WO1992003883A1

WO1992003883A1 - Paging system with flexible display message paging

Info

Publication number: WO1992003883A1
Application number: PCT/US1991/004984
Authority: WO
Inventors: David Royce Petreye
Original assignee: Motorola, Inc.
Priority date: 1990-08-14
Filing date: 1991-07-15
Publication date: 1992-03-05

Abstract

A paging system (300) capable of receiving a display message page request containing at least display data and determining from the received display data whether to transmit a numeric display page or an alphanumeric display page to a display pager address (400).

Description

PAGING SYSTEM WITH FLEXIBLE DISPLAY MESSAGE PAGING

Field of the Invention

This invention relates in general to the field of paging systems, and more specifically to paging systems with display message paging capability.

Background of the Invention

A paging system 100, such as illustrated in FIG. 1, commonly accepts a display page request from several different sources (e.g. a telephone 102, a page entry terminal device 104, and a computer with modem 106). The display page request is normally accepted through a public or a private telephone network 108, which couples the display page request from one of the sources (i.e., callers), to an automatic telephone input (110A, HOB, or HOC) at a paging terminal 112. Optionally, a dedicated input 114 at the paging terminal 112 can accept a display page request from a local video display terminal (VDT) or console. The dedicated input 114 is usually associated with a telephone switchboard and message dispatch service that accepts the display page request from a telephone caller and enters the display page request into the paging terminal 112 typically via the video display terminal.

After accepting the display page request, the paging terminal 112 encodes and transmits, via a conventional transmitter 116, a display message page to a selective call display receiver (e.g., a display pager). Conventional paging systems may convey information from a caller to a display pager user via numeric or alphanumeric message formats. FIG. 1 illustrates several conventional selective call receivers that may convey information to the pager user via either an alphanumeric display message page 118, a numeric display message page 120, or a tone only page 122. In the latter case, the tone only page 122 (i.e., no display message page), alerts (e.g., an audible beep), the user that a caller wants the pager user to respond by calling a prearranged telephone number, such as a receptionist telephone number. A conventional selective call display receiver commonly receives a display message page, alerts the pager wearer, and presents the display message page according to the message format that is mapped to a pager address on the paging system. The unique pager address represents the message format (e.g., alphanumeric, numeric, or tone only), supported by the selective call display receiver. Therefore, by matching the unique pager address with the appropriately formatted display message, a display message page with a specific message format may be effectively transmitted to a selective call display receiver by the paging terminal. A selective call alphanumeric display receiver 118 (e.g., an alphanumeric display pager), is capable of receiving and presenting numeric and alphanumeric display messages using separate numeric and alphanumeric display pager addresses mapped to the same selective call alphanumeric display receiver 118. One pager address may be mapped to a numeric display message format, notwithstanding the alphanumeric display capability of the display receiver. By transmitting numeric display message pages to the numeric display pager address, channel throughput on the paging system 100 may be significantly improved. Since, the numeric display message characters formatted for a numeric display pager address normally require less binary bits of information to transmit than the same numeric display message characters formatted for an alphanumeric display pager address.

Typically, numeric display message formats require four binary bits of information to communicate each numeric display character. On the other hand, alphanumeric display message formats typically require six or seven bits of information to communicate each alphanumeric character. Therefore, the numeric display message format requires less time to transmit than transmitting the identical numeric display data using the alphanumeric display message format. Conventional paging systems 100 using the aforementioned numeric display pager address in a selective call alphanumeric display receiver 118 normally trade-off the available telephone numbers and the paging terminal memory for improved paging system channel throughput. The caller (e.g., 102, 104, 106), initiating a display page request typically selects either a numeric or an alphanumeric display pager address to send a display message to a selective call display receiver, depending on the display message format to be sent. The paging system 100 normally maps multiple telephone numbers (i.e., multiple display pager addresses), to one selective call alphanumeric display receiver. Additional paging terminal memory is typically required to store the necessary information distinguishing the numeric and alphanumeric pager addresses for every alphanumeric display receiver 118. Therefore, it is unfortunate that to improve the transmission time of numeric display message pages to selective call alphanumeric display receivers 118 conventional paging systems 100 make architectural concessions that consume additional paging terminal memory and commit precious telephone numbers that would otherwise be a ailable for adding new selective call receivers to the paging system 100.

An additional consequence of the architectural concessions may be caller confusion arising from multiple telephone numbers (i.e., multiple display pager addresses), being mapped to one selective call alphanumeric display receiver 118. A caller (e.g., 102, 104, 106), may compose an alphanumeric display page request erroneously to the numeric display pager address in a selective call alphanumeric display receiver 118. This scenario may be all too common since the calling party typically does not know what display message formats are mapped to display pager addresses for a selective call display receiver. Therefore, the erroneous page request may be rejected by the paging terminal 112. At best, the caller is immediately informed of the error and subsequently sends the correct page request. At worst, a critically important display page request may be rejected with the caller not being immediately aware. The consequences in a medical emergency may be grave and devastating.

