| 摘要 |
Group communications between subscribers (20, 22) affiliated with a terrestrial communication system (12, 14) and subscribers (46, 48) affiliated with a satellite communication system (10) is begun when a subscriber has initiated a group communication request. The request is provided, via a controller (i.e., a terrestrial system controller or satellite system controller depending on which communication system the requesting subscriber is affiliated with), to a systems interface (36). Upon receiving the request, the systems interface determines whether subscribers that are identified to participate in the group communication are located in the terrestrial system and/or the satellite system. If the group of subscribers have members in both communication systems, the systems interface establishes satellite communication links for each subscriber affiliated with the satellite communication system and establishes a terrestrial communication link for subscribers affiliated with a terrestrial communication system. Once the communication links are established, the systems interface arbitrates transmissions of the group of subscribers. The arbitration of transmissions insures that each subscriber in the group of subscribers receives the transmission.
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