Patent ID: 7483416

Claim:
A distributed dispatch control system operable to use a packet network in providing audio and signalling connectivity to a plurality of audio devices, the system comprising: a plurality of distributed call management modules, each distributed call management module being adapted to serve a respective audio device and each distributed call management module having a respective group address for each audio device; each distributed call management module operable to convert audio and signalling from the respective audio device into packets for distribution through the packet network using the respective group address for receipt by any distributed call management modules monitoring the group address; and each distributed call management module operable to monitor at least one selected group address by: receiving packets addressed to the at least one selected group address and converting such packets to audio and signalling for distribution to the audio device, wherein each distributed call management module is operable to perform arbitration functions for the audio device that the distributed call management module is serving by: receiving a call from the served audio device; communicating audio data of the call from the served audio device to the group address; receiving one or more acceptances of the call from respective audio devices, each of the respective audio devices comprising operator workstations; selecting one of the operator workstations to handle the call; granting access to transmit audio data received from the served audio device to the selected operator workstation; and denying access to transmit audio data to the other accepting operator work stations.