Patent ID: 6882848

Claim:
A method for controlling signaling and channel assignment in a decentralized trunked radio system to operationally mimic a centralized trunked radio system, the method comprising: a) monitoring a parameter indicative of elapsed time of channel activity presently being carried in a respective one of a plurality of radio frequencies assigned to the radio system; b) upon the parameter indicative of elapsed time of channel activity reaching a respective target value, determining whether there is another radio frequency in the plurality of radio frequencies assigned to the radio system available for carrying the channel activity presently being carried by the one radio frequency; c) if the determining action indicates the presence of an available radio frequency for carrying the channel activity, shifting the channel activity from the one radio frequency to the available radio frequency; and d) iteratively performing actions a) through c) for each of the plurality of radio frequencies assigned to the radio system so that radio channel activity, upon reaching the target value, is sequentially shifted to any radio frequency determined to be available, and thus ensuring that each radio frequency assigned to the radio system is generally free in a time interval commensurate with the respective target value.