Method and apparatus for delivering messages to portable communication units in a radio communication system

摘要

A method of locating a portable communication unit (108) having a transmitter (852) for transmitting acknowledge back signals, consists of the steps of transmitting, to the portable communication unit (108) from the communication cell transmitters (104), an information signal which consists of a predetermined color code word which identifies a subset of the communication cells (500) for which radio coverage does not overlap; receiving an acknowledge back signal from the portable communication unit (108) consisting of a reported color code value determined from the color code word transmitted in the information signal; and analyzing the reported color code value to determine a cell location of the portable communication unit (108). The portable communication unit (108) operates within a radio communication system consisting of communication cells (500) and a paging terminal (110), wherein the communication cells (500) consist of transmitters (104) for transmitting information signals intended for reception by the portable communication unit (108).