Method and apparatus for facilitating a fair access to a channel by participating members of a group communication system

A controller for facilitating a fair access to a channel by participating members of a group communication system, the members subject to differing transmission delays when communicating with the controller, the controller comprising:

• a communication interface for communicating channel access information with the members;
• and
• a processor coupled to the communication interface for processing the channel access information,
• wherein the processor is programmed to:
• add a member-specific channel-access delay, comprising at least one of:
• a first member-specific delay to a transmission of a free channel indication from the controller to a member after the channel becomes free;
• and
• a second member-specific delay before processing a request to talk received by the controller from the member;
• and
• select the member-specific channel-access delay such that a time required for the member to gain access to the channel after the channel becomes free is essentially equal to the time required for any other participating member to gain access to the channel after the channel becomes free.

A software program for facilitating a fair access to a channel by participating members of a group communication system, the members subject to differing transmission delays when communicating with a controller of the group communication system, wherein the software program, when installed and executing in the controller, causes the controller to:

• add a member-specific channel-access delay, comprising at least one of:
• a first member-specific delay to a transmission of a free channel indication from the controller to a member after the channel becomes free;
• and
• a second member-specific delay before processing a request to talk received by the controller from the member;
• and
• select the member-specific channel-access delay such that a time required for the member to gain access to the channel after the channel becomes free is essentially equal to the time required for any other participating member to gain access to the channel after the channel becomes free.