Alternately, the conventional paging system 100 may transmit numeric display pages to selective call alphanumeric display receivers 118 using the alphanumeric display message format. The caller initiating a display page request uses one telephone number (i.e., one display pager address), to send a numeric or an alphanumeric display message to a selective c alphanumeric display receiver 118. Since one telephone number maps to one selective call alphanumeric display receiver 118, telepnone numbers and paging terminal memory are optimally conserved. Regrettably, sending numeric display messages using alphanumeric display message formats makes inefficient use of transmission time and consequently degrades the paging system 100 channel throughput.

Referring to FIG. 2, an exemplary flowchart illustrates a conventional numeric display page request being accepted at the paging terminal 112 and a corresponding alphanumeric display message page sent to a selective call alphanumeric display receiver 118. A caller (e.g., 102, 104, 106), typically initiates a display page request by dialing the paging terminal 112 through the telephone network 108. After answering the telephone 200, the paging terminal 112 may prompt the caller for a pager number 202 (i.e., a pager address). Alternately, the pager number information is provided to the paging terminal 112 within the telephone number that the caller dials.

Once the pager number information is received, the paging terminal 112 typically validates the pager number 204 and begins accepting the display message characters from the caller. Since the pager number maps into an alphanumeric pager address in a selective call alphanumeric display receiver the paging terminal prompts the caller for an alphanumeric display message 206. The caller continues to enter numeric message characters until the end of message is reached (208, 210, and 212). Typically, the end of message is marked 210 with either a special character being sent from the caller or a time interval with no characters being detected from the caller.

Once the message is completely accepted the paging terminal formats the numeric display data into an alphanumeric display message format 214 (e.g., normally formatted into six bit or seven bit display message characters). Lastly, the alphanumeric pager address 216 and the associated alphanumeric display message compose an alphanumeric display message page that is sent to the selective call alphanumeric display receiver (218 and 220). Unfortunately, the numeric display data being sent using alphanumeric display message format may be as much as 50% less time efficient in the paging system channel than sending the message in numeric display message format.

Both conventional approaches involve a compromise between enhancing the paging system 100 throughput and efficient use of the paging terminal memory and the available telephone numbers. Moreover, as the percentage of selective call alphanumeric display receivers 118 increases in a conventional paging system 100 the cost of the compromise increases respectively, either in paging system 100 resources or in paging system 100 throughput.

Summary of the Invention

In carrying out one form of this invention, there is provided a paging system capable of receiving a display message page request containing at least display data and determining from the received display data whether to transmit a numeric display page or an alphanumeric display page to a display pager address.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional paging system with display message paging capability.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a conventional paging system accepting a numeric display page request and sending the page to an alphanumeric display pager address.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a paging system with display message paging capability, in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a selective call display receiver (e.g., a display pager), with display message paging capability.

FIG. 5 is a diagram representing a selective call display receiver (e.g., a display pager), comprising a numeric pager address and an alphanumeric pager address.

FIG. 6A and 6B are flowcharts illustrating the operation of a paging terminal in accordance with the present invention.

Description of a Preferred Embodiment

Referring to FIG. 3, a paging system 300 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown. A display page request from one of a number of different callers (e.g. a telephone 102, a page entry terminal device (PET) 104, and a computer with modem 106), is accepted through the telephone network 108, either the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or a private branch exchange (PBX), which couples the display page request from one of the callers to an automatic telephone input 302 at a paging terminal 304. Optionally, a dedicated input 306 at the paging terminal 304 accepts a display page request from a local video display terminal (VDT) or console 308.

In the preferred embodiment, the automatic telephone input 302 is capable of decoding a display page request from a caller via conventional DTMF tones 310 and modem tones 312. Once the caller initiates a display page request, a paging terminal controller 314 stores the display message characters and the display pager address information into a paging terminal memory module 316. One telephone number (i.e., one pager address), may be used for one selective call display receiver, thereby conserving precious telephone numbers and paging terminal memory 316 as well as simplifying the information required from the caller.

According to the present invention, the paging terminal controller 314 optimally formats the display message page according to the content of the received display data within the received display message characters. For example, if the received display data contains all numeric display characters the paging terminal controller may set the display pager address to a numeric display pager address on the selective call display receiver. Moreover, the display message may be formatted to the numeric display message format, which is more time efficient and enhances the paging channel throughput.

