Communication device and method for determining a busy status thereof in a dispatch system

A method for an infrastructure of a communication system to inform a first communication device of an operational status of a second communication device, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a first voice communication from the first communication device;
• transmitting the first voice communication to the second communication device;
• receiving, responsive to transmission of the first voice communication, a data message from the second communication device, the data message indicating that the second communication device is in a busy operational mode, the busy operational mode being an operational mode in which the second communication device is not involved in a voice communication, but is nevertheless unavailable to participate in the first voice communication;
• transmitting an acknowledgment of receipt of the data message to the second communication device;
• and
• transmitting the data message to the first communication device.

A two-way communication device having a plurality of operational modes, the two-way communication device comprising:

• a user interface that allows a user of the two-way communication device to place the two-way communication device in a busy operational mode, the busy operational mode being an operational mode in which the two-way communication device is not involved in a voice communication, but is nevertheless unavailable to participate in a voice communication;
• a receiver that receives a first voice communication from a calling communication device while the two-way communication device is in the busy operational mode;
• a controller, coupled to the user interface and the receiver, that detects that the two-way communication device is in the busy operational mode, that determines, while the two-way communication device is in the busy operational mode, whether the calling communication device is data capable, and, when the calling communication device is data capable, generates a data message indicating that the two-way communication device is in the busy operational mode;
• and
• a transmitter, coupled to the controller, that transmits the data message to the calling communication device, while the two-way communication device is in the busy operational mode.