main control channel loading and to increase rate of
`regrouping.
`
`30 Claims, 12 Drawing Sheets
`
`Petitioner Cox Communications - Exhibit 1016 Page 1
`
`

`
`5,117,501
`Page 2
`
`US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`-
`4,001,693 1/1977 Stackhouse et a1. ................ .. 455/51
`4,010,327 3/1977 Kobrinetz et a1.
`.. 379/58
`4,012,597 3/1977 Lynk, Jr. et a1. .
`.. 455/53
`4,022,973 5/1977 Stackhouse
`375/114
`4,027,243 5/1977 Stackhouse
`375/114
`4,029,901 6/1977 Campbell ............................ .. 379/58
`4,128,740 12/1978 Graziano ............................. .. 455/33
`4,131,849 12/1978 Freeburg et a1. .
`375/5
`4,152,647 5/1979 Gladden et a1.
`.. 455/11
`4,184,118 1/1980 Cannalte et a1. .................... .. 370/77
`4,231,114 10/1980 Dolikian .............................. .. 455/49
`4,267,593 5/1981 Craiglow
`.. 370/62
`4,309,772 1/1982 Kloker et a1. ..
`375/76
`4,312,070 1/1982 Coombes et a1.
`.. 371/391
`4,312,074 1/1982 Pauller et a1.
`375/96
`4,322,576 3/1982 Miller ........ ..
`.. 380/29
`4,326,264 4/1982 Cohen et a1.
`364/900
`4,339,823 7/1982 Predina et a1. .
`.. 375/20
`4,347,625 8/1982 Williams
`_ 455/17
`4,360,927 11/1982 Bowen et a1. ..
`455/17
`4,369,443 1/1983 Giallanza et al.
`340/825.47
`
`455/7
`4,409,687 10/1983 Berti et a1. ....... ..
`380/33
`4,418,425 11/1983 Fennel, Jr. et a1.
`. 340/825.52
`4,427,980 1/1984 Fennel et a1. .... ..
`..... .. 375/5
`4,430,742 2/1984 Milleker et a1.
`. 455/77
`4,430,755 2/1984 Nadir et al.
`307/358
`4,433,256 2/1984 Dolikian .... ..
`380/48
`4,434,323 2/1984 Levine et a1.
`375/104
`4,450,573 5/1984 Noble ........ ..
`455/33
`4,485,486 11/1984 Webb et a1. .
`.. 340/825.07
`4,517,561 5/1985 Burke et a1. .
`. . . .. 455/17
`4,534,061 8/1985 Ulug . . . . . . . .
`. 455/15
`4,553,262 11/1985 Coe ........ ..
`‘155/34
`4,573,206 2/1986 Gravel c‘ 31
`...... .. 455/15
`4,578,815 3/1986 Persinotti
`. 340/825.07
`4,594,591 6/1986 Burke ........ ..
`455/33
`4,612,415 9/1986 Zdunek et a1.
`4,649,567 3/1987 Childress ............................. .. 455/17
`4,658,435 4/ 1987 Childress et a1. ................... .. 455/17
`4,682,367 7/1987 Childress et a1.
`455/17
`4,698,805 10/1987 Sasuta et a1. . . . .
`. . . .. 370/97
`4,716,407 12/1987 Borras et a1. ................. .. 340/82504
`4,723,266 2/1988 Perry ................................ .. 379/60
`4,817,190 3/1989 Comroe et a1
`455/17
`
`4,382,298 5/1983 Evans . . . . . . _ . . . . . .
`
`. . . . . .. 371/6
`
`4,831,373 5/1989 Hess .......... ..
`
`455/33
`
`4,392,242 7/1983 Kai ...................................... .. 455/33
`4,400,585 8/1983 Kamen et a1. ....................... .. 379/63
`
`455/34
`4,837,858 6/1989 Ablay et a]. .
`4,870,408 9/1989 Zdunek et a1. ...................... .. 455/34
`
`Petitioner Cox Communications - Exhibit 1016 Page 2
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`May 26, 1992
`
`Sheet 1 of 12
`
`5,117,501
`
`F.
`m .
`
`DISPATCH
`
`POLICE SQUAD A
`
`RESCUE/FARAMEDICS
`
`POLICE SQUAD B
`
`SNOW VEHICLES
`
`CITY/STATE MUNICIPAL
`VEHI C LES
`
`FIRE SQUAD B
`
`Petitioner Cox Communications - Exhibit 1016 Page 3
`
`

`
`Petitioner Cox Communications - Exhibit 1016 Page 4
`
`

`
`Petitioner Cox Communications - Exhibit 1016 Page 5
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 26, 1992
`
`Sheet 4 of 12
`
`417
`I
`
`600\ i
`
`612
`
`‘
`
`EXPANDED
`---+ SERIAL
`1/0
`
`CPU
`
`SER‘AL
`1/0
`
`PR'NTER @ 608
`
`602
`
`J
`6|O
`
`604
`
`FIXED
`DISK
`
`616 ~_''‘_— _ — _| 417
`
`FLOPPY
`DISKS
`
`606
`
`TA PE
`omvs
`
`-— —- — L- —|
`I
`|
`I
`I
`'
`I
`I
`|______ ___|
`OPTIONAL
`
`E
`
`l
`
`i
`
`:
`
`TO SITE CONTROLLERS
`
`___-+ MODEM ‘
`
`OPTIONAL
`
`FIG. 4
`
`Petitioner Cox Communications - Exhibit 1016 Page 6
`
`

`
`Petitioner Cox Communications - Exhibit 1016 Page 7
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`May 26, 1992
`
`Sheet 6 of 12
`
`5,117,501
`
`5::
`
`B'TMAP
`HANDLING
`
`‘
`
`I
`PROCESS SM
`COMMANDS
`
`so‘
`
`I
`
`N
`
`505
`
`ACTIVATE/
`DEACTIVATE
`REGROUP?
`
`CANCEL
`REGROUP
`P
`
`(MAKE RESIDENT)
`
`EMERGENCY
`p
`
`506
`
`PHASE 1
`CANCEL
`
`PHASE 1
`REGROUP
`
`PHASE 1:
`CANCEL
`
`PHASE 11
`REGROUP
`
`BITMAP
`HANDLING
`
`MAIN DYNAMIC
`REGROUP ROUTINE
`
`*
`
`Petitioner Cox Communications - Exhibit 1016 Page 8
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`May 26, 1992
`
`Sheet 7 of 12
`
`5,117,501
`
`SELECT NEXT
`SOURCE GROUP
`IN PLAN
`
`SIG
`
`FIG. 9(PHASEI)
`(6c)
`
`520
`
`ISSUE " DR"
`CHANNEL
`ASSIGNMENT
`FOR SOURCE
`
`/\
`PROCESSED
`ALL UNITS lN
`
`PASSES
`.P
`
`532
`
`SEN D
`TERMINATE
`MESSAGE
`
`SELECT NEXT
`UNIT FROM
`SOURCE GROUP
`
`526
`
`ALREADY
`ACKNOWLEDGED
`
`\
`
`SEND‘ DR"
`COMMAND ON
`ALTERNATE
`CONTROL CHANNEL
`
`530
`
`Petitioner Cox Communications - Exhibit 1016 Page 9
`
`

`
`US. Patent .
`
`May 26, 1992
`
`Sheet 8 of 12
`
`5,117,501
`
`ASSIGNMENT
`
`LOAD
`SYNTHESIZER
`WITH
`APPROPRIATE
`FREQUENCY
`
`ATTAIN SYNCH
`ON ALTERNATE
`CONTROL
`CHANNEL
`
`DECOOE NEXT
`SLOT OF
`SIGNALLING
`
`704
`
`70s
`
`708
`
`STORE REGROUP
`IN EEROM
`(GROUP, KNOB
`SETTING, PLAN
`NUMBER, TYPE)
`
`TRANSMI T
`ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
`TO SITE
`
`Fla l0 (MOBILE)
`
`IS
`SITE ID
`as?
