User interface for a communication system

• US 8,380,128 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2010
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Higgins, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US12/957,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20120135685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/500, 455/502, 455507-520, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/566, 455/567, 455 901- 902, 455/458, 455464-466, 4555691-5692, 348 1401- 1404, 348/14.11, 348/14.12
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/44 Transmit/receive switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3866 carried on the head

Abstract

A communication system is provided having an improved user interface in which an audible indicator is played out from an audio accessory to confirm radio transmission of a message sent from the audio accessory in response to activation of a wireless push-to-talk (PTT). The wireless PTT may be located on the audio accessory itself or embodied as a standalone device. The wireless PTT may be operated in conjunction with a two-way radio and a wired or wireless audio accessory device. The audible indicator ceases being played out of the accessory in response to deactivation of the wireless PTT and ending of the radio transmission.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a two-way radio;

an audio accessory operatively coupled to the two-way radio, the audio accessory transmitting a message to the two-way radio in response to activation of a wireless push-to-talk (PTT) for re-transmission of the message by the two-way radio; and

the audio accessory playing an audible indicator in response to the activation of the wireless PTT and the re-transmission of the message from the two-way radio, thereby confirming radio transmission of the message.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the wireless PTT is located at the audio accessory and the audio accessory is a wireless audio accessory.

3. The communication system of claim 2, wherein the wireless audio accessory is a wireless headset.

4. The communication system of claim 3, wherein the wireless headset is a Bluetooth headset.

5. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the wireless PTT is a standalone wireless PTT device and the audio accessory is a wireless audio accessory.

6. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the wireless PTT is located at a standalone wireless PTT device and the audio accessory is a wired audio accessory.

7. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the audible indicator is user selectable from a plurality of pre-programmed audio indicators.

8. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the audible indicator is adjustable based on background noise level.

9. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the audio accessory comprises at least a speaker.

10. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the two-way radio comprises:

wide range transceiver circuitry for wide area transport of the message to another party; and

short range transceiver circuitry providing short area coverage for communication with the wireless PTT.

11. The communication system of claim 10, wherein the audio accessory is a wireless audio accessory, and the two-way radio comprises short range transceiver circuitry providing short area coverage for communication with the wireless audio accessory.

12. A method for confirming PTT activation of an audio accessory, comprising:

activating a wireless push-to-talk (PTT);

transmitting a signal from the audio accessory to a two-way radio;

re-transmitting the signal from the two-way radio; and

in response to activation of the wireless PTT and re-transmission of the signal from the two-way radio, playing an audible indicator at the audio accessory to confirm radio transmission of the signal.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising;

deactivating the wireless PTT;

ending the radio transmission; and

ceasing the playing of the audible indicator at the audio accessory.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the audio accessory comprises a wireless audio accessory.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless PTT is located at the wireless audio accessory.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the wireless audio accessory comprises a headset.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the headset comprises a Bluetooth headset.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the audio accessory comprises a wired audio accessory.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the wireless PTT is a standalone wireless PTT device.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the audible indicator is pre-programmed and user-selectable based on environment.

21. The method of claim 13, the audible indicator is automatically adaptable based on background noise.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the audio accessory comprises Bluetooth headset.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein activating the wireless PTT comprises:

activating the wireless PTT over a short range wireless link to communicate with the two-way radio.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein transmitting the signal from the audio accessory to the two-way radio comprises:

transmitting the signal from the audio accessory over a separate short range wireless link transmission to the two-way radio.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein transmitting the signal from the two-way radio comprises:

transmitting the signal from the two-way radio using a wide area radio transmission.