US 5,214,789 A · Radio channel allocation based on location of mobile users

Abstract

A broadcast two-way radio communication system has a plurality of transmit/receive stations which function as repeaters. Each of the stations has a corresponding geographically defined operation zone. A mobile radio transmits a request for use of a communication channel. Along with this request, the mobile radio provides its geographic location, which is derived from equipment located in conjunction with the mobile radio. Upon receipt of the channel request and geographic location for a mobile radio, the control computer system determines the requesting mobile radio is a member of a zone restricted user group. If so, the mobile radio is allocated a channel, if available, in the restricted zone of the mobile radio. Should no channel be available at the restricted zone, the system attempts to allocate a channel from a station which has radio propagation overlap that extends into the restricted zone. If, however, the mobile radio is located outside the zone of the requesting mobile radio, the request is ignored. By allocating channels to restricted mobile radios only in the restricted or adjacent zones there are fewer channels allocated for the request, thereby eliminating excess channel allocations and utilization of interconnecting network trunks.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A method for allocating a communication channel in a broadcast communication system having a plurality of geographic zones, each zone having a corresponding transmit/receive station, the system having a control system for directing communication through broadcast communication channels with mobile radios, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a geographic location for a one of said mobile radios by apparatus located with said one mobile radio, said one mobile radio being a member of a user group restricted to a one of said zones,
transmitting said determined geographic location by said one mobile radio to any of said stations for transfer to said control system, said control system having a geographic reference defining each of said zones,
transmitting a request for a communication channel from said one mobile radio to a selected one of said transmit/receive stations, said one transmit/receive station not being the station corresponding to the zone in which said one mobile radio is restricted,
said control system comparing said received geographic location to said geographic reference to determine if the requesting mobile radio is located in said restricted zone, and
if said requesting mobile radio is located in said restricted zone, allocating to said one mobile radio a communication channel of the transmit/receive station corresponding to said restricted zone.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Radio channel allocation based on location of mobile users

Life of this patent

Radio channel allocation based on location of mobile users

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims6