IP Library Granted Patent US 11,412,083
Granted Patent B2
US 11,412,083 · App. 16/328,568 · Granted Aug 9, 2022

Portable keypanel for intercom system

Inventors: Fredrik Borjesson (Eden Prairie, MN); Jason Brchan (Omaha, NE); Jim Andersen (Lincoln, NE); Kevin B. Moore (Chaska, MN); La Ruhe Gene Friesen (Lincoln, NE); Keith Jenkins (Lincoln, NE); Ralph K. Strader (Minnetonka, MN)
Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
H04M1/725H04M1/0202H04M9/001H04M11/025
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,412,083
App. No.
16/328,568
Granted
Aug 9, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A mobile intercom device is described that is configured to facilitate the assignment and reassignment of functions during use. A plurality of button pairs, each including a talk button and a listen button, and a display screen are provided on the mobile intercom device. An electronic processor of the mobile intercom device is configured to display a list of alphanumeric identifiers on the display screen, each alphanumeric identifier in the list of alphanumeric identifiers corresponding to a different one of a plurality of channels on the intercom system. A selection of a first alphanumeric identifier from the list is received and a channel on the intercom system corresponding to the first alphanumeric identifier is assigned to a first button pair of the plurality of button pairs.

Claims (65)

1. A mobile intercom device comprising:

a plurality of button pairs, each button pair including a talk button and a listen button;

a display screen; and

an electronic processor configured to

display a list of alphanumeric identifiers on the display screen, each alphanumeric identifier in the list of alphanumeric identifiers corresponding to a different one of a plurality of channels on an intercom system,

receive a selection of a first alphanumeric identifier from the list of alphanumeric identifiers displayed on the display screen,

assign a channel on the intercom system corresponding to the first alphanumeric identifier to a first button pair of the plurality of button pairs in response to receiving the selection of the first alphanumeric identifier from the list, and

transmit audio stream data from the mobile intercom device to the channel on the intercom system corresponding to the first alphanumeric identifier when the talk button of the first button pair is activated.

2. The mobile intercom device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to

receive a second selection of a second alphanumeric identifier from the list of alphanumeric identifiers displayed on the display screen,

reassign the first button pair to a channel on the intercom system corresponding to the second alphanumeric identifier in response to receiving the second selection of the second alphanumeric identifier from the list, and

transmit audio stream data from the mobile intercom device to the channel on the intercom system corresponding to the second alphanumeric identifier when the talk button of the first button pair is activated.

3. The mobile intercom device of claim 1 , further comprising a rotary control, and wherein the electronic processor is further configured to assign a new operative function to the talk button of the first button pair in response to the rotary control being adjusted while the talk button of the first button pair is held by a user.

4. The mobile intercom device of claim 1 , further comprising a second display screen and a reply button, and wherein the electronic processor is further configured to

receive a call from a second channel on the intercom system,

display a second alphanumeric identifier on the second display screen, the second alphanumeric identifier corresponding to the second channel, and

transmit audio stream data from the mobile intercom device to the second mobile intercom device in response to an activation of the reply button.

5. The mobile intercom device of claim 4 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to

receive a second selection of a third alphanumeric identifier from the list of alphanumeric identifiers displayed on the display screen,

display the third alphanumeric identifier on the second display screen in response to receiving the second selection, and

transmit audio stream data from the mobile intercom device to a third channel of the intercom system in response to an activation of the reply button, the third channel corresponding to the third alphanumeric identifier.

6. The mobile intercom device of claim 1 , wherein each alphanumeric identifier in the list of alphanumeric identifiers corresponds to a different user of the intercom system, and wherein the electronic processor is configured to assign the channel on the intercom system corresponding to the first alphanumeric identifier to the first button pair by assigning a channel associated with a user corresponding to the selected first alphanumeric identifier to the first button pair.

7. The mobile intercom device of claim 1 , wherein each alphanumeric identifier in the list of alphanumeric identifiers corresponds to a different intercom device connected to the intercom system, and wherein the electronic processor is configured to assign the channel on the intercom system corresponding to the first alphanumeric identifier to the first button pair by assigning a channel associated with a first mobile intercom device corresponding to the first alphanumeric identifier to the first button pair.

8. The mobile intercom device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to

access a plurality of Unicode alphanumeric identifiers, and

determine an operating language of the mobile intercom device,

wherein the electronic processor is configured to display the list of alphanumeric identifiers on the display screen by displaying a list of the Unicode alphanumeric identifiers of the plurality of Unicode alphanumeric identifiers in the determined operating language of the mobile intercom device.

9. The mobile intercom device of claim 1 , further comprising a beltpack-type housing, wherein the display screen and the plurality of button pairs are mounted on an exterior of the beltpack-type housing, and wherein the electronic processor is at least partially housed by the beltpack-type housing.

10. The mobile intercom device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to assign a new operative function to the talk button of the first button pair in response to a function selection received through a graphical user interface displayed on the display screen.

