GB2356533A

GB2356533A - A Morse key adaptor/device

Info

Publication number: GB2356533A
Application number: GB9927024A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Barnes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-11-17
Filing date: 1999-11-17
Publication date: 2001-05-23
Also published as: GB9927024D0

Abstract

Two electronic units, unit 1 and unit 2 allow cordless or wire free operation ot the Morse key 1 in conjunction with a radio transmitter/transceiver 4. Said units are linked by radio frequency or optics. Alternatives could be an acoustic link or operation via a magnetic loop coupling.

Description

2356533 A MORSE KEY ADAPTOR/DEVICE

The present invention comprises a Morse key adaptor /device to allow cordless or wire free connection of a Morse key to a radio transmitter or transceiver. To date all Morse keys for both professional e.g. military and civilian use e.g by radio amateurs have had the problem of a trailing wire between the Morse key and the radio. This was not so bad in days gone by when radio transmitters were physically large and had a Morse key jack on their front panel as it did not look cumbersome and out of place. However with modern radio equipment now fabricated so small and key jacks often at the rear such trailing leads look cumbersome and out of place and crowd the operating position and can damage the pages of the log book. Although military communications are now usually voice encoded and via satellite there could arise potential situations when Morse or other keyed coding or cypher could still provide useful. Previously the field operator's movement would have been very restricted because of the trailing lead between the thigh strap mounted Morse key and the transmitter. Advantageously movement is not restricted so much with this present invention and it could easily be concealed about the person and further in the indoor environment it looks neater prevents lead snagging on the log book and may in certain circumstances allow a more ergonomic operating position and be particularly suitable for chair or bedridden amateur radio operators.

Accordingly then and advantageously the present invention comprises a Morse key adaptor/device comprising two electronic units with the first said unit for integral inclusion into the body of said Morse key or for close bodily attachment thereto and with second said unit for integral attachment into radio transmitter or transceiver case or for close bodily attachment thereto with the purpose of such adaptor device being in rendering said Morse key cordless or connection lead or wire free ie: so that Morse code sent at the key can subsequently be monitored by the monitor facility (if present) and /or radiated by the transmitter /transceiver without the need of previous connection wire trailing between Morse key and jack in of body transmitter /transceiver said monitoring or radiation being with minimal time delay. Further accordingly the first unit may radiate electromagnetic energy and the second unit may receive a portion this in attenuated form and with minimal time delay. Further accordingly the said energy may be radiated in any wireless telegraphy exempt frequency band at or below the appropriately allowed power level and preferably though not exclusively in the 418 MHz frequency band or frequency thereabouts. Further accordingly and alternatively the said units may contain infra red or optical devices operating at nanometre wavelengths where additionally if necessary at least one optical sensor or device may be disposed in a frontal facing position in the case of the transmitter /transceiver or closely attached thereto. -2- Further accordingly and alternatively the said units may contain in totality 2 or more ultrasonic transducers, preferably although not exclusively of the 40 KHz or thereabouts resonant variety. Alternatively acoustic or sub-sonic transducers can be used according to the present invention. As a further alternative to sound generation and accordingly one of the said electronic units can generate verylow frequencies (O.f.) and/or they can be linked magnetically or as part of a magnetic loop. Finally according to the present invention the first said unit is battery powered by a dry cell or rechargeable battery and the second said unit is powered in either the same manner or directly from or by recharging from its host transmitter /transceiver. The present invention will now be further described by way of reference to the drawing in which figure 1 shows a block diagram of the invention.

Referring then to the diagram, 1 is the Morse key, 2 is the aforesaid first electronic unit disposed in 1 3 is alternative position of 2 close to 1, 4 is transmitter or transceiver, 5 is second aforesaid unit and 6 is possible alternative internal location 7 and 8 show possible frontal facing positions for said optical sensors when invention is operated in accordance with appropriate embodiment as described herein above and also according to claim 6 herein below. When contacts of 1 are shorted as in a dot or dash character -3 2 is momentarily activated as is 5 with minimal delay and transmitter monitor (if present) outputs audio equivalent of said character and/or transmitter/transceiver transmits same said character to antenna exactly as if Morse key had been connected by two core wire cord or flex to its said jack It should be noted by those skilled in the art, that within the scope of the present claims of this invention the definitive article'Morse key' is not simply limited to those varieties manual 'pump handle' or straight keys and is also applicable to and includes all types of mechanical electronic automatic Jambic non-iambic and semi -automatic and touch/body part motion sensitive keys as the present invention can convey the keyed Morse character however generated or switched.

