Voice operated communications interface
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An interface comprising:
- a plurality of input/output (I/O) ports, each configured and arranged to pass a corresponding input signal and a corresponding push-to-transmit (PTT) command; and
a corresponding plurality of voice-operated-transmit (VOX) circuits, each configured and arranged to receive the corresponding input signal and to produce, according to a predetermined relation between a level of the input signal and a corresponding threshold, a corresponding channel activation signal;
a switching matrix configured and arranged to receive the plurality of input signals and channel activation signals, wherein the plurality of VOX circuits is further configured and arranged to prevent, during a period of assertion of a channel activation signal to the switching matrix, assertion of any other of the plurality of channel activation signals to the switching matrix, and wherein each among the plurality of VOX circuits is further configured and arranged to assert the corresponding PTT command to the corresponding I/O port when a noncorresponding channel activation signal is asserted; and
wherein the switching matrix is further configured and arranged to produce an output signal based on an input signal corresponding to an asserted channel activation signal and to provide the output signal at least to the I/O ports corresponding to a nonasserted channel activation signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A voice-operated communications interface permits communications between two or more groups using incompatible communications devices such as two-way radios.
11 Citations
40 Claims
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1. An interface comprising:
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a plurality of input/output (I/O) ports, each configured and arranged to pass a corresponding input signal and a corresponding push-to-transmit (PTT) command; and
a corresponding plurality of voice-operated-transmit (VOX) circuits, each configured and arranged to receive the corresponding input signal and to produce, according to a predetermined relation between a level of the input signal and a corresponding threshold, a corresponding channel activation signal;
a switching matrix configured and arranged to receive the plurality of input signals and channel activation signals, wherein the plurality of VOX circuits is further configured and arranged to prevent, during a period of assertion of a channel activation signal to the switching matrix, assertion of any other of the plurality of channel activation signals to the switching matrix, and wherein each among the plurality of VOX circuits is further configured and arranged to assert the corresponding PTT command to the corresponding I/O port when a noncorresponding channel activation signal is asserted; and
wherein the switching matrix is further configured and arranged to produce an output signal based on an input signal corresponding to an asserted channel activation signal and to provide the output signal at least to the I/O ports corresponding to a nonasserted channel activation signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
wherein an indication by a supply voltage sensor having a lower threshold voltage is suppressed during an indication by a supply voltage sensor having a higher threshold voltage. -
9. The interface according to claim 1, wherein said switching matrix includes a common bus and a plurality of switches,
wherein each of the plurality of switches is configured to switch a signal based on a corresponding input signal onto the common bus, according to the state of a corresponding channel activation signal. -
10. The interface according to claim 3, wherein the initialization signal is based on a transient level of a voltage of a power supply of the interface.
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11. An interface comprising:
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a plurality of voice-operated-transmit (VOX) circuits, each configured and arranged to receive a corresponding input signal and to produce, according to a predetermined relation between a level of the input signal and a corresponding threshold, a corresponding channel activation signal;
wherein the plurality of VOX circuits is configured and arranged to prevent, during a period of assertion of a channel activation signal, assertion of any other of the plurality of channel activation signals, and wherein each among the plurality of VOX circuits is further configured and arranged to assert a corresponding push-to-transmit command when a noncorresponding channel activation signal is asserted. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
wherein the interface is configured to provide a nonnull voltage to an output port corresponding to an asserted channel activation signal. -
18. The interface according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of VOX circuits is configured to produce a corresponding channel activation signal based on a level of the input signal over a frequency range including at least a portion of the range from 100 Hertz to 210 Hertz.
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19. The interface according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of VOX circuits is configured to produce a corresponding channel activation signal based on a level of the input signal over a frequency range centered at a frequency between 100 and 150 Hertz.
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20. The interface according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of VOX circuits is configured to produce the corresponding channel activation signal based on the energy content of the corresponding input signal in a plurality of different frequency bands.
