Motorola Corporation

Brett A Jackson

Arthur L Fumarolo

Paul J Cizek

Vitaly Lenchik

Paul A Kuemmel

Naresh J Bhatia

A display-based terminal ( ) employs a method and apparatus for dynamically grouping ( ) communication units in a communication system. The terminal displays a map ( ) to the terminal user that indicates locations of communication units in at least a portion of the communication system. The terminal receives ( ) an indication of a geographic area on the map. After the area has been indicated and the talkgroup identified, the terminal automatically groups ( ) communication units that are in or have entered the selected area into the identified talkgroup. If a regrouped unit exits the selected area, the terminal automatically removes the exiting unit from the talkgroup. The terminal user may further input criteria to limit which units entering and leaving the indicated area are actually grouped or ungrouped.

Method and apparatus for automatically grouping communication units in a communication system

A display-based terminal ( ) employs a method and apparatus for allowing a user of the terminal to communicate with communication units ( ) in a communication system ( ). The terminal displays a map ( ) to the user indicating locations of communication units in at least a portion of the communication system. The terminal then receives a selection from the map of at least one communication unit ( ) and an indication ( ) of the user's desire to communicate with the selected communication unit. The indication of the user's desire to communicate may be contemporaneous with the user's selection of the communication unit, for example, when the user has, prior to such selection, indicated a desired type ( ) of communication and/or a desired transmission mode ( ) for subsequent communications with the communication units. Responsive to receipt of the user's selection of the communication unit and indication of a desire to communicate, the terminal automatically initiates a communication with the selected communication unit.

Method and apparatus for allowing a user of a display-based terminal to communicate with communication units in a communication system

A display-based terminal (,) employs a method and apparatus for dynamically grouping communication units (,) operating in a communication system (,). The display-based terminal displays a map (,) to a user of the terminal that indicates, among other things, locations of communication units in at least a portion of the communication system. The terminal receives the user's selection of communication units from the map and an identification of at least one talkgroup with which the selected units are to become members. The communication units may be selected individually, as a group (e.g., using &ldquo;click and drag&rdquo; rectangling techniques), or both. After communication units have been selected from the map, the terminal automatically groups the selected units into the indicated talkgroup. If the terminal user desires to ungroup a previously grouped communication unit, the user selects the unit from the map and the terminal automatically removes the newly selected unit from the talkgroup.

Method and apparatus for dynamically grouping communication units in a communication system

A RF reporting system is provided that effectively increases the coverage or serving area from an associated base station site. According to the invention, an RF communication system is arranged with a multiplicity of levels designated 0-n. The RF system has at least one base site designated as level 0 and at least one reporting unit each at levels 1-n. All units that communicate directly with a base site are designated level 1. All units that communicate directly with a level 1 unit are designated level 2. All units that communicate directly with a level 2 unit are designated level 3. This process continues to level n units, which communicate directly with level (n-1) units. With this arrangement, when the base site wishes to communicate with a desired target unit of level k, a path is created from the base site (level 0) to the target unit (level k) via intermediate units of intermediate levels 1, 2, . . . , k-2, k-1. When the target unit wishes to respond to the base site, the same path is used, but in the opposite direction.

Growing community of inventors

Arlington Heights, IL, United States of America

Brett A Jackson