Appeal No. 2000-0611
Application No. 08/708,179
Comroe at col. 4 teaches the use of a group call to more than one
communication unit to transfer their affiliation from the cell to the trunking network or
vice versa.
At step (200), the communication channel controller (110), when it
determines that a particular communication unit is needed for a
communication within the trunking communication system, transmits a first
access number, or places a telephone call, to the particular
communication unit via the cellular communication system. The
communication channel controller (110), stores in a database, the trunking
identification number of each of the communication units, and in
accordance with this invention, would also store a first access number for
each communication unit as well. The communication channel controller
(110) may also store in the database a second access number, or second
telephone number which would represent a group call such that several
communication units would transfer their affiliation to the trunking
communication system relatively simultaneously and requiring the
communication channel controller (110) to place only one telephone call.
[Emphasis added.]
Therefore, Comroe teaches a point-to-multipoint message via a single call, but the
examiner relies on the activation of the "push-to-talk" button at col. 5 as an
acknowledgment message. We disagree with the examiner's interpretation of the
"push-to-talk" button. We find that the discussion of actuation of this button is not an
acknowledgment to the base station, but a discussion of the difference between the
operation of the communication unit as affiliated with the cellular system versus the
trunking system operation. Therefore, we find that Comroe does not teach or suggest
the use of a point-to-point acknowledgment message.
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