Microphone-controller with multifunction, single conductor

• US 5,018,188 A
• Filed: 12/20/1989
• Issued: 05/21/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rokusek, Daniel S., Kowalski, Joseph L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jin F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Application Number:
  US07/453,877
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 381/111-115, 379/58, 379/59, 379/63, 455/77
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

The single power conductor carries audio and a serial data bus. The microphone'"'"'s amplifier (102) is connected to the conductor (108). The incoming audio signal rides on the DC supply voltage from the radiotelephone. The supply voltage, through a voltage regulator (103), supplies power to the amplifier (102) and a microprocessor (105), used to transmit the serial data message on the conductor (108). Both the amplifier (102) and the voltage regulator (103) are isolated from the power conductor (108) by a FET switch (104) that is controlled by the microprocessor (105). The switch (104) is turned off, isolating the circuitry when the microprocessor (105) is transmitting.

Claims

1. A microphone-controller apparatus, for providing an audio signal and control signals, coupled by a multifunction, single conductor to transceiving means, the apparatus comprising:

(a) an electroacoustic transducer for generating the audio signal;

(b) amplifying means, for amplifying the audio signal, having an input coupled to the electroacoustic transducer and an output coupled to the multifunction, single conductor;

(c) controllable isolation means for isolating the amplifying means and the voltage regulation means from the multifunction, single conductor;

(d) voltage regulation means for regulating a first voltage provided by the transceiver means over the multifunction, single conductor, thereby providing a predetermined second voltage to the microphone-controller apparatus; and

(e) processing means for controlling the apparatus, the controllable isolation means, and generating the control signals to be transmitted over the multifunction, single conductor.

2. The microphone-controller of claim 1 wherein the controllable isolation means is a field-effect transistor switch.

3. The microphone-controller of claim 1 wherein the processing means is a microprocessor.

4. The microphone-controller of claim 1 and further including indication means, coupled to the processing means, for displaying data.

5. A microphone-controller apparatus, for providing and audio signal and control signals, coupled by a multifunction, single conductor to a radiotelephone, the apparatus comprising:

(a) an electroacoustic transducer for generating the audio signal;

(b) amplifying means, for amplifying the audio signal, having an input coupled to the electrocoustic transducer and an output coupled to the multifunction, single conductor;

(c) voltage regulation means for regulating a first voltage provided by the radiotelephone over the multifunction, single conductor, thereby providing a predetermined second voltage to the microphone-controller apparatus;

(d) controllable isolation means for isolating the amplifying means and the voltage regulation means from the multifunction, single conductor;

(e) processing means for controlling the controllable isolation means and generating the control signals for transmission on the multifunction, single conductor to the radiotelephone; and

(f) switching means, coupled to the processing means, for entering data to be encoded, by the processing means, into the control signals.

6. The microphone-controller of claim 5 wherein the controllable isolation means is a field-effect transistor switch.

7. The microphone-controller of claim 5 wherein the processing means is a microprocessor.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 and further including indication means, for displaying data, coupled to the processing means.