Method and system for providing interoperable communications with location information

1. A method for providing interoperable communications with location information, comprising:

receiving communications from a plurality of virtual talk groups, each virtual talk group comprising a plurality of endpoints of different communication networks;

receiving from a first mobile endpoint of a first virtual talk group of the plurality of virtual talk groups a first communication, the first communication comprising a first media message and location information identifying a location of the first mobile endpoint;

presenting to a user:

the first media message from the first mobile endpoint; and

the location of the first mobile endpoint; and

wherein:

the first communication comprises a multicast stream with a header; and

the header comprises the location information.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein presenting the location of the first mobile endpoint comprises presenting a street address of the first mobile endpoint.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location information comprises global positioning satellite (GPS) information.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first communication comprises a unicast stream comprising the location information.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first media message comprises an audio message and the location information is steganographically embedded within the audio message.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving from a second mobile endpoint of a second virtual talk group of the plurality of virtual talk groups a second communication, the second communication comprising a second media message and location information identifying a location of the second mobile endpoint; and

presenting to the user:

the second media message from the second mobile endpoint;

an identification of the second virtual talk group comprising the second mobile endpoint; and

the location of the second mobile endpoint.

7. The method of claim 1 :

wherein the first virtual talk group comprises a plurality of endpoints of different communication networks whose communications are bridged; and

further comprising:

simultaneously receiving from a plurality of additional endpoints of the first virtual talk group a plurality of additional communications, each comprising a media message and location information identifying a location of a respective transmitting endpoint of the plurality of additional endpoints; and

presenting to the user:

a bridged communication stream comprising each media message; and

the locations of the plurality of additional endpoints.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first virtual talk group comprises a second mobile endpoint; and

the first and second mobile endpoints comprise land mobile radios operable to communicate on different frequencies.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first mobile endpoint comprises a push-to-talk endpoint; and

the first media communication comprises a push-to-talk communication.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the different communication networks comprise at least two of: a police department communication network, a fire department communication network, an ambulance communication network and a company communication network.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first virtual talk group comprises a plurality of endpoints of different communication networks whose communications are mapped to a multicast IP address.

12. A system for providing interoperable communications with location information, comprising:

an interface operable to receive communications from a plurality of virtual talk groups, each virtual talk group comprising a plurality of endpoints of different communication networks;

the interface operable to receive from a first mobile endpoint of a first virtual talk group of the plurality of virtual talk groups a first communication, the first communication comprising a first media message and location information identifying a location of the first mobile endpoint;

a processor coupled to the interface and operable to present to a user:

the first media message from the first mobile endpoint; and

the location of the first mobile endpoint; and

wherein:

the first communication comprises a multicast stream with a header; and

the header comprises the location information.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein a processor operable to present the location of the first mobile endpoint comprises a processor operable to present a street address of the first mobile endpoint.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the location information comprises global positioning satellite (GPS) information.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first communication comprises a unicast stream comprising the location information.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first media message comprises an audio message and the locationinformation is steganographically embedded within the audio message.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein:

the interface is further operable to receive from a second mobile endpoint of a second virtual talk group of the plurality of virtual talk groups a second communication, the second communication comprising a second media message and location information identifying a location of the second mobile endpoint; and

the processor is further operable to present to the user:

the second media message from the second mobile endpoint;

an identification of the second virtual talk group comprising the second mobile endpoint; and

the location of the second mobile endpoint.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein:

the first virtual talk group comprises a plurality of endpoints of different communication networks whose communications are bridged;

the interface is further operable to:

simultaneously receive from a plurality of additional endpoints of the first virtual talk group a plurality of additional communications, each comprising a media message and location information identifying a location of a respective transmitting endpoint of the plurality of additional endpoints; and

the processor is further operable to present to the user:

a bridged communication stream comprising each media message; and

the locations of the plurality of additional endpoints.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein:

the first virtual talk group comprises a second mobile endpoint; and

the first and second mobile endpoints comprise land mobile radios operable to communicate on different frequencies.

20. The system of claim 12 , wherein:

the first mobile endpoint comprises a push-to-talk endpoint; and

the first media communication comprises a push-to-talk communication.

21. The system of claim 12 , wherein the different communication networks comprise at least two of: a police department communication network, a fire department communication network, an ambulance communication network and a company communication network.

22. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first virtual talk group comprises a plurality of endpoints of different communication networks whose communications are mapped to a multicast IP address.

23. A system for providing interoperable communications with location information, comprising:

means for receiving communications from a plurality of virtual talk groups, each virtual talk group comprising a plurality of endpoints of different communication networks;

means for receiving from a first mobile endpoint of a first virtual talk group of the plurality of virtual talk groups a first communication, the first communication comprising a first media message and location information identifying a location of the first mobile endpoint;

means for presenting to a user:

the first media message from the first mobile endpoint; and

the location of the first mobile endpoint; and

wherein:

the first communication comprises a multicast stream with a header; and

the header comprises the location information.

