2-way radio with silent annunciation

• US 6,272,331 B1
• Filed: 02/12/1999
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cobra Electronics Corp. (Cedar Electronics Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Cobra Electronics Corp. (Cedar Electronics Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Mirabelli, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Simon
• Application Number:
  US09/248,968
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 455/347, 455/425, 455/517, 455/518, 455/567, 455/575, 455/90, 455/351
• US Class Current: 455/347
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A two-way radio system is claimed. The two-way radio system comprises a plurality of handheld radios. Each handheld radio has a housing and a receiving means and a transmitting means. The handheld radios function over a fixed frequency range. Each radio also includes a method of announcing an incoming call sent from a first handheld radio to a second handheld radio. The method comprises the steps of transmitting a communication within the fixed frequency range from the first handheld radio. The transmission is received by the second handheld radio, and announced by producing a vibrational movement in the housing of the second handheld radio.

Claims

1. In a two-way radio system of a type comprising at least a first and second two-way handheld walkie-talkie radio, a method of announcing an incoming call sent from the first two-way bandheld walkie-talkie radio to the second two-way handheld walkie-talkie radio, comprising the steps of:

providing a first two-way handheld walkie-talkie radio and a second two-way handheld walkie-talkie, each two-way handheld walkie-talkie having a housing, a transmitting means for transmitting a call announcement signal and a separate voice signal, said voice signal being different from said announcement signal and being transmitted over a fixed frequency range, a receiving means for receiving the voice communication signal and call announcement signal and announcing the call announcement signal and means for selectively choosing between an audible call announcement or a vibrational call announcement, wherein the first and second two-way handheld walkie-talkie do not communicate one to the other through a base station;

choosing the vibrational call announcement on the second two-way handheld radio;

transmitting the voice communication signal within the fixed frequency range from the first two-way handheld walkie-talkie radio;

receiving the voice communication signal with the second two-way handheld walkie-talkie radio;

transmitting the call announcement signal from the first two-way handheld walkie-talkie radio; and

,

announcing the call announcement signal in the second two-way handheld walkie-talkie radio by producing a vibrational movement in the housing of the second two-way handheld walkie-talkie radio, said vibrational movement being responsive to said call announcement signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the fixed frequency range is 462.5 MHz to 463.0 MHz.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second two way handheld walkie-talkie radios operate on DC power.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first and second two way handheld walkie-talkie radios operate on 4 AAA alkaline batteries.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the first and second two way handheld walkie-talkie radios operate on a nickel cadmium battery.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein one of the two way handheld walkie-talkie radios operates on a vehicle battery.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second two way handheld walkie-talkie radios include means for selectively choosing between an electronic call announcement, a voice call announcement, a vibrational call announcement, or an electromechanical call announcement.

8. The method of claim 7 including the step of choosing a vibrational call announcement.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the fixed frequency range is 446.00625 MHz to 446.09375 MHz.