Patent ID: 8027696

Claim:
A method for dynamically allocating channel resources in a wireless communication system having a plurality of available channels, each channel having a plurality of channel resources, the method comprising: receiving a request for a channel resource on a channel by a new talkgroup call; determining that the new talkgroup call is associated with another communication based upon a defined operational relationship between the new talkgroup call and the another communication; and allocating channel resources for the new talkgroup call based upon the defined operational relationship and an availability of channel resources across the plurality of channels, wherein the defined operational relationship is one of required and optional, where required indicates that channel resources for the new talkgroup should not be allocated unless sufficient channel resources exist on a first particular channel in the plurality to support both the new talkgroup and the another communication, and where optional indicates a preference to allocate channel resources for both the new talkgroup and the another communication on the first particular channel but providing for the new talkgroup to be allocated despite insufficient channel resources for both the new talkgroup and the another communication.