`
`RETURN TO
`MONITOR MAIN
`CONTROL
`C HANNEL
`
`Petitioner Cox Communications - Exhibit 1016 Page 10
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 26, 1992
`
`Sheet 9 of 12
`
`5,117,501
`
`UNIT
`
`1x25212650
`
`536
`
`m l2 (6A)
`
`538
`
`SEND "DR’
`COMMAND ON
`CONTROL
`CHANNEL
`
`8OI
`
`802
`
`804
`
`ACKNOWLEDGE
`FROM RADIO
`
`FIND UNIT IN
`REGROUP'
`OUEUE
`
`MARK UNIT AN '
`ACKNOWLEDGED
`
`DONE WITH
`ACKNOWLEDGE
`
`2 FIG. ll (PHASE 11) (6B)
`
`Petitioner Cox Communications - Exhibit 1016 Page 11
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`May 26, 1992
`
`Sheet 10 of 12
`
`5,117,501
`
`"DR" BITMAP
`MESSAGE ON
`CONTROL CHANNEL
`
`7I6
`
`RETAIN PLANS
`REGROUP m
`MEMORY
`
`RESIDENT
`BIT SET FOR
`
`PU RGE PLAN'S
`REGROUP FROM
`MEMORY
`
`DISPLAY
`REGROUP TO
`USER AND
`ALLOW USE
`
`ACTIVE
`BIT SET FOR
`PLAN IN
`' MEhgORY
`
`HIDE REGROUP
`FROM USER 8.
`DISALLOW USE
`
`DONE WITH BITMAP
`
`‘FIG. l4
`(BITMAP HANDLING)
`
`Petitioner Cox Communications - Exhibit 1016 Page 12
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`May 26, 1992
`
`Sheet 11 of 12
`
`5,117,501
`
`FOUND 'AA'
`
`LOOKING FOR
`uA "
`A HEX
`
`LOOKING FOR
`MESSAGE ID
`BYTE
`
`INVALID MESSAGE ID
`4
`
`VALID
`CHECKSUM
`
`INVALID
`CHECKSUM
`
`DONE
`
`LOOKING FOR
`C HECKSUM
`
`LOOKING FOR
`MESSAGE
`DATA BYTES
`
`FIG. I5
`
`Petitioner Cox Communications - Exhibit 1016 Page 13
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`May 26, 1992
`
`Sheet 12 0f 12
`
`5,117,501
`
`*DR"COMMAND ON
`CONTROL CHANNEL
`
`comm»;
`To RADIO' 5
`To?
`
`STORE REGROUP
`IN EEROM
`(GROUP KNOB
`SETTING, PLAN
`NUMBERJYPE)
`
`TRANSMIT
`ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
`TO SITE
`
`DONE WITH COMMAND
`
`902
`
`REGROUP
`BUFFER REQUEST
`
`REPEAT
`FOR
`MULTIPLE
`SITES
`
`SEND SITE
`comma To
`UPDATE
`BUFFER
`
`904
`
`906
`
`m ITIATE
`REGROUP REQUEST
`PROCESS
`
`908
`
`9IO
`
`9I2
`
`REQUEST
`STATUS
`
`RESOLVE UNITS
`FROM
`DIFFERENT
`SITES
`
`SE N D DELETE
`MESSAGES
`T0 SITES
`
`FIG. l6
`
`Petitioner Cox Communications - Exhibit 1016 Page 14
`
`

`
`1
`
`DYNAMIC REGROUPING IN A TRUNKED RADIO
`COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM
`
`5
`
`5
`
`CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`This application is related to commonly assigned U.S.
`patent application Ser. No. 085,663 now U.S. Pat. No.
`4,903,321 ?led on Aug. 14, 1987 entitled “Radio Trunk
`ing Fault Detection System”. This application is also
`related to the following commonly-assigned U.S. patent
`applications all ?led on Jun. 3, 1987: application Ser.
