Signaling protocol for an infrastructureless communication system and method of using same

A method of utilizing a multi-frame signaling protocol for establishing communication between a group of stations in an infrastructureless communication system comprising the steps of:

• sending a transmit request from an initiating station within the system to at least one non-initiating station within a talk group;
• sending an acknowledgment from the at least one non-initiating station to the initiating station;
• sending acknowledgment data from the initiating station to all of the stations within the talk group;
• sending first connection data from the initiating station to all of the stations within the talk group;
• sending second connection data from all of the stations in the talk group to the initiating station;
• resolving an occupied communication channel data based on the second connection data by the initiating station;
• sending resolved channel data from the initiating station to the at least one non-initiating station;
• and
• initiating voice or data communication on a resolved channel between the initiating station and the at least one non-initiating station.

A signaling method for use in an infrastructureless communications system for communicating messages between an initiating station and at least one non-initiating station in a talk group, the signaling method utilizing a number of stations in the talk group for transmitting a plurality of unique frame types, the method comprising the steps of:

• exchanging a series of first type frames between an initiating station and at least one non-initiating station for conveying transmit request information and receiving an acknowledgment;
• exchanging a series of second type frames between the initiating station and the at least one non-initiating station for identifying and establishing all non-initiating stations to form a talk group;
• exchanging a series of third type frames for measuring activity on a suggested voice channel and conveying connection information to all non-initiating stations in the talk group for use in transitioning to a communications channel;
• and
• exchanging a series of fourth type frames used for conveying voice or data communication on the communications channel between the initiating station and the at least one non-initiating station.