(12) United States Patent
`Fumarolo et al.
`
`111111
`
`1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111
`US006366782Bl
`US 6,366, 782 Bl
`*Apr. 2, 2002
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`(54) METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
`ALLOWING A USER OF A DISPLAY-BASED
`TERMINAL TO COMMUNICATE WITH
`COMMUNICATION UNITS IN A
`COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: Arthur L. Fumarolo, Schaumburg;
`Brett A. Jackson, Arlington Heights,
`both of IL (US)
`
`(73) Assignee: Motorola, Inc., Schaumburg, IL (US)
`
`( *) Notice:
`
`This patent issued on a continued pros(cid:173)
`ecution application filed under 37 CFR
`1.53( d), and is subject to the twenty year
`patent term provisions of 35 U.S.C.
`154(a)(2).
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 09/415,297
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Oct. 8, 1999
`
`Int. Cl? .................................................. H04Q 7/20
`(51)
`(52) U.S. Cl. ........................................ 455/457; 455/509
`(58) Field of Search ................................. 455/456, 457,
`455/404, 521, 520, 518, 519, 414, 557,
`508, 509; 340/901, 904, 905, 988, 990,
`989, 995, 286.01, 286.02, 286.06, 286.14,
`825.49, 539, 457, 577, 329-332, 335, 969,
`978; 379/45, 48, 49, 38; 701/708, 117,
`342, 357.09, 357.1, 357.13, 357.D7
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`5,904,727 A * 5/1999 Prabhakaran ............... 701!208
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Primary Examiner-Marsha D. Banks-Harold
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Susan L. Lukasik; Val Jean
`F. Hillman; Steven R. Santema
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A display-based terminal (101) employs a method and
`apparatus for allowing a user of the terminal to communicate
`with communication units (105-113) in a communication
`system (100). The terminal displays a map (300, 400) to the
`user indicating locations of communication units in at least
`a portion of the communication system. The terminal then
`receives a selection from the map of at least one commu(cid:173)
`nication unit (105, 108, 109, 113) and an indication (309,
`311) of the user's desire to communicate with the selected
`communication unit. The indication of the user's desire to
`communicate may be contemporaneous with the user's
`selection of the communication unit, for example, when the
`user has, prior to such selection, indicated a desired type
`(302-305, 401-404) of communication and/or a desired
`transmission mode ( 406) for subsequent communications
`with the communication units. Responsive to receipt of the
`user's selection of the communication unit and indication of
`a desire to communicate, the terminal automatically initiates
`a communication with the selected communication unit.
`
`41 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets
`
`PROVIDE USER UNIQUE VISUAL INDICATION ON
`MAP OF PRESENTLY TRANSMITTING COMMUNICA liON
`UNIT
`
`519
`
`523
`
`AUTOMATICALLY TERMINATE COMMUNICATION
`
`525
`
`501
`
`DISPLAY MAP INDICA liNG LOCATIONS OF
`COMMUNICATION UNITS TO USER
`
`RECEIVE USER'S SELECTION FROM MAP OF
`ONE OR MORE COMMUNICATION UNITS
`
`PROVIDE USER UNIQUE VISUAL INDICA liON
`ON MAP OF SELECTED COMMUNICATION UNIT(S)
`
`RECEIVE USER'S INDICATION OF DESIRE TO
`INITIATE COMMUNICATION WITH SELECTED
`COMMUNICATION UNIT(S), INCLUDING TYPE
`OF COMMUNICATION AND/OR TRANSMISSION MODE
`
`AUTOMATICALLY OBTAIN STORED COMMUNICATION
`INFORMATION NECESSARY TO INITIATE COMMUNICA liON
`
`AUTOMATICALLY ACCESS A COMMUNICATION
`RESOURCE IN SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNICATION
`BASED ON THE STORED COMMUNICA liON INFORM A liON
`
`AUTOMATICALLY ACTIVATE USER INPUT DEVICE
`TO ENABLE USER TO INPUT USER
`INFORMA liON
`FOR TRANSMISSION OVER THE COMMUNICATION RESOURCE
`
`DISPLAY INDICATION TO USER THAT
`COMMUNICATION RESOURCE IS ACCESSED
`OR COUMUNICA liON IS INITIATED
`
`503
`
`505
`
`507
`
`509
`
`5ff
`
`513
`
`515
`
`517
`
`Google 1005
`U.S. Patent No. 9,445,251
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 2, 2002
`
`Sheet 1 of 8
`
`US 6,366, 782 Bl
`
`~ 107
`
`100
`
`~ 108
`
`~ 113
`
`109
`
`w
`
`""'
`"" "" ""
`
`111
`
`USER
`INPUT
`DEVICE
`
`'125
`
`,129
`INTERFACE
`
`WIRELESS
`INFRASTRUCTURE
`
`h6
`
`~ 106
`
`105
`
`GUI
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`(rg
`
`f '
`PROCESSOR
`
`....-- __..
