Inventors:
Robert W.B. Kits van Heyningen - Portsmouth RI, US
Ronald Paradis - Fall River MA, US
Gail Holmes - Middletown RI, US
Vincent J. Tarricone - Tiverton RI, US
Assignee:
KVH Industries, Inc. - Middletown RI
International Classification:
H04Q 7/20
Abstract:
An apparatus and method for communicating in a high noise, multiple-recipient environment, such as a convoy or other collection of vehicles or personnel operating in adverse conditions. A plurality of user terminals is provided. For example, each vehicle in a military convoy may be provided with a user terminal. The user terminals each comprise a commercial, off-the-shelf processor capable of running a commercially available operating system and at least one software program that uses predefined icons to communicate information to other users, as described further below. Users can select a message icon by which a message corresponding to the icon may be sent to all other users. The message is sent from the user terminal to a communications control unit associated with that user terminal via a communications link. The communications control unit, among other functions, compiles the message to be sent into a desired format for transmission. From the communications control unit the message is sent via an RF modem and communications link to an RF antenna from which it is transmitted.