# US 5,710,766 A · Method and apparatus for sharing a common bandwidth between two protocols in a radio communication system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,710,766 A - Document ID: US5710766A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/578,792 - Filed: 1995-12-26 - Granted: 1998-01-20 - Earliest claimed: 1995-12-26 - Assignees: Motorola, Inc. - Inventors: Robert John Schwendeman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5710766A ## CPC - H04W 16/14: Spectrum sharing arrangements {between different networks} - H04W 16/06: Hybrid resource partitioning, e.g. channel borrowing - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract In a radio communication system a method and apparatus enables sharing a bandwidth between two protocols that can support different maximum numbers of subchannels (510-516, 602-614) in the bandwidth. The protocols utilize transmission frames (402) having frame durations (716) that are integer multiples of one another. A fixed portion (102) of the system synchronizes (1002) the frames of the two protocols and determines (1004) a sharing plan for the subchannels utilized by each protocol. The sharing plan applies to a subsequent group of frames. The fixed portion vectors (1008) a portable receiver (122, 123) that has a message to be received in accordance with the sharing plan prior to transmission of the subsequent group of frames. Both the fixed portion and the portable receiver share (1010) the bandwidth between the two protocols in accordance with the sharing plan during transmission of the subsequent group of frames. ## Claims ### Claim 1 In a radio communication system including a fixed portion and a portable portion, a method for sharing a common bandwidth between first and second protocols that can support up to N subchannels and M subchannels, respectively, within the common bandwidth, N and M being predetermined positive integer values, wherein the first and second protocols utilize transmission frames having first and second frame durations that are integer multiples of one another, the method comprising in the fixed portion the steps of: synchronizing the transmission frames of the first protocol with those of the second protocol; determining a sharing plan for the subchannels utilized by the first and second protocols within the common bandwidth, the sharing plan applicable to a subsequent group of simultaneous transmission frames comprising messages; and vectoring a receiver of the portable portion that has a message to be received in one of the first and second protocols, the vectoring done in accordance with the sharing plan and prior to a transmission of said subsequent group of simultaneous transmission frames; and in both the fixed portion and the portable portion the step of sharing the common bandwidth between the first and second protocols in accordance with the sharing plan during the transmission of said subsequent group of simultaneous transmission frames. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step comprises the step of dynamically allocating the subchannels between the first and second protocols in response to a measurement of traffic operating on the first and second protocols. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the vectoring step comprises the step of transmitting a vector to the receiver in a transmission frame immediately preceding said subsequent group, the vector identifying a subchannel on which the message will be transmitted. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising in the fixed portion the step of designating a first control subchannel for receivers in the portable portion that operate on the first protocol and a second control subchannel for receivers in the portable portion that operate on the second protocol, and wherein the vectoring step occurs on the first control subchannel if the receiver operates on the first protocol, and occurs on the second control subchannel if the receiver operates on the second protocol. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the designating step comprises the step of assigning the first and second control subchannels to occupy first and second subchannels positioned on opposite edges of the common bandwidth. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising in the fixed portion the step of designating at least one control subchannel selected exclusively from either the N subchannels or the M subchannels, and wherein the vectoring step for the corresponding one of the first and second protocols comprises the step of transmitting control information on the at least one control subchannel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising in the fixed portion the step of transmitting the messages, wherein the steps of transmitting the control information and transmitting the messages are performed sequentially on a time-division-multiplex basis. ### Claim 8 A radio communication system for sharing a common bandwidth between first and second protocols that can support up to N subchannels and M subchannels, respectively, within the common bandwidth, N and M being predetermined positive integer values, wherein the first and second protocols utilize transmission frames having first and second frame durations that are integer multiples of one another, the radio communication system comprising: a fixed portion, comprising: a controller, comprising: a processing system for controlling the radio communication system; an input interface coupled to the processing system for receiving messages intended for a portable portion; and a transmitter interface coupled to the processing system for controlling a plurality of transmitters to send the messages to the portable portion, wherein the processing system is programmed for synchronizing the transmission frames of the first protocol with those of the second protocol, and wherein the processing system is further programmed for determining a sharing plan for the subchannels utilized by the first and second protocols within the common bandwidth, the sharing plan applicable to a subsequent group of simultaneous transmission frames, and wherein the processing system is further programmed for vectoring a receiver of the portable portion that has a message to be received in one of the first and second protocols, the vectoring done in accordance with the sharing plan and prior to a transmission of said subsequent group of simultaneous transmission frames, and wherein the fixed portion further comprises a plurality of transmitters coupled to the transmitter interface for sending an address, a vector, and the message to the receiver, and wherein the radio communication system further comprises: the portable portion, comprising: first receivers coupled to the fixed portion by a radio signal operating on the first protocol; and second receivers coupled to the fixed portion by a radio signal operating on the second protocol, and wherein the fixed portion and the portable portion share the common bandwidth between the first and second protocols in accordance with the sharing plan during the transmission of said subsequent group of simultaneous transmission frames. