Receiver selecting arrangement

Claim 2

In a system having a plurality of separate radio receivers, each having means for respectively indicating a squelched condition and an unsquelched condition, and each having its signal output connected to a common location, an improved selecting arrangement for each signal received by a receiver in said system, said selecting arrangement comprising: a. received signal inputs for respective connection to each of said receiver signal outputs; b. a detector respectively connected to each of said received signal inputs for providing a squelch signal in response to the respective squelched condition and an unsquelch signal in response to the respective unsquelched condition; c. a first gate respectively connected to each of said received signal inputs and controlled by a corresponding respective detector for passing received signals from the respective received signal input in response to an unsquelched condition of the respective receiver and for preventing passage of received signals from the respective received signal input in response to a squelched condition of the respective receiver; d. a signal quality selecting circuit respectively connected to each of said first gates and adapted to be connected to other signal quality selecting circuits in said arrangement for evaluating received signals passed by the respective first gate in response to the unsquelched condition of the respective receiver; e. and a second gate respectively connected to each of said first gates and controlled by a respective signal quality selecting circuit for further passing received signals in response to the respective signal quality selecting circuit indicating that its received signals have a quality superior to the received signals evaluated by the other signal quality selecting circuits.

Claim 3

The improved selecting arrangement of claim 1 and further comprising a line failure and unsquelched gate respectively connected to each of said signal quality selecting circuits and said detectors for blocking the operation of the respective signal quality selecting circuit in response to its respective receiver being unsquelched and in response to the absence of received signals from its respective receiver.

Claim 4

An arrangement for selecting the highest quality information signal from one of a plurality of radio receivers arranged to receive a common radio transmission and respectively coupled by a communication link to a common location, said arrangement being located at said common location and comprising: a. input means respectively coupled to each of said communication links providing respective information signals from each of said receivers; b. a squelch detector respectively connected to each of said input means for providing squelch signals respectively indicating which of said receivers are in a squelched condition and unsquelch signals respectively indicating which of said receivers are in an unsquelched condition; c. a common utilization circuit; d. an information signal path respectively connected between each of said input means and said common utilization circuit, each of said information signal paths comprising an unsquelched gate connected to its respective input means and a selection gate connected from its respective unsquelched gate to said common utilization circuit; e. means connecting each of said squelch detectors to its respective unsquelched gate for causing said unsquelched gates to block their respective information signal paths in response to a squelch signal and for permitting said unsquelched gates to pass signals through their respective information signal paths in response to said unsquelch signals; f. a signal quality selector respectively connected between each of said unsquelcheD gates and its respective selection gate, each of said signal quality selectors producing a selecting signal indicative of the quality of the information signals passed by its respective unsquelched gate; g. means connected to each of said signal quality selectors for comparing said selecting signals and rendering operative the signal quality selector having a selecting signal indicative of the highest quality information signal; h. and means respectively connecting each of said signal quality selectors to its respective selection gate for permitting only the information signal path having said highest quality information signal to pass information signals to said common utilization circuit.

Claim 5

An arrangement for selecting the highest quality information signal from one of a plurality of radio receivers arranged to receive a common radio transmission and respectively coupled by a communication link to a common location, said arrangement being located at said common location and comprising: a. input means respectively coupled to each of said communication links providing respective information signals from each of said receivers; b. a squelch detector respectively connected to each of said input means for providing squelch signals respectively indicating which of said receivers are in a squelched condition and unsquelch signals respectively indicating which of said receivers are in an unsquelched condition; c. a common utilization circuit; d. an information signal path respectively connected between each of said input means and said common utilization circuit, each of said information signal paths comprising an unsquelched gate connected to its respective input means and a selection gate connected from its respective unsquelched gate to said common utilization circuit; e. means connecting each of said squelch detectors to its respective unsquelched gate for causing said unsquelched gates to block their respective information signal paths in response to a squelch signal and for permitting said unsquelched gates to pass signals through their respective information signal paths in response to said unsquelch signals; f. a signal quality selector respectively connected between each of said unsquelcheD gates and its respective selection gate, each of said signal quality selectors producing a selecting signal indicative of the quality of the information signals passed by its respective unsquelched gate; g. means connected to each of said signal quality selectors for comparing said selecting signals and rendering operative the signal quality selector having a selecting signal indicative of the highest quality information signal; h. and means respectively connecting each of said signal quality selectors to its respective selection gate for permitting only the information signal path having said highest quality information signal to pass information signals to said common utilization circuit.

Claim 6

The arrangement of claim 3, and further comprising a control gate respectively connected to each of said signal quality selectors and squelch detectors for blocking the operation of its respective signal quality selector in response to the presence of an unsquelch signal and in response to the absence of an information signal.

Claim 7

An arrangement for selecting the most desired signal from signals provided by a plurality of radio receivers positioned at various locations for receiving a common transmission, said signals being carried by respective communication lines to said arrangement which comprises: a. an input circuit for each of said signals; b. a utilization circuit having a respective input for each of said signals and having a common output; c. an unsquelched gate for each of said signals, each of said unsquelched gates having a signal input connected to a respective one of said input circuits, having a signal output, and having a control; d. a selection gate for each of said signals, each of each selection gates having a signal input connected to a respective one of said unsquelched gate signal outputs, having a signal output connected to a respective one of said utilization circuit inputs, and having a control; e. a squelched-unsquelched detector for each of said signals, each of said squelched-unsquelched detectors having a signal input connected to a respective one of said input circuits, and having a control output connected to the corresponding respective one of said unsquelched gate controls for passing signals through said unsquelched gates whose squelched-unsquelched detectors indicate an unsquelched condition; f. a quality selector for each of said signals, each of said quality selectors having a signal input connected to a respective one of said unsquelched gate signal outputs, and having a control output connected to the corresponding respective one of said selection gate controls; g. and comparing means connected to each of said quality selectors for causing the quality selector having the best quality signal to open its corresponding respective selection gate and pass signals, previously passed by the corresponding respective unsquelched gate, to its corresponding respective utilization circuit input.

Claim 8

An arrangement for selecting the most desired signal from signals provided by a plurality of radio receivers positioned at various locations for receiving a common transmission, said signals being carried by respective communication lines to said arrangement which comprises: a. an input circuit for each of said signals; b. a utilization circuit having a respective input for each of said signals and having a common output; c. an unsquelched gate for each of said signals, each of said unsquelched gates having a signal input connected to a respective one of said input circuits, having a signal output, and having a control; d. a selection gate for each of said signals, each of each selection gates having a signal input connected to a respective one of said unsquelched gate signal outputs, having a signal output connected to a respective one of said utilization circuit inputs, and having a control; e. a squelched-unsquelched detector for each of said signals, each of said squelched-unsquelched detectors having a signal input connected to a respective one of said input circuits, and having a control output connected to the corresponding respective one of said unsquelched gate controls for passing signals through said unsquelched gates whose squelched-unsquelched detectors indicate an unsquelched condition; f. a quality selector for each of said signals, each of said quality selectors having a signal input connected to a respective one of said unsquelched gate signal outputs, and having a control output connected to the corresponding respective one of said selection gate controls; g. and comparing means connected to each of said quality selectors for causing the quality selector having the best quality signal to open its corresponding respective selection gate and pass signals, previously passed by the corresponding respective unsquelched gate, to its corresponding respective utilization circuit input.

Claim 9

The arrangement of claim 5, and further comprising: a. a line failure detector for each of said signals, each of said line failure detectors being respectively connected to a respective one of said quality selector circuits for indicating the presence or absence of a signal in the corresponding respective quality selector; b. a line failure and unsquelched gate for each of said signals, each of said line failure and unsquelched gates having inputs connected to a respective one of said line failure detectors and a respective one of said squelched-unsquelched detectors for producing a control signal in response to the absence of a line failure and in response to the presence of an unsquelched condition; c. and means connecting each of said line failure and unsquelched gates to a respective one of each of said quality selectors for permitting said quality selector circuits to be operative only in response to said control signal.