Method and apparatus for interactive communication between half-duplex and full-duplex systems

Abstract

A communication system (100) includes a first communication unit (101, 102, 103, 104) capable of communicating over a full-duplex persistent-connection link provided by a full-duplex network (105) and a second communication unit (151, 152) capable of communicating over a half-duplex dispatch link provided by a dispatch RF system (150). The system (100) also includes a dispatch gateway (120). The dispatch gateway (120) receives signals from a first communication unit (101, 102, 103, 104) over a full-duplex persistent link through a full-duplex network (105) and provides communication between the first communication unit and a single dispatch communication unit (151, 152) or a group of dispatch communication units (151, 152) over a half-duplex communication link through a dispatch RF system (150). The gateway operates in a manner so as to permit communication between full-duplex terminals (101, 102, 103, 104) and half-duplex terminals (151, 152).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.