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The radio communication system of claim 8, wherein the processing system is further programmed for dynamically allocating the subchannels between the first and second protocols in response to a measurement of traffic using the first and second protocols. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The radio communication system of claim 8, wherein the processing system is further programmed for transmitting a vector to the receiver in a transmission frame immediately preceding said subsequent group, the vector identifying a subchannel on which the message will be transmitted. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The radio communication system of claim 10, wherein the processing system is further programmed for: designating a first control subchannel for the first receivers in the portable portion that operate on the first protocol and a second control subchannel for the second receivers in the portable portion that operate on the second protocol; and transmitting a vector on the first control subchannel for a receiver that operates on the first protocol, and transmitting the vector on the second control subchannel for a receiver that operates on the second protocol. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The radio communication system of claim 11, wherein the processing system is further programmed to assign the first and second control subchannels to occupy first and second subchannels positioned on opposite edges of the common bandwidth. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The radio communication system of claim 8, wherein the processing system is further programmed for: designating at least one control subchannel selected exclusively from either the N subchannels or the M subchannels; and performing the vectoring for the corresponding one of the first and second protocols, comprising transmitting control information on the at least one control subchannel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The radio communication system of claim 13, wherein the processing system is further programmed for transmitting the control information and transmitting the messages on a time-division-multiplex basis. ### Claim 15 A controller in a radio communication system for sharing a common bandwidth between first and second protocols that can support up to N subchannels and M subchannels, respectively, within the common bandwidth, N and M being predetermined positive integer values, wherein the first and second protocols utilize transmission frames having first and second frame durations that are integer multiples of one another, the controller comprising: a processing system for controlling the radio communication system; an input interface coupled to the processing system for receiving messages intended for a portable portion; and a transmitter interface coupled to the processing system for controlling a plurality of transmitters to send the messages to the portable portion, wherein the processing system is programmed for synchronizing the transmission frames of the first protocol with those of the second protocol, and wherein the processing system is further programmed for determining a sharing plan for the subchannels utilized by the first and second protocols within the common bandwidth, the sharing plan applicable to a subsequent group of simultaneous transmission frames, and wherein the processing system is further programmed for vectoring a receiver of the portable portion that has a message to be received in one of the first and second protocols, the vectoring done in accordance with the sharing plan and prior to a transmission of said subsequent group of simultaneous transmission frames, and wherein the controller controls the radio communication system to share the common bandwidth between the first and second protocols in accordance with the sharing plan during the transmission of said subsequent group of simultaneous transmission frames. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The controller of the radio communication system of claim 15, wherein the processing system is further programmed for dynamically allocating the subchannels between the first and second protocols in response to a measurement of traffic using the first and second protocols. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The controller of claim 15, wherein the processing system is further programmed for transmitting a vector to a receiver in a transmission frame immediately preceding said subsequent group, the vector identifying a subchannel on which the message will be transmitted. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The controller of claim 15, wherein the processing system is further programmed for: designating a first control subchannel for first receivers in the portable portion that operate on the first protocol and a second control subchannel for second receivers in the portable portion that operate on the second protocol; and transmitting a vector on the first control subchannel for a receiver that operates on the first protocol, and transmitting the vector on the second control subchannel for a receiver that operates on the second protocol. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The controller of claim 18, wherein the processing system is further programmed to assign the first and second control subchannels to occupy first and second subchannels positioned on opposite edges of the common bandwidth. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The controller of claim 19, wherein the processing system is further programmed for: designating at least one control subchannel selected exclusively from either the N subchannels or the M subchannels; and performing the vectoring for the corresponding one of the first and second protocols, comprising transmitting control information on the at least one control subchannel. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The controller of claim 20, wherein the processing system is further programmed for transmitting the control information and transmitting the messages on a time-division-multiplex basis.