Multi-channel communication device with manual and automatic scanning electronic channel selection

A multi-channel communication device operable at a predetermined plurality of discrete channel frequencies, the device comprising:

• means for selectively generating, in response to control signals, one of a predetermined plurality of discrete channel signals, each of said channel signals having a different frequency, said one selectively generated channel signal determining the operative channel frequency of said communication device;
• means, coupled to said generating means, for producing a visual indication identifying the operative frequency of said communication device;
• and
• first switch means, coupled to said generating means, having a manual actuator with at least a first and second mechanical position, said first switch means providing an up control signal with its actuator in said first position, a down control signal with its actuator in said second position and an enable control signal with its actuator in both said first and second positions;
• said generating means receiving all of said control signals provided by said switch means and continuously selectively generating, in discrete steps in a first predetermined sequence, each of the discrete channels signals in said predetermined plurality of channel signals as said one channel signal in response to the existence of both said enable and up signals, and continuously selectively generating, in discrete steps in a second predetermined sequence, each of said discrete channel signals as said one channel signal in response to the existence of both said enable and down signals, said up and down signals selecting one of said first and second sequences and said enable signal enabling said generating means to continuously select different channel signals as said one channel signal, in the sequence selected by said up and down control signals, only as long as said enable signal exists, whereby any of said plurality of channel signals is readily selectable by a single actuator causing any one of two distinct channel signal scanning sequences;
• wherein said first switch means includes a bounce eliminator circuit that rapidly creates said enable control signal in response to the movement of said actuator into said first and second mechanical positions, said bounce eliminator circuit comprising;
• a first resistor having a magnitude, a first end terminal coupled to a first voltage potential and a second end terminal, and
• a capacitor coupled between said second end terminal and a reference voltage potential, and
• said first switch means having a third mechanical position for its actuator, said first switch means providing a low resistance path substantially less than the magnitude of said first resistor between said second end terminal and a second voltage potential, different from said first voltage potential, in both of said first and second mechanical positions and providing a high resistance path substantially greater than the magnitude of said first resistor between said second end terminal and said second voltage potential with the actuator in its third mechanical position, the voltage at said second end terminal determining said enable signal,
• whereby a rapid change in the voltage at said second end terminal is created in response to the actuator being initially moved into said first and second mechanical positions from said third mechanical position.

A multi-channel communication device operable in a plurality of different modes, said communication device comprising:

• means for receiving a single nonpriority communication channel and producing audible signals in response thereto,
• means for sequentially scanning a receiver over a predetermined plurality of priority communication channels;
• means coupled to said priority channel scanning means for inhibiting further priority channel scanning during the reception by said receiver of signals on the one of said priority channels being scanned;
• means coupled to said nonpriority receiving means and said scanning priority means for interrupting the audible signals related to said nonpriority channel and producing audible signals related to said received priority channel signals during the reception of said signals by said receiver on the scanned priority channel;
• and
• means including an switch having a manual actuator coupled to said scan inhibiting means for overriding said scan inhibiting means and allowing said scan means to continue its scanning sequence in response to manual actuation of said switch during the reception of priority channel signals on the channel being scanned;
• and
• wherein said scanning means includes a counter having a count that determines the priority channel being scanned, said inhibit means preventing said counter from counting and actuation of said switch changing the count of said counter.

A multi-channel communication device operable on a plurality of predetermined channels, said communication device comprising:

• at least one receiver means manually tunable by a first manual actuator for receiving signals on any selected one of a predetermined plurality of discrete channels, and receiver means producing audible signals related to the signals received on said selected channel;
• means coupled to said receiver means for implementing an automatic scan tuning mode which comprises continuously automatically tuning, in discrete steps, said receiver means to each of said discrete channels in a predetermined sequence, said automatic tuning mode being implemented in response to the existence of a scan enable signal, said automatic tuning means including switch means having a second manual actuator with at least a first and second position, said switch means producing and maintaining said scan enable signal in response to an initial manual movement of said second actuator from said first to second position;
• said automatic scan tune mode implementing means including means coupled to said receiver means for automatically producing, as part of said automatic scan tuning mode, a first inhibit signal for temporarily inhibiting, during the existence of said automatic scan tuning mode, further automatic channel tuning during and in response to the reception of a received channel signal by said receiver means of said channel that said receiver means is tuned to and automatically reinstating said automatic scan tuning sequence subsequent to and in response to the termination of the reception of the channel signal;
• and
• transmitter means for selectively transmitting signals on a selected channel corresponding to the selected channel that said receiver means is tuned to, said transmitter means coupled to said receiver means for producing a second inhibit signal for terminating said automatic scan tuning mode in response to actuation of said transmitter means, wherein said automatic scan tuning mode is terminated by said second inhibit signal transmitting said scan enable signal, and subsequent continuous automatic tuning in said automatic scan tuning mode is thereby prevented until said scan enable signal is recreated by again moving said switch means second actuator, whereby the transmission of signals will terminate the automatic scan tuning mode and prevent the automatic resumption of scan tuning thereafter.

A multi-channel communication device comprising:

• tunable receiver means for receiving signals on any one of a predetermined plurality of discrete priority channels and producing audible signals in response thereto;
• power switch means coupled to said receiver means for supplying operative power to said receiver means upon actuation of said power switch means;
• means coupled to said receiver means for manually selectively tuning said receiver means to any one of said priority channels for signal reception by said receiver means to signals on said selected channel;
• and
• first circuit means coupled to said power switch means for causing said receiver means to be subsequently tunably controlled by said manual tuning means but to be initially tuned to a preselected one of said priority channels after an actuation of said switch means, regardless of which priority channel said receiver means had last previously been operatively tuned to during any previous actuation of said power switch means, whereby the receiver means is initially tuned to the one preselected channel after actuation of said power switch means and before any manual tuning of said receiver means and wherein said manually selectively tuning means includes a counter and a manual switch means that selectively supplies said counter with pulses for counting by the counter, said counter coupled to said tunable receiver means and the count of said counter determining the one of said priority channels that said receiver means is tuned to, and wherein said first circuit means comprises a transient circuit coupled between said power switch means and said counter for initially causing the count of said counter to be set to a predetermined count by creating transient voltages in response to changes in the supplying of operative power by said power switch means;
• the multi-channel communication device including transmitter apparatus coupled to said counter for selectively transmitting signals on channels which correspond to each of the priority channels that the receiver means is tuned to.

A multi-channel communication device comprising:

• tunable receiver means for receiving signals on any one of a predetermined plurality of discrete priority channels and producing audible signals in response thereto;
• power switch means coupled to said receiver means for supplying operative power to said receiver means upon actuation of said power switch means;
• means coupled to said receiver means for manually selectively tuning said receiver means to any one of said priority channels for signal reception by said receiver means to signals on said selected channel;
• first circuit means coupled to said power switch means for causing said receiver means to be subsequently tunably controlled by said manual tuning means but to be initially tuned to a preselected one of said priority channels after an actuation of said switch means, regardless of which priority channel said receiver means had last previously been operatively tuned to during any previous actuation of said power switch means, whereby the receiver means is initially tuned to the one preselected channel after actuation of said receiver means;
• and
• wherein said manually selectively tuning means includes a counter and a manual switch means that selectively supplies said counter with pulses for counting by the counter, said counter coupled to said tunable receiver means and the count of said counter determining the one of said priority channels that said receiver means is tuned to;
• and
• second circuit means for intially maintaining the count of said counter after actuation of said power switch means at the count which said counter last had during any previous actuation of said power switch means, and
• means for selecting one of said first and second circuit means for determining the initial count of said counter after actuation of said power switch means,
• wherein said second circuit means, when selected by said selecting means for determining the count of said counter, comprises structure for continuously providing a voltage to a terminal of said counter regardless of the operative state of said power switch means, and said first circuit means, when selected by said selecting means for determining the count of said counter, comprises structure for creating a transient voltage at said terminal upon said actuation of said power switch means.

A manual switch assembly for eliminating switch bounce, said switch assembly adaptable for use in a multi-channel communication device, said switch assembly comprising,

• at least one manual switch means having an actuator with at least a first and second mechanical position;
• a first resistor having a magnitude, a first end terminal coupled to a first voltage potential and a second end terminal;
• and
• a first capacitor coupled between said second end terminal and a reference voltage potential;
• said manual switch means providing a low resistance path substantially less than the magnitude of said first resistor between said second end terminal and a second voltage potential, different from said first voltage potential, with the actuator in said first mechanical position, and said switch means providing a high resistance path substantially greater than the magnitude of said first resistor between said second end terminal and said second voltage potential with the actuator in said second mechanical position, the voltage at said second end terminal being an output control signal of said switch assembly,
• whereby a rapid change in the control voltage at said second end terminal is created in response to the actuator being initially moved into said first mechanical position from said second mechanical position and switch bounce which may occur upon movement of the actuator into said second position does not substantially effect the voltage at said second end terminal due to the effect of said first resistor and said first capacitor.

A multi-channel communication device operable on a plurality of predetermined channels, said communication device comprising:

• at least one receiver means manually tunable for receiving signals on any selected one of a predetermined plurality of discrete channels, said receiver means producing audible signals related to the signals received on said one selected channel;
• means coupled to said receiver means for implementing an automatic scan tuning mode which comprises continuously automatically tuning, in discrete steps, said receiver means to each of said discrete channels in a predetermined sequence, said automatic tuning mode being implemented in response to the existence of a scan enable signal, said automatic tuning means including switch means having a manual actuator with at least a first and second position, said switch means producing and maintaining said scan enable signal in response to an initial movement of said actuator from said first to second position;
• said automatic scan tuning mode implementing means including means coupled to said receiver means for automatically producing, as part of said automatic scan tuning mode, a first inhibit signal for temporarily inhibiting, during the existence of said automatic scan tuning mode, further automatic channel tuning during and in response to the reception of a received channel signal by said receiver means on said one selected channel and automatically reinstating said automatic scan tuning sequence subsequent to and in response to the termination of the reception of the channel signal;
• means, in addition to said switch means, for selectively terminating said automatic scan tuning mode while maintaining said receiver means operative, regardless of the position of said manual actuator, by terminating said scan enable signal, said scan enable signal remaining terminated until subsequent manual reactuation of said switch means manual actuator recreates said scan enable signal;
• and
• means coupled to the switch means of said automatic tuning means for visually indicating, by illumination, the existence of said scan enable signal, thereby providing a visual indication of the automatic scan tuning mode of operation of the communication device.