Push-to-talk handling in a dual processor environment

• US 7,231,225 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: An, Xiaona, Munje, Arun, Rao, Krishna
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee; John J.
• Application Number:
  US10/728,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20050124364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 455/518, 455/519, 455/90.1, 455/90.2, 455/90.3, 455/509, 455/515, 455/516, 455/575.1, 455/517, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/464, 455/502, 455/67.11, 348/14.1
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers

Abstract

In a push-to-talk device having two processors where one of said processors is a radio chip and one of said processors is a microprocessor, a method and apparatus for synchronizing said microprocessor and said radio chip comprising the steps of: checking the status of a radio push-to-talk key on said radio chip when a user push-to-talk button is turned on or off on said microprocessor; if said user push-to-talk button is on and said radio push-to-talk key is off, performing the steps of: sending a command to said radio chip to turn on said radio push-to-talk key; and waiting for a response from said radio chip, and if said response indicates said radio push-to-talk key is on, remaining in this synchronized state, otherwise repeating said sending and waiting steps; if said user button is off and said radio push-to-talk key is on, performing the steps of: sending a command to said radio chip to turn off said radio push-to-talk key; and waiting for a response from said radio chip, and if said response indicates said radio push-to-talk key is off, remaining in this synchronized state, otherwise repeating said sending and waiting steps; if said user push-to-talk button is off and said radio push-to-talk key is off, remaining in this synchronized state; and if said user push-to-talk button is on and said radio push-to-talk key is on, remaining in this synchronized state.

Claims

1. In a push-to-talk device having two processors where one of said processors is a radio chip and one of said processors is a microprocessor, a method of synchronizing said microprocessor and said radio chip comprising:

checking a status of a radio push-to-talk key on said radio chip when a user push-to-talk button is turned on or off on said microprocessor;

if said user push-to-talk button is on and said radio push-to-talk key is off, performing;

sending a command to said radio chip to turn on said radio push-to-talk key; and

waiting for a response from said radio chip, and if said response indicates said radio push-to-talk key is on, remaining in this synchronized state, otherwise repeating said sending and waiting steps;

if said user button is off and said radio push-to-talk key is on, performing;

sending a command to said radio chip to turn off said radio push-to-talk key; and

waiting for a response from said radio chip, and if said response indicates said radio push-to-talk key is off, remaining in this synchronized state, otherwise repeating said sending and waiting steps;

if said user push-to-talk button is off and said radio push-to-talk key is off, remaining in this synchronized state; and

if said user push-to-talk button is on and said radio push-to-talk key is on, remaining in this synchronized state.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an unsolicited message indicating whether said radio push-to-talk key is on or off;

if said user push-to-talk button is on and said unsolicited message indicates that said radio push-to-talk key is off, performing;

sending a command to said radio chip to turn on said radio push-to-talk key;

waiting for a response from said radio chip, and if said response indicates said radio push-to-talk key is on, remaining in this synchronized state, otherwise repeating said sending and waiting steps;

if said user push-to-talk button is off and said unsolicited message indicates that said radio push-to-talk key is on, performing;

sending a command to said radio chip to turn off said radio push-to-talk key;

waiting for a response from said radio chip, and if said response indicates said radio push-to-talk key is off, remaining in this synchronized state, otherwise repeating said sending and waiting steps;

if said user push-to-talk button is on and said unsolicited message indicates that said radio push-to-talk key is on, remaining in this synchronized state; and

if said user push-to-talk button is off and said unsolicited message indicates that said radio push-to-talk key is off, remaining in this synchronized state.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said method is performed each time said user push-to-talk button changes from on to off, or from off to on.

4. A push-to-talk device comprising:

a radio chip having a digital signal processor and a radio push-to-talk key;

a receiver interacting with said radio chip;

a transmitter interacting with said radio chip;

a user input;

a user output;

a push-to-talk button;

a microprocessor, said microprocessor interacting with said push-to-talk button and said radio chip, said microprocessor checking a status of said push-to-talk button and requesting a status of said radio push-to-talk key when said push-to-talk button is turned on or off; and

means to synchronize said microprocessor and said radio chip, said means comparing said status of said radio push-to-talk key and said status of said push-to-talk button,

and if said user push-to-talk button is on and said radio push-to-talk key is off, sending a command to said radio chip to turn on said radio push-to-talk key; and

waiting for a response from said radio chip, and if said response indicates said radio push-to-talk key is on, remaining in this synchronized state, otherwise repeating the sending and waiting steps,

and if said user button is off and said radio push-to-talk key is on, performing;

sending a command to said radio chip to turn off said radio push-to-talk key; and

waiting for a response from said radio chip, and if said response indicates said radio push-to-talk key is of f, remaining in this synchronized state, otherwise repeating said sending and waiting steps,

and if said user push-to-talk button is off and said radio push-to-talk key is off, remaining in this synchronized state;

and if said user push-to-talk button is on and said radio push-to-talk key is on, remaining in this synchronized state.