Also said character(s) may be Morse of plain language and/or numerical or under appropriate allowable conditions other keyed code of/in cypher. The said cypher may be generated before or by the aforesaid first electronic unit and decoded in the second aforesaid electronic unit or alternatively decoded at a distant receiver well remote from the transmitter /transceiver and its attendant said second electronic unit. This potential advantages that signals can not be locally intercepted and likewise if cypher or encryption is not within main -4- transmitter /transceiver then if the latter is lost stolen or abandoned the encryption component is less likely to fall into the wrong hands. Those skilled in the art will know that the said (Morse) character encrypted or not may be carried first to second said electronic unit by any of the several existing possible modulation methods being imparted in the first said electronic unit.

1. A Morse key adaptor/device comprising two electronic units with the first said unit for integral inclusion into body of said Morse key or close bodily attachment thereto and second said unit for integral attachment into radio transmitter or transceiver case or with close bodily attachment thereto with the purpose of rendering said Morse key cordless or connection lead or wire free he so that Morse code or keyed code character however generated or switched which may be in plain language and/or numerical or in appropriate and allowed conditions in cypher can subsequently be monitored by the monitor facility and /or radiated by the transmitter /transceiver without the previous need of connection wire trailing between Morse key and body of transmitter /transceiver.

2.A Morse key adaptor /device as claimed in claim (1) wherein first said unit radiates electromagnetic energy and second said unit receives a portion of said energy in attenuated form with minimal time delay.

3. A Morse key adaptor /device as claimed in claim (2) above wherein said electromagnetic energy is in any existing wireless telegraphy exempt frequency band at or below appropriately allowed power output level.

4. A Morse key adaptor /device as claimed in claim (3) above wherein the said wireless telegraphy exempt band is that of 418 MHz or thereabouts.

5. A Morse key adaptor/device as in claimed in claim I or claim 2 above wherein electronic units contain infra -red or optical devices and said radiation is at nanometre wave lengths.

6. A morse key adaptor/device as claimed in claim (5) above wherein second said electronic unit has at least one optical sensor device disposed in frontal facing position in case of transmitter /transceiver or closely attached thereto.

7. A morse key adaptor Aevice as claimed in claim I wherein said electronic units contain in totality 2 or more ultrasonic transducers.

8. A morse key adaptor /device as claimed in claim 7 above wherein said transducers are resonant in region of 40 KHz: or thereabouts.

8. A Morse key adaptor /device as claimed in claim I above wherein said electronic units contain acoustic transducers.

9. A Morse key adaptor /device as claimed in claim I above wherein the said electronic units contain sub-sonic transducers.

A Morse key adaptor/ device as claimed in claim I above wherein one of the said electronic units generates v.l.f I I. A Morse key adaptor /device as claimed in claim I wherein the said electronic units are linked substantially magnetically or within magnetic loop.

12. A Morse key adaptor /device as claimed in any of claims I -I I above wherein first said unit is battery powered by dry cell or rechargeable battery.

13. A Morse key adaptor /device as in any of claims 1-12 above wherein second said unit is battery powered by dry cell or rechargeable battery.

14 A Morse key adaptor/device as in any of claims 1-12 above wherein second said unit derives its power from and /or charges its battery from host transmitter /transceiver.

A Morse key adaptor/device as in any of claims 1-14 above wherein said cypher or encryption is applied prior to or within first said electronic unit.

16. A Morse key adaptor /device as in claim 15 above wherein said cypher is decoded in second said electronic unit 17 A Morse key adaptor /device wherein said cypher is decoded in a distant receiver.

18. A Morse key adaptor /device as in any of claims 1- 17 qopve wherein any existing modulation method is imparted in first said electronic unit to cause carriage of said character encrypted or not to second said unit.