Wireless communication apparatus and system employing the same apparatuses and method for controlling a plurality of the same apparatuses

• US 8,401,494 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2008
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ICOM Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ICOM Incorporated
• Inventors: Kita, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wendell, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRANDAI, CINDY HUYEN
• Application Number:
  US12/289,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20090111391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,600 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.01, 455/3.02, 455/3.03, 455/3.05, 455/574, 455/234.1, 455/522, 455/456.3, 455/69
• US Class Current: 455/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/109 by improving strong signal performance of the receiver when strong unwanted signals are present at the receiver input

Abstract

At least two or more wireless communication apparatuses of the present invention are located adjacent or separately in a relatively confined area. The output portion of any one currently used wireless communication apparatus of the wireless communication apparatuses is connected to the input portion of each of the other standby wireless communication apparatus. While a radio signal is transmitted from the transmitter of the currently used wireless communication apparatus, a reception limit signal is transmitted from the output portion of the currently used apparatus to the respective input portion of each of the nearby standby apparatuses so that the reception ability of the receiver of the standby apparatus is effectively limited.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system comprising:

a main wireless communication apparatus; and

a sub-wireless communication apparatus adjacent to said main wireless communication apparatus and connected with said main wireless communication apparatus via a dedicated line, each of said main wireless communication apparatus and said sub-wireless communication apparatus including;

a receiver for reproducing audio signals from radio signals received by an antenna;

a transmitter for converting audio signals to radio signals and transmitting the radio signals from the antenna as a transmission;

a controller for controlling operation of said receiver and said transmitter, and for controlling a power supply to said receiver and said transmitter;

an output portion for outputting signals from said controller; and

an input portion for inputting signals into said controller;

wherein said main wireless communication apparatus and said sub-wireless communication apparatus are configured and interconnected such that;

upon a start of power supply to said transmitter of said main wireless communication apparatus, said controller of said main wireless communication apparatus continuously transmits reception limit signals to said controller of said sub-wireless communication apparatus via said dedicated line until the power supply to said transmitter of said main wireless communication apparatus is stopped;

upon receiving the reception limit signals from said controller of said main wireless communication apparatus and until the reception limit signals are no longer received from said controller of said main wireless communication apparatus, said controller of said sub-wireless communication apparatus stops a power supply to said receiver of said sub-wireless communication apparatus;

upon elapse of a predetermined period of time after the start of power supply to said transmitter of said main wireless communication apparatus, said controller of said main wireless communication apparatus allows said transmitter of said main wireless communication apparatus to start the transmission of the radio signals while the power supply to said receiver of said sub-wireless communication apparatus remains stopped by said controller of said sub-wireless communication apparatus due to receipt of the reception limit signals from said controller of said main wireless communication apparatus; and

when the reception limit signals from said controller of said main wireless communication apparatus are no longer received by said controller of said sub-wireless communication apparatus, said controller of said sub-wireless communication apparatus provides a power supply to said receiver of said sub-wireless communication apparatus.

2. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said main wireless communication apparatus and said sub-wireless communication apparatus are further configured and interconnected such that, after detecting that a second predetermined period of time has elapsed after stopping the transmission of the radio signals by said transmitter of said main wireless communication apparatus, said controller of said main wireless communication apparatus stops the power supply to said transmitter of said main wireless communication apparatus and the transmission of the reception limit signals to said controller of said sub-wireless communication apparatus.

3. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said main wireless communication apparatus and said sub-wireless communication apparatus are further configured and interconnected such that, upon receiving the reception limit signals from said controller of said main wireless communication apparatus, said controller of said sub-wireless communication apparatus stops a power supply to said receiver of said sub-wireless communication apparatus simultaneously with the start of power supply to said transmitter of said main wireless communication apparatus.

4. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said main wireless communication apparatus and said sub-wireless communication apparatus are further configured and interconnected such that, upon receiving the reception limit signals from said controller of said main wireless communication apparatus, said controller of said sub-wireless communication apparatus stops a power supply to said receiver of said sub-wireless communication apparatus during an entirety of a time when power is supplied to said transmitter of said main wireless communication apparatus.

5. A method of controlling a plurality of wireless communication apparatuses including a main wireless communication apparatus and a sub-wireless communication apparatus located adjacent to each other and connected by a dedicated line, each of the main wireless communication apparatus and the sub-wireless communication apparatus including a receiver for reproducing audio signals from radio signals received by an antenna;

a transmitter for converting audio signals to radio signals and transmitting the radio signals from the antenna as a transmission;

a controller for controlling operation of the receiver and the transmitter, and for controlling a power supply to the receiver and the transmitter;

an output portion for outputting signals from the controller; and

an input portion for inputting signals into the controller, said method comprising;

starting a power supply to the transmitter of the main wireless communication apparatus;

upon said starting of the power supply to the transmitter of the main wireless communication apparatus, continuously transmitting reception limit signals to the controller of the sub-wireless communication apparatus via the dedicated line using the controller of the main wireless communication apparatus until the power supply to the transmitter of the main wireless communication apparatus is stopped;

upon receiving the reception limit signals transmitted by the controller of the main wireless communication apparatus and until the reception signals are no longer received from the controller of the main wireless communication apparatus, stopping a power supply to the receiver of the sub-wireless communication apparatus, said stopping of the power supply to the receiver of the sub-wireless communication apparatus being performed using the controller of the sub-wireless communication apparatus;

upon elapse of a predetermined period of time after said starting of the power supply to the transmitter of the main wireless communication apparatus, using the controller of the main wireless communication apparatus to allow the transmitter of the main wireless communication apparatus to start the transmission of the radio signals while the power supply to said receiver of the sub-wireless communication apparatus remains stopped by the controller of the sub-wireless communication apparatus due to receipt of the reception limit signals from the controller of the main wireless communication apparatus; and

when the reception limit signals from the controller of the main wireless communication apparatus are no longer received by the controller of the sub-wireless communication apparatus, providing a power supply to the receiver of the sub-wireless communication apparatus using the controller of the sub-wireless communication apparatus.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

detecting that a second predetermined period of time has elapsed after stopping the transmission of the radio signals by the transmitter of the main wireless communication apparatus; and

after said detecting, stopping the power supply to the transmitter of the main wireless communication apparatus and stopping the transmission of the reception limit signals to the controller of the sub-wireless communication apparatus using the controller of the main wireless communication apparatus.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said stopping of the power supply to the receiver of the sub-wireless communication apparatus is performed simultaneously with said starting of the power supply to the transmitter of the main wireless communication apparatus using both the main wireless communication apparatus and the sub-wireless communication apparatus.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said stopping of the power supply to the receiver of the sub-wireless communication apparatus is performed during an entirety of a time when power is supplied to the transmitter of the main wireless communication apparatus.