Shirt-pocket scanner

• US 6,654,597 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2000
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electra Limited (Future Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Electra Limited (Future Corp.)
• Inventors: Shepperd, Michael E., Lovell, David A., Boelter, Donald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, John J
• Application Number:
  US09/519,380
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 455/130, 455/140, 455/572, 455/343, 455/333, 455/334, 455/161.1, 455/164.1, 455/573
• US Class Current: 455/334
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/086 Portable receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1607 Supply circuits converters H02M; filters therefor H02M1/14; voltage stabilisers G05F1/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets

Abstract

A radio includes a receiver circuit, a microprocessor, an input/output (I/O) port, at least one switch for configuring the I/O port, an audio amplifier coupled to the receiver circuit and to the I/O port, an audio frequency transducer coupled to the I/O port, and a power supply coupled to the I/O port, the receiver, the microprocessor, the at least one switch, and the audio amplifier. The at least one switch is coupled to the microprocessor. The audio frequency transducer is selectively coupled to the audio amplifier through the I/O port and the power supply is selectively coupled to the I/O port to permit activation of the audio frequency transducer by a signal coupled from the audio amplifier through the I/O port and to provide access to the power supply through the I/O port.

Claims

1. Apparatus including a receiver circuit, a microprocessor, an input/output (I/O) port, at least one switch for configuring the I/O port, the at least one switch coupled to the microprocessor, an audio amplifier coupled to the receiver circuit and to the I/O port, an audio frequency transducer coupled to the I/O port, and a power supply coupled to the I/O port, the receiver, the microprocessor, the at least one switch, and the audio amplifier, the audio frequency transducer being selectively coupled to the audio amplifier through the I/O port, and the power supply being selectively coupled to the I/O port, to permit activation of the audio frequency transducer by a signal coupled from the audio amplifier through the I/O port and access to the power supply through the I/O port.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a circuit board having two sides onto which components of the apparatus are mounted, the components including at least two crystals, the crystals mounted to one of the sides of the circuit board to reduce the sensitivity of the apparatus to mechanical shock.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a circuit board, the circuit board including a circuit layout for a first complement of components of the apparatus and a second circuit layout for a second complement of components of the apparatus.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 including circuit components having two electrical leads, at least some of the circuit components having two electrical leads being oriented in the apparatus with their two leads adjacent each other to reduce circuit noise.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the microprocessor is programmed to cause the apparatus to produce an audible indication by the transducer of at least one of:

a change of state of the apparatus; and

, a command to the apparatus.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 capable of selectively receiving at least two different carrier frequencies.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the microprocessor monitors the power supply output voltage and produces an audible indication by the transducer when the power supply output voltage does not exceed a predetermined threshold.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the power supply is selectively coupled to the I/O port to permit recharging of the power supply through the I/O port.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further including an indicator for indicating when the power supply has been recharged to a predetermined level.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further including a circuit for protecting contents of the microprocessor when the power supply falls below a predetermined threshold.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the audio amplifier includes a gain control port, the gain of the audio amplifier being increased by input signals of a first polarity provided to the gain control port and decreased by input signals of a second polarity provided to the gain control port.