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21. The interface according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of VOX circuits is configured to produce the corresponding channel activation signal based on a band-limited portion of the corresponding input signal.
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22. The interface according to claim 11, wherein the interface is configured to provide at least one of the push-to-transmit signals over a radio-frequency link.
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23. The interface according to claim 16, wherein each VOX circuit is coupled to a corresponding output port, and
wherein the interface is configured to provide a signal based on the common bus to each output port corresponding to a nonasserted channel activation signal. -
24. The interface according to claim 22, wherein the interface is configured to provide at least one of the push-to-transmit signals over a Bluetooth radio-frequency link.
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25. The interface according to claim 23, wherein, for one of the plurality of VOX circuits, the interface is configured to provide a signal based on the input signal corresponding to the VOX circuit to the output ports corresponding to each of the rest of the plurality of VOX circuits, and
wherein, for another of the plurality of VOX circuits, the interface is configured to provide a signal based on the input signal corresponding to the VOX circuit only to the output ports corresponding to each of fewer than all of the rest of the plurality of VOX circuits.
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26. An interface comprising:
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a plurality of voice-operated-transmit (VOX) circuits, each configured and arranged to receive a corresponding input signal and to produce, according to a predetermined relation between a level of the input signal and a corresponding threshold, a corresponding channel activation signal;
wherein the plurality of VOX circuits is configured and arranged to prevent, during a period of assertion of a channel activation signal, assertion of any other of the plurality of channel activation signals, and wherein each among the plurality of VOX circuits is farther configured and arranged to inhibit assertion of a corresponding push-to-transmit command when the corresponding channel activation signal is asserted. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
wherein the interface is configured to provide a nonnull voltage to an output port corresponding to an asserted channel activation signal. -
32. The interface according to claim 26, wherein at least one of the plurality of VOX circuits is configured to produce a corresponding channel activation signal based on a level of the input signal over a frequency range including at least a portion of the range from 100 Hertz to 210 Hertz.
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33. The interface according to claim 26, wherein at least one of the plurality of VOX circuits is configured to produce a corresponding channel activation signal based on a level of the input signal over a frequency range centered at a frequency between 100 and 150 Hertz.
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34. The interface according to claim 26, wherein at least one of the plurality of VOX circuits is configured to produce a corresponding channel activation signal based on the energy content of the corresponding input signal in a plurality of different frequency bands.
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35. The interface according to claim 26, wherein at least one of the plurality of VOX circuits is configured to produce a corresponding channel activation signal based on a band-limited portion of the corresponding input signal.
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36. The interface according to claim 26, wherein the interface is configured to provide at least one of the push-to-transmit signals over a radio-frequency link.
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37. The interface according to claim 30, wherein each VOX circuit is coupled to a corresponding output port, and
wherein the interface is configured to provide a signal based on the common bus to each output port corresponding to a nonasserted channel activation signal. -
38. The interface according to claim 36, wherein the interface is configured to provide at least one of the push-to-transmit signals over a Bluetooth radio-frequency link.
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39. The interface according to claim 37, wherein, for one of the plurality of VOX circuits, the interface is configured to provide a signal based on the input signal corresponding to the VOX circuit to the output ports corresponding to each of the rest of the plurality of VOX circuits, and
wherein, for another of the plurality of VOX circuits, the interface is configured to provide a signal based on the input signal corresponding to the VOX circuit only to the output ports corresponding to each of fewer than all of the rest of the plurality of VOX circuits.
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40. An interface comprising:
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a plurality of means for outputting a corresponding channel activation signal based on a predetermined relation between a level of a corresponding input signal and a corresponding threshold, wherein the plurality of means for outputting is configured and arranged to prevent, during a period of assertion of a channel activation signal, assertion of any other of the plurality of channel activation signals, and wherein each among the plurality of means for outputting is further configured and arranged to assert a corresponding push-to-transmit command when a noncorresponding channel activation signal is asserted.
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Specification