`No. 056,922 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,302 of Childress et
`a1 entitled “Trunked Radio Repeater System”; Applica
`tion Ser. No. 057,046 of Childress et al entitled “Failsoft
`Architecture for Public Trunking System”; Application
`Ser. No. 056,924 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,292 of Chil
`dress entitled “Adaptive Limiter/Detector Which
`Changes Time Constant Upon Detection of Dotting
`Pattern"; Application Ser. No. 056,923 now U.S. Pat.
`No. 4,905,234 of Childress et al entitled “Apparatus and
`Method for Transmitting Digital Data Over a Radio
`Communications Channel". This application is also
`related to the following commonly-assigned copending
`applications ?led on Aug. 14, 1987: Application Serial
`No. 085,572 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,731 of Nazarenko
`et al entitled “Processor-to-Processor Communications
`Protocol for a Public Service Trunking System”; Appli
`cation Ser. No. 085,490 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,262 of
`30
`Dissosway et al entitled “Mobile Radio Interface”; and
`_ application Ser. No. 085,491 of‘ Cole et al entitled “A
`Method for Infrequent Radio Users to Simply Obtain
`Emergency Assistance”. This application is also related
`to U.S. application Ser. No. 181,441 ?led Oct. 7, 1987,
`1988 entitled “Signalling Protocol for a Trunked Radio
`Repeater System”. The disclosures of each of those
`related copending patent applications are incorporated
`by reference herein.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`This invention is generally directed to the art of
`trunked radio repeater systems. It is more particularly
`directed to a trunked radio repeater system arrange
`ment and method which permits individual and groups
`of mobile radio units to be dynamically regrouped to
`allow communications between units which cannot
`normally communicate with one another.
`
`45
`
`5,117,501
`2
`JAPAN 61-102836 (A) Ishikawa (May 1986)
`U.S. Pat. No. 3,292,178, Magnuski (1966)
`. Pat. No. 3,458,664, Adlhoch et a1 (1969)
`.,Pat. No. 3,571,519, Tsimbidis (1971)
`. Pat. No. 3,696,210, Peterson et a1 (1972)
`. Pat. No. 3,906,166, Cooper et al (1975)
`. Pat. No. 3,936,616, DiGian?lippo (1976)
`. Pat. No. 3,970,801, Ross et a1 (1976)
`. Pat. No. 4,001,693, Stackhouse et al (1977)
`. Pat. No. 4,010,327, Kobrinetz et al (1977)
`. Pat. No. 4,012,597, Lynk, Jr. et a1 (1977)
`. Pat. No. 4,022,973, Stackhouse et al (1977)
`. Pat. No. 4,027,243, Stackhouse et a1 (1977)
`. Pat. No. 4,029,901, Campbell (1977)
`. Pat. No. 4,128,740, Graziano (1978)
`. Pat. No. 4,131,849, Freeburg et al (1978)
`. Pat. No. 4,184,118, Cannalte et a1 (1980)
`. Pat. No. 4,231,114, Dolikian (1980)
`. Pat. No. 4,309,772, Kloker et a1 (1982)
`. Pat. No. 4,312,070, Coombes et a1 (1982)
`. Pat. No. 4,312,074, Pautler et al (1982)
`. Pat. No. 4,326,264, Cohen et al (1982)
`. Pat. No. 4,339,823, Predina et a1 (1982)
`. Pat. No. 4,347,625, Williams (1982)
`. Pat. No. 4,360,927, Bowen et al (1982)
`. Pat. No. 4,400,585, Kamen et a1 (1982)
`. Pat. No. 4,409,687, Berti et a1 (1983)
`. Pat. No. 4,430,742, Milleker et a1 (1984)
`. Pat. No. 4,430,755, Nadir et a1 (1984)
`. Pat. No. 4,433,256, Dolikian (1984)
`. Pat. No. 4,450,573, Noble ( 1984)
`. Pat. No. 4,485,486, Webb et a1 (1984)
`. Pat, No. 4,578,815, Persinotti (1985)
`There are many actual and potential applications for
`trunked radio repeater systems. However, one of the
`more important applications is for public service
`trunked (PST) systems. For example, one metropolitan
`area may advantageously use a single system of trunked
`radio repeaters to provide efficient radio communica
`tions between individual radio units within many differ
`ent agencies. As is well-known to those familiar with
`trunking theory, a relatively small number of radio
`repeaters can ef?ciently service all of the needs of a
`public service organization within a given geographic
`area if they are trunked (i.e., shared on an “as-needed”
`basis between all potential units).
