Walkie-talkie with screen to show a list of other walkie-talkies within communication range

• US 7,729,712 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2007
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OL Security LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eiliscope Development Co LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Lyons, Mark, Bosch, Warren, Gottlieb, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Harper; Vincent P
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAM, DUNG LE
• Application Number:
  US11/907,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20090011797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 455/518, 455/41.2, 455/519, 455/404.1, 455/416, 455/566
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27457 Management thereof, e.g. manual editing of data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location

Abstract

A device, method, and computer program product for identifying and communicating with digital communication devices within a communication range that includes a transmitter configured to transmit a control signal and a voice signal, a receiver configured to receive the control signal and the voice signal, a user interface unit having a display area, and a computational unit configured to control the transmitter to periodically transmit identifying information as the control signal. The control signal is received as remote identifying information by the other digital communication devices within the communication range. The remote identifying information is displayed on the display area of each of the digital communication devices receiving the control signal.

Claims

1. A digital communication device comprising:

means for transmitting identifying information as a first control signal periodically directly to other digital communication devices without utilizing fixed towers to re-transmit the first control signal;

means for receiving at least one second control signal as remote identifying information corresponding to the other digital communication devices within the communication range directly from the other digital communication devices without utilizing fixed towers to re-transmit the second control signal;

means for displaying information corresponding to at least a portion of the remote identifying information received from the other digital communication devices within the communication range, wherein the information is displayed as a selectable list to create a selected set of digital communication devices;

means for transmitting a voice communication as a voice signal to the selected set of digital communication devices while a transmit button is selected;

wherein the voice signal is received by the selected set of digital communication devices and the voice communication is output on a speaker of the selected set of digital communication devices.

2. The digital communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication range comprises a local communication range corresponding to the digital communication device and an extended communication range, at least one of the first control signal and the first voice signal is transmitted from the digital communication device to a second digital communication device within the local communication range, and the at least one of the first control signal and the first voice signal is transmitted from the second digital communication device to a third digital communication device outside the local communication range and within the extended communication range.

3. The digital communication device according to claim 1 further comprising a free-for-all mode button and means for transmitting voice communication as the voice signal to the other digital communication devices in combination with selection of the free-for-all mode button such that the voice signal is received by the other digital communication devices and the voice communication is output on a speaker of the other digital communication devices.

4. The digital communication device according to claim 1 further comprising an emergency mode button and means for transmitting a voice communication as a voice signal to the other digital communication devices in combination with selection of the emergency mode button such that the voice signal is received by the other digital communication devices and the voice communication is output on a speaker of the other digital communication devices.

5. The digital communication device according to claim 1 further comprising a distress call button and means for transmitting a distress call signal to the other digital communication devices in combination with selection of the distress call button such that the distress call signal is received by the other digital communication devices and the distress call signal is represented on the other digital communication devices by at least one of an audible signal output on a speaker, a visual indication displayed on a display area, and a vibration.

6. The digital communication device according to claim 1 further comprising means for blocking voice communication from the other digital communication devices that correspond to one or more digital communication devices selected from the selectable list.

7. The digital communication device according to claim 1, wherein the means for receiving receives one or more advertisements, and the means for displaying displays the one or more advertisements.

8. The digital communication device according to claim 1, further comprising a means for determining a current location from radio signals.

9. The digital communication device according to claim 8, wherein the radio signals comprise Global Positional System (GPS) orbiting space satellite signals.

10. The digital communication device according to claim 8, wherein the current location is displayed on means for displaying.

11. The digital communication device according to claim 8, wherein the identifying information includes the current location.

12. The digital communication device according to claim 8, wherein a relative direction is displayed on the means for displaying and corresponds to the current location of at least one of the other digital communication devices.

13. A digital communication device for identifying and communicating with other digital communication devices, comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a first control signal and a first voice signal directly to other digital communication devices without utilizing fixed towers to re-transmit the first control signal and the first voice signal;

a receiver configured to receive a second control signal and a second voice signal directly from at least one of the other digital communication devices without utilizing fixed towers to re-transmit the second control signal and the second voice signal;

a computational unit configured to control the transmitter to periodically transmit identifying information with the first control signal, the first control signal being received as remote identifying information by the other digital communication devices within the communication range;

a user interface having a display area to display information corresponding to at least a portion of the second control signal received from the other digital communication devices, wherein the information is displayed on the display area as a selectable list to create a selected set of digital communication devices;

wherein the user interface includes a transmit button, and the computational unit is configured to control the transmitter to transmit to the selected set of digital communication devices a voice communication as the first voice signal while the transmit button is selected,

wherein the first voice signal is received by the other digital communication devices within the communication range, and

wherein the voice communication is output exclusively on a speaker of the selected set of digital communication devices within the communication range.

14. The digital communication device according to claim 13, wherein the communication range comprises a local communication range corresponding to the digital communication device and an extended communication range, at least one of the first control signal and the first voice signal is transmitted from the digital communication device to a second digital communication device within the local communication range, and the at least one of the first control signal and the first voice signal is transmitted from the second digital communication device to a third digital communication device outside the local communication range and within the extended communication range.

15. The digital communication device according to claim 13 further comprising a free-for-all mode button and wherein the computation unit is further configured to control the transmitter to transmit the voice communication as the first voice signal to the other digital communication devices upon selection of the free-for-all mode button and the transmit button such that the first voice signal is received by the other digital communication devices, and the voice communication is output on a speaker of the other digital communication devices.

16. The digital communication device according to claim 13 further comprising an emergency mode button and wherein the computation unit is further configured to control the transmitter to transmit the voice communication as the first voice signal to the other digital communication devices upon selection of the emergency mode button and the transmit button, the voice signal is received by the other digital communication devices, and the voice communication is output on a speaker of the other digital communication devices.

17. The digital communication device according to claim 13, wherein the user interface includes a distress call button, and wherein the computational unit is further configured to control the transmitter to transmit a distress call signal to the other digital communication devices upon selection of the distress call button and the distress call signal is represented on the other digital communication devices by at least one of an audible signal output on the speaker, a visual indication displayed on the display area, and a vibration.

18. The digital communication device according to claim 13, wherein the computational unit is configured to block voice communication from the other digital communication devices within the communication range that correspond to one or more digital communication devices selected from the selectable list.

19. The digital communication device according to claim 13, wherein the receiver is configured to receive one or more advertisements and wherein the one or more advertisements are displayed on the display area.

20. The digital communication device according to claim 13, further comprising a system unit configured to determine a current location using radio signals.

21. The digital communication device according to claim 20, wherein the radio signals comprise Global Positional System (GPS) signals.

22. The digital communication device according to claim 20, wherein the current location is displayed on the display area.

23. The digital communication device according to claim 20, wherein the identifying information includes the current location.

24. The digital communication device according to claim 20, wherein a relative direction is displayed on the display area and corresponds to the current location of at least one of the other digital communication devices.