Patent ID: 7761107

Claim:
A multi-channel communication device for transmitting on a first frequency band or a second frequency band, the multi-channel communication device comprising: a first transceiver operating at the first frequency band, wherein the first transceiver includes a first receiver configured to receive a first frequency band input communication signal and in response produce a first received input signal, and a first transmitter configured to receive an audio input signal and in response produce a first transmitted output signal from the audio input signal; a second transceiver operating at the second frequency band, wherein the second transceiver includes a second receiver configured to receive a second frequency band input communication signal and in response produce a second received input signal, and a second transmitter configured to receive the audio input signal and in response produce a second transmitted output signal from the audio input signal; and a controller in signal communication with the first transceiver and the second transceiver, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the first transceiver and the second transceiver are in operation, and command the first transceiver to transmit the first transmitted output signal in response to the controller determining that the first transceiver is not in operation, wherein the controller commands the second transceiver to transmit the second transmitted output signal in response to the controller determining that the first transceiver is in operation and that the second transceiver is not in operation, wherein the controller commands both the first transceiver not to transmit the first transmitted output signal and the second transceiver not to transmit the second transmitted output signal in response to the controller determining that both the first transceiver and the second transceiver are in operation, and wherein commanding both the first transceiver not to transmit the first transmitted output signal and the second transceiver not to transmit the second transmitted output signal includes the controller commanding both the first transceiver and the second transceiver not to receive the audio input signal.