Method and apparatus in a radio communication system for synchronizing transmissions while maintaining full user traffic

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting step comprises the step of adjusting a monitor floating time reference utilized to determine a transmission delay, the adjusting performed in accordance with the transmission delay.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring step comprises the step of determining a plurality of relative times at which a predetermined recurring bit pattern in the second portion of the user traffic is received from the selected ones of the plurality of transmitters.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting step comprises the step of adjusting the plurality of floating time references such that the plurality of transmission delays are set to a predetermined value.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the second portion of the user traffic comprises the step of transmitting from a transmitter synchronized by a transmitter floating time reference, and wherein the monitoring step comprises the step of monitoring said transmitter with a monitor receiver clocked by a monitor absolute time reference to determine a measured transmission delay, and wherein the adjusting step comprises the step of adjusting the transmitter floating time reference according to the measured transmission delay to recalibrate the transmitter floating time reference.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the second portion of the user traffic comprises the step of transmitting from a transmitter synchronized by a transmitter absolute time reference, and wherein the monitoring step comprises the step of monitoring said transmitter with a monitor receiver clocked by a monitor floating time reference to determine a measured transmission delay, and wherein the adjusting step comprises the step of adjusting the monitor floating time reference according to the measured transmission delay to recalibrate the monitor floating time reference.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the second portion of the user traffic comprises the step of transmitting from a transmitter synchronized by a transmitter floating time reference, and wherein the monitoring step comprises the step of monitoring said transmitter with a monitor receiver clocked by a recalibrated monitor floating time reference to determine a measured transmission delay, and wherein the adjusting step comprises the step of adjusting the transmitter floating time reference according to the measured transmission delay to recalibrate the transmitter floating time reference.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the second portion of the user traffic comprises the step of transmitting from a transmitter synchronized by a recalibrated transmitter floating time reference, and wherein the monitoring step comprises the step of monitoring said transmitter with a monitor receiver clocked by a monitor floating time reference to determine a measured transmission delay, and wherein the adjusting step comprises the step of adjusting the monitor floating time reference according to the measured transmission delay to recalibrate the monitor floating time reference.

Claim 10

A radio communication system for synchronizing a plurality of data streams associated with a plurality of transmitters without interrupting user traffic, the radio communication system comprising: the plurality of transmitters for transmitting, during a first time interval, a first portion of the user traffic in a simulcast mode to convey information including control information and location request messages intended for subscriber units throughout the radio communication system, and for transmitting, during a second time interval, a second portion of the user traffic in a non-simulcast mode to send different messages to subscribers in localized portions of the radio communication system; a monitor receiver for cooperating with a controller to monitor the second portion of the user traffic transmitted from selected ones of the plurality of transmitters to determine a plurality of transmission delays; and the controller coupled to the plurality of transmitters and coupled to the monitor receiver for cooperating with the plurality of transmitters and the monitor receiver to adjust a plurality of floating time references according to the plurality of transmission delays to equalize the plurality of transmission delays.

Claim 11

A radio communication system for synchronizing a plurality of data streams associated with a plurality of transmitters without interrupting user traffic, the radio communication system comprising: the plurality of transmitters for transmitting, during a first time interval, a first portion of the user traffic in a simulcast mode to convey information including control information and location request messages intended for subscriber units throughout the radio communication system, and for transmitting, during a second time interval, a second portion of the user traffic in a non-simulcast mode to send different messages to subscribers in localized portions of the radio communication system; a monitor receiver for cooperating with a controller to monitor the second portion of the user traffic transmitted from selected ones of the plurality of transmitters to determine a plurality of transmission delays; and the controller coupled to the plurality of transmitters and coupled to the monitor receiver for cooperating with the plurality of transmitters and the monitor receiver to adjust a plurality of floating time references according to the plurality of transmission delays to equalize the plurality of transmission delays.

Claim 12

The radio communication system of claim 9, further comprising a monitor floating time reference utilized to determine a transmission delay, wherein the controller and the monitor receiver are programmed for cooperating to adjust the monitor floating time reference in accordance with the transmission delay.

Claim 13

The radio communication system of claim 9, wherein the monitor receiver is programmed to determine a plurality of relative times at which a predetermined recurring bit pattern in the second portion of the user traffic is received from the selected ones of the plurality of transmitters.

