diff --git a/src/regionModels/regionModel/regionModel/regionModel.H b/src/regionModels/regionModel/regionModel/regionModel.H
index 589402c1cf..c0bd06e4df 100644
--- a/src/regionModels/regionModel/regionModel/regionModel.H
+++ b/src/regionModels/regionModel/regionModel/regionModel.H
@@ -217,9 +217,13 @@ public:
 
             // Addressing
 
+                //- Return true if patchI on the local region is a coupled
+                //  patch to the primary region
+                inline bool isCoupledPatch(const label regionPatchI) const;
+
                 //- Return true if patchI on the primary region is a coupled
                 //  patch to the local region
-                inline bool isRegionPatch(const label patchI) const;
+                inline bool isRegionPatch(const label primaryPatchI) const;
 
                 //- Return the list of patch IDs on the primary region coupled
                 //  to this region
diff --git a/src/regionModels/regionModel/regionModel/regionModelI.H b/src/regionModels/regionModel/regionModel/regionModelI.H
index 834bbfb022..287fcc1920 100644
--- a/src/regionModels/regionModel/regionModel/regionModelI.H
+++ b/src/regionModels/regionModel/regionModel/regionModelI.H
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   =========                 |
   \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
    \\    /   O peration     |
-    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011 OpenFOAM Foundation
+    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2012 OpenFOAM Foundation
      \\/     M anipulation  |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
@@ -112,14 +112,31 @@ Foam::regionModels::regionModel::solution() const
 }
 
 
+inline bool Foam::regionModels::regionModel::isCoupledPatch
+(
+    const label regionPatchI
+) const
+{
+    forAll(intCoupledPatchIDs_, i)
+    {
+        if (intCoupledPatchIDs_[i] == regionPatchI)
+        {
+            return true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return false;
+}
+
+
 inline bool Foam::regionModels::regionModel::isRegionPatch
 (
-    const label patchI
+    const label primaryPatchI
 ) const
 {
     forAll(primaryPatchIDs_, i)
     {
-        if (primaryPatchIDs_[i] == patchI)
+        if (primaryPatchIDs_[i] == primaryPatchI)
         {
             return true;
         }