`Before modern trunked radio repeater systems were
`developed, mobile radio transceivers were provided
`with crystal controlled frequency synthesizers provid
`ing a limited number of ?xed transmit/receive channels
`-+ and the various channels were assigned for use by
`different “groups” of radio transceivers. Referring to
`FIG. 1, for example, ?xed channels might be assigned as
`follows:
`channel A to police squad A,
`channel B to police squad B,
`channel C to rescue squad/paramedics,
`channel D to snow removal equipment,
`channel E to municipal vehicles,
`channel F to fire squadA, and
`channel G to ?re squad B.
`Every mobile transceiver in a group was typically capa
`ble of communicating with other members of its group
`and with a central dispatcher) over its assigned commu
`nications channel. In addition, several additional chan
`nels were typically provided for “cross-group" commu
`nications. For example, an additional channel H might
`be used to permit members of police squad A and police
`
`40
`
`BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE
`INVENTION
`Radio repeater trunking (time sharing of a single
`repeater communications channel among many users) is
`well-known. Early trunking systems used analog con
`trol signals while some more recent systems have uti
`lized digital control signals. Control signals have been
`utilized on a dedicated control channel and/or on dif
`ferent ones of the working channels for various differ
`ent reasons and effects. A non-exhaustive but somewhat
`representative sampling of publications and patents
`describing typical prior art trunked radio repeater sys
`tems is identi?ed below:
`U.S. Pat. No. 3,898,390, Wells et a1 (1975)
`U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,242, Kai (1983)
`U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,061, Ulug (1985)
`U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,567, Childress (1987)
`U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,435, Childress et a1 (1987)
`U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,407, Borras et al (1987)
`
`55
`
`65
`
`Petitioner Cox Communications - Exhibit 1016 Page 15
`
`

`
`10
`
`25
`
`30
`
`40
`
`3
`squad B to communicate with one another -— while still
`permitting squad A to use its privately and exclusively
`assigned channel A to communicate with other mem
`bers of squad A without disturbing members of squad B.
`Similarly, an additional channel I might be provided for
`communications between ?re squads A and B and the
`rescue squad; and a further channel J might be provided
`for communications between members of police squad
`A and/or B, the rescue squad, and members of one or
`both ?re squads.
`This type of arrangement, although certainly provid
`ing private and reliable communications, had some se
`vere disadvantages. One disadvantage was that the
`“cross-group" channels‘ were usually under-utilized
`(since most routine communications take place within a
`group), but often became extremely congested during
`disasters or emergencies requiring coordination be
`tween members of different groups. Moreover, "cross
`group” communications typically required some degree
`of advanced cooperation on the part of each and every
`20
`member involved (e.g., each user had to properlyv
`switch his transceiver to the “cross-group” channel or
`be sure his “scanning” type transceiver was enabled to
`monitor that “cross-group" channel). Suppose, for ex
`ample, that a police officer in police squad A wished to
`communicate with a rescue vehicle in the rescue squad.
`The police of?cer could switch his transceiver to com
`munications channel J and call the rescue vehicle he
`wished to communicate with — but there was no guar
`antee that the speci?c rescue vehicle he was trying to
`reach would in fact be monitoring channel J (since the
`rescue vehicle driver would ?rst have to change his
`channel selector to channel J as well). Central dispatch
`ers often had the burden of manually directing the vari
`ous different personnel to cross-group channels, and
`35
`much time was wasted coordinating such efforts when
`emergency or disaster situations made time of the es
`sence.