11. A method of operating a mobile intercom device, the mobile intercom device including a plurality of button pairs, each button pair including a talk button and a listen button, and a display screen, the method comprising:

displaying a list of alphanumeric identifiers on the display screen, each alphanumeric identifier in the list of alphanumeric identifiers corresponding to a different one of a plurality of channels on an intercom system,

receiving a selection of a first alphanumeric identifier from the list of alphanumeric identifiers displayed on the display screen,

assigning a channel on the intercom system corresponding to the first alphanumeric identifier to a first button pair of the plurality of button pairs in response to receiving the selection of the first alphanumeric identifier from the list, and

transmitting audio stream data from the mobile intercom device to the channel on the intercom system corresponding to the first alphanumeric identifier when the talk button of the first button pair is activated.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving a second selection of a second alphanumeric identifier from the list of alphanumeric identifiers displayed on the display screen,

reassigning the first button pair to a channel on the intercom system corresponding to the second alphanumeric identifier in response to receiving the second selection of the second alphanumeric identifier from the list, and

transmitting audio stream data from the mobile intercom device to the channel on the intercom system corresponding to the second alphanumeric identifier when the talk button of the first button pair is activated.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the mobile intercom device further includes a rotary control, the method further comprising assigning a new operative function to the talk button of the first button pair in response to the rotary control being adjusted while the talk button of the first button pair is held by a user.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the mobile intercom device further includes a second display screen and a reply button, the method further comprising:

receiving a call from a second channel on the intercom system,

displaying a second alphanumeric identifier on the second display screen, the second alphanumeric identifier corresponding to the second channel, and

transmitting audio stream data from the mobile intercom device to the second mobile intercom device in response to an activation of the reply button.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

receiving a second selection of a third alphanumeric identifier from the list of alphanumeric identifiers displayed on the display screen,

displaying the third alphanumeric identifier on the second display screen in response to receiving the second selection, and

transmitting audio stream data from the mobile intercom device to a third channel of the intercom system in response to an activation of the reply button, the third channel corresponding to the third alphanumeric identifier.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein each alphanumeric identifier in the list of alphanumeric identifiers corresponds to a different user of the intercom system, and wherein assigning the channel on the intercom system corresponding to the first alphanumeric identifier to the first button pair includes assigning a channel associated with a user corresponding to the selected first alphanumeric identifier to the first button pair.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein each alphanumeric identifier in the list of alphanumeric identifiers corresponds to a different intercom device connected to the intercom system, and wherein assigning the channel on the intercom system corresponding to the first alphanumeric identifier to the first button pair includes assigning a channel associated with a first mobile intercom device corresponding to the first alphanumeric identifier to the first button pair.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising

access a plurality of Unicode alphanumeric identifiers, and

determine an operating language of the mobile intercom device,

wherein displaying the list of alphanumeric identifiers on the display screen includes displaying a list of the Unicode alphanumeric identifiers of the plurality of Unicode alphanumeric identifiers in the determined operating language of the mobile intercom device.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein displaying the list of alphanumeric identifiers on the display screen includes displaying the list of alphanumeric identifiers on a first display screen positioned on a front surface of the mobile intercom device, and

displaying on a second display screen an alphanumeric identifier corresponding to the channel assigned to each button pair of the plurality of button pairs, wherein the second display screen and the plurality of button pairs are positioned on a top surface of the mobile intercom device.

20. A mobile intercom device comprising:

a beltpack-type housing including a front face and a top face, wherein the top face is visible to a user while the beltpack-type housing is being worn by the user;

a first display screen positioned on the front face of the beltpack-type housing;

a second display screen positioned on the top face of the beltpack-type housing;

a plurality of button pairs positioned on the top face of the beltpack-type housing, each button pair including a talk button and a listen button; and

an electronic processor configured to

display a list of alphanumeric identifiers on the first display screen, each alphanumeric identifier in the list of alphanumeric identifiers corresponding to a different one of a plurality of channels on an intercom system,

receive a selection of a first alphanumeric identifier from the displayed list of alphanumeric identifiers,

assign a channel on the intercom system corresponding to the selected first alphanumeric identifier to a first button pair of the plurality of button pairs in response to receiving the selection of the first alphanumeric identifier from the displayed list, and

display on the second display screen multiple alphanumeric identifiers, the multiple alphanumeric identifiers each corresponding to a channel assigned to a different one of the plurality of button pairs, wherein the selected first alphanumeric identifier is displayed on the second display screen in response to assigning the channel on the intercom system corresponding to the selected first alphanumeric identifier to the first button pair of the plurality of button pairs.

Assignments (4)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 15, 2026
From: ELECTRO-VOICE DYNACORD LLC
To: GLAS TRUST CORPORATION LIMITED
Reel/Frame 075643/0407 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RECORDED AT REEL 73363, FRAME 0729 Recorded May 4, 2026
From: GLAS TRUST CORPORATION LIMITED
To: ELECTRO-VOICE DYNACORD LLC (F/K/A BOSCH SECURITY SYSTEMS, LLC, F/K/A BOSCH SECURITY SYSTEMS, INC.)
Reel/Frame 075499/0896 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 28, 2025
From: BOSCH SECURITY SYSTEMS, LLC (FKA BOSCH SECURITY SYSTEMS, INC.)
To: GLAS TRUST CORPORATION LIMITED
Reel/Frame 073363/0729 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 11, 2020
From: JENKINS, KEITH; STRADER, RALPH K.; FRIESEN, LA RHUE GENE; ANDERSEN, JIM; BRCHAN, JASON; MOORE, KEVIN B.
To: BOSCH SECURITY SYSTEMS, INC.; ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
Reel/Frame 054622/0221 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 62307978 · Mar 14, 2016
Provisional Application 62307983 · Mar 14, 2016
Related Publication 20210029237A1 · Jan 28, 2021