Patent ID: 8135353

Claim:
A testing system for a dispatch system that comprises a dispatch console and a remote base station comprising a communication link with the dispatch console and a radio transmitter, said testing system comprising: at least one monitor radio comprising a radio receiver configured to receive radio signals from the radio transmitter of the base station, at least one radio communications input and at least one radio communications output; a dispatch display unit comprising at least one visual display for displaying a status of said dispatch system and at least one display communications input; and a master control unit comprising; a radio control communications output in communication with said at least one radio communications input of said at least one monitor radio and a radio control communications input in communication with said at least one radio communications output of said at least one monitor radio; a display control communications output in communication with said at least one display communications input of said dispatch display unit; a console control communications output and a console control communications input in communication with the dispatch console of the dispatch system; a microprocessor in communication with said radio control communications output, said radio control communications input, said display control communications output, said console control communications output and said console control communications input; a memory; and computer program means, stored in said memory, for controlling said testing system, wherein said computer program means comprises transmission testing means comprising; transmission test initiation means for determining when a transmission test of the dispatch system is to be performed and for initiating said transmission test; transmission tone sending means for sending a signal corresponding to a predetermined transmission test tone through said console control communications output, to the dispatch console and through the communications link to the remote base station; transmission tone receiving means for receiving a signal corresponding to said transmission test tone from at least one of said at least one monitor radio through said radio control communications input; transmission tone confirmation means for confirming whether said transmission test tone has been received; and transmission display output means for sending a signal corresponding to whether said transmission test tone has been received to said dispatch display unit through said display control communications output.