Internet protocol radio dispatch system and method
First Claim
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1. 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.
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Abstract
A method and system for dispatching calls using a packet network is disclosed. The use of distributed call management modules, enables various communication systems, such as RF and PSTN systems, to communicate with each other over the IP network. Audio devices from the various communication systems are each assigned an IP multicast group. Distributed call management modules convert signals from the audio devices into IP packets and transmit the IP packets to designated IP multicast groups over the IP network.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. 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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 42, 43, 44)
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29. A distributed call management module for use in a radio dispatch system, said distributed call management module comprising:
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an audio processing engine for converting an audio signal from an audio device to a packet signal; a call and management processing engine for directing the packet signal to a multicast group address; and a packet processor for encoding the packet signal as multicast packets and for decoding multicast packets from the packet network, said packet processor configured to send and receive packets over the packet network, 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. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 45, 46, 47)
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34. A method of dispatching a call between audio devices, said audio devices being connected to a packet network, said method comprising:
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assigning multicast group addresses to each audio device; converting an audio signal of a call from a first audio device to packets; encoding and sending the packets as multicast packets; directing the packets via a call management processing engine to the multicast group address of the first audio device; receiving and decoding multicast packets from the packet network; and performing arbitration functions for the audio device that a 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. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification