Abstract: A cord stowage device is provided which includes a spool having a channel through which a cable slidably passes from one side of the spool to the other side of the spool. First and second cup-shaped members are attached to respective ends of the spool. Each cup-shaped member includes a concave surface which faces toward the spool and the other cup-shaped member such that the first and second members grasp the cable as it enters the stowage device and as it exits the stowage device. The stowage device is positioned at the desired position on the cable by sliding the cable therethrough. When the stowage device reached the desired position on the cable, any excess slack cable in wound around the spool of the stowage device.

Abstract: An alerting device for a paging receiver for generating vibration motion in the paging receiver housing. The alerting means comprises an electric motor, an eccentric weight, and a linking means. The electric motor is activated in response to an alert signal for rotating a driving shaft. The driving shaft is coupled to the eccentric weight by the linking means for rotating the eccentric weight. The linking means includes a driving means and a receiving means such that rotary motion is transmitted from the shaft to the eccentric weight while preventing transmission of vibration motion from the eccentric weight to the shaft. The eccentric weight is mechanically attached to the housing for transmitting the vibration motion directly to the housing without passing the vibration motion through the electric motor.

Abstract: A wrist worn device includes a digital watch circuit and a receiver circuit which responds to coded message signals including selective call signalling and message information. An input steering circuit interfaces between the watch circuit and the receiver circuit for normally providing control of the watch circuit by switches located in the device case. The normal watch functions of the switches are permanently marked on the device case. The watch circuit and the receiver circuit couple to an information selector circuit which normally selects the watch output for a common display. When coded message signals are received, the switches are enabled to control the receiver circuit, and the received message information is selected for display. New indicia, electronically selected by the information selector circuit, are displayed on the display defining the new functions of the switches.

Abstract: A flexible circuit interconnect system and method for providing direct electrical contact between a flexible circuit and a printed circuit board or an additional flex circuit is disclosed. In one embodiment, elastomeric material is located between the flex circuit and a rigid support to provide an interconnection receptacle for electrical contact with a printed circuit board. In another embodiment, one flex circuit surrounds a formed elastomeric wedge and a second flex circuit is rigidly supported with an opening corresponding to the wedge. Compression of elastomeric material maintains direct contact between the connecting pads of the circuit members.

Abstract: A tunable resonant cavity filter structure is disclosed which includes an enhanced ground return internal to the cavity which effectively eliminates generation of deterioration wide band noise and optimizes unloaded Q as well as rending resonant frequency stable with vibration. In its preferred form, the enhanced ground return is in the form of a ground return clip with reliant radial projections that mate with the threads of the threadable tuning element used to determine final operating frequency. The radial projections are deflected in cantilever fashion so as to generate sufficient pressure to break thru any oxides in the tuning element threads and ensure metal-to-metal contact.

Abstract: A carrying case for a portable radio is provided which includes an attachment structure for attaching the case to the radio user. The carrying case includes a two position sound deflector which, at the option of the user, is situated in a first position to deflect sound upward toward the user's ears or which is situated in a second position for protecting the controls of the radio from the environment.

Abstract: A paging simulcast station remote control system decoder. The paging system decoder responds to signals generated in accordance with a predetermined signalling scheme comprising a series of tones and timed pauses. The decoder is also responsive to user programmable switches which provide station function tone and sector information. The paging system decoder then selectively deactivates a paging simulcast transmitter in response to signals received through a conventional paging communication link.

Abstract: A memory programming system which provides a method and apparatus for programming and reading an electronic device memory through its power source connections. Circuitry is provided for programming and reading internal EEPROM memory of a portable radio with information provided by an external programming apparatus through its existing battery terminals, wihout removing the EEPROM from the unit, and without the use of supplementary connectors. The radio battery is disabled and a substitute power source is connected to the existing battery terminals, the substitute power signal is encoded with program data by the programming apparatus circuitry and decoded by the radio circuitry, and a programming voltage is applied to the EEPROM such that the program data is programmed into the radio memory through the battery terminals. The program data can be verified by encoding the substitute power signal with verification data in the radio and decoding the signal externally to provide a visual indication for verification.

Abstract: A paging receiver with an LPC speech synthesizer is described. The paging receiver of the present invention includes a controller and decoder, and a microprocessor controlled speech synthesizer both coupled to a dual port memory. Digitally encoded voice messages are stored in a dual port memory which includes a scratchpad area for storing control words and address pointers which indicate the attributes and location of stored digitally encoded voice messages. Messages are reconstructed by reading the control words and address pointers and processing the information stored in memory with a speech synthesizer. The structure is adapted to store and process LPC encoded signals and it permits a message to be stored while another is being reproduced. In addition, information contained in the control words permits old or read messages to be discarded if a new message must be stored.

Abstract: An electroacoustic transducer such as a piezoelectric element transducer includes an output mode for generating an alert signal and an input mode for generating a switching signal. The transducer comprises an actuating means, such as a pushbutton, a resilient member, such as a snap action dome, a housing and a piezoelectric element. In the output mode, voltage is supplied to the piezoelectric element to generate mechanical vibrations which are converted to acoustical energy by a resonant cavity and port in the housing. In the input mode, manual pressure on the pushbutton forces the dome, being interposed between the pushbutton and piezoelectric element to collapse and deform the piezoelectric element. In response, the piezoelectric element generates an electrical signal. A voltage sensing circuit senses the electrical signal and generates an input signal.

Abstract: A mechanical interlock arrangement is disclosed for preventing misinstallation of a plurality of associated PC boards in the mainframe chassis of an electrical or electronic apparatus. Each PC board is mounted to a subpanel which has a mounting flange with a uniquely located key tab. This keying tab is accommodated within a selectively located slot on a member positioned traverse the front face of the mainframe chassis. The keying tab may be located along the top or bottom of the mounting flange and is made of substantially rigid material to prevent such protective keying function from being easily defeated.

Abstract: A paging station remote control system decoder is described. The paging system decoder is responsive to signals generated in accordance to a signalling scheme comprising a series of tones and timed pauses generated by a paging system encoder. The paging system decoder then causes a paging transmitter station to key in an analog or binary modulation mode or to switch from one mode to another without first dekeying the paging transmitter.

Abstract: In system capable of self turn-off, a circuit arrangement for providing a controlled turn-off includes a detecting circuit for detecting actuation of a turn-off switch, thereby providing a turn-off authorization signal. A turn-off protection circuit is coupled to the detecting circuit and a controller is coupled to the turn-off protect circuit and the detecting circuit. The controller disables the turn-off protect circuit when the turn-off authorization is received and present. The controller generates a turn-off signal for powering the system down after the turn-off protect circuit has been disabled.

Abstract: A device for monitoring temperature as a function of electrical resistivity comprises a sensing element formed of a ceramic including lanthanum chromite with a dopant selected from magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, tin oxide and silicon oxide, and having electrodes operably affixed to the surface thereof.

Abstract: An improved hands-free user-interactive control and dialing system is disclosed for use with a speech communications device. The control system (400) includes a dynamic noise suppressor (410), a speech recognizer (420) for implementing voice-control, a device controller (430) responsive to the speech recognizer for controlling operating parameters of the speech communications device (450) and for producing status information representing the operating status of the device, and a speech synthesizer (440) for providing reply information to the user as to the speech communications device operating status. In a mobile radiotelephone application, the spectral subtraction noise suppressor (414) is configured to improve the performance of the speech recognizer (424), the voice quality of the transmitted audio (417), and the audio switching operation of the vehicular speakerphone (460).

Abstract: An audio arrangement includes a thin speaker/transducer positioned within a portable housing wherein the speaker cavity is dimensioned to move the resonant frequency of the speaker/housing combination up to approximately the free-air cutoff frequency of the speaker/tranducer. The resulting response then falls off at about 6 db/octave below that point. An amplifier having gain increasing at 6 db/octave is placed in the signal input path for creating an essentially flat frequency response in the normally desired audio range.

Abstract: A paging station remote control system capable of providing analog or binary modulation modes is described. Control of the paging base station is effected through a signalling scheme comprising a combination of tones and timed pauses generated in response to control signals supplied either manually or by a paging terminal. The paging system is capable of transitions between binary and analog modulation modes without first dekeying the paging transmitter.