Claim 14

The radio communication system of claim 9, wherein the controller is programmed to adjust the plurality of floating time references such that the plurality of transmission delays are set to a predetermined value.

Claim 15

The radio communication system of claim 9, further comprising: a transmitter floating time reference; and a monitor absolute time reference, and wherein a transmitter of the plurality of transmitters is synchronized by the transmitter floating time reference, and wherein the monitor receiver is clocked by a monitor absolute time reference for determining a measured transmission delay, and wherein the controller is programmed to adjust the transmitter floating time reference according to the measured transmission delay to recalibrate the transmitter floating time reference.

Claim 16

The radio communication system of claim 9, further comprising: a transmitter absolute time reference; and a monitor floating time reference, and wherein a transmitter of the plurality of transmitters is synchronized by the transmitter absolute time reference, and wherein the monitor receiver is clocked by the monitor floating time reference for determining a measured transmission delay, and wherein the controller is programmed to adjust the monitor floating time reference according to the measured transmission delay to recalibrate the monitor floating time reference.

Claim 17

The radio communication system of claim 9, further comprising: a transmitter floating time reference; and a monitor floating time reference that has been recalibrated by the controller to produce a recalibrated monitor floating time reference, and wherein a transmitter of the plurality of transmitters is synchronized by the transmitter floating time reference, and wherein the monitor receiver is clocked by the recalibrated monitor floating time reference for determining a measured transmission delay, and wherein the controller is programmed to adjust the transmitter floating time reference according to the measured transmission delay to recalibrate the transmitter floating time reference.

Claim 18

The radio communication system of claim 9, further comprising: a transmitter floating time reference that has been recalibrated by the controller to produce a recalibrated transmitter floating time reference; and a monitor floating time reference, and wherein a transmitter of the plurality of transmitters is synchronized by the recalibrated transmitter floating time reference, and wherein the monitor receiver is clocked by the monitor floating time reference for determining a measured transmission delay, and wherein the controller is programmed to adjust the monitor floating time reference according to the measured transmission delay to recalibrate the monitor floating time reference.

Claim 19

A controller in a radio communication system for synchronizing a plurality of data streams associated with a plurality of transmitters without interrupting user traffic, the controller comprising: a processing system coupled to a plurality of transmitters for controlling the plurality of transmitters to transmit, during a first time interval, a first portion of the user traffic in a simulcast mode to convey information including control information and location request messages intended for subscriber units throughout the radio communication system, and to transmit during a second time interval, a second portion of the user traffic in a non-simulcast mode to send different messages to subscribers in localized portions of the radio communication system; and a communications port coupled to the processing system and coupled to a monitor receiver for cooperating with the monitor receiver to monitor the second portion of the user traffic transmitted from selected ones of the plurality of transmitters to determine a plurality of transmission delays, wherein the processing system is programmed to cooperate with the plurality of transmitters and the monitor receiver to adjust a plurality of floating time references according to the plurality of transmission delays to equalize the plurality of transmission delays.

Claim 20

A controller in a radio communication system for synchronizing a plurality of data streams associated with a plurality of transmitters without interrupting user traffic, the controller comprising: a processing system coupled to a plurality of transmitters for controlling the plurality of transmitters to transmit, during a first time interval, a first portion of the user traffic in a simulcast mode to convey information including control information and location request messages intended for subscriber units throughout the radio communication system, and to transmit during a second time interval, a second portion of the user traffic in a non-simulcast mode to send different messages to subscribers in localized portions of the radio communication system; and a communications port coupled to the processing system and coupled to a monitor receiver for cooperating with the monitor receiver to monitor the second portion of the user traffic transmitted from selected ones of the plurality of transmitters to determine a plurality of transmission delays, wherein the processing system is programmed to cooperate with the plurality of transmitters and the monitor receiver to adjust a plurality of floating time references according to the plurality of transmission delays to equalize the plurality of transmission delays.

Claim 21

The controller of claim 17, wherein the processing system is programmed to cooperate with the monitor receiver to adjust a monitor floating time reference in accordance with a measured transmission delay determined from the monitor floating time reference.

Claim 22

The controller of claim 17, wherein the processing system is programmed to adjust the plurality of floating time references such that the plurality of transmission delays are set to a predetermined value.

Claim 23

The controller of claim 17, wherein the processing system is programmed to adjust a transmitter floating time reference according to a measured transmission delay to recalibrate the transmitter floating time reference.