# US 9,143,309 B2 · Hopping master in wireless conference > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,143,309 B2 - Document ID: US9143309B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/225,183 - Filed: 2014-03-25 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Granted: 2015-09-22 - Earliest claimed: 2012-04-13 - Assignees: Dominant Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Dominant Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Ronald Fraser - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9143309B2 ## CPC - H04W 4/10: Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services - H04L 5/1469: {using time-sharing} - H04M 1/00: Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers (subscriber services or facilities provided at exchanges H04M3/00; prepayment telephone coin boxes H04M17/00; current supply arrangements H04M19/08) - H04M 3/565: {relating to time schedule aspects} - H04W 8/005: {Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals} - H04W 56/0015: {one node acting as a reference for the others} - H04W 72/0446: Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames - H04W 84/20: Leader-follower arrangements - H04J 3/0641: {Change of the master or reference, e.g. take-over or failure of the master} - H04W 72/21: in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H04J: MULTIPLEX COMMUNICATION (transmission in general H04B; peculiar to transmission of digital information H04L5/00; systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal H04N7/08; in exchanges H04Q11/00; stereophonic systems H04S) ## Abstract A first radio has duplex communication with a second radio and a third radio, without using a base station by using a multiple-access protocol system. The first radio is configured to switch back and forth between being a master radio and a slave radio in the multiple-access protocol system. In some embodiments, time-division multiplexing is used as the multiple-access protocol system for the first radio, the second radio, and the third radio to communicate. In some embodiments, the master radio provides timing synchronization and/or assigns transmission slots for radios in the multiple-access protocol system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A first radio for performing as a master and a slave in a multivoice system using time division multiplexing, the first radio comprising: a receiver configured to: receive wireless communication from a second radio using time-division multiplexing; and receive wireless communication from a third radio using time-division multiplexing; a transmitter configured to: transmit wireless communication to the second radio using time-division multiplexing; and transmit wireless communication to the third radio using time-division multiplexing; and electronics configured to: receive a transmission from the second radio, wherein the first radio is configured to act a slave to the second radio; determine, after receiving the transmission from the second radio, that the first radio did not receive a qualifying transmission from the second radio; and based on determining that the first radio did not receive the qualifying transmission from the second radio, and before powering off, function as a master radio by providing data to the third radio for synchronizing radios in the multivoice system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The first radio as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronics are further configured to: receive a request from a fourth radio for an assignment to a transmission slot; and assign the fourth radio to the transmission slot. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The first radio as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronics are further configured to determine whether or not the first radio is in a mode for the first radio to not transmit audio communication. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The first radio as recited in claim 1, wherein: the electronics are further configured to determine the first radio has a parameter indicating the first radio has a preference to be the master radio; and providing data to the third radio for synchronizing radios in the multivoice system is based, at least partially, on: determining that the first radio did not receive the qualifying transmission from the second radio; and the first radio has the parameter indicating the first radio has a preference to be the master radio. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The first radio as recited in claim 1, wherein the qualifying transmission is, at least partially, determined by receiving a transmission from the second radio having a signal strength exceed a predetermined threshold value. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The first radio as recited in claim 1, wherein the first radio is configured to act as a slave to the second radio by receiving data from the second radio for synchronizing radios in a multivoice system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The first radio as recited in claim 1, wherein the qualifying transmission is, at least partially, determined by receiving one or more transmissions from the second radio for a predetermined duration of time. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The first radio as recited in claim 1, wherein determining the first radio did not receive the qualifying transmission from the second radio comprises: the first radio receiving a plurality of wireless transmissions from the second radio; the plurality of wireless transmissions having corresponding signal strengths; determining at least one of the corresponding signal strengths exceeds a predetermined threshold, and determining the corresponding signal strengths, as a function of time, are decreasing. ### Claim 9 A method for configuring a first radio to perform one or more master functions in a multivoice system using time-division multiplexing without a base station, the method comprising: receiving a slot assignment from a second radio for communicating using time-division multiplexing; determining, after receiving the slot assignment from the second radio, that the first radio did not receive a qualifying transmission from the second radio; and determining, before the first radio powers off, for the first radio to act as a master radio for a third radio based on determining that the first radio did not receive the qualifying transmission from the second radio, wherein the first radio and the third radio are configured to communicate with each other using time-division multiplexing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method for configuring the first radio to perform one or more master functions in the multivoice system using time-division multiplexing as recited in claim 9, the method further comprising providing data to the third radio for synchronizing radios in the multivoice system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method for configuring the first radio to perform one or more master functions in the multivoice system using time-division multiplexing as recited in claim 9, the method further comprising: receiving a request from a fourth radio for an assignment to a transmission slot; assigning the fourth radio to a first transmission slot. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method for configuring the first radio to perform one or more master functions in the multivoice system using time-division multiplexing as recited in claim 9, wherein the method further comprises determining whether or not the first radio is in a mode for the first radio to not transmit audio communication. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method for configuring the first radio to perform one or more master functions in the multivoice system using time-division multiplexing as recited in claim 9, the method further comprising: identifying that the first radio has a parameter indicating the first radio has a preference to be a master; and determining to act as the master radio for the third radio is based, at least partially, on: determining that the second radio is not found; and the first radio has the parameter indicating the first radio has the preference to be the master. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method for configuring the first radio to perform one or more master functions in the multivoice system using time-division multiplexing as recited in claim 9, wherein determining that the second radio is not found is, at least partially, determined by receiving a transmission from the second radio having a signal strength not exceeding a predetermined threshold value. ### Claim 15 A first radio having instructions stored in memory, that when executed, have the first radio perform the following steps: receive a slot assignment from a second radio, wherein the first radio is configured to act as a slave to the second radio, wherein: the second radio provides commands for radios communicating using a multiple access protocol; and the first radio is configured to receive and implement commands received from the second radio; determine, after receiving the slot assignment from the second radio, that the first radio did not receive a qualifying transmission from the second radio; and determine, before the first radio powers off, for the first radio to act as a master radio for and a third radio and a fourth radio, based on determining that the first radio did not receive the qualifying transmission from the second radio, wherein the first radio, the third radio, and the third fourth radio are configured to communicate directly with each other using the multiple access protocol, without a base station. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The first radio having instructions stored in memory as recited in claim 15, the instructions, when executed, further cause the first radio to: provide data to the third radio for synchronizing radios using the multiple access protocol; and provide data to the fourth radio for synchronizing radios using the multiple access protocol, wherein the multiple access protocol is a time division multiple access protocol. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The first radio having instructions stored in memory as recited in claim 15, the instructions, when executed, further cause the first radio to: receive a request from the fourth radio for an assignment to a transmission slot; and assign the fourth radio to a first transmission slot. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The first radio having instructions stored in memory as recited in claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the first radio to determine whether or not the first radio is in a mode for the first radio to not transmit audio communication. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The first radio having instructions stored in memory as recited in claim 15, the instructions, when executed, further cause the first radio to: identify that the first radio has a parameter indicating the first radio has a preference to be a master; and provide data for synchronization to the third radio based, at least partially, on: determining that the second radio is not found; and the first radio has the parameter indicating the first radio has a preference to be the master. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The first radio having instructions stored in memory as recited in claim 15, wherein determining that the second radio is not found is, at least partially, determined by receiving a transmission from the second radio having a signal strength not exceeding a predetermined threshold value.