INTERNAL AUDIO MULTIPLEXING SYSTEM FOR MULTI-CHANNEL RADIOS

• US 20090170578A1
• Filed: 01/02/2008
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Holloway, Phillip G., Ramsey, Michael P., Richey, Manuel F., Hunter, Jeffrey K., Nelson, Zachary R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,941,198 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/701
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers

Abstract

A method of providing audio transmissions from an electronic device having internal audio multiplexing is disclosed. The method comprises combining a plurality of received audio input signals for output as a first mode of operation for the electronic device, where the electronic device is configured to output the plurality of audio input signals on at least one audio channel. When a priority audio signal is detected from one of the received audio input signals in the first mode of operation, the method interrupts playback of the remaining audio input signals with the priority audio signal as a second mode of operation for the electronic device and transfers, within the electronic device, the priority audio signal to the at least one audio channel once the priority audio signal is detected.

Claims

1. A method of providing audio transmissions from an electronic device having internal audio multiplexing, the method comprising:

combining a plurality of received audio input signals for output as a first mode of operation for the electronic device, the electronic device configured to output the plurality of audio input signals on at least one audio channel; and

when a priority audio signal is detected from one of the received audio input signals in the first mode of operation,

interrupting playback of the remaining audio input signals with the priority audio signal as a second mode of operation for the electronic device, and

within the electronic device, transferring the priority audio signal to the at least one audio channel once the priority audio signal is detected.

2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising providing audio cues in the first mode of operation once the priority audio signal is detected.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein providing the audio cues further comprises inserting the audio cues preceding a time-delayed recording of the audio transmission provided on the priority audio signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein combining the plurality of received audio input signals comprises summing the combined audio input signals with at least one auxiliary audio input signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein interrupting the playback of the remaining audio input signals further comprises recording an audio transmission of the priority audio signal transmitted on the at least one audio channel, the recording activated by a squelch detection module associated with the at least one audio channel.

6. An aviation communications system, comprising:

a communications processing unit, including,

a multi-channel radio, the multi-channel radio configured to provide internal audio multiplexing for a plurality of audio channels in the processing unit, wherein the multi-channel radio is operable to;

in a monitor mode, combine a plurality of received audio input signals for output on at least one of the audio channels, and

in a priority mode, when a priority audio signal is detected, transfer the priority audio signal onto a primary channel of the plurality of audio channels; and

an input/output module in operative communication with the multi-channel radio; and

a control unit communicatively coupled to the communication processing unit, the control unit operable to control the internal audio multiplexing of the multi-channel radio;

wherein once the priority audio signal is detected, the multi-channel radio is configured to automatically transition the priority audio signal to the primary channel within the communications processing unit.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the multi-channel radio comprises:

a multi-channel antenna;

a multi-channel receiver configured to receive a plurality of communication input signals from the multi-channel antenna;

at least one squelch break circuit in operative communication with the multi-channel receiver, the at least one squelch break circuit configured to suppress at least a portion of the plurality of audio input signals on the primary channel;

a combining circuit in operative communication with the multi-channel receiver, the combining circuit configured to combine the plurality of received audio input signals with at least one auxiliary audio input signal, wherein at least a portion of the combined audio inputs signals are received on one or more secondary channels of the multi-channel radio; and

an audio multiplexer circuit in operative communication with the combining circuit, the audio multiplexer circuit configured to select the priority audio signal for transferring to the primary channel.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the multi-channel radio further comprises:

a recorder communicatively coupled between the multi-channel receiver and the combining circuit, the recorder configured to record a priority audio transmission on the primary channel, the recording activated by squelch detection circuitry associated with the primary channel;

a delay circuit communicatively coupled between the multi-channel receiver and the audio multiplexer circuit, the delay circuit configured to insert audio cues at the beginning of a time-delayed version of the priority audio transmission; and

an annunciate circuit communicatively coupled to the audio multiplexer circuit, the annunciate circuit configured to provide the audio cues for the priority mode once the priority audio signal is detected.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the multi-channel radio further comprises a control circuit in operative communication with at least the combining circuit and the at least one squelch break circuit, the control circuit configured to interrupt playback of any remaining audio inputs signals previously received on the one or more secondary channels with the priority audio signal from the primary channel.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the multi-channel radio is a multi-mode digital radio (MMDR).

11. The system of claim 6 and further comprising a display output in operative communication with the communications processing unit.

12. The system of claim 6 and further comprising an audio output configured to receive a plurality of audio output signals from the input/output module.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein the input/output module comprises an auxiliary input.

14. The system of claim 6, wherein the communications processing unit comprises at least one of a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a field-programmable gate array, a field-programmable object array, a programmable logic device, or an application-specific integrated circuit.

15. The system of claim 6, wherein the control unit is located in an aircraft cockpit.

16. A computer program product comprising program instructions, embodied on a machine-readable storage medium, the program instructions cause at least one programmable processor in a multi-channel radio to:

combine a plurality of received audio input signals for output to at least one communications receiver system, the plurality of audio input signals combined on at least one channel of the multi-channel radio; and

when a priority audio signal is detected,

transfer the priority audio signal onto a primary channel within the multi-channel radio, and

interrupt playback of the previously combined audio input signals remaining on one or more secondary channels of the multi-channel radio with the priority audio input signal from the primary channel.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the program instructions that combine the plurality of received audio input signals for output as a first mode of operation for the multi-channel radio cause the at least one programmable processor to sum the combined audio input signals with at least one auxiliary audio input signal.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the program instructions that combine the plurality of received audio input signals for output as a first mode of operation for the multi-channel radio further cause the at least one programmable processor to transmit the summation of audio input signals on at least one of the one or more secondary channels.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the program instructions that transfer the priority audio input signal onto the at least one primary channel further cause the at least one programmable processor to:

activate recording of a priority audio transmission on the primary channel, the priority audio transmission associated with the priority audio signal; and

provide audio cues over the at least one channel once the priority audio signal is detected.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the program instructions that provide the audio cues in the first mode of operation cause the at least one programmable processor to insert the audio cues at the beginning of a time-delayed version of the priority audio transmission.