Patent ID: 8761071

Claim:
A distributed dispatch control system configured to use a packet network in providing signaling connectivity to a plurality of devices, the system comprising: a plurality of distributed call management modules, each distributed call management module being adapted to serve a device of the plurality of devices and each distributed management call module having a respective group address for said device, each distributed management call module being at least partially implemented by hardware; each distributed call management module configured to convert signaling from the served device into packets for distribution through the packet network using the respective group address via one of the plurality of distributed management modules; and each distributed call management module configured to: receive packets addressed to the at least one selected group address and convert such packets for distribution to at least one device of the plurality of devices, wherein each distributed call management module is configured to perform arbitration functions for the at least one device that the distributed management module is serving by: receiving one or more acceptances of a transmission from one or more devices of the plurality of devices, at least one of the one or more devices comprising at least two operator workstations; selecting at least one of the operator workstations to handle the transmission from the one or more devices; and granting access to transmit data between the served device and the selected operator workstation.