Wireless intercom system and method of communicating using wireless intercom system

• US 7,120,388 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2002
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Partech Incorporated (Par Technology Corporation)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Hall, Ronald W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tu X.
• Application Number:
  US10/319,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20040116071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,394 Days
• Field of Search: 455/568, 455/3.05, 455/550.1, 455/306, 455/455, 455/575.2, 455/507, 455/426.1, 455/253, 381/370, 381/74, 381/371, 429/96, 340/7.58, 379/373.01, 379/448
• US Class Current: 455/3.05
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection

Abstract

An intercom system enabling a plurality of users to listen to and at least one user to speak to and listen to a remote user. A base station communicates with the remote user. A plurality of ear pieces is wearable by the plurality of users, each of the plurality of ear pieces being capable of wirelessly communicating with the base station. Each of the plurality of ear pieces is capable of listening to the base station within a first range of the base station. At least one of the plurality of ear pieces being capable of wirelessly speaking to the base station within a second range of the base station. The second range is larger than the first range. Thus, one of the plurality of users wearing at least one of the plurality of ear pieces may listen and talk with the remote user only within the first range of the base station and the remainder of the plurality of users wearing the remaining ear pieces may only listen to the remote user outside of the first range of the base station but inside of the second range of the base station.

Claims

1. An intercom system enabling a plurality of users to listen to and at least one user to speak to and listen to a remote user, comprising:

a base station for communicating with said remote user; and

a plurality of ear pieces wearable by said plurality of users, each of said plurality of ear pieces being capable of wirelessly communicating with said base station;

at least one of said plurality of ear pieces being capable of speaking to said base station within a first range of said base station;

each of said plurality of ear pieces being capable of wirelessly listening to said base station within a second range of said base station;

said second range being larger than said first range;

whereby one of said plurality of users wearing said at least one of said plurality of ear pieces may listen and talk with said remote user only within said first range of said base station and a remainder of said plurality of users wearing a remainder of said plurality of ear pieces may only listen to said remote user outside of said first range of said base station but inside of said second range of said base station.

2. An intercom system as in claim 1 wherein said second range is an order of magnitude greater than said first range.

3. An intercom system as in claim 1 wherein said second range is twenty-five times greater than said first range.

4. Art intercom system as in claim 1 wherein said first range is not more than two meters.

5. An intercom system as in claim 4 wherein said second range is on the order of fifty meters.

6. An intercom system as in claim 1 wherein said at least one of said plurality of ear pieces is switchable between listen only and listen and talk modes.

7. An intercom system as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of ear pieces is switchable between listen only and listen and talk modes.

8. An intercom system as in claim 1 further comprising a remotely located speaker and microphone operatively coupled to said base station for communicating with said remote user.

9. An intercom system enabling a first user to communicate with a second user, comprising:

a base station for communicating with a remote user; and

an ear piece wearable by said first user, said ear piece being capable of wirelessly communicating with said base station;

said ear piece being capable of speaking to said base station within a first range of said base station;

said ear piece being capable of wirelessly listening to said base station within a second range of said base station;

said second range being larger than said first range;

whereby said first user wearing said ear piece may listen and talk with said remote user only within said first range of said base station and may only listen to said remote user outside of said first range of said base station but inside of said second range of said base station.

10. An intercom system as in claim 9 wherein said second range is an order of magnitude greater than said first range.

11. An intercom system as in claim 9 wherein said second range is twenty-five times greater than said first range.

12. An intercom system as in claim 9 wherein said first range is not more than two meters.

13. An intercom system as in claim 12 wherein said second range is on the order of fifty meters.

14. An intercom system as in claim 9 wherein said ear piece is switchable between listen only and listen and talk modes.

15. An intercom system as in claim 9 bather comprising a remotely located speaker and microphone operatively coupled to said base station for communicating with said remote user.

16. An intercom system enabling a plurality of users to listen to and at least one user to speak to and listen to a remote user, comprising:

a base station for communicating with said remote user;

a portable communication device for wirelessly communicating with said base station on a first frequency; and

a cradle adapted to host said portable communication device and being operatively coupled to said portable communication device when hosting said portable communication device;

a plurality of ear pieces wearable by said plurality of user, each of said plurality of ear pieces being capable of wirelessly communicating with said portable communication device through said cradle on a second frequency;

at least one of said plurality of ear pieces being capable of speaking to said portable communication device through said cradle within a first range of said portable communication device;

said plurality of ear pieces being capable of wirelessly listening to said portable communication device through said cradle within a second range of said portable communication device;

said second range being larger than said first range;

whereby one of said plurality of users wearing said at least one of said plurality of ear pieces may listen and talk with said remote user only within said first range of said base station and a remainder of said plurality of users wearing a remainder of said plurality of ear pieces may only listen to said remote user outside of said first range of said base station but inside of said second range of said base station.

17. An intercom system as in claim 16 wherein said second range is an order of magnitude greater than said first range.

18. An intercom system as in claim 16 wherein said second range is twenty-five times greater than said first range.

19. An intercom system as in claim 16 wherein said first range is not more than two meters.

20. An intercom system as in claim 19 wherein said second range is on the order of fifty meters.

21. An intercom system as in claim 16 wherein said at least one of said plurality of ear pieces is switchable between listen only and listen and talk modes.

22. An intercom system as in claim 16 wherein said plurality of ear pieces is switchable between listen only and listen and talk modes.

23. An intercom system as in claim 16 wherein said portable communication device is a belt pack wearable by one of said plurality of users.

