Patent ID: 8428573

Claim:
A radio communication system comprising: a portable radio comprising a portable controller communicatively coupled to: a portable RF interface for transmission and reception of radio signals, a portable local wireless interface, a portable user input device comprising a single push-to-talk button, and a portable user output device; and a mobile radio comprising a mobile controller communicatively coupled to: a mobile RF interface for transmission and reception of radio signals, and a mobile local wireless interface, wherein the portable local wireless interface and the mobile local wireless interface are configured to establish a wireless link between the portable radio and the mobile radio, and wherein the portable controller is programmed to collect user input data from the portable user input device and to provide user output data to the portable user output device for output, and wherein the portable controller is programmed to selectively facilitate operation of said portable radio in a local mode and in a remote mode, and when operating in the local mode the portable controller is configured to: detect a pattern of button presses of the push-to-talk button and begins to operate in the remote mode if the pattern of button presses matches a predetermined pattern; control at least one parameter associated with the portable RF interface; provide the collected user input data to the portable RF interface for modulation and transmission; and receive the user output data from the portable RF interface, the user output data having been extracted by the portable RF interface from an RF signal received by the portable RF interface, and when operating in the remote mode the portable controller is configured to: detect a second pattern of button presses of the push-to-talk button and begins to operate in the local mode if the second pattern of button presses matches a second predetermined pattern; at least partially disables the portable RF interface; provide the collected user input data to the portable local wireless interface for transmission to the mobile local wireless interface via the wireless link; and receive the user output data from the portable local wireless interface, the user output data having been received by the portable local wireless interface from the mobile local wireless interface via the wireless link, and provide at least one user determined remote control parameter to the portable local wireless interface for transmission to the mobile local wireless interface via the wireless link, wherein when the portable controller is operating in the remote mode, the mobile local wireless interface is configured to receive the at least one control parameter transmitted by the mobile wireless interface and provide the received at least one control parameter to the mobile controller, and the mobile controller is configured to determine a user selectable communication channel number to be used by the mobile RF interface based on the received at least one control parameter.