Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for talkgroup-state-dependent routing of group data. An embodiment takes the form of a process that includes handling receipt of packet data addressed to a talkgroup by responsively: determining whether the talkgroup currently has an active voice session on a voice channel; if not, then routing the received packet data to the talkgroup on a data channel; and if so, then routing the received packet data to the talkgroup via metadata fields in the voice channel.

Abstract: Group-based emergency notifications and acknowledgments are managed via a radio controller. A request to transmit an emergency notification with acknowledgment to an identified target group of subscriber devices is received at the radio controller from a requesting device. The radio controller identifies one or more base stations actively serving subscriber devices associated with the identified target group and identifies, for each of the identified one or more base stations, active channels including one or more of a control channel associated with the base station and active voice or data channels associated with the base station. The radio controller causes an emergency notification outbound signaling packet (OSP), requesting individual acknowledgment and identifying the target group of subscriber devices, to be broadcast on the identified active channels at the identified one or more base stations. Acknowledgments are forwarded back to one of the requesting device and a dispatch console.

Abstract: Geo-fence based alerts are provided in a wireless communications network. A first subscriber device (SD) in the wireless communications network determines its current location. The first SD detects a geo-fence trigger by determining, as a function of the determined current location and a stored geo-fence database, that it has either (i) crossed a geo-fence boundary into a first active geo-fence in the stored geo-fence database or (ii) is within the first active geo-fence and has not yet begun playing back an alert associated with the first active geo-fence. Responsively, the first SD identifies an alert associated with the first active geo-fence and begins playback of the alert associated with the first active geo-fence.

Abstract: Geo-fence based alerts are provided in a wireless communications network. A first subscriber device (SD) in the wireless communications network determines its current location. The first SD detects a geo-fence trigger by determining, as a function of the determined current location and a stored geo-fence database, that it has either (i) crossed a geo-fence boundary into a first active geo-fence in the stored geo-fence database or (ii) is within the first active geo-fence and has not yet begun playing back an alert associated with the first active geo-fence. Responsively, the first SD identifies an alert associated with the first active geo-fence and begins playback of the alert associated with the first active geo-fence.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing acknowledgment information for radio communication devices in a wireless communication system. A base station receives a plurality of units of data each respectively transmitted by one of a plurality of radio communication devices on one of a plurality of predetermined communication slot positions of a first channel. The base station, in response to receiving the data messages, sends a control message on a communication slot position of a second channel. The control message includes acknowledgment information having a plurality of positional acknowledgment indicators. Each radio communication device receives the control message and uses acknowledgment position mapping information to identify one or more positions within the plurality of positional acknowledgment indicators that contains an acknowledgment to the respective units of data it transmitted on the corresponding predetermined communication slot positions of the first channel.

Abstract: Reduction of audio truncation when transcoding speech data from one coding format to another. Embodiments include receiving packets of a first communication session containing first encrypted speech data encoded according to a vocoder of a first type and encrypted using an encryption protocol, and containing a first encryption protocol identification information distributed among the received packets. Further embodiments include extracting the first encryption protocol identification information from the received packets and processing the received packets based on the first encryption identification information. Embodiments include transmitting one or more voice header packets containing a second encryption protocol identification information in a second communication session as well as transmitting packets in the second communication session containing second encrypted speech data encoded according to a vocoder of a second type.

Abstract: A subscriber unit-based method and a subscriber unit include locally maintaining a status of each working channel of a plurality of working channels in a wireless communication system; responsive to an inbound request, selecting one of a plurality of idle working channels of the plurality of working channels and a dedicated control channel; and sending the inbound request on the selected channel. An infrastructure-based method is also provided. Variously, the methods and systems increase service capacity in radio communication systems using idle working channels as flexible control channels. An infrastructure-based method is also described.

Abstract: A communication device performs a method for selecting a network for an application service based upon system performance. The method includes obtaining multiple sets of performance metrics. Each of the multiple sets of performance metrics comprises at least one performance metric for a same application service. The method further includes evaluating the multiple sets of performance metrics to select one of the corresponding networks to access the application service on the selected network.

Abstract: A first group auditory data stream, from a transmitting subscriber device of a first group of subscriber devices or from a dispatch console and intended for the first group of subscriber devices, is received at a conference server. The conference server determines whether the first group auditory data stream generated for the first group of subscriber devices is of interest to a second group of subscriber devices, and if so, sums the first group auditory data stream with a second group auditory data stream intended for the second group of subscriber devices to form a summed group auditory data stream. The conference server then forwards the summed group auditory data stream towards the second group of subscriber devices and forwards the first group auditory data stream towards the first group of subscriber devices.

Abstract: A first group auditory data stream, from a transmitting subscriber device of a first group of subscriber devices or from a dispatch console and intended for the first group of subscriber devices, is received at a conference server. A second group auditory data stream from a transmitting subscriber device of a second group of subscriber devices is similarly received. The conference server determines a relative priority level of one of (i) the first group of subscriber devices relative to the second group of subscriber devices and (ii) the first group auditory data stream relative to the second group auditory data stream, and sets different relative signal gains of the first group auditory data stream and the second group auditory data stream as a function of the determined relative priority level. The two auditory data streams are then summed and forwarded towards the second group of subscriber devices.