`In contrast to the old crystal controlled ?xed fre
`quency systems, prior art trunked radio repeater sys
`tems rely upon preprogrammed group identi?cations
`rather than preset operating frequencies to provide the
`communications partitioning shown in FIG. 1. Trunked
`radio communications systems assign communications
`channels on an “as needed" basis for the exclusive use of 45
`calling mobile units requesting communications and to
`the group of mobile units being called. It is possible to
`provide much additional ?exibility by pre-program
`ming mobile units in advance with several different
`group identi?cations (thus making a given mobile unit a
`“member” of several different groups of transceivers).
`Since the number of groups the system can support is
`limited only by the RF signalling protocol providing
`identi?cation of groups (and the programming capabili
`ties of the mobile transceivers), it is possible to provide
`an almost arbitrarily large number of different logical
`groupings of transceivers — for example, the assignee’s
`signalling protocol disclosed in US. application Ser.
`No. 056,922 to Childress et a1 entitled “Trunked Radio
`Repeater System” ?led Jun. 3, 1987 and US. applica
`tion Ser. No. 181,441 to Childress entitled “Trunked
`Radio Repeater System” ?led Oct. 7, 1987 provides for
`individual identi?cation of each and every mobile trans~
`ceiver in the ?eld and supports over 4000 different
`groups.
`This trunked arrangement provides for much addi
`tional ?exibility. For example, referring again to FIG. 1,
`a ?rst group might be formed by all members of police
`
`5,117,501
`4
`squad A; a second group might consists of all members
`of police squad A and B; a third group might consist of
`a subset of police squad A (e.g., certain detectives and a
`supervisor); a fourth group might consist of all police
`supervisors from squads A and B; and a ?fth group
`might consist of all members of police squad A and all
`members of the rescue squad.
`Even though all groups are in effect “reusing“ the
`same communications channels in this trunked radio
`system, the trunking is mostly transparent to individual
`users. That is, when a police of?cer in police squad A
`switches his “channel” (actually group) selector switch
`to correspond to the ?rst group and actuates his “push
`to-talk” microphone switch to make a call, his trans
`ceiver and all other active transceivers of police squad
`A are automatically controlled to switch to a free
`“working” channel temporarily dedicated to their use
`— and signi?cantly, no other mobile transceivers are
`permitted to monitor or participate in the communica
`tions over this channel. This privacy feature afforded by
`trunked communications systems is important for pro
`viding each group of users with ef?cient, reliable com
`munications, is critical for certain sensitive communica
`tions services (e.g., the police narcotics and detective
`squads) and is also critical for preventing interference
`from other users (e.g., the driver of a snow removal
`vehicle cannot interfere with communications between
`members of police squad A no matter what the snow
`truck driver does with his transceiver). Thus, in this
`respect the trunked system behaves from a user’s view
`point like the prior systems in which each service had a
`channel dedicated to its exclusive use —- while provid
`ing the radio spectrum and cost economy derived from
`channel and repeater sharing.
`In a trunked environment, compartmentalizing radio
`transceivers into groups is essential to effective, reliable,
`private communications. In the past, however, such
`compartmentalization resulted in serious in?exibility
`when special situations arose. In most prior systems, all
`groupings of radio transceivers had to be de?ned be
`forehand (e.g., by hardwiring or preprogramming at the
`time the transceivers were issued to users and placed in
`the ?eld). For example, when a police officer in squad A
`was issued his radio transceiver, the transceiver would
`typically be preprogrammed to respond to calls for
`certain groups and to. never respond calls for other
`groups. A disaster situation (plane crash, major ?re,
`landslide, earthquake, etc.) or a special event (e. g.,
`county fair, parade and the like) might require this po
`lice of?cer to communicate with other users he nor
`mally does not communicate with. For example, those
`assigned to crowd control at a special event such as a
`parade might include a squad A police of?cer, a rescue
`squad vehicle, several municipal vehicles, and an of?cer
`from police squad B. It would be highly desirable to
`permit these different users to communicate with one
`another over their own communications channel for the
`duration of the special event without disturbing or in
`terfering with communications of the rest of the two
`police squads, the rescue squad and the municipal vehi
`cles.
