Patent ID: 8401030

Claim:
A method of implementing direct mode communication, comprising: receiving from a first wireless communication device a direct mode communication request that identifies at least a second wireless communication device for which direct mode communication with the first wireless communication device is desired; determining whether there is at least one secondary communication channel available over which direct mode communication between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device may be implemented without violating at least one communication policy for the secondary communication channel; when there is at least one secondary communication channel available over which direct mode communication between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device may be established without violating at least one communication policy for the secondary communication channel, communicating a secondary communication channel assignment to at least the first wireless communication device assigning the secondary communication channel to be used for direct mode communication; and receiving, at a base station, from the first wireless communication device a first acknowledgement indicating whether the assigned secondary communication channel is accepted; and if the assigned secondary communication channel is not accepted: determining whether another secondary communication channel is available for the requested direct mode communication; and if another secondary communication channel is available for the requested direct mode communication, communicating another communication channel assignment to the first wireless communication device assigning the another secondary communication channel to be used for direct mode communication.