Abstract: A method for coordinating wireless coverage between a first wireless network and a second wireless network for a communication device, wherein the communication device performs the method, which includes: detecting wireless coverage by the first wireless network; affiliating to a communication group to become a member of the communication group; receiving, from an infrastructure device coupled to the first wireless network, a set of channels on the second wireless network for the communication group, wherein the set of channels is determined based on the location of members of the communication group; detecting a loss of coverage in the first wireless network of at least one member of the communication group; and, responsive to detecting the loss of coverage, switching to a channel in the set of channels on the second wireless network for communications for the communication group.

Abstract: A plurality of encryption keys is generated, and each encryption key is associated with one geographical area of a plurality of geographical areas. Each encryption key is forwarded to one or more base stations in the geographical area associated with the encryption key. At least one of the plurality of geographical areas that is adjacent to a first geographical area is determined, yielding one or more adjacent geographical areas, and an encryption key for at least one of the one or more adjacent geographical areas is forwarded to at least one base station covering the first geographical area.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for supporting roaming wireless devices and roaming wireless groups with access controls. One exemplary method involves obtaining a set of permissions associated with a roaming device from its home radio system, obtaining a set of permissions for the roaming device from the visited radio system, merging the obtained sets of permissions, and responding to a request from the roaming device in accordance with the merged set of permissions for the roaming device within the visited radio system. Another exemplary method involves obtaining permissions associated with a roaming radio group from its home radio system, obtaining permissions for the roaming radio group from the visited radio system, merging the obtained permissions, and responding to a group service request for the roaming radio group in accordance with the merged set of permissions for the roaming radio group within the visited radio system.

Abstract: A radio site controller is configured to dynamically activate adjacent radio sites by first identifying, based at least on a current location of a subscriber unit in a currently activated first radio site, a currently de-activated second radio site located adjacent to the first radio site, and subsequent activating the identified second radio site. The identified second radio site may be a single de-activated adjacent second radio site, all de-activated adjacent second radio sites, or a subset of de-activated adjacent second radio sites based on a subscriber unit travel direction determination.

Abstract: A method for providing an indicator to a dispatcher of traffic on a shared multi-talkgroup channel is provided. The method includes initiating and transmitting a first communication on a first talkgroup over the multi-talkgroup channel, receiving a notification at a first dispatch console indicating a presence of traffic on the multi-talkgroup channel that will conflict with a second talkgroup during the first communication, wherein the first dispatch console is subscribed to participate in the second talkgroup on the multi-talkgroup channel, and generating an indicator at the first dispatch console indicating to a dispatcher the presence of traffic on the multi-talkgroup channel that will conflict with the second talkgroup during the first communication.

Abstract: A home location register stores key material related to mobile stations associated with the home location register. A first visited location register associated with a first site in a first zone stores key material related to a first mobile station of the mobile stations associated with the home location register. When the first mobile station roams to a second site in a second zone associated with a second visited location register, the key material related to the first mobile station is encrypted with an interkey, yielding encrypted key material, wherein the interkey is used only by infrastructure system devices other than a mobile station for encrypting at least the key material for transport between at least the first and second zones. The encrypted key material is forwarded to the second visited location register.

Abstract: A radio site controller is configured to dynamically activate adjacent radio sites by first identifying, based at least on a current location of a subscriber unit in a currently activated first radio site, a currently de-activated second radio site located adjacent to the first radio site, and subsequent activating the identified second radio site. The identified second radio site may be a single de-activated adjacent second radio site, all de-activated adjacent second radio sites, or a subset of de-activated adjacent second radio sites based on a subscriber unit travel direction determination.

Abstract: 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 device receives, from a first subscriber unit, an alert tone request identifying at least a type of alert tone and at least one destination. In response, the device causes one or more fixed terminals corresponding to one or more radio sites associated with the destination identified in the alert tone request to instruct their subscriber units to play back a locally stored or generated alert tone corresponding at each subscriber unit. Receiving subscriber units then play back the alert tone on a continuous, periodic, or semi-periodic basis, selectively mixing the alert tone with call audio if present.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing acknowledgment information for radio communication devices in a wireless communication system. A base station receives a plurality of units of data each respectively transmitted by one of a plurality of radio communication devices on one of a plurality of predetermined communication slot positions of a first channel. The base station, in response to receiving the data messages, sends a control message on a communication slot position of a second channel. The control message includes acknowledgment information having a plurality of positional acknowledgment indicators. Each radio communication device receives the control message and uses acknowledgment position mapping information to identify one or more positions within the plurality of positional acknowledgment indicators that contains an acknowledgment to the respective units of data it transmitted on the corresponding predetermined communication slot positions of the first channel.

Abstract: A method for providing an indicator to a dispatcher of traffic on a shared multi-talkgroup channel is provided. The method includes initiating and transmitting a first communication on a first talkgroup over the multi-talkgroup channel, receiving a notification at a first dispatch console indicating a presence of traffic on the multi-talkgroup channel that will conflict with a second talkgroup during the first communication, wherein the first dispatch console is subscribed to participate in the second talkgroup on the multi-talkgroup channel, and generating an indicator at the first dispatch console indicating to a dispatcher the presence of traffic on the multi-talkgroup channel that will conflict with the second talkgroup during the first communication.