Abstract: In a wireless ad hoc network comprising a plurality of nodes (102), when a method of the present invention determines that a source node and a destination node belong to a common virtual local area network (VLAN), information is routed to the destination node using only nodes that belong to the common VLAN. If a path is not available to route the information between the source node and the destination node using only nodes that belong to the common VLAN, a default VLAN is used to route the information at least partially through the ad hoc network. If, however, the method of the present invention determines that the source node belongs to a first VLAN and the destination node belongs to a second VLAN, the source node or an intermediate node registers with the second VLAN and continues routing the information using nodes that belong to the second VLAN.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, an access point (111) receives a multicast packet intended for a particular multicast group. Upon receipt, the access point only rebroadcast the multicast packet over a wireless segment if it determines that there is at least one wireless subscriber unit (131) belonging to the particular multicast group and associated with the access point that did not originate the multicast packet. Optionally, if the multicast packet signals an automatic rebroadcast of the multicast packet over the wireless segment, the access point automatically rebroadcasts the multicast packet without determining whether there is at least one wireless subscriber unit belonging to the particular multicast group and associated with the access point that did not originate the multicast packet.

Abstract: A Packet Network for use in association with a wireless communication system employs packet distribution and call set-up methods optimized to select from a plurality of network routing devices, a single node (i.e., Rendezvous Point (VP) or.multicast core) as a function of attributes exhibited by the communication devices involved in the call or as a function of various communication system performance and/or quality of service (QOS) attributes, including but not limited to, bandwidth requirements, resource availability, network processing capacity, network response time, network traffic data, information technology and other knowledge and know-how regarding system equipment, system software, system integration, installation and/or deployment, bit error rate (BER), received signal strength indication (RSSI), quality of service (QOS) metrics, and any other measure of system performance or call quality.

Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing dispatch calls using IP multicasting protocols are disclosed. The methods include utilizing a payload multicast group address for distributing payload, and utilizing a control multicast group address for distributing control messages to members of the talkgroup in a single-zone (FIG. 1). A zone controller 116 dynamically identifies payload and control multicast group addresses and sends them to participating sites 102, 104. The participating sites 102, 104 issue Join commands to associated network devices 108, 110 to receive payload and control messages addressed to the respective payload and control multicast group addresses. There is further disclosed a system and method for implementing dispatch calls for members in multiple zones (FIG. 6). Zone controllers 630, 632 separately identify control multicast group addresses and send them to affiliating devices in their respective zones.

Abstract: A Packet Network for use in association with a wireless communication system employs packet distribution and call set-up methods optimized to select from a plurality of network routing devices, a single node (i.e., Rendezvous Point (VP) or.multicast core) as a function of attributes exhibited by the communication devices involved in the call or as a function of various communication system performance and/or quality of service (QOS) attributes, including but not limited to, bandwidth requirements, resource availability, network processing capacity, network response time, network traffic data, information technology and other knowledge and know-how regarding system equipment, system software, system integration, installation and/or deployment, bit error rate (BER), received signal strength indication (RSSI), quality of service (QOS) metrics, and any other measure of system performance or call quality.

Abstract: A method at comparator (103) of determining the depth of remote buffer (107-109), by computing the difference between the current time and a next launch time, where the next launch time is the time at which a next information packet will be transmitted by the base station (104-106) on the radio channel. The next launch time is determined by the summation of, the time to transmit a previous information packet with error correcting information on the radio channel, and the launch time of a previous information packet. The method further includes maintaining the buffer depth between thresholds such that information packets will not be provided beyond a maximum threshold and filler packets will be provided when buffer depth is less than a minimum threshold.