Patent ID: 6304558
Filing Date: 2001-10-16
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
A method for a network dispatch manager in a communication system infrastructure to provide dispatch service to dispatch clients connected to a dispatch gateway via a packet-switched network, the method comprising the steps of:receiving a voice signal; andwhen the voice signal corresponds to a dispatch group:determining a multicast group that is assigned to the dispatch group;bundling a portion of the voice signal into a packet for transport via a multicast-capable, packet-switched network;multicasting the packet on the multicast-capable, packet-switched network using the multicast group;when the voice signal corresponds to a dispatch individual,determining a dispatch gateway associated with the dispatch individual;bundling a portion of the voice signal into a packet for transport via the multicast-capable, packet-switched network;unicasting the packet to the dispatch gateway via the, multicast-capable, packet-switched network;receiving registration information for a dispatch client from a dispatch gateway;storing at least a portion of the registration information, wherein the registration information comprises a dispatch gateway identifier, a dispatch individual identifier that corresponds to the dispatch client, and a dispatch group identifier that corresponds to the dispatch group to which the dispatch client is registering; andassigning a multicast group to the dispatch group, wherein the step of storing at least a portion of the registration information comprises the step of storing the dispatch group identifier as related to a multicast group identifier that corresponds to the multicast group.