`
`~~ SELECTION
`'-121
`:
`DEVICE
`'-127
`MEMORY
`
`'-----
`
`AVL
`SYSTEM
`
`'-123
`
`DISPLAY-BASED TERMINAL
`I
`911
`SYSTEM
`
`'-101
`
`'-- 115
`
`117
`
`'-1 OJ
`
`F'IG-. 1
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 2, 2002
`
`Sheet 2 of 8
`
`US 6,366, 782 Bl
`
`WIRELESS
`INFRASTRUCTURE
`
`205
`
`' v
`
`~209
`
`USER
`INPUT
`DEVICE
`
`~5
`
`{207
`TRANSCEIVER
`
`--- -- '-=211
`AVL
`911
`SYSTEM
`SYSTEM
`115 ./
`'--1 17
`
`MAP
`INTERFACE
`'-. 213
`
`'119
`
`GUI
`f t
`PROCESSOR
`
`~~ SELECTION
`'-121
`~
`DEVICE
`'-127
`MEMORY
`
`'-123
`
`DISPLAY-BASED TERMINAL
`
`'-
`
`201
`
`FIG. 2
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 2, 2002
`
`Sheet 3 of 8
`
`US 6,366, 782 Bl
`
`PD CAR 10
`
`JOO
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`PD UNIT 6
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`106
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`FIG. 3
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 2, 2002
`
`Sheet 4 of 8
`
`US 6,366, 782 Bl
`
`400
`
`106
`
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`10
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`APPLE STREET
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`
`/
`
`FIG. 4
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 2, 2002
`
`Sheet 5 of 8
`
`US 6,366, 782 Bl
`
`500
`-
`
`501
`
`START
`+
`DISPLAY MAP INDICATING LOCATIONS OF
`COMMUNICATION UNITS TO USER
`~
`RECEIVE USER'S SELECTION FROM MAP OF
`ONE OR MORE COMMUNICATION UNITS
`
`•
`
`PROVIDE USER UNIQUE VISUAL INDICATION
`ON MAP OF SELECTED COMMUNICA liON UNIT{S)
`~
`RECEIVE USER'S INDICA liON OF DESIRE TO
`INITIATE COMMUNICATION WITH SELECTED
`COMMUNICA liON UNIT(S), INCLUDING TYPE
`OF COMMUNICATION AND/OR TRANSMISSION MODE
`+
`AUTOMATICALLY OBTAIN STORED COMMUNICATION
`INFORMATION NECESSARY TO INITIATE COMMUNICATION
`~
`AUTOMATICALLY ACCESS A COMMUNICATION
`RESOURCE IN SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNICATION
`BASED ON THE STORED COMMUNICATION
`INFORMATION
`+
`AUTOMATICALLY ACTIVATE USER INPUT DEVICE
`TO ENABLE USER TO INPUT USER INFORMATION
`FOR TRANSMISSION OVER THE COMMUNICATION RESOURCE
`+
`DISPLAY INDICATION TO USER THAT
`COMMUNICATION RESOURCE IS ACCESSED
`OR COMMUNICATION IS INITIATED
`
`r-,
`503
`
`I-, 505
`
`1-507
`
`1-509
`
`1-
`
`511
`
`t-513
`
`1-515
`
`- 517
`
`cb
`
`FIG. 5A
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 2, 2002
`
`Sheet 6 of 8
`
`US 6,366, 782 Bl
`
`PROVIDE USER UNIQUE VISUAL INDICATION ON
`UAP OF PRESENTLY TRANSMITTING COMMUNICATION
`UNIT
`
`519
`
`NO
`
`CONTINUE
`COMMUNICATION
`
`523
`
`AUTOUATICALLY TERMINATE COMMUNICATION
`
`525
`
`527
`
`.F'IG. 5I3
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 2, 2002
`
`Sheet 7 of 8
`
`US 6,366, 782 Bl
`
`600
`
`601
`
`DISPLAY MAP INDICATING LOCATIONS OF
`COMMUNICATION UNITS TO USER
`
`RECEIVE INDICATION OF TYPE OF
`COMMUNICATION AND/OR TRANSMISSION
