Methods for implementing a talkgroup call in a multicast IP network

A method comprising the steps of:

• sending, from a communication device to a controller, an affiliation request for a talkgroup;
• upon receipt of the affiliation request, identifying, by the controller, a control multicast group address for use in sending control signaling to the talkgroup;
• sending, by the controller to the communication device, an affiliation acknowledgment comprising the control multicast group address;
• upon receipt of the affiliation acknowledgment, issuing, by the communication device to a network device, a command to enable the communication device to receive a control message via the control multicast group address;
• and
• sending, from the network device to the communication device, the control message addressed to the control multicast group address.

In a communication system comprising at least one communication device participating in a talkgroup call, a method comprising the steps of:

• sending, from a communication device to a controller, an affiliation request for a talkgroup;
• upon receipt of the affiliation request, identifying, by the controller, at least one multicast group address to be used for distributing communication information to the communication device;
• sending, from the controller to the communication device, an affiliation response comprising the at least one multicast group address;
• upon receipt of the affiliation response, joining, by the communication device, the at least one multicast group address;
• and
• receiving, by the communication device, communication information via the at least one multicast group address, wherein the at least one multicast group address comprises a payload multicast group address for distributing payload messages to the talkgroup.

A communication system comprising:

• a controller;
• a first network device and a second network device coupled to the controller;
• a communication source coupled to the first network device;
• and
• a participating device coupled to the second network device,
• when the controller, the first network device, the second network device, the communication source, and the participating device are operable:
• the controller receives a request for a talkgroup call from the communication source, upon receipt of the request for the talkgroup call, the controller identifies a payload multicast group address to be used by the communication source for distributing a payload message to the participating device of the talkgroup call, and the controller sends a talkgroup call grant message comprising the payload multicast group address to the communication source and the participating device;
• the participating device issues a command to the second network device to enable the participating device to receive payload messages via the payload multicast group address,
• the communication source sends a payload message addressed to the payload multicast group address to the first network device, and
• the first network device sends the payload message to the participating device via the payload multicast group address.

A communication system comprising:

• a controller;
• a network device coupled to the controller;
• and
• a communication device coupled to the network device,
• when the controller, the network device, and the communication device are operable:
• the controller receives an affiliation request for a talkgroup from the communication device, and upon receipt of the affiliation request for the talkgroup, the controller identifies a control multicast group address for use in sending control signaling to the talkgroup, and sends an affiliation acknowledgement comprising the control multicast group address to the communication device,
• upon receipt of the affiliation acknowledgement, the communication device issues a command to the network device to enable the communication device to receive a control message via the control multicast group address, and
• in respond to the command, the network device sends the control message addressed to the control multicast group address to the communication device.