Establishing half-duplex audio link as battery saving means

• US 20040198425A1
• Filed: 10/01/2002
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mellone, Charles M., Seymour, Shafer Burch
• Application Number:
  US10/261,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20040198425A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/553.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A communication system (100) includes a first communication device (102) having full-duplex and half-duplex capability and a second communication device (104) having half-duplex capability. The second communication device (104) recognizes that the first communication device supports a half-duplex mode of operation and automatically establishes a half-duplex audio link (116) in response thereto. System (100) provides battery savings to the devices within the system that would otherwise default into a full-duplex mode of operation.

Claims

1. A communication device having half-duplex and full-duplex modes of audio operation, the communication device automatically switching from full-duplex mode to half-duplex mode in response to establishing a link with a half-duplex communication device.

2. A communication system, comprising:

a first communication device having full-duplex and half-duplex capability;

a second communication device having half-duplex capability; and

the second communication device recognizing that the first communication device has half-duplex capability and automatically establishing a half-duplex audio link in response thereto.

3. The communication system of claim 2, wherein the first and second communication devices operate under a Bluetooth protocol.

4. The communication system of claim 3, wherein the first communication device comprises an earpiece.

5. The communication system of claim 4, wherein the second communication device is a two-way radio.

6. The communication system of claim 2, wherein the first communication device comprises an earpiece.

7. The communication system of claim 2, wherein the second communication device is a two-way radio.

8. A communication system, comprising:

a first communication device having a speaker and microphone and having half-duplex and full-duplex modes of audio operation;

a second communication device having half-duplex capability; and

the second communication device detecting the half-duplex capability of the first device and establishing a half-duplex audio link.

9. The communication system of claim 8, wherein the second communication device detects the half-duplex capability of the first communication device by a device capabilities interrogation protocol.

10. The communication system of claim 8, wherein the half-duplex audio link is controlled by AT commands.

11. The communication system of claim 10, wherein the half-duplex audio link is controlled by a first AT command that turns the microphone on and the speaker off, and a second AT command that turns the microphone off and the speaker on.

12. The communication system of claim 10, wherein the half-duplex audio link is controlled by:

a first AT command that turns the microphone on;

a second AT command that turns the speaker off;

a third AT command that turns the microphone off; and

a fourth AT command that turns the speaker on.

13. The communication system of claim 10, wherein the AT commands are generated by a PTT button on the first communication device.

14. The communication system of claim 10, wherein the AT commands are generated a Voice Activated Switch (VOX) at the first communication device.

15. A method of establishing an audio link between first and second communication devices, comprising:

establishing a link between the two communication devices;

detecting the lack or presence of audio at the first device using the second device;

establishing a half-duplex audio link by

a. issuing commands to turn a microphone on and a speaker off in response to detecting the presence of audio; and

b. issuing commands to turn the microphone off and the speaker on in response to a lack of audio

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the steps of issuing commands are generated by using a Push-To-Talk (PTT) button.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein a slave or master issues the commands upon detecting the lack or presence of audio.

18. A method of saving battery life in a communication system between first and second communication devices, comprising:

establishing a full-duplex audio link between the first and second communication devices, the second communication device being a half-duplex device;

detecting whether the first communication device supports half-duplex mode of operation;

establishing a half-duplex audio link on a given channel when the first communication device supports half-duplex operation; and

sending control messages between the devices that selectively enable/disable audio over the existing channel in both directions between the first and second communication devices.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of sending control messages includes sending microphone and speaker on/off commands.

20. A communication system comprising:

first and second communication devices, the second communication device having interrogation capability to detect whether the first communication device supports half-duplex operation; and

the first and second communication devices establishing an audio link through the use of control messages that selectively enable/disable audio in both directions between the first and second communication devices.

21. The communication system of claim 20, wherein the control messages include microphone and speaker on/off commands.

22. The communication system of claim 20, further comprising:

a third communication device providing a remote trigger operation that sends a notification to the second communication device to issue commands to the third communication device to enter a half-duplex mode of operation.

23. The communication system of claim 22, wherein the third communication device detects a PTT or VOX inputs in order to provide the remote trigger to the second communication device.