Patent ID: 6161016
Filing Date: 2000-12-12
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
A cellular radio system comprising:a switching center and a plurality of radio base stations, each having an associated plurality of traffic channels for serving an associated cell,a plurality of mobile units,each of a plurality of the radio base stations having at least one of its associated channels capable of being dedicated to a broadcast service, anda selected group of at least some of the mobile units each having means for establishing the channel associated with the broadcast service, so that a call from the switching center can be transmitted by one of said base stations over the channel associated with the broadcast service to the selected group of mobile units within the cell,each base station including means for transmitting a paging signal as part of an initial call set-up and handover process and periodically throughout a broadcast call as part of a handover process and means for dedicating one of said channels to the broadcast service at only those base stations which receive one or more responses to the paging signal,each mobile unit of the selected group having means for transmitting such a response to the paging signal.