`MODE TO BE USED FOR SUBSEQUENT
`COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE COMMUNICATION
`UNITS
`
`RECEIVE USER'S SELECTION FROM MAP OF
`ONE OR MORE COMMUNICATION UNITS
`
`AUTOMATICALLY INITIATE A COMMUNICATION
`OF THE TYPE AND/OR IN THE TRANSMISSION
`MODE
`INDICATED WITH THE SELECTED
`COUUUNICA TION UNIT{S)
`
`603
`
`605
`
`607
`
`609
`
`613
`
`NO
`
`CONTINUE
`COMMUNICATION
`
`AUTOMATICALLY TERMINATE
`COUMUNICA TION
`
`615
`
`617
`
`.FIG-. 6
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 2, 2002
`
`Sheet 8 of 8
`
`US 6,366, 782 Bl
`
`START
`
`701
`
`DISPLAY ~AP INCLUDING REPRESENTATIONS OF
`CO~~UNICATION UNITS AND LOCATIONS OF
`CO~~UNICATION UNITS IN SYSTE~
`
`,
`RECEIVE ~ESSAGE FRO~ CO~MUNICATION UNIT
`
`,
`MODIFY REPRESENTATION OF TRANS~ITTING UNIT
`TO VISUALLY INDICATE UNIT IS TRANS~ITTING
`
`,
`DETER~INE TYPE AND/OR TRANSMISSION ~ODE
`FOR RECEIVED ~ESSAGE
`
`I'-703
`
`705
`
`I'-707
`
`I'-709
`
`,
`RECEIVE SELECTION FROM MAP OF REPRESENTATION
`OF TRANSMITTING UNIT
`
`I'- 711
`
`SEND RESPONSE TO CO~~UNICATION UNIT OF SAME
`TYPE AND/OR USING SAME TRANSMISSION ~ODE
`AS RECEIVED ~ESSAGE
`
`I'-713
`
`END
`
`715
`
`FIG. 7
`
`

`

`US 6,366,782 Bl
`
`1
`METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
`ALLOWING A USER OF A DISPLAY-BASED
`TERMINAL TO COMMUNICATE WITH
`COMMUNICATION UNITS IN A
`COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention relates generally to communication
`systems and, in particular, to a communication system that
`employs a method and apparatus for allowing a user of a
`display-based terminal to communicate with communication
`units in the communication system.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`25
`
`35
`
`Dispatch communication systems are known to include a
`wireless infrastructure and a plurality of communication
`units, such as two-way radios. Some dispatch systems, such
`as those used for public safety, also include a dispatch
`console and a so-called "computer aided dispatch (CAD)
`system" that includes a display-based terminal to control
`communications between the communication units. The
`CAD terminal typically displays categorized tables of infor(cid:173)
`mation to the terminal user (typically referred to as a
`"dispatcher" or "dispatch operator"). For example, the CAD
`terminal may display queues of currently pending incidents
`and/or a list of communication units that are currently
`available. In addition, some CAD terminals include an
`integrated mapping program that enables the CAD terminal
`to display locations of communication units on a map that 30
`represents a geographic area supported by the dispatch
`system. The locations of the communication units are typi(cid:173)
`cally provided to the CAD system on a periodic basis by an
`automatic vehicle location (AVL) system that is coupled to
`the CAD system via a dedicated communication link.
