Transmitter cut off apparatus

• US 6,263,194 B1
• Filed: 07/17/1998
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Wireless IP Holdings LLC (Retail Ecommerce Ventures LLC), General Wireless Operations Inc. (Retail Ecommerce Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: RadioShack Legacy Corporation
• Inventors: Chan, Edmond, Lam, Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gantt, Alan T.
• Application Number:
  US09/118,506
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 455/115, 455/118, 455/119, 455/116, 455/127, 331/176, 331/68, 340/588, 340/589, 340/870.16, 340/870.17, 340/870.3, 330/296
• US Class Current: 455/115.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/44 Transmit/receive switching

Abstract

An apparatus and method to use the temperature of a transmitting radio to prevent transmission of radio waves outside of an assigned frequency band. More specifically, if a transmitter exceeds a specified temperature the transmitter will be automatically disabled to prevent temperature caused frequency shifts outside the approved frequency transmission band for the transmitter. The transmitter has a temperature sensor that senses temperature and compare the operating temperature against a preselected temperature limit. It the operating temperature either is too hot or too cold the transmitter will be disabled and will not transmit until the temperature falls or rises to an acceptable level.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the output of a transmitter comprising the steps of:

selecting at least one predetermined temperature limit;

measuring the temperature of said transmitter;

comparing said measured temperature with said at least one temperature limit to determine if said measurement of said temperature of said transmitter is either greater than or less than one of said temperature limits; and

halting the output of said transmitter by interrupting said transmitter'"'"'s power supply if said measured temperature is beyond said at least one temperature limit.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

wherein said measured temperature signal is compared with a temperature limit representing an upper temperature limit to determine if said measured temperature is greater than said upper temperature limit.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

wherein said measured temperature is compared with a temperature limit signal representing a lower temperature limit to determine if said measured temperature is lower than said lower limit.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

wherein said comparing said measured temperature with at least one temperature limit signal occurs in a microprocessor.

5. A method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

wherein said measured temperature signal is compared with an upper temperature limit to determine if said measured temperature is greater than said upper temperature limit;

wherein said measured temperature is compared with a lower temperature limit to determine if said measured temperature is lower than said lower limit;

wherein said comparing said measured temperature with said upper temperature limit and said lower temperature limit occurs in a microprocessor; and

halting said output of said transmitter by interrupting said transmitter'"'"'s power.

6. An apparatus of controlling the output of a transmitter comprising:

a temperature sensor, said temperature sensor producing a signal proportional to the temperature of said transmitter;

a comparison device having at least one input reference temperature wherein said comparison device compares the temperature of said transmitter with said reference temperature; and

a cutoff signal generator to send a cutoff signal to interrupt said transmitter'"'"'s power if said measurement of said temperature of said transmitter is beyond said reference temperature.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising:

wherein said measured temperature is compared with a reference signal proportional to an upper temperature limit to determine if said measured temperature is greater than said temperature limit.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising:

wherein said measured temperature is compared with a lower reference signal proportional to a lower temperature limit to determine if said measured temperature is less than said predetermined lower temperature limit.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising:

wherein said comparison device is a microprocessor.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising:

a switch to receive said cutoff signal and halt the output of said transmitter.

11. An apparatus for controlling the output of a transmitter comprising:

a means for sensing temperature, said means for sensing temperature producing a signal proportional to the temperature of said transmitter;

a means for comparison, said means for comparison having at least one predetermined reference temperature, wherein said means for comparison determines if said measurement of said temperature of said transmitter is either greater than or less than said at least one predetermined reference temperature;

a generating means to generate a cutoff signal when said measurement of said temperature is beyond the predetermined reference temperature; and

a means to halt said output of said transmitter by interrupting said transmitter'"'"'s power supply when said cutoff signal is generated.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

wherein said measured temperature is compared with an upper reference temperature to determine if said measured temperature is greater than said upper reference temperature.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

wherein said measured temperature is compared with a lower reference temperature to determine if said measured temperature is less than said predetermined lower temperature.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

wherein said comparison means is a means for executing computer program instructions.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

a cutoff means to receive said cutoff signal and halt the output of said transmitter.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

a operator alert means to notify said transmitter operator that transmission has been halted.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

an override means to disable said cutoff means and restore power to said transmitter.