Method for muting a radio

• US 5,575,002 A
• Filed: 10/31/1994
• Issued: 11/12/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mulford, Keith I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US08/332,213
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 455/194.1, 455/68, 455/70, 455/92, 455/89, 455/35.1, 455/54.1, 455/212, 455/218, 455/219, 455/220, 455/222, 455/355, 455/200.1, 455/38.2, 455/88
• US Class Current: 455/194.1
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/34 Muting amplifier when no signal is present or when only weak signals are present, or caused by the presence of noise signals, e.g. squelch systems

Abstract

When a portable radio (110) receives a transmission from a mobile radio (105), the portable radio (110) mutes a speaker volume of the portable radio (110) for a duration of the transmission from the mobile radio (105). In an arrangement of the mobile radio (105) and the portable radio (110) where both radios transmit and receive on a same communication resource channel and both radios are in close proximity, acoustic feedback may be avoided.

Claims

1. In an arrangement of a mobile radio and a portable radio, wherein both radios transmit and receive digitally on a communication resource, and wherein the mobile radio has a first ID, a method for muting the portable radio, comprising the steps of:

at the portable radio, wherein the first ID is stored within the portable radio;

(a) receiving a transmission that was transmitted by transmitting radio having a second ID, wherein the transmission includes at least the second ID;

(b) determining the second ID of the transmitting radio based on the transmission; and

(c) when the second ID of the transmitting radio matches the first ID of the mobile radio, muting a speaker volume of the portable radio, thereby avoiding acoustic feedback between the portable radio and the mobile radio.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising a preceding step of:

at the portable radio;

entering the first ID of the mobile radio via at least one manual button and storing the first ID of the mobile radio.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the muting step (c) further includes a step of partially muting the speaker volume of the portable radio to a preset level.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising a subsequent step (d) of unmuting the speaker volume of the portable radio by restoring the speaker volume of the portable radio to a previous level when the transmission ends.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the muting step (c) further includes a step of, at the portable radio, providing a low-level audio tone to a user of the portable radio during the transmission.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising a subsequent step (d) of disabling the low-level audio tone when the transmission ends.

7. The method of claim 2, further including a subsequent step (d) of, at the portable radio, unmuting the portable radio by manually operating at least one button of the portable radio, thereby restoring the portable radio to normal operation.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising a subsequent step (d) of, at the portable radio, automatically unmuting the speaker volume of the portable radio when the transmission ends, thereby restoring the portable radio to normal operation.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the preceding steps of:

(a1) at the portable radio, placing the portable radio in a learning mode, whereby the portable radio learns the first ID of the mobile radio;

(a2) at the mobile radio, transmitting a message wherein the message includes the first ID of the mobile radio; and

(a3) at the portable radio, receiving the message, and thereby determining the first ID of the mobile radio, and storing the first ID of the mobile radio.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the muting step (c) further includes a step of partially muting the speaker volume of the portable radio to a preset level.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising a subsequent step (d) of unmuting the speaker volume of the portable radio by returning the speaker volume of the portable radio to a previous level when the transmission ends, thereby restoring the portable radio to normal operation.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the muting step (c) further includes a step of, at the portable radio, providing a low-level audio tone to a user of the portable radio during the transmission.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising a subsequent step (d) of disabling the low-level audio tone when the transmission ends.

14. The method of claim 9, further including a subsequent step (d) of, at the portable radio, unmuting the portable radio by manually operating at least one button of the portable radio, thereby restoring the portable radio to normal operation.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising a subsequent step (d) of, at the portable radio, automatically unmuting the speaker volume of the portable radio when the transmission ends, thereby restoring the portable radio to normal operation.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising a subsequent step (d) of, at the portable radio, displaying, on a display of the portable radio, an indication that the portable radio is muted.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising a subsequent step (e) of, at the portable radio, removing, from the display of the portable radio, the indication that the portable radio is muted when the transmission ends.

18. In an arrangement of a mobile radio and a portable radio, wherein both radios transmit and receive digitally on a communication resource, and wherein the portable radio has a first ID, a method for muting the mobile radio, comprising the steps of:

at the mobile radio, wherein the first ID is stored within the mobile radio;

(a) receiving a transmission that was transmitted by a transmitting radio having a second ID, wherein the transmission includes at least the second ID;

(b) determining the second ID of the transmitting radio based on the transmission; and

(c) when the second ID of the transmitting radio matches the first ID of the portable radio, muting a speaker volume of the mobile radio, thereby avoiding acoustic feedback between the portable radio and the mobile radio.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising a preceding step of:

at the mobile radio;

entering the first ID of the portable radio via at least one manual button and storing the first ID of the portable radio.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the muting step (c) further includes a step of partially muting the speaker volume of the mobile radio to a preset level.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising a subsequent step (d) of unmuting the speaker volume of the mobile radio by returning the speaker volume of the mobile radio to a previous level when the transmission ends, thereby restoring the mobile radio to normal operation.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the muting step (c) further includes a step of, at the mobile radio, providing a low-level audio tone to a user of the mobile radio during the transmission.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising a subsequent step (d) of disabling the low-level audio tone when the transmission ends, thereby restoring the mobile radio to normal operation.

24. The method of claim 19, further including a subsequent step (d) of, at the mobile radio, unmuting the mobile radio by manually operating at least one button of the mobile radio, thereby restoring the mobile radio to normal operation.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising a subsequent step (d) of, at the mobile radio, automatically unmuting the speaker volume of the mobile radio when the transmission ends, thereby restoring the mobile radio to normal operation.

26. The method of claim 18, further comprising the preceding steps of:

(a1) at the mobile radio, placing the mobile radio in a learning mode, whereby the mobile radio learns the first ID of the portable radio;

(a2) at the portable radio, transmitting a message wherein the message includes the first ID of the portable radio; and

(a3) at the mobile radio, receiving the message, and thereby determining the first ID of the portable radio, and storing the first ID of the portable radio.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the muting step (c) further includes a step of partially muting the speaker volume of the mobile radio to a preset level.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising a subsequent step (d) of unmuting the speaker volume of the mobile radio by returning the speaker volume of the mobile radio to a previous level when the transmission ends, thereby restoring the mobile radio to normal operation.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the muting step (c) further includes a step of, at the mobile radio, providing a low-level audio tone to a user of the mobile radio during the transmission.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising a subsequent step (d) of disabling the low-level audio tone when the transmission ends.

31. The method of claim 26, further including a subsequent step (d) of, at the mobile radio, unmuting the mobile radio by manually operating at least one button of the mobile radio, thereby restoring the mobile radio to normal operation.

32. The method of claim 26, further comprising a subsequent step (d) of, at the mobile radio, automatically unmuting the speaker volume of the mobile radio when the transmission ends, thereby restoring the mobile radio to normal operation.

33. The method of claim 18, further comprising a subsequent step (d) of, at the mobile radio, displaying, on a display of the mobile radio, an indication that the mobile radio is muted.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising a subsequent step (e) of, at the mobile radio, removing, from the display of the mobile radio, the indication that the mobile radio is muted when the transmission ends.