24. The system of claim 23 , further comprising means for presenting to the user an identification of the first virtual talk group comprising the first mobile endpoint.

25. The system of claim 23 , wherein the first virtual talk group comprises a plurality of endpoints of different communication networks whose communications are mapped to a multicast IP address.

26. Logic embodied in a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising code operable to:

receive communications from a plurality of virtual talk groups, each virtual talk group comprising a plurality of endpoints of different communication networks;

receive from a first mobile endpoint of a first virtual talk group of the plurality of virtual talk groups a first communication, the first communication comprising a first media message and location information identifying a location of the first mobile endpoint;

present to a user:

the first media message from the first mobile endpoint; and

the location of the first mobile endpoint; and

wherein:

the first communication comprises a multicast stream with a header; and

the header comprises the location information.

27. The medium of claim 26 , wherein code operable to present the location of the first mobile endpoint comprises code operable to present a street address of the first mobile endpoint.

28. The medium of claim 26 , wherein the location information comprises global positioning satellite (GPS) information.

29. The medium of claim 26 , wherein the first communication comprises a unicast stream comprising the location information.

30. The medium of claim 26 , wherein the first media message comprises an audio message and the location information is steganographically embedded within the audio message.

31. The medium of claim 27 , wherein the code is further operable to:

receive from a second mobile endpoint of a second virtual talk group of the plurality of virtual talk groups a second communication, the second communication comprising a second media message and location information identifying a location of the second mobile endpoint; and

present to the user:

the second media message from the second mobile endpoint;

an identification of the second virtual talk group comprising the second mobile endpoint; and

the location of the second mobile endpoint.

32. The medium of claim 27 :

wherein the first virtual talk group comprises a plurality of endpoints of different communication networks whose communications are bridged; and

wherein the code is further operable to:

simultaneously receive from a plurality of additional endpoints of the first virtual talk group a plurality of additional communications, each comprising a media message and location information identifying a location of a respective transmitting endpoint of the plurality of additional endpoints; and

present to the user:

a bridged communication stream comprising each media message; and

the locations of the plurality of additional endpoints.

33. The medium of claim 27 , wherein:

the first virtual talk group comprises a second mobile endpoint; and

the first and second mobile endpoints comprise land mobile radios operable to communicate on different frequencies.

34. The medium of claim 26 , wherein:

the first mobile endpoint comprises a push-to-talk endpoint; and

the first media communication comprises a push-to-talk communication.

35. The medium of claim 26 , wherein the different communication networks comprise at least two of: a police department communication network, a fire department communication network, an ambulance communication network and a company communication network.

36. The medium of claim 26 , wherein the first virtual talk group comprises a plurality of endpoints of different communication networks whose communications are mapped to a multicast IP address.

37. A method for providing interoperable communications with location information, comprising:

receiving communications from a plurality of virtual talk groups, each virtual talk group comprising a plurality of endpoints of different communication networks;

receiving from a first mobile endpoint of a first virtual talk group of the plurality of virtual talk groups a first communication, the first communication comprising a first media message and location information identifying a location of the first mobile endpoint;

presenting to a user:

the first media message from the first mobile endpoint; and

the location of the first mobile endpoint;

wherein the first virtual talk group comprises a plurality of endpoints of different communication networks whose communications are bridged;

simultaneously receiving from a plurality of additional endpoints of the first virtual talk group a plurality of additional communications, each comprising a media message and location information identifying a location of a respective transmitting endpoint of the plurality of additional endpoints; and

presenting to the user:

a bridged communication stream comprising each media message; and

the locations of the plurality of additional endpoints.

38. A system for providing interoperable communications with location information, comprising:

an interface operable to receive communications from a plurality of virtual talk groups, each virtual talk group comprising a plurality of endpoints of different communication networks;

the interface operable to receive from a first mobile endpoint of a first virtual talk group of the plurality of virtual talk groups a first communication, the first communication comprising a first media message and location information identifying a location of the first mobile endpoint;

a processor coupled to the interface and operable to present to a user:

the first media message from the first mobile endpoint; and

the location of the first mobile endpoint;

the first virtual talk group comprises a plurality of endpoints of different communication networks whose communications are bridged;

the interface is further operable to:

simultaneously receive from a plurality of additional endpoints of the first virtual talk group a plurality of additional communications, each comprising a media message and location information identifying a location of a respective transmitting endpoint of the plurality of additional endpoints; and

the processor is further operable to present to the user:

a bridged communication stream comprising each media message; and

the locations of the plurality of additional endpoints.