24. An intercom system enabling a first user to communicate with a remote user, comprising:

a base station for communicating with said remote user;

a portable communication device for wirelessly communicating with said base station on a first frequency; and

a cradle adapted to host said portable communication device and being operatively coupled to said portable communication device when hosting said portable communication device;

an ear piece wearable by said first user, said ear piece being capable of wirelessly communicating with said portable communication device through said cradle on a second frequency;

said ear piece being capable of speaking to said portable communication device through said cradle within a first range of said portable communication device;

said ear piece being capable of wirelessly listening to said portable communication device through said cradle within a second range of said portable communication device;

said second range being larger than said first range;

whereby said first user wearing said ear piece may listen and talk with said remote user only within said first range of said base station and may only listen to said remote user outside of said first range of said base station but inside of said second range of said base station.

25. An intercom system as in claim 24 wherein said second range is an order of magnitude greater than said first range.

26. An intercom system as in claim 24 wherein said second range is twenty-five times greater than said first range.

27. An intercom system as in claim 24 wherein said first range is not more than two meters.

28. An intercom system as in claim 27 wherein said second range is on the order of fifty meters.

29. An intercom system as in claim 24 wherein said ear piece is switchable between listen only and listen and talk modes.

30. An intercom system as in claim 24 further comprising a remotely located speaker and microphone operatively coupled to said base station for communicating wit said remote user.

31. An intercom system as in claim 24 wherein said portable communication device is a belt pack wearable by one of said plurality of users.

32. In an intercom system enabling a first user to communicate with a remote user, having a base station for communicating with said remote user and a belt pack for wirelessly communicating with said base station on a first frequency,

a cradle adapted to host said belt pack and being operatively coupled to said belt pack when hosting said belt pack;

an ear piece wearable by said first user, said ear piece being capable of wirelessly communicating with said belt pack through said cradle on a second frequency;

said ear piece being capable of speaking to said belt pack through said cradle within a first range of said belt pack;

said ear piece being capable of wirelessly listening to said belt pack through said cradle within a second range of said belt pack;

said second range being larger than said first range;

whereby said first user wearing said ear piece may listen and talk with said remote user only within said first range of said base station and may only listen to said remote user outside of said first range of said base station but inside of said second range of said base station.

33. An intercom system as in claim 32 wherein said second range is an order of magnitude greater than said first range.

34. An intercom system as in claim 32 wherein said second range is twenty-five times greater than said first range.

35. An intercom system as in claim 32 wherein said first range is not more than two meters.

36. An intercom system as in claim 35 wherein said second range is on the order of fifty meters.

37. An intercom system as in claim 32 wherein said ear piece is switchable between listen only and listen and talk modes.

38. An intercom system as in claim 32 further comprising a remotely located speaker and microphone operatively coupled to said base station for communicating with said remote user.

39. In an intercom system enabling a first user to communicate with a remote user, having a base station for communicating with said remote user and a plurality of belt packs for wirelessly communicating with said base station on a first frequency,

a cradle adapted to host one of said plurality of belt packs and being operatively coupled to said one of said plurality of belt packs when hosting said one of said plurality of belt packs;

an ear piece wearable by said first user, said ear piece being capable of wirelessly communicating with said one of said plurality of belt packs through said cradle on a second frequency;

said ear piece being capable of speaking to said one of said plurality of belt packs through said cradle within a first range of said one of said plurality of belt packs;

said ear piece being capable of wirelessly listening to said one of said plurality of belt packs through said cradle within a second range of said one of said plurality of belt packs;

said second range being larger than said first range;

whereby said first user wearing said ear piece may listen and talk with said remote user only within said first range of said base station and may only listen to said remote user outside of said first range of said base station but inside of said second range of said base station.

40. A method of communicating using an intercom system enabling a plurality of users to listen to and at least one user to speak to and listen to a remote user, a base station for communicating with said remote user;

and a plurality of ear pieces wearable by said plurality of users, each of said plurality of ear pieces being capable of wirelessly communicating with said base station, at least one of said plurality of ear pieces being capable of wirelessly speaking to said base station within a first range of said base station, each of said plurality of ear pieces being capable of listening to said base station within a second range of said base station, and said second range being larger than said first range, comprising the steps of;

allowing said plurality of users who are within said second range of said base station but who are not within said first range of said base station to listen to said remote user through said base station; and

said at least one user moving to within said first range of said base station and both listening to and talking to said remote user.

41. A method of communicating as in claim 40 wherein said second range is an order of magnitude greater than said first range.

42. A method of communicating as in claim 40 wherein said first range is not more than two meters.

43. A method of communicating using an intercom enabling a first user to communicate with a remote user, a base station for communicating with said remote user, a belt pack for wirelessly communicating with said base station on a first frequency;

a cradle adapted to host said belt pack and being operatively coupled to said belt pack when hosting said belt pack; and

an ear piece wearable by said first user, said ear piece being capable of wirelessly communicating with said belt pack through said cradle on a second frequency, said ear piece being capable of speaking to said belt pack through said cradle within a first range of said belt pack, said ear piece being capable of wirelessly listening to said belt pack trough said cradle within a second range of said belt pack, said second range being larger than said first range, comprising the steps of;

hosting said belt pack in said cradle;

allowing said plurality of users who are within said second range of said base station but who are not within said first range of said base station to listen to said remote user through said base station; and

said at least one user moving to within said first range of said base station and both listening to and talking to said remote user.

44. An intercom system as in claim 43 wherein said second range is an order of magnitude greater than said first range.

45. An intercom system as in claim 43 wherein said first range is not more than two meters.