Radio transceiver with keyboard control

• US 5,566,205 A
• Filed: 01/31/1995
• Issued: 10/15/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Patriot Communications Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Patriot Communications Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Delfine, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, HAI
• Application Number:
  US08/381,584
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 375/219, 375/259, 375/272, 455/89, 455/84, 455/90
• US Class Current: 375/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/401 for selecting or indicating operating mode

Abstract

A radio transceiver comprises a controllable transmitter and receiver, a microprocessor connected to the transmitter and receiver to supply digital data thereto and to receive digital data therefrom, an interface connectable to a keyboard to receive data. The transmitter and receiver, the microprocessor and the interface are enclosed in the housing. Manual controls in the housing control all of the functions of the transmitter and receiver, and the microprocessor can receive inputs from the keyboard to emulate the manual controls.

Claims

1. A radio transceiver comprising:

a transmitter for sending data with a carrier frequency;

a receiver for receiving data with a carrier frequency;

a microprocessor connected to the transmitter and receiver to supply digital data thereto and to receive and decode digital data therefrom;

a housing having the transmitter and receiver and the microprocessor enclosed therein;

manual controls mounted on the housing and exposed to an operator, wherein the manual controls are actuatable during use to produce manual control command signals applied to the microprocessor for controlling all functions of the transmitter and receiver;

a keyboard having alphanumeric and function keys actuatable by an operator during use, wherein the keyboard is separate from the housing;

an interface in the housing and connected to the keyboard during use to apply keyboard data from the keyboard to the microprocessor; and

wherein the microprocessor has an emulation circuit receptive of keyboard data from the keyboard interface in response to actuation of keyboard keys by an operator for converting the keyboard data into corresponding manual control command signals to emulate actuation of the corresponding manual controls, wherein the keyboard is used to alternately control all of functions associated with the normal operation of the radio transceiver that are controlled by the mounted manual controls as well as special functions associated with the automatic transmission and reception and decoding of Morse or digital data modes.

2. The radio transceiver according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter comprises a shift keyable oscillator and wherein the microprocessor has circuitry for applying shift keying data directly to the oscillator.

3. The radio transceiver according to claim 1, further comprising a display in the housing and controlled by the microprocessor.

4. The radio transceiver according to claim 1, further comprising a disk drive controller in the housing and controlled by the microprocessor.

5. The radio transceiver according to claim 1, further comprising a printer controller in the housing and controlled by the microprocessor.

6. The radio transceiver according to claim 1, wherein the manual controls comprise pushbuttons and knobs.

7. The radio transceiver according to claim 1, wherein the manual controls are mounted on a front panel of the housing.

8. The radio transceiver according to claim 1, wherein the radio transceiver is an amateur radio transceiver.

9. The radio transceiver according to claim 1, further comprising an input/output circuit connected to the microprocessor for controlling an external display.

10. The radio transceiver according to claim 1, wherein the emulation circuit comprises a look-up table which converts ASCII code to signals emulating corresponding manual control command signals.

11. The radio transceiver according to claim 1, wherein the radio transceiver is an amateur radio transceiver having manual controls comprising pushbuttons and knobs on a front panel of the housing.