`'
`Prior trunked repeater systems sometimes provided
`the capability of combining several groups together into
`a large group via a multiple group call -— so that all
`members of, for example, police squad A, the rescue
`squad, all municipal vehicles and all members of police
`squad B could be collected onto a single communica
`tions channel in response to a single (typically dis
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`5,117,501
`6
`5
`each of the transceivers individually. Upon receipt of
`patcher initiated) umultiple group call". The problem
`the reprogramming message, the individual transceivers
`with this approach is that it involves too many radio
`acknowledge the message, store the downloaded dy
`users to be effective (i.e., many more than are needed
`namic regroup identi?er in an internal memory, and
`for the necessary communications) —- and more seri
`switch to a dynamic regroup mode in which they trans
`ously, may draw users not involved in the necessary
`mit and receive using the dynamic group instead of their
`communications away from other radio calls important
`old group(s). In another mode, a “group" dynamic
`to them. The only really effective way in the past to
`accomplish the desired result was extremely inconve
`regroup message is transmitted to an entire group of
`transceivers at a time in order to increase regrouping
`nient and costly — issuing each of the users a “?oater”
`speed. The receiving transceivers begin using an alter
`transceiver specially programmed for a spare group
`nate, ?xed “dynamic code” previously programmed at
`(and making sure they each returned their transceiver at
`time of manufacture and/or "personality PROM” pro
`the end of the special event).
`The concept of “dynamic regrouping” in a trunked
`gramming. The units continue to use this “dynamic
`radio system is generally known. Dynamic regrouping
`code” until dynamic regrouping messages cease being
`allows a system operator to program customized group
`periodically transmitted over the control channel.
`identi?cations into radio transceivers in the ?eld from
`AmeriCom Corp. of Atlanta, Ga., has advertised an
`the central system facility at will — and dynamically
`RF communications system featuring “over-the-air”
`form special groups for special purposes. Disasters such
`reprogramming to add channels and reprogram mobiles
`as plane crashes, severe storms, major ?res, landslides
`without expensive ROM changes.” This feature is de
`and earthquakes as well as special events are all exam
`scribed as providing more responsive service by dynam
`ples where the ability to quickly recon?gure radios
`ically reprogramming mobiles in order to lower service
`could be a valuable tool to the public safety of?cer. As
`costs and permit real time “over-the-air” reprogram
`an example, personnel involved in handling the crisis of
`ming of radio con?gurations and permissions.
`a plane crash might include certain police of?cers, cer
`The following issued U.S. Patents may also be gener
`tain rescue vehicles, certain municipal vehicles and
`ally relevant to the concept of dynamic regrouping:
`certain ?re vehicles. It would be highly advantageous
`U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,591 to Burke
`to provide some way to recon?gure the ?xed, compart
`U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,561 to Burke et al
`mentalized groups of transceivers normally provided by
`U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,647 to Gladden et al
`a trunked system to dynamically form special groups
`U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,415 to Zdunek et al
`consisting only of these involved radio units - while
`U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,980 to Fennel et al
`preserving the units’ existing group classi?cations (and
`U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,262 to Coe
`thus, in some cases, their capability to make routine
`Unfortunately, existing dynamic regrouping schemes
`calls) and also without disrupting any other communi
`(such as those described above) exhibit many practical
`cations taking place on the system.
`problems when they are actually used in the real world.
`The need for dynamic regrouping typically arises
`For example, existing techniques do not meet the de
`when dispatchers and ?eld personnel are under tremen
`manding requirements of rapid and predictable re
`dous pressure to perform under unpredictable condi
`grouping which can be monitored and controlled by
`tions. The trunked communication system should help
`any supervisor —— and which does not interfere with
`alleviate confusion rather than contribute to it — so that
`ongoing radio communications in the ?eld.
