METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UPDATING AND USING UPDATED GROUP ALIASES AND INCIDENT IDs

In a two-way radio frequency (RF) communications system having at least one fixed terminal, one or more channels, and a plurality of subscriber units, the method comprising, a first subscriber unit configured to:

• monitor, on a first channel, for communications of a first group associated with a first group ID stored at the first subscriber unit to which the first subscriber unit is subscribed;
• receive an incident ID assign message, addressed to one of the first group and the first subscriber unit, instructing the first subscriber unit that it is temporarily assigned to a particular incident and identifying an incident with a corresponding incident ID;
• embed the incident ID into one or more subsequent transmissions initiated at the first subscriber unit;
• responsive to receiving an incident ID scan instruction, start an incident ID scan process including scanning a plurality of pre-configured channels and/or groups for communications including an embedded incident ID that matches the received incident ID;
• if a communication is detected on a particular one of the plurality of pre-configured channels and/or groups including an embedded incident ID that matches the received incident ID, tune to the particular one of the plurality of pre-configured channels and/or groups;
• responsive to one of a detected first user input, received incident ID un-assign message, and a first subscriber unit detected first trigger, halt the incident ID scan process;
• and
• responsive to one of a detected second user input, the received incident ID un-assign message, and a first subscriber unit detected second trigger, refrain from embedding the incident ID into subsequent transmissions initiated at the first subscriber unit.

In a two-way radio frequency (RF) communications system having at least one fixed terminal, one or more channels, and a plurality of subscriber units, the method comprising, at a first subscriber unit:

• monitoring, on a first channel, for communications of a first group associated with a first group ID stored at the first subscriber unit to which the first subscriber unit is subscribed;
• receiving an updated group alias assign message, addressed to the first group, instructing radios subscribed to the first group to temporarily use an updated text-based group alias included in the updated group alias assign message that describes one or more of a location, purpose, and function of the first group for a temporary period of time in place of the first group ID;
• displaying, on a display of the first subscriber unit, the updated group alias, instead of the first group ID or a first group alias associated with the first group ID and stored at the first subscriber unit, during subsequent communications with the first group;
• responsive to one of a detected user input, received group alias un-assign message, and a first subscriber unit detected trigger, reverting to the stored first group ID and during subsequent communications, at the first subscriber unit, with the first group, refraining from displaying the updated group alias.

In a two-way radio frequency (RF) communications system having at least one fixed terminal, one or more channels, and a plurality of subscriber units, the method comprising, a first subscriber unit configured to:

• monitor, on a first channel, for communications of a first group associated with a first group ID stored at the first subscriber unit to which the first subscriber unit is subscribed;
• receive an updated group alias assign message, addressed to the first group, instructing radios subscribed to the first group to temporarily use an updated text-based group alias included in the updated group alias assign message that describes one or more of a location, purpose, and function of the first group for a temporary period of time in place of the first group ID;
• display, on a display of the first subscriber unit, the updated group alias, instead of the first group ID or a first group alias associated with the first group ID and stored at the first subscriber unit, during subsequent communications with the first group;
• responsive to one of a detected user input, received updated group alias un-assign message, and a first subscriber unit detected trigger, revert to the stored first group ID and during subsequent communications, at the first subscriber unit, with the first group, refrain from displaying the updated group alias.

In a two-way radio frequency (RF) communications system having at least one fixed terminal, a plurality of channels, an infrastructure device, and a plurality of subscriber units, the method comprising the steps of, at the infrastructure device:

• receiving an association between a plurality of groups and a specified incident ID temporarily assigned to a particular incident;
• responsively transmitting one of:
• an instruction to each of the plurality of groups that they are temporarily associated with the specified incident ID and that all subsequent transmissions should include the incident ID embedded therein;
• and
• an instruction to each fixed terminal that communications directed to each of the plurality of groups temporarily associated with the specified incident ID are to be embedded with the specific incident ID prior to being repeated or otherwise forwarded;
• and
• responsive to one of a detected user input, received incident ID un-assign message, and an infrastructure device detected trigger, responsively transmitting one of:
• an instruction to each of the plurality of groups that they are to de-associate with the specified incident ID and refrain from embedding the incident ID in subsequent transmissions;
• and
• an instruction to each fixed terminal that communications directed to each of the plurality of groups temporarily associated with the specified incident ID are no longer to be embedded with the specific incident ID prior to being repeated or otherwise forwarded.

In a two-way radio frequency (RF) communications system having at least one fixed terminal, a plurality of channels, an infrastructure device, and a plurality of subscriber units, the method comprising the steps of, at the infrastructure device:

• receiving an association between a first group ID, associated with a first group, and a corresponding updated group alias that describes one of a purpose and function of the first group for a temporary period of time;
• responsive to receiving the association, transmitting an instruction to all subscriber units that are currently subscribed to the first group that they are to temporarily associate the specified updated group alias with the first group ID but retain the first group ID in storage;
• and
• responsive to one of a detected user input, received updated group alias un-assign message, and an infrastructure device detected trigger, responsively transmitting an instruction to all subscriber units that are currently subscribed to the first group that they are to disassociate the specified updated group alias with the first group ID and revert to the stored first group ID.