`In addition to receiving communication unit location
`information, the CAD system may also receive incident
`information from a 911 system that is coupled to the CAD
`system. In such a case, the map displays the origination point
`of a 911 telephone call to the dispatcher as an icon on the
`map. By viewing communication unit location, communi(cid:173)
`cation unit status, and incident location on the map, the
`dispatcher can quickly determine which communication unit
`users (e.g., policemen, firemen, paramedics, and so forth)
`would be in the best situation to respond to the incident. As
`an incident is attended to by users of the communication
`units, the status of the communication units associated with
`such users is updated either manually by the dispatcher or
`automatically by the CAD system responsive to messaging
`from the wireless infrastructure. In the latter case
`the
`wireless infrastructure receives status updates over a ~ire­
`less communication channel from the communication units
`that are participating in the handling of the incident.
`Changes in communication unit status are typically indi(cid:173)
`cated to the dispatcher by some type of visual change, such
`as a color change or icon update, to the participating unit's
`representation on the map.
`A map display, with icons representing the incidents and
`the communication units with their current status, gives a
`dispatcher a powerful tool for quickly evaluating an emer- 60
`gency situation. By using standard graphical user interface
`(GUI) cursor interaction (e.g., point and click or drag and
`drop), the dispatcher can manipulate the screen icons to
`assign units to incidents. In some systems, the action of
`assigning communication units to incidents on the map 65
`automatically sends data to the assigned communication
`units (e.g., if the units are equipped with mobile data
`
`2
`terminals) to enable the communication unit users to imme(cid:173)
`diately obtain critical information related to the incident
`such as the incident location and other details.
`'
`In many situations, the assignment of a communication
`5 unit to an incident is followed by a voice conversation
`between the dispatcher and the user of the communication
`unit. Such a voice conversation enables the dispatcher and
`the communication unit user to discuss additional details
`about the incident which may not have been automatically
`10 relayed via data messaging. Voice communication during the
`handling of an incident is critical because it provides the
`communication unit users with real-time updates of the
`situation and the parties involved as the incident progresses.
`Although the aforementioned voice communication
`15 between the dispatcher and the assigned communication unit
`users is critical, such voice communication cannot be initi(cid:173)
`a ted from the map environment with prior art CAD systems
`or terminals. Rather, in existing systems, the dispatcher must
`access a separate dispatch console program (which may be
`20 displayed on the CAD terminal in a different environment
`from the map) to control the voice communication with the
`communication unit users, thereby losing the benefit of
`viewing the overall picture of the incident as provided by the
`map.
`One conventional dispatch system is currently being
`developed for a municipal transit authority, but as yet has not
`been implemented, in an attempt to integrate voice control
`into the CAD terminal map display. In this proposed system,
`which will include a first map displaying a subway system
`and a second, separate map displaying train locations, the
`dispatcher will be able to select a section of the subway from
`the first map and automatically initiate a voice call to all
`trains in the selected area of the subway only. As noted
`above, the first map display does not, however, include the
`locations of the trains. Therefore, the dispatcher cannot
`select particular trains individually or as a group to com(cid:173)
`municate with. Moreover, the proposed system does not
`facilitate trunked communications and does not take into
`account various communication parameters, such as private
`line, digital private line, encryption, and others. Therefore,
`although this proposed system may allow initiation of voice
`calls to a geographic area depicted on the first map, the
`system does not insure that any communication will actually
`occur because the dispatcher will not know from the first
`map display whether or not trains are in the selected area of
`the subway and the dispatcher cannot select the trains
`themselves, either individually or in a group, to communi(cid:173)
`cate with from either map display. Consequently, although
`the proposed dispatch system does suggest a type of map(cid:173)
`based voice dispatch, it has many practical shortcomings.
`Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus that
`allows a user of a display-based terminal, such as a CAD
`terminal, having an integrated mapping program to commu-
`55 nicate directly with communication units from a single map
`environment.
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a communication
`system in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
`present invention.
`FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a communication
`system, less communication units, in accordance with an
`alternative embodiment of the present invention.
`FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary map displayed to a user of
`a display-based terminal in accordance with the present
`invention.
`
`

`

`US 6,366,782 Bl
`
`3
`FIG. 4 illustrates the map of FIG. 3 with an alternative
`arrangement of buttons to select the communication type
`and transmission mode in accordance with the present
`invention.
`FIG. SA and FIG. 5B illustrate a logic flow diagram of
`steps executed by a displayed-based terminal to communi(cid:173)
`cate with at least one communication unit in accordance
`with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
`FIG. 6 illustrates a logic flow diagram of steps executed
`by a displayed-based terminal to communicate with at least
`one communication unit in accordance with an alternative
`embodiment of the present invention.
`FIG. 7 illustrates a logic flow diagram of steps executed
`by a displayed-based terminal to communicate with at least
`one communication unit in accordance with yet another
`embodiment of the present invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENT
`
`Generally, the present invention encompasses a method
`and apparatus for allowing a user of a display-based terminal
`to communicate with communication units in a communi(cid:173)
`cation system. The terminal displays a map to the user
`indicating locations of communication units in at least a
`portion of the communication system. The terminal then
`receives a selection from the map (e.g., through the use of
`a selection device, such as a mouse or a touchscreen) of at
`least one communication unit and an indication of the user's
`desire to communicate with the selected communication unit 30
`or units. The indication of the user's desire to communicate
`may be contemporaneous with the user's selection of the
`communication unit or units, for example, when the user
`has, prior to such selection, indicated a desired type of
`communication (e.g., group or individual) and/or a desired
`transmission mode (e.g., analog, digital, trunked,
`conventional, encrypted, unencrypted, simplex, full duplex,
`half duplex, and so forth) for subsequent communications
`with the communication units. Responsive to receipt of the
`user's selection of a communication unit or units and 40
`indication of a desire to communicate, the terminal auto(cid:173)
`matically initiates a communication with the selected com(cid:173)
`munication unit or units. By allowing the terminal user to
`communicate with communication units in this manner, the
`present invention incorporates the user's ability to commu- 45
`nicate with the communication units directly into the map
`display, in contrast to prior art computer-aided dispatch
`approaches that require the user to first determine from the
`map which communication unit or units to communicate
`with and then use external call set-up procedures or another 50
`map to actually initiate the communication. The present
`invention links the communication set-up procedures with
`the map display to enable the terminal user to simply "point
`and click" (or the equivalent) to quickly communicate with
`any particular communication unit or units being monitored 55
`by the user.
`The present invention can be more fully understood with
`reference to FIGS. 1-7, in which like reference numerals
`designate like items. FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a
`communication system 100 in accordance with a preferred
`embodiment of the present invention. The communication
`system 100 includes a display-based terminal101, a wireless
`infrastructure 103, and a plurality of communication units
`105-113 that communicate with the wireless infrastructure
`103 over one or more communication resources 114 (one
`shown). The communication system 100 may be either a
`conventional system or a trunked system and each commu-
`
`4
`nication resource 114 may comprise a frequency carrier, one
`or more time slots of a frequency carrier, or an orthogonal
`code implemented by a respective frequency hopping pat(cid:173)
`tern or by a pseudo-random noise sequence spread over a
`5 wide bandwidth (e.g., 3 MHz).
