Automatic equivalent temporary talkgroup assignment in a roaming trunking environment

Claim 1

A method (200) for a roaming communication unit to associate automatically with at least one talkgroup in a second trunked communication system that is equivalent to at least one talkgroup in a first trunked communication system, comprising the steps of: A) determining that communication with a resource controller in the first trunked communication system has been lost (208) (210) (212); B) providing a communication unit composite ID of the roaming communication unit to a second resource controller; (214) C) receiving at least one equivalent roaming temporary talkgroup assignment ID (214); D) storing the at least one equivalent roaming temporary talkgroup assignment ID (216); E) operating, thereafter, in the second trunked communication system under the at least one equivalent roaming temporary talkgroup assignment ID until a predetermined event occurs (216).

Claim 3

A method for a roaming communication unit to associate with at least one corresponding temporary talkgroup in a second trunked communication system that is equivalent to at least one talkgroup in a first trunked communication system, comprising the steps of: A) determining that a roaming communication unit utilizing a talkgroup in a first trunked communication system desires to communicate with an equivalent roaming temporary talkgroup in a second system (208, 210, 212); B) providing a communication unit composite ID of the roaming communication unit to a second resource controller (214); C) determining that an equivalent roaming temporary talkgroup is available in a second system that the communication unit is capable of receiving (214); D) receiving at least one equivalent roaming temporary talkgroup assignment ID (214); E) storing at least one equivalent roaming temporary talkgroup assignment ID (216); F) operating, thereafter, in the second trunked communication system under the at least one equivalent roaming temporary talkgroup assignment ID until a predetermined event occurs (216).

Claim 5

A method for a roaming communication unit to associate with at least one temporary talkgroup in a second trunked communication system that is equivalent to at least one talkgroup in a first trunked communication system, for use in a network of trunked communication systems constructed and arranged to support communication units roaming from system to system and having a resource controller computer for communicating with at least two trunked communication systems, and each of the at least two trunked communication systems having: one or more trunked repeaters; resource controller means for allocating said one or more trunked repeaters among a plurality of communication units, and for communicating information with at least some of the one or more trunked repeaters, and including means for transmitting a predetermined code word on the selected one of the one or more trunked repeaters; means for communicating with the resource controller means and for assigning identification codes to roaming communication units; and means for interfacing with an unrelated communication network, the method comprising the steps of: A) determining that communication with the first trunked communication system has been lost (208, 210, 212); B) providing a composite ID of the roaming communication unit to the resource controller in the second trunked communication system (214); C) receiving at least one equivalent roaming temporary talkgroup assignment ID (214); D) storing at least one equivalent roaming temporary talkgroup assignment ID (216); and E) operating, thereafter, in the second trunked communication system under at least one equivalent roaming temporary talkgroup assignment ID until a predetermined event occurs (216).