Vehicle Crew Wireless Intercom with Automatic Channel Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle crew communication systems face challenges in providing interference-resistant, wireless communication over long operational ranges without the need for adapters or manual channel selection, while ensuring secure and reliable communication for national security applications.

Innovation Solution

A wireless communication system utilizing a five-channel base station with DECT 6.0 protocol, supporting up to sixty headsets, with automatic channel and slot selection, digital encryption, and noise-cancelling microphones, enabling full-duplex communication over ranges of up to 1600 feet in the US and 2800 feet outside, and integration with radios for extended range communication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If wireless communication is used for vehicle crew communication, then freedom of action and operational flexibility are improved, but susceptibility to interference increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefreedom of actionVSAvoidinterference susceptibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) with periodic time slots for wireless communication, dividing the communication channel into discrete time intervals. This periodic structure allows multiple users to share the frequency spectrum efficiently while maintaining resistance to interference through synchronized transmission windows.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts communication parameters including frequency hopping across multiple channels, time slot allocation, and power levels to optimize performance and avoid interference. The base station manages parameter changes automatically to maintain communication quality in varying electromagnetic environments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If manual channel selection is used, then device complexity is reduced, but communication reliability and interference avoidance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidcommunication reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The base station automatically performs channel selection, frequency hopping sequence determination, and time slot allocation without requiring manual intervention. The system self-configures communication parameters based on environmental conditions and user requirements, eliminating the need for operators to manually select channels while maintaining high communication reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements automatic feedback mechanisms where the base station monitors communication quality, detects interference levels, and dynamically adjusts channel selection and time slot allocation accordingly. This closed-loop control ensures optimal communication reliability without manual channel selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Object-affected harmful factors

If wired intercoms are used, then resistance to interference is improved, but freedom of movement and operational flexibility deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterference resistanceVSAvoidfreedom of movement

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces wired mechanical connections with wireless electromagnetic communication, eliminating physical cables while maintaining communication stability. Advanced signal processing, TDMA protocols, and interference mitigation techniques are employed to achieve wired-like reliability in a wireless medium, enabling crew members to move freely without physical constraints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Adaptability or versatility

If adapters are added to legacy systems, then wireless communication capability is improved, but device complexity and system integration difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewireless communication capabilityVSAvoidadapter aggregation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system integrates wireless communication capabilities directly into the vehicle's existing intercom infrastructure through a unified base station architecture. Rather than adding separate adapters for each device, the solution merges wireless TDMA communication with the legacy intercom system into a single integrated platform, reducing overall system complexity while enabling wireless functionality for all crew members.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS8456985B2Vehicle crew communications system

Publication Date: 2013.06.04 SONETICS HLDG

AI summary

The vehicle crew communication system provides up to sixty wireless headsets that can be used with one base station, a range of 1600 feet from the base station for operation of the headsets, full duplex operation communication over digitally encrypted DECT protocol links from one base station to a plurality of headsets, pairing of each headset to a particular base station, use of wireless technology inside and outside of the vehicle, automatic channel and link selection to transparently avoid interfered-with channels and links, removal of the need to manually select a channel on the headset, and the combination of the noise-cancelling microphone with noise threshold, noise attenuation, and line echo cancellation tuned to intercom parameters. The invention may be used with or without a vehicle.