Status Indicator Device for Mobile Voice Transceivers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Handheld transceivers are limited to transmitting only audio communications and operate on a single channel, which restricts their utility in environments requiring simultaneous communication of information to multiple users across different channels or frequencies, and lack visual or tactile information transmission capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A status indicator device that can be integrated with existing handheld transceivers to transmit and receive information visually and/or tactiley, using controlled lights and vibration motors, and communicates through various networks like Wi-Fi, LoRa, or Bluetooth, allowing for simultaneous broadcasting of status changes across multiple channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If handheld transceivers operate in half-duplex mode with single-channel transmission, then device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but information transmission capability is limited and adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the information transmission function from the audio transmission function by introducing separate status indicator lights and vibration motors that operate independently of the audio communication system. This allows non-audio information to be transmitted through multiple channels (visual and tactile) without complicating the core audio transmission architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The status indicator device serves multiple functions: it provides visual status indicators, transmits non-audio information, and can operate across multiple channels simultaneously. This multi-functionality increases adaptability without proportionally increasing device complexity, as it builds upon existing transceiver infrastructure.
2Loss of information
If handheld transceivers transmit only audio communications, then device complexity is minimized and ease of manufacture is improved, but loss of information increases in noisy environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces status indicator lights and vibration motors as intermediary devices that translate digital status information into visual and tactile signals. These intermediaries provide redundant information channels that do not rely on audio transmission, thereby reducing information loss in noisy environments without significantly increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces purely acoustic information transmission with a combination of optical (LED indicators) and mechanical (vibration motor) systems. This substitution provides alternative information channels that are immune to ambient noise, reducing information loss while adding only moderate complexity through the incorporation of these additional components.
3Productivity
If handheld transceivers use only verbal communication, then ease of operation is maintained, but productivity decreases due to the need for repeated verbal instructions
Solution Approach 1:
The status indicator device provides preliminary visual and tactile information about system status before audio communication is needed. This allows users to quickly grasp essential information without waiting for or repeatedly hearing verbal instructions, thereby improving productivity while maintaining ease of operation through intuitive visual feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The vibration motor can provide periodic tactile feedback to draw attention to status changes or important information, reducing the need for repeated verbal announcements. This periodic action enhances communication efficiency by ensuring users notice critical information without requiring continuous verbal communication.
4Adaptability or versatility
If handheld transceivers operate on a single channel, then device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but adaptability deteriorates in environments requiring multi-channel communication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a new dimension to communication by introducing visual and tactile information channels alongside the traditional audio channel. This dimensional expansion allows simultaneous transmission of multiple types of information without requiring multiple audio channels, thereby improving adaptability while keeping device complexity manageable.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient communication of non-audio information in diverse settings, such as film and television production, security, and construction, by allowing status updates to be broadcast to all users simultaneously without the need for verbal repetition, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing errors due to ambient noise or missed instructions.
Implementation Method 1
a light source, such as a light emitting diode (LED), that can emit light in different colors
Implementation Method 2
a vibration motor that generates mechanical vibration
Data Source
AI summary
Status indicator devices for use with handheld transceiver devices are shown and methods of using the same are described. Status indicator devices are disposed between a battery and a handheld transceiver unit allowing a single battery to power both the status indicator device and the handheld transceiver unit. The status indicator devices are capable of wirelessly transmitting and/or receiving information and reproducing it visually, tactilely, or both.