Conventional base station interface architecture for RF trunking multisite ...

[54] CONVENTIONAL BASE STATION

INTERFACE ARCHITECTURE FOR RF
TRUNKING MULTISITE SWITCH

[75] Inventors: Philip C. Gulliford; Charles P. Brame;

Wim A. Imron, all of Forest, Va.

[73] Assignee: Ericsson GE Mobile Communications Inc., Lynchburg, Va.

[21] Appl. No.: 709,987

[22] Filed: Jun. 4, 1991

[51] Int. C1.5 H04Q 7/02; H04Q 7/04;

H04B 7/26

[52] U.S. Q 370/67; 370/110.2

[58] Field of Search 370/67, 68.1, 79, 84,

370/85.1, 110.1, 110.2; 455/56.1

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

4,012,597 3/1977 Lynk, Jr. et al. .

4,188,582 2/1980 Cannalte et al 325/58

4,268,722 5/1981 Little et al. .

4,451,827 5/1984 Kahn et al 340/825.52

4,550,402 10/1985 Gable et al 370/85.1

4,578,815 3/1986 Persinotti 455/15

4,590,467 5/1986 Lare 340/825.5

4,630,263 12/1986 Townsend et al 370/85.8

4,635,253 1/1987 Urui et al 370/67

4,787,081 11/1988 Waters et al 370/84

4.792,948 12/1988 Hangen et al 370/66

4,926,495 5/1990 Comroe et al 370/85.1

An interface for a conventional base station into a digitally trunked network of RF communications systems acts a pseudo-down link from a multisite switch to a trunked site controller. The interface monitors the conventional channels from the base station and sends a channel assignment message to the multisite switch when it detects a voice signal. The channel assignment message notifies the trunked RF systems that a new call is active so that each system can assign a trunked working channel to the conventional call. Similarly, the multisite switch sends a channel request when a trunked call is to be broadcast over a conventional channel. The interface keys the channel and couples the channel to the trunked call.

8 Claims, 45 Drawing Sheets