Peer-to-Peer LMR Communication via Multicast
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Land Mobile Radio (LMR) systems require a bridge device for site-to-site communication, leading to increased latency, reliability issues due to single-point failure, and high costs due to the need for a high-capacity and robust bridge device, which also requires additional bandwidth and complex configuration for new site deployments.
Innovation Solution
The system eliminates the need for a bridge device by allowing sites to directly communicate through a data network, using multicasting for call requests and voice messages, enabling dynamic auto-discovery and distributed call control, thereby reducing hop count and latency, and eliminating single-point failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a bridge device is used to facilitate communication among sites, then communication capability is provided, but call setup latency increases and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the bridge device from the communication architecture, allowing sites to communicate directly through the data network. This extraction of the intermediary component eliminates the single point of failure and reduces latency while maintaining communication capability through peer-to-peer connections
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the communication function by allowing each site to independently establish direct connections with other sites through multicast mechanisms. This segmentation distributes the communication burden across multiple paths rather than concentrating it through a single bridge device, improving both reliability and performance
2Reliability
If a bridge device is used for site communication, then communication is enabled, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge device is completely removed from the system architecture. Communication reliability is maintained through direct peer-to-peer connections enabled by multicast capabilities in the data network, eliminating the need for complex bridge hardware and reducing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Sites are enabled to communicate with each other autonomously through multicast mechanisms without requiring bridge device intervention. Each site independently manages its own communication connections, reducing the complexity burden on any single device while maintaining reliable communication
3Reliability
If a bridge device is used, then site communication is facilitated, but bandwidth requirements and configuration complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple communication paths into a single multicast stream that is distributed to all sites simultaneously. This combining approach reduces the total bandwidth consumption compared to individual unicast connections while maintaining reliable communication across all sites through the data network
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system are provided for peer-to-peer communication among a plurality of sites in a land mobile radio (LMR) system. The sites are interconnected by a data network, such as an IP network. When a site, referred to as the initiating site, intends to communicate with other sites, the initiating site transmits a call request message. The call request message is multicast over the data network to the intended recipients. The initiating site receives an acknowledgement message from the other sites confirming their willingness to communicate with the initiating site. The initiating site then sends a voice message, via multicasting, to the other sites interested in the call.