Abstract: A system and method for operating a dual-mode mobile communications unit in a home network of the communications unit is disclosed. In an embodiment of the method, the dual-mode mobile communications unit is provisioned as a visitor in the home network of the communications unit. The home network utilizes a proprietary technology but the communications unit communicates with the home network in the same standards-based technology that a roamer in the home network uses to communicate with the home network. In an embodiment of the system, the system includes the home network of the communications unit, where the home network utilizes a proprietary technology but where the communications unit communicates in the home network in the standards-based technology. The system also includes a visitor location register coupled to the home network. The dual-mode mobile communications unit is provisioned as a visitor in the visitor location register of the home network.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing set-up time for walkie-talkie calls. One or more mobile units are assigned to a first paging channel and a second paging channel. A first and second slot cycle may be determined using a first and second slot cycle index, respectively. The second paging channel slot cycle is determined using a negative slot cycle index. A mobile unit can then be configured to monitor the first paging channel during the first slot cycle. Similarly, the mobile unit may also be configured to monitor the second paging channel during the second slot cycle. The first paging channel may be used to provide the mobile unit with notification of a cellular call and the second paging channel may be used to provide notification of a walkie-talkie call. The second paging channel is checked more frequently than the first paging channel.

Abstract: An address server comprising a UFMI server application adapted to allocate an inter-working UFMI to an iDEN subscriber unit and map the inter-working UFMI to an external subscriber address. The inter-working UFMI is associated with an iDEN network, and the external subscriber address is associated with an external network. The address server includes an iHLR, a data storage storing a pool of reusable iDEN UFMIs and mapped pairs of iDEN UFMIs to external subscribers. The mappings are stored on a per user, per fleet or per account basis. The data storage also stores a pool of global iDEN UFMIs. Use of the inter-working UFMIs facilitates dispatch communications between the iDEN subscriber unit and the external subscriber.

Abstract: A wireless communications system and method for use with aircraft includes an airline network and an aircraft communications system. The airline network includes a reservation system having a database storing passenger and flight information, an interface to an external network and a home location register. The reservation system includes logic for provisioning a subscriber unit and defining at least one location-based event associated with the subscriber unit. The home location register tracks the location of the subscriber unit. The aircraft communications system includes a wireless base station facilitating radio communication with the provisioned subscriber unit and a second interface to the external network. During operation, the home location register executes the location-based event when the subscriber unit's movement into the location associated with the location-based event is detected.

Abstract: A wireless communications system includes a radio network facilitating wireless communications with a wireless subscriber unit, a dispatch application server providing dispatch communications services to the subscriber unit via the radio network, and an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) infrastructure including a Proxy-Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF) and a Serving-CSCF (S-CSCF). The P-CSCF notifies the dispatch application server of subscriber unit registration events, allowing the dispatch application server to provide dispatch communications services without initiating a separate registration process. Dispatch communications are routed between the wireless subscriber unit and dispatch application server through the P-CSCF, bypassing the S-CSCF of the IMS infrastructure.

Abstract: A method and computer-readable medium for a dual dialer state machine are provided. The state machine allows a Radio Interface Layer (RIL) to make decisions on whether to allow calls to be initiated or terminated depending upon the type of call (interconnect or dispatch). The RIL uses the state machine to coordinate the functions of an interconnect phone application and a dispatch phone application.

Abstract: A method and system for long distance dispatch calling restrictions are provided. A user who does not subscribe to long distance dispatch services can make a long distance dispatch call to the originator of the last received dispatch call within a predetermined period of time of the last received dispatch call. If an amount of time equal to or greater than the predetermined period of time has elapsed since the last received dispatch call, then the long distance dispatch call is rejected.

Abstract: A private communications system includes a base station, a switch and an interface to an external network. The base station provides a radio link between the private communications system and a subscriber unit. The subscriber unit has an associated mini-subscription providing the subscriber unit with temporary access to the private communications system. The switch is connected to the base station and provides the subscriber unit with access to the private communications system when the mini-subscription is active. The interface is connected to the switch. In operation, the mini-subscription information is automatically transmitted to the external wireless network, via the interface, when the mini-subscription is terminated.

Abstract: A wireless communication system is disclosed comprising a call controller to establish a communication session in a first communication mode between two or more users; receive a request from at least one of the users to switch the first communication mode of the communication session to a second communication mode; and switch the first communication mode of the communication session to the second communication mode. The first and second communication mode may respectively comprise half-duplex and full-duplex modes, or vice-versa. Other disclosed embodiments relate to a call controller for to setup multiple communication mode sessions in a wireless communication system, and a subscriber unit able to request and accept a switch to a different communication mode in an ongoing communication session.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing a mobile communication device group. A communication device sends a message from a member of a sender group and a network transmits the message to the recipient group if the identity of the sender group exists in a communication permission parameter associated with the recipient group. Systems and methods for transmitting a message to a group of communication device users in an identified geographical area. A graphical display presents a geographical representation of an area. A selection tool for identifying one or more communication device users located within a defined area. The network transmits a message from a sender to the users located within the defined area.

