Radio crew isolation system
There is disclosed a communication device. The communications device includes a radio transceiver for transmitting and receiving radio transmissions, a radio frequency channel selector for selecting a desired radio frequency channel upon which to transmit and receive radio transmissions, and a crew isolation toggle, integral to the communication device, for disabling generation of audio transmission from selected members of the radio frequency channel to the radio frequency channel while still enabling the selected members to receive audio transmission.
1 . A communication system device comprising:
a radio transceiver configured to transmit and receive radio transmissions;
a radio frequency channel selector configured to select a desired radio frequency channel upon which to transmit and receive radio transmissions;
a crew isolation toggle, integral to the communication device, configured to: receive crew isolate toggle activation or deactivation of authorization to communicate for each of a plurality of crew members; based upon received toggle activation of authorization, identify and transfer selected members of the desired radio frequency channel to another radio frequency channel only to generate audio transmission; and
disable generation of audio transmission from selected members of the radio frequency channel to the radio frequency channel while still enabling the selected members to simultaneously receive audio transmission from the radio frequency channel and the another radio frequency channel.
2 . The communication device of claim 1 wherein disabling generation of audio transmission comprises:
disabling a microphone on a communication device associated with the selected members of the radio frequency channel on the radio frequency channel.
3 . The communication device of claim 1 wherein disabling generation of audio transmission comprises:
disabling radio transceivers associated with the selected members.
4 . The communications device of claim 1 wherein enabling the crew isolation toggle mutes the selected members on the radio frequency channel.
5 . The communications device of claim 1 , wherein
a first communications device, operated by a first communications operator includes each of the elements of claim 1 ; and
one or more communications devices, operated by the selected members of the radio frequency channel includes all of the elements of claim 1 except the crew isolation toggle.
6 . The communications device of claim 5 wherein the first communications device is also accessible to a second communications operator, and wherein when the crew isolation toggle is enabled, the selected members of the radio frequency channel may communicate solely with one another on a separate radio frequency channel dedicated to the selected members.
7 . The communications device of claim 1 wherein the crew isolation toggle is a selected one of: a switch, a button, a dial, a digital setting, and a user interface element on a display.
8 . A communications device comprising:
a radio transceiver configured to receive and transmit radio transmissions on a selected radio frequency channel;
at least one input port for a microphone for capturing audio and a speaker for generating audio in response to signals received from the radio transceiver;
an antenna, connected to the radio transceiver, configured to capture radio waves and provide the radio waves to the transceiver; and
a crew isolation toggle, integral to the communication device, configured to: receive crew isolate toggle activation or deactivation of authorization to communicate for each of a plurality of crew members; based upon received toggle activation of authorization, identify and transfer selected members of the desired radio frequency channel to another radio frequency channel only to generate audio transmission; and
disable generation of audio transmission from selected members of the radio frequency channel to the radio frequency channel while still enabling the selected members to simultaneously receive audio transmission from the radio frequency channel and the another radio frequency channel.
9 . The communication device of claim 8 wherein disabling generation of audio transmission comprises:
disabling a microphone associated with the selected members of the radio frequency channel on the radio frequency channel.
10 . The communication device of claim 8 wherein disabling generation of audio transmission comprises:
disabling radio transceivers associated with the selected members.
11 . The communications device of claim 8 wherein enabling the crew isolation toggle mutes the selected members on the radio frequency channel.
12 . The communications device of claim 8 , wherein
a microphone and speaker combination operated by a first communications operator;
a microphone and speaker combination operated by a second communications operator;
one or more microphone and speaker combinations operated by the selected members of the radio frequency channel; and
wherein only the one or more microphone and speaker combinations operated by the selected members of the radio frequency channel are affected by operation of the crew isolation toggle.
13 . The communications device of claim 8 wherein the crew isolation toggle is a selected one of: a switch, a button, a dial, a digital setting, and a user interface element on a display.
14 . A communications device comprising:
a radio transceiver, integral to the communications device, configured to send and receive radio waves and configured to convert radio waves into electrical signals;
an antenna configured to capture radio waves and provide them to the transceiver;
a plurality of input and output ports, each configured for use with a microphone and speaker combination used by one of a first or second operator of the communications device and selected operators of the communications device; and
a crew isolation toggle configured to: receive-crew isolate toggle activation or deactivation of authorization to communicate for each of a plurality of crew members;
based upon received toggle activation of authorization, identify and transfer selected members of the desired radio frequency channel to another radio frequency channel only to generate audio transmission; and
disable generation of audio transmission from selected members of the radio frequency channel while still enable the selected members to simultaneously receive audio transmission from the radio frequency channel and the another radio frequency channel.
15 . The communications device of claim 14 further comprising software, operating on a processor and associated memory, programmed to:
detect enablement of the crew isolation toggle; and
disable audio generation by the selected operators of the communications device in response to enablement of the crew isolation toggle.
16 . The communication device of claim 14 wherein disabling generation of audio transmission comprises:
disabling a microphone associated with the selected members of the radio frequency channel on the radio frequency channel.
17 . The communication system of claim 1 wherein disabling generation of audio transmission comprises a selected one of:
disabling radio transceivers associated with the selected members; and muting the selected members on the radio frequency channel.