Motorola Corporation

Nick B Grivas

Robert Faust D'Avello

James A Van Bosch

Michael A Newell

Scott B Davis

Raymond L Sokola

Jerome D Meyerhoff

A communications system for a vehicle having a foot pedal useable to control communications at a user interface in the vehicle. By controlling the user interface at least in part through activation of the foot pedal, communications in the vehicle are made more convenient and less dangerous as the user need not use his hands to operate the communications user interface. The foot pedal may perform a dedicated communications control function, or may be programmable to perform a communications control function of a user's choosing. Several foot pedals may be used, either in conjunction with a single seat, or each associated with a particular seat in the vehicle. Foot pedal communication settings may also be stored within the communications user interface for easy retrieval, and may be retrievable through entry of a user ID, such as may come from a key fob.

Programmable foot switch useable in a communications user interface in a vehicle

An improved system and procedure for allowing participants within a group conversation on a wireless communication network to at least temporarily break away from a group conversation and hold a side bar conversation. The side bar conversation may comprise several different types, including a public conversation (much like the original group conversation) or may constitute a private conversation (much like a standard phone call) or private text messaging or data exchange. A group conversation user wishing to hold the side bar conversation uses his user interface to alert other group conversation user(s) with whom he would like to hold the side bar conversation. Either the initiating user or the recipient user(s) can recommend the type of side bar conversation to be had using their user interfaces. If the side bar conversation is a voice conversation, the original group conversation can still be audible in the back ground, but can be reduced in volume relative to the side bar conversation or squelched in and out when the side bar conversation is active. If desired, side bar participants can rejoin the original group conversation by selecting such an option from their user interfaces.

Conversion of calls from an ad hoc communication network

Growing community of inventors

Harvard, IL, United States of America

Nick B Grivas