`The communication units 105-113 comprise two-way
`mobile radios, two-way portable radios, or two-way wireless
`data terminals. As depicted in FIG. 1, the communication
`units 105-113 preferably comprise a combination of mobile
`10 radios, portable radios, and wireless data terminals. The
`wireless infrastructure 103 supports the particular commu(cid:173)
`nication system 100 and, therefore, comprises one or more
`base stations (e.g., in a conventional system) or one or more
`base stations and one or more system controllers (e.g., in a
`trunking system). The wireless infrastructure 103 is coupled
`15 to the display-based terminal101 via one or more commu(cid:173)
`nication links 116 (one shown), such as broadband leased
`telephone lines (e.g., Tl or T3 lines), standard telephone
`lines, coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, or microwave links
`when the terminal101 is located a substantial distance from
`20 the wireless infrastructure 103 or an RS232 cable or stan(cid:173)
`dard telephone lines when the terminal 101 is collocated
`with the wireless infrastructure 103.
`In the preferred embodiment, the display-based terminal
`101 is a fixed computer-aided dispatch (CAD) terminal that
`25 is coupled to an automated vehicle location (AVL) system
`115 and an emergency 911 system 117. The AVL system 115
`and the 911 system 117 are well known; thus, no further
`discussion of them will be presented except to facilitate an
`understanding of the present invention. The display-based
`terminal 101 preferably includes a graphical user interface
`(GUI) 119, a processor 121, a memory 123, a user input
`device 125, a selection device 127, and an interface 129 to
`the wireless infrastructure 103. The interface 129 corre(cid:173)
`sponds to the particular type of communication link 116
`35 between the terminal101 and the wireless infrastructure 103
`and may comprise a radio frequency (RF) modem or a
`wireline modem to couple the processor 121 to the wireless
`infrastructure 103.
`The GUI 119 is well known and, responsive to the
`processor 121, presents the user of the terminal101 with a
`map display of geographic locations of communication units
`105-113 in at least a portion of the communication system
`100. The processor 121 preferably comprises a micropro(cid:173)
`cessor and a digital signal processor for controlling the
`various elements of the terminal101 and for communicating
`with the wireless infrastructure 103. The user input device
`125 preferably comprises a foot switch, a panel microphone,
`a push-to-talk (PTT) activator, a computer mouse, a
`keyboard, a touchscreen portion of the GUI 119, a voice
`activated device, a voice recognition device, or some com(cid:173)
`bination thereof to enable the user of the terminal 101 to
`input user information for transmission to one or more of the
`communication units 105-113. The memory 123 preferably
`comprises a combination of random access memory (RAM),
`read only memory (ROM), programmable read only
`memory (PROM), and a floppy disk to store software
`algorithms and data, such as communication information,
`used by the processor 121 during operation of the terminal
`101. Finally, the selection device 127 preferably comprises
`60 a computer mouse or equivalent (e.g., trackball or
`touchpad), a keyboard, a touchscreen portion of the GUI
`119, a voice recognition device, a voice activated device or
`some combination thereof to enable the user of the terminal
`101 to make selections from the map displayed on the GUI
`65 119.
`In an alternative embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 2, the
`display-based terminal 201 is a remote terminal (e.g., a
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`5
`mobile dispatch or dummy terminal positioned in the geo(cid:173)
`graphic area of an emergency) that is not coupled directly to
`the AVL system 115 and the 911 system 117. In this
`embodiment, the display-based terminal 201 includes a
`radio transceiver 207 coupled to the processor 121 and an 5
`antenna 209 coupled to the radio transceiver 207 to enable
`the terminal 201 to exchange information with the wireless
`infrastructure 203 via an RF channel205. In addition, in this
`embodiment, the AVL system 115, the 911 system 117, and
`a map interface 213 are coupled to the wireless infrastruc- 10
`ture 203 either directly or indirectly, for example, via a
`processor, such as an X Windows processor 211 (shown in
`dash). In this embodiment, the terminal 201 receives com(cid:173)
`munication unit location updates from the AVL system 115
`and incident location information from the 911 system 117 15
`via the wireless infrastructure 203 over the RF channel205.
