Method for providing voice mail service in a dispatch radio communication system and corresponding dispatch system

A method for providing voice mail service in a dispatch radio communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) receiving, at a dispatch processor, a first request to communicate from a first communication unit, the first request to communicate including a dispatch identification for a second communication unit that is a target of a communication from the first communication unit;
• b) determining, by the dispatch processor, whether the second communication unit can participate in the communication with the first communication unit;
• c) when the second communication unit cannot participate in the communication with the first communication unit,
• 1) determining, by the dispatch processor, whether at least one communication unit of a group of communication units coupled to a voice mail system is available to receive a voice mail message;
• 2) when at least one communication unit of the group of communication units is available to receive the voice mail message,
• i) selecting, by the dispatch processor, an available communication unit of the group of communication units as a third communication unit;
• ii) transmitting, by the dispatch processor, a second request to communicate to the voice mail system via the third communication unit, the second request to communicate including the dispatch identification of the second communication unit to identify the second communication unit as an originator of the second request to communicate and indicating that a voice mail message is to be stored at the voice mail system;
• iii) establishing, by the dispatch processor, a radio communication path between the first communication unit and the third communication unit;
• iv) upon receiving the second request to communicate, determining, by the voice mail system, a mailbox identification for the second communication unit at the voice mail system based on the dispatch identification of the second communication unit;
• v) retrieving, by the voice mail system, a prompt signal from a first memory location at the voice mail system that is associated with the mailbox identification of the second communication unit;
• vi) transmitting, by the voice mail system, the prompt signal to the first communication unit via the radio communication path, the prompt signal informing a user of the first communication unit that the voice mail system has been contacted;
• vii) responsive to the prompt signal, transmitting, by the first communication unit, the voice mail message to the voice mail system via the radio communication path;
• and
• viii) storing, by the voice mail system, the voice mail message in a second memory location at the voice mail system that is associated with the mailbox identification of the second communication unit.

A method for a dispatch processor to facilitate voice mail service in a dispatch radio communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) receiving a first request to communicate from a first radio communication unit, the first request to communicate including a dispatch identification for a second radio communication unit that is a target of a communication from the first radio communication unit;
• b) determining whether the second radio communication unit can participate in a communication with the first radio communication unit;
• c) when the second radio communication unit cannot participate in the communication,
• 1) transmitting a second request to communicate to a voice mail system via a third radio communication unit that is coupled to the voice mail system, the second request to communicate identifying the second communication unit as an originator of the second request to communicate;
• 2) receiving, responsive to the second request to communicate, a prompt signal from the voice mail system via the third radio communication unit;
• 3) transmitting the prompt signal to the first radio communication unit, the prompt signal informing a user of the first radio communication unit that the voice mail system has been contacted;
• 4) receiving, responsive to the prompt signal, a message to be stored at the voice mail system from the first radio communication unit;
• and
• 5) transmitting the message to the voice mail system via the third radio communication unit.

A method for a voice mail system to provide voice mail service in a dispatch radio communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) receiving, from a dispatch processor, a request to communicate via a first radio communication unit that is coupled to the voice mail system, the request to communicate including an identification of a second radio communication unit;
• b) transmitting, responsive to the request to communicate, a prompt signal to a third radio communication unit via the first radio communication unit and the dispatch processor, the prompt signal informing a user of the third radio communication unit that the voice mail system has been contacted;
• c) receiving, responsive to transmission of the prompt signal, a message from the third radio communication unit via the dispatch processor and the first radio communication unit;
• and
• d) storing the message in a first memory location at the voice mail system that is associated with the identification of the second radio communication unit.

A dispatch communication system that provides voice mail service, comprising:

• a stationary communication unit;
• a dispatch processor, the dispatch processor supporting dispatch communications between mobile communication units and, when a dispatch communication of an originating mobile communication unit cannot be completed to a target mobile communication unit, establishing a radio communication path between the originating mobile communication unit and the stationary communication unit;
• and
• a voice mail system, coupled to the stationary communication unit, the voice mail system controlling operation of the stationary communication unit to enable the voice mail system to receive a voice mail message from the originating mobile communication unit via the radio communication path for storage in a memory location at the voice mail system that is associated with an identification of the target mobile communication unit.