Abstract: A user may locate a missing wireless device through a location server storing user-associated location information. A wireless device includes a client location application adapted to determine a current geographic location and transmit location data to a location server, a power source, and a power management application adapted to detect a low power level and instruct the client location application to determine the current geographic location. The wireless device further includes a GPS receiver adapted to receive and decode GPS signals and a personal GPS directory storing location information associated with the subscriber unit.

Abstract: A wireless device and method for providing location updates to a wireless network includes determining a current location of the wireless device, comparing the current location to a second location and transmitting a location update, including presence information, to the wireless network when the current location differs from the second location by at least a predetermined geographical distance. The predetermined geographical distance is determined in accordance with at least one of subscription information associated with the subscriber unit, including a subscription fee paid, an enabled service and a network state. The current location may be determined via GPS, wireless network based position determination or other method.

Abstract: A dispatch communications system is disclosed that facilitates dispatch communications respectively between subscriber units residing within a first geographical area, subscriber units residing within a second geographical area, and subscriber units residing respectively in the first and second geographical areas. The dispatch communications system includes a first intra-area dispatch communications network to facilitate dispatch calling between subscriber units residing within a first geographical area; a second intra-area dispatch communications network to facilitate dispatch calling between subscriber units residing within a second geographical area different than the first geographical area; and an inter-area dispatch communications network to facilitate dispatch calling between subscriber units residing respectively in first and second geographical areas. A call processing unit controls both inter-area and intra-area dispatch calls for the dispatch communications system.

Abstract: Systems and methods for supporting multiple wireless communications technologies are provided. When a first and second base station operate according to different wireless communication technologies on the same carrier frequency in different cells or on different carrier frequencies in the same cell the frame structure of each base station is controlled in such a way that idle periods of transmissions from one base station are aligned with idle periods of the other base station. When the first and second base stations are located in the same cell and operate on the same carrier frequency the frames of the first and second base stations are time-interlaced.

Abstract: Systems and methods for supporting multiple wireless communication technologies within a cell are provided. A base station can transmit a second wireless communication technology in a smaller coverage than the coverage of the first wireless communication technology, thereby producing an underlay-overlay cell radiation pattern. Whether a mobile station communicates with the base station using the first or second wireless communication technology can be based on a comparison of signal quality measures for the mobile station, or any other performance metric with a fixed or dynamic threshold.

Abstract: A dispatch communications system is disclosed that facilitates dispatch communications respectively between subscriber units residing within a first geographical area, subscriber units residing within a second geographical area, and subscriber units residing respectively in the first and second geographical areas. The dispatch communications system includes a first intra-area dispatch communications network to facilitate dispatch calling between subscriber units residing within a first geographical area; a second intra-area dispatch communications network to facilitate dispatch calling between subscriber units residing within a second geographical area different than the first geographical area; and an inter-area dispatch communications network to facilitate dispatch calling between subscriber units residing respectively in first and second geographical areas. A call processing unit controls both inter-area and intra-area dispatch calls for the dispatch communications system.

Abstract: An inter-working network includes a plurality of interfaces for facilitating communications with a plurality of dispatch networks, a proxy, a signaling bridge, a signaling controller and a signaling gateway. The interfaces include a border gateway that manages communications between the inter-working architecture and each dispatch network. The proxy analyzes incoming session requests to determine whether translation is required between originating and terminating dispatch networks. The signaling bridge is adapted to translate session and signaling messages between dispatch networks having incompatible technologies. The signaling controller is interfaced with the signaling bridge and is adapted to manage dispatch sessions between an originating dispatch network and at least one target dispatch network. The signaling gateway is interfaced with the signaling controller and allocates media resources, such as transcoders, to dispatch sessions in order to convert real-time media between dispatch networks.

Abstract: An inter-working network for facilitating dispatch communications between subscribers of disparate dispatch networks includes core inter-working components and regional inter-working components. The core inter-working components include a network management system, an address translation server, a location server and a billing clearinghouse. Regional inter-working components include a plurality of points-of-presence and a plurality of border gateways interfacing each dispatch network to a point-of-presence. The billing clearinghouse collects call data from the regional points-of-presence for dispatch sessions facilitated by the inter-working architecture, performs a settlement function and creates corresponding inter-working invoices.

Abstract: Systems and methods for fault tolerant communication are provided. A base site is coupled to a central office via a channel service unit. The channel service unit is coupled to the central office via primary and secondary communications links. A first and second permanent virtual circuit couple the channel service unit to a wireless carrier core network. When there is a fault on the primary communication link or the primary permanent virtual circuit user network interface of an aggregator, the secondary communication link is established and the secondary permanent virtual circuit is activated. Communications are then routed to the wireless carrier core network via the secondary communication link and the secondary permanent virtual circuit.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing power consumption and interference in a communications system that has multiple base radios. A base radio controller assigns priorities to the base radios in the system. When higher priority base radios have excess capacity, intracell handovers are used to consolidate communications from lower priority base radios to higher priority base radios. After transferring communications to higher priority base radios, the lower priority base radios can attenuate or shut off their transmitted signal in order to reduce or eliminate all the interference they cause other base stations in the system, and reduce transmission power requirements.