Abstract: A dispatch radio communication system (100) employs a method (200) and apparatus (101) for assigning one of a console station's control modules (113-115) to a communication resource. The assignment is initiated by associating (203) each control module (113-115) with a group of supported resource features and associating (205) each communication resource with a group of employed resource features. The latter association is then used to establish (211 ) a minimum set and an extended set of resource feature requirements for a particular communication resource that is to be added to a console station (109). The former association is used to identify (217) a group of candidate control modules (113-115) at the console station (109) that can support at least the minimum set of resource feature requirements. Upon identification of the candidate group (113-115), the candidate control module (e.g.

Abstract: In a communication system (100) that includes an operator station (105-107), a functions processor (104) and peripheral communication devices (108-109), the operator station (105-107) may perform functions when the functions processor (104) is unable in the following manner. When the operator station (105-107) receives a request for a particular function from an operator, it determines whether the functions processor (104) is unable to perform the requested function. If the functions processor (104) is unable, the operator station (105-107) determines whether it will perform the requested function or whether a peripheral communication device (108-109) will perform the requested function. If the operator station (105-107) is to perform the requested function, it performs the requested function. If the peripheral communication device (108-109) is to perform the requested function, the operator station (105-107) transports the requested function to the peripheral communication unit (108-109).

Abstract: In a communication system having a communication resource allocator, a plurality of communication units, a plurality of communication resources, and at least one console, the communication resource allocator is improved to comprise system reconfiguration databases, selection information, execution information, and predetermined event receiving information. The improvement allows the communication system to be automatically reconfigured in response to a predetermined event. The predetermined event is typically initiated by one of the plurality of communication units.