`In addition, in this embodiment, the terminal 201 can
`remotely monitor and control communications among the
`communication units 105-113 in a manner similar to termi(cid:173)
`nal101 through exchanges of information with the wireless
`infrastructure 203 over the RF channel 205.
`FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate exemplary maps 300, 400 dis(cid:173)
`played to a user of the display-based terminal 101, 201 in
`accordance with the present invention. As shown in both
`FIGS., the map 300, 400 preferably depicts representations 25
`of the communication units 105-113 positioned on and off
`streets in a geographic area of the communication system
`100. In addition, map 300 also preferably displays the
`identities of the users of the communication units 105-113
`(e.g., Fire Department Engine 4 ("FD ENG 4"), Fire Depart(cid:173)
`ment Captain ("FD CPT"), Police Department Car 10 ("PD
`CAR 10") and Police Department Unit 6 ("PD UNIT 6"))
`and the names of the streets. Only some exemplary street
`names and communication unit user identities are shown in
`FIG. 3 for the sake of clarity. The map 300, 400 may further
`indicate (e.g., below the representation of the respective
`communication unit 105-113 or through the use of a color
`coding scheme for each communication unit representation)
`the status of each communication unit 105-113 (e.g., active,
`inactive, off-duty, busy, assigned to an incident, and so
`forth). In addition, the map 300, 400 preferably displays the
`location of an incident 301 that some of the communication
`units 105, 108, 109, 113 may be responding to if, for
`example, the communication system 100 is a city's or a
`county's emergency response system.
`Besides depicting the locations of the communication
`units 105-113, the location of an incident 301, and various
`information about the communication units 105-113 or their
`users, the map 300, 400 also preferably displays various
`means for the user of the display-based terminal101, 201 to
`select a communication type and/or a transmission mode for
`an upcoming communication with one or more of the
`communication units 105-113. For example, the map 300,
`400 may include virtual buttons 302-305, 401-404 from
`which the user of the terminal101, 201 can select the type 55
`of communication, such as an individual or private commu(cid:173)
`nication (button 302), a group communication (button 303),
`a voice communication (button 304), a data communication
`(button 305), or some combination thereof (e.g., as is
`exemplified in buttons 401-404 of FIG. 4). Voice and data
`buttons 304, 305 may be associated with respective graphi(cid:173)
`cal depictions of a microphone, a speaker, or some other
`item that indicates voice and a keyboard, a bit stream, a
`computer monitor, or some other item that indicates data,
`although such depictions are not shown in FIG. 3. In
`addition, as depicted in FIG. 4, the map 300, 400 may
`include a virtual button 406 from which the user of the
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`6
`terminal 101, 201 can select the transmission mode for the
`communication, such as analog, digital, trunked,
`conventional, encrypted, unencrypted, private line (PL),
`digital private line (DPL), simplex, duplex, half-duplex, or
`various other known modes. For example, when the terminal
`user clicks on button 406, a list of permitted transmission
`modes may appear from which the user selects the desired
`mode. Alternatively, the map 300, 400 may include one or
`more pull-down menus that include the various types of
`communications and transmission modes that are permis(cid:173)
`sible in the communication system 100.
