Importance

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Abstract

In a communication system having a communication channel for transmitting data between a base station and a plurality of mobile radio units, wherein each radio unit has a unique identification (ID) code and wherein transmissions from each radio unit to the base station include the unit's ID code, a method is described for identifying which units are within RF communication proximity of the base station. The method includes: transmitting a range message, including a low ID code parameter and a high ID code parameter, from the base station over the channel to elicit a response from at least one of the mobile radio units having an ID code between the low and high parameters; determining whether radio units transmitted a message in response to the range message; and storing, responsive to transmission by the units, in an ID list a signal representative of the respective ID code assigned to such transmitting units. These steps are repeated with different transmitted range messages until each of the radio units within RF proximity of the base station is appended to the ID list.

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First Claim