Compander, and associated methodology, for a radio communication station operable pursuant to a coded squelch scheme

• US 7,706,851 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2005
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Radioshack Online IPCO LLC
• Original Assignee: RadioShack Legacy Corporation
• Inventors: Lam, Man Lung, Lam, Man Tai Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TUAN
• Application Number:
  US11/186,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20070019678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,741 Days
• Field of Search: 455/72, 455/218, 455/701, 455/702, 455/202, 455/212
• US Class Current: 455/701
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/005 Control by a pilot signal H03G3/001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/64 Volume compression or expansion arrangements

Abstract

Apparatus, and an associated method, for companding communication data. Companding is provided for a two-way radio communication station operable pursuant to a coded squelch scheme, such as an MURS or FRS radio. A baseband processor invokes compression operations upon originating communication data that is originated at the communication station. And, the processor invokes operation of expansion operations when the communication data comprises terminating data.

Claims

1. A computer program product for a two-way radio communication station that operates pursuant to a coded squelch scheme in a first coded-squelch mode and in a second coded-squelch mode to initiate communication of communication data, said computer program product comprising:

a computer useable storage medium;

computer readable code embodied in the storage medium for compressing communication data originated at the two-way radio by any of a first compacting type and a second compacting type the communication data compressed by the first compacting type when the communication station is operated in the first coded-squelch mode and the communication data compressed by the second compacting type when the communication station is operable in the second coded-squelch mode;

computer readable code embodied in the storage medium for expanding communication data terminated at the two-way radio by any of a first expanding operation type and a second expanding operation type the communication data expanded by the first expanding operation type when the communication station is operated in the first coded-squelch mode and the communication data expanded by the second expanding operation type when the communication station is operated in the second coded-squelch mode.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein said computer readable code for compressing and said computer readable code for expanding together form computer readable code for companding the communication data.

3. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the two-way radio comprises a baseband part and wherein said computer useable storage medium together with said computer readable code for compressing and said computer readable code for expanding are maintained at the baseband part.

4. The computer program product of claim 3 wherein the two way radio communication station comprises an FRS (Family Radio Service) radio and wherein said computer useable storage medium together with said computer readable code for compressing and said computer readable code for expanding are maintained at the baseband part of the FRS radio.

5. The computer program product of claim 3 wherein the two way radio communication station comprises a multi mode FRS (Family Radio Service) and MURS (Multi User Radio Service) radio and wherein said computer useable storage medium together with said computer readable code for compressing and said computer readable code for expanding are maintained at the baseband part of the multi-mode FRS and MURS radio.

6. The computer program product of claim 1 further comprising a computer readable code device configured to detect originating data to be sent by the two-way radio and to invoke execution of the computer readable code for compressing the communication data, the originating data comprising the communication data.

7. The computer program product of claim 1 further comprising a computer readable code device configured to detect terminating data delivered to the two-way radio and to invoke execution of the computer readable code for expanding the communication data, the terminating data comprising the communication data.

8. Apparatus for a two-way radio communication station that operates pursuant to a coded squelch scheme in a first coded-squelch mode and in a second coded-squelch mode to initiate communication of communication data, said apparatus comprising:

a processor embodied at the radio communication station;

a detector executable at said processor for detecting presence of the communication data communicated pursuant to operation of the radio communication station; and

an invoker executable at said processor responsive to detection by said detector of the communication data, said invoker for invoking compression of the communication data by a selected one of a first compacting type and a second compacting type when the communication data comprises originating data to be sent by the radio communication station selection of which compacting type to invoke responsive to a selection indicia and for invoking expansion by a selected one of a first expanding operation type and a second expanding operation type of the communication data when the communication data comprises terminating data selection of which expanding type to invoke responsive to a selection indicia the communication data compressed by the first compacting type when the communication station is operated in the first coded-squelch mode and the communication data compressed by the second compacting type when the communication station is operated in the second coded-squelch mode, and the communication data expanded by the first expanding operation type when the communication station is operated in the first coded squelch mode and the communication data expanded by the second expanding operation type when the communication station is operated in the second coded-squelch mode.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the two-way radio communication station comprises a baseband part and wherein said processor, said detector, and said invoker are embodied at the baseband part.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the two way radio communication station comprises an FRS (Family Radio Service) radio and wherein said processor, said detector, and said invoker are embodied at the baseband part of the radio.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the two way radio communication station comprises a multi mode FRS Family Radio Service and MURS (Multi User Radio Service) radio and wherein said processor, said detector, and said invoker are embodied at the baseband part of the multi-mode FRS and MURS radio.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said invoker invokes companding of the communication data upon detection by said detector of the communication data, the companding for compressing the communication data when the communication data comprises the originating data and the companding for expanding the communication data when the communication data comprises the terminating data.

13. A method for a dual mode, two-way radio communication station, operable in at least both the Family Radio Service (FRS) band and the Multi-User Radio Service (MURS) band, and which operates pursuant to a coded squelch scheme in a first coded-squelch mode and in a second coded-squelch mode to initiate communication of communication data, said method comprising the operations of:

detecting the presence of communication data generated for communication pursuant to operation of the radio communication station;

invoking compression of the communication data by a selected one of a first compacting type and a second compacting type when the communication data detected during said operation of detecting comprises originating data to be sent by the radio communication system, selection of which of the first and second compacting types responsive to in which of the FRS band and the MURS band that the two-way radio communication station is operated the communication data compressed by the first compacting type when the communication station is operated in the first coded-squelch mode and the communication data compressed by the second compacting type when the communication station is operated in the second coded-squelch; and

invoking expansion of the communication data by a selected one of a first expanding operation type and a second expanding operation type when the communication data detected during said operation of detecting comprises terminating data, selection of which of the first and second expanding operation types responsive to in which of the FRS band and the MURS band that the two-way radio communication station is operated, the communication data expanded by the first expanding operation type when the communication station is operated in the first coded-squelch mode and the communication data expanded by the second expanding operation type when the communication station is operated in the second coded-squelch mode.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said operation of detecting comprises executing a detection interrupt at a baseband processor of the two-way radio.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the operations, prior to said operation of detecting, of sourcing the communication data at the radio communication station and delivering the communication data to the baseband processor.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising the operations, prior to said operation of detecting, of sending the communication data to the radio communication station and delivering the communication data to the baseband processor.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein said operations of invoking further comprise determining whether the communication data detected during said operation of detecting comprises originating data or terminating data.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the compression and the expansion invoked during said first and second operations of invoking, respectively, are performed by execution of a compander at a baseband processor.