`To select a communication unit or communication units
`105-113 for participation in the communication with the
`terminal user and to indicate a particular type of communi(cid:173)
`cation to be initiated, the user preferably uses a computer
`mouse to move a cursor 308 on top of the communication
`unit representation (e.g., 105) or on top of the button (e.g.,
`303) and depresses a physical button on the mouse to
`indicate a selection. For example, to indicate a desire to
`20 initiate a group call, the user might move the cursor 308 on
`top of the representation of communication unit 105 and
`depress the mouse button (i.e., "click"), thereby selecting
`unit 105 and all members of a previously established talk-
`group that includes unit 105.
`Alternatively, the user may use the mouse to individually
`select a group of units for participation in the group call by
`clicking the cursor 308 on each unit of the group one at a
`time. Further, the user may use the mouse to individually
`select multiple talkgroups for participation in the group call
`30 by clicking the cursor 308 on one unit of each talkgroup. For
`example, if communication units 105 and 109 are members
`of the fire department talkgroup and communication units
`108 and 113 are members of the police department
`talkgroup, and the terminal user desires to initiate a group
`35 call that includes both the fire department talkgroup and the
`police department talkgroup, then the terminal user need
`only select one unit from each talkgroup (e.g., units 105 and
`108) to select all units 105, 108, 109, 113 of both talkgroups
`for participation in the group call. Still further, the user may
`40 use a "click and drag" approach to select a group of
`communication units simultaneously. For example, the user
`may move the cursor 308 to a corner of an area of the map
`300, depress the mouse button, and, while holding the mouse
`button depressed, drag the cursor 308 to an opposite corner
`45 of the desired area to display a rectangle, such that when the
`mouse button is released, all communication units having
`representations enclosed by the displayed rectangle are
`simultaneously selected for participation in the communi(cid:173)
`cation. Various other known techniques for creating shapes
`50 on a display can be used to simultaneously select a group of
`communication units (or groups of communication units
`when, for example, one or more of the selected units are
`members of respective talkgroups and a group communica-
`tion is intended) for participation in the communication.
`In the preferred embodiment, once one or more commu-
`nication units 105, 108, 109, 113 are selected, the map 300
`provides a unique visual indication on the map of the
`selected communication units 105, 108, 109, 113 to allow
`the user of the terminal 101 to easily differentiate selected
`60 communication units 105, 108, 109, 113 from unselected
`communication units 106, 107, 110-112. For example, the
`representations of the selected communication units 105,
`108, 109, 113 may be illuminated (indicated in FIG. 3 by the
`dashed lines surrounding the representations of communi-
`65 cation units 105, 108, 109, and 113) to differentiate them
`from the representations of the unselected communication
`units 106, 107, 110-112.
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`Upon completion of selecting the communication units
`105, 108, 109, 113 to participate in the communication, the
`user may then select the type of communication. For
`example, to select a group voice communication, the user
`may move the cursor 308 on top of the group communica(cid:173)
`tion button 303 and click, thereby selecting a group com(cid:173)
`munication. The user may then move the cursor 308 on top
`of the voice button 304 and click, thereby selecting a voice
`communication. To indicate to the user the type of commu(cid:173)
`nication selected, the map 300 preferably provides an indi- 10
`cation 309, 311 in each selected button 303, 304 that makes
`the button 303, 304 appear as though it has been depressed.
`Various alternative embodiments may be employed to select
`the type of communication to be initiated. For example, the
`user may first select the voice button 304 and then the group 15
`button 303, the map 300 may include one button 401-404
`for each type of communication as depicted in FIG. 4, the
`map 300 may include a pull down menu identifying the
`types of communications, or the map 300 may include a
`communication icon that, when selected by the user, opens 20
`to display the various types of communications that can be
`initiated in the communication system 100.
`In an alternative embodiment, the user may first select the
`type of communication and/or a transmission mode, and
`then select the participating communication unit or units. 25
`For example, the user may select a group voice communi(cid:173)
`cation and then select the communication units to be
`included in the group communication. As discussed above,
`the user may select a group of communication units simply
`by selecting one communication unit of the group. For
`example, if communication units 105, 108, 109, and 113 all
`belong to a talkgroup (e.g., either originally or