`if dynamic regrouping is to implemented at all, it must
`The user interface has been one of the more widely
`occur rapidly and predictably and in a fashion that can
`and strongly criticized elements in existing dynamic
`be monitored and controlled by any supervisor. It is
`regrouping schemes. Some criticize the user interface
`especially important that activating a dynamically cre
`itself and others criticize the entire regrouping process
`ated group (“regroup”) does not interfere with any
`because it is too confusing to be of any value. Existing
`ongoing radio communications in the ?eld. Unfortu
`dynamic regrouping schemes require a supervisor to
`nately, existing techniques for implementing dynamic
`specify “regroups” (new, ' dynamically con?gured
`regrouping have not met these demanding requirements
`groups) from the “ground up” by keying in an identi?
`and have therefore caused dynamic regrouping to re
`cation for each and every individual radio transceiver
`main in the realm of merely a great idea that cannot be
`to be placed in the regroup -— a dif?cult task to perform
`practically implemented in the form of a usable tool.
`under time pressures of an emergency. Because dy
`Motorola, Inc. of Shaumburg, 111., has developed a
`namic regrouping changes the way the communications
`so-called “SMARTNET” trunked radio communica
`system operates on a very fundamental user level, for
`tions system which offers a limited dynamic regrouping
`any practical and useful dynamic regrouping scheme
`capability. The optional dynamic regrouping capability
`the supervisor and the system dispatchers must be capa
`provided in this 800 MHz trunked system allows the
`ble of: (a) accurately tracking — on an interactive basis
`dispatcher to reassign radios into new talk groups with
`— what radios are in what groups, (b) quickly assessing
`out any mobile operator involvement to provide com
`whether the regrouping process is proceeding in a suit
`munications ?exibility during emergency situations.
`able fashion or should instead be aborted or altered, and
`Motorola’s subscriber dynamic regrouping communica
`(c) easily altering regroup plans during activation or
`tions system is described in W0 PCT Patent Publica~
`after they have been activated in response to changes in
`tion No. 8701537 published Mar. 12, 1987 entitled
`conditions and personnel. System supervisors and dis
`“Method For Dynamically Regrouping Subscribers On
`patchers must also be able to effectively handle and
`A Communications System”, and in press releases dated
`control communications during the regrouping process
`Aug. 6, 1987 and Jun. 27, 1986.
`which, once initiated, causes entire groups to become
`Brie?y, the Motorola scheme provides for download
`fragmented and unde?ned until the process is complete.
`ing a single dynamic reprogramming instruction to
`Existing dynamic regrouping systems simply do not
`speci?ed individual radio transceivers in the ?eld via
`meet these needs.
`digital messages transmitted over the control channel to
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`Petitioner Cox Communications - Exhibit 1016 Page 17
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`

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`5,117,501
`8
`7
`existing control channel loading from other communi- ‘
`Additional complexity arises from the fact that most
`cations the system is supporting) are interrelated items
`modern trunked communications systems serve a suffi
`that must work together effectively if the regrouping
`ciently large geographical service area to require multi
`process is to proceed effectively. The regrouping pro
`ple repeater sites — and it is not possible to determine
`cess should occur as rapidly as possible to minimize the
`which users are being served by which sites at the time
`dynamic regrouping is activated. Existing dynamic
`amount of confusion it creates. Unfortunately, existing
`dynamic regrouping schemes have not been designed
`regrouping systems provide no quick and ef?cient way
`with the real world in mind. Regrouping over the con
`to set up and execute dynamic regrouping plans having
`trol channel limits the rate at which radios can be re
`no con?icting regrouping requests relative to any of the
`mobile transceiver involved. Very serious problems
`grouped to only a few per second at best (due to the
`limited data transfer rate over the control channel and
`could also arise in existing systems if a site controller
`normal control channel loading). This limited regroup
`fails either while radios are being dynamically re
`ing rate is further aggravated by requiring the regroup
`grouped or after they have been regrouped.
`ing terminals to send initial requests via the control
`Another serious inadequacy of pri