Patent ID: 7702347

Claim:
A method for creating temporary dispatch talk groups, the method comprising the acts of: receiving a request to create a temporary dispatch talk group, wherein the temporary dispatch talk group includes at least two existing talk groups; accessing a group database in a publicly-accessible wireless network; creating the temporary dispatch talk group in the group database, wherein the temporary dispatch talk group has a limited lifetime; providing an identification of the temporary dispatch talk group to at least one member of the temporary dispatch talk group; setting a timer, wherein the timer corresponds to the limited lifetime of the temporary dispatch talk group; and deleting the temporary talk group identification and membership and priority information for the temporary talk group upon expiration of the timer, wherein the timer is stopped when a dispatch talk group communication for the temporary talk group is initiated and the timer is reset when the dispatch talk group communication has ended, and wherein the publicly accessible wireless network includes multiple dispatch communications processors coupled to mobile stations through a radio access network.