Once the display message page is ready to be sent to a selective call display receiver, a multi-coding synthesizer module 318 receives the display pager address information and the formatted display message from the memory module 316. The display pager address information instructs the multi-coding synthesizer module 318 as to what pager address and type of pager encoding is needed to effectively transmit the display message page to the selective call display receiver. The paging terminal controller 314 finally instructs the transmitter control module 320 to turn "on" the transmitter basestation 322 and begin transmitting over the paging system channel. The multi-coding synthesizer module 318 is typically responsible for sending the encoded display message page information to the transmitter basestation 322, which routes the display message page over the paging system channel. Referring to FIGs. 4 and 5, a block diagram of a selective call display receiver 400 and an associated diagram representing the selective call display receiver 400 comprising a numeric display pager address 502 and an alphanumeric display pager address 504 are shown. The selective call display receiver 400 comprising numeric 502 and alphanumeric 504 display pager addresses illustrates a receiving component in a paging system 300 configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 4, a battery (401) powered selective call display receiver 400 operates to receive a signal via an antenna 402. The received signal is routed from the antenna 402 to a receiver 403. The receiver 403 demodulates the received signal using conventional techniques and forwards the demodulated signal to a control circuit 404, which decodes and recovers information contained within the received signal. In accordance with the recovered information and user operated controls (405), the selective call display receiver 400 presents at least a portion of the information, such as by a display 406, and signals the user via an audible or sensible alert 407 that a message has been received. The user may then view the information presented on the display 406.

The control circuit 404 shown in FIG. 4 preferably includes signal multiplexing integrated circuits, a microcomputer, a digital memory coupled to the microcomputer, environmental sensing circuitry such as for light or temperature conditions, audio power amplifier circuitry, control interface circuitry, and display illumination circuitry. These elements are arranged in a known manner which when assembled provides the display information receiver as requested by the customer.

Referring to FIG. 5, the selective call display receiver 400 may be configured to respond to demodulated and decoded display pager addresses, such as a numeric display pager address 502 and an alphanumeric display pager address 504. The recovered information in response to the numeric display pager address typically presents a numeric display message to the pager wearer. Similarly, the recovered information in response to the alphanumeric display pager address typically presents an alphanumeric display message to the pager wearer. Referring to FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B, a flowchart for the paging terminal 304 illustrates an operational sequence in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. A caller (e.g. a telephone 102, a page entry terminal device 104, and a computer with modem 106), initiates a display page request typically by calling the paging terminal 304, which detects the page request by answering the telephone 600. Optionally, the paging terminal 304 prompts the caller for a pager number 602. This optional prompting may be accomplished using conventional tones or a synthesized voice.

Once the pager number is validated 604 as being mapped to a selective call receiver 400 in the paging system 300, the paging terminal 304 may optionally prompt the caller for a display message 606. This prompt may instruct the caller as to the display message choices available based on the type of caller and the display message formats available for the selective call receiver 400. For example, a telephone caller 102 may be instructed to "enter a numeric display message", since the caller's telephone protocol may only allow numeric display messages. However, a computer with modem 106 may have both numeric and alphanumeric display message privileges in sending a display page to the particular selective call receiver 400.

In this embodiment, after a display message is completely accepted 607, the paging terminal 304 analyzes the display message content 608. To do the analyzing, the paging terminal 304 preferably sequences through each display message character to determine if the entire message is composed of numeric display characters or if at least one character in the message is an alphanumeric display character (620, 622, 624, and 626). If the display message contains numeric display characters the desired selective call receiver 400 is checked to ensure that it supports the numeric display message format 628 or the alphanumeric display message format 634. The paging terminal 304 consequently formats the message using the numeric display message format 630 and selects the numeric display pager address 502 for the message 632, or formats the message using the alphanumeric display message format 636 and selects the alphanumeric display pager address 504 for the message 638, according to display message formats supported by the selective call receiver 400. A selective call receiver 400 that supports both the numeric display message format and the alphanumeric display message format normally will receive the more efficient numeric display message format communication.

If the display message contains at least one alphanumeric display character, the selective call receiver 400 is checked to ensure that it supports the alphanumeric display message format 634. The paging terminal 304 consequently formats the message using the alphanumeric display message format 636 and selects the alphanumeric display pager address 504 for the message 638.

Finally, the paging terminal sends the display message page (610 and 612). This step involves instructing the multi-coding synthesizer 318 to encode the display message page according to the type of selective call display receiver 400, instructing the transmitter control module 320 to turn "on" the transmitter basestation 322, and sending the display message page over the paging system channel. Therefore, the paging system 300 handles incoming display page requests efficiently, optimally using the paging system resources and enhancing the paging system channel throughput.

What is claimed is:

Claims

1. A paging system, comprising: means for receiving a display message page request containing at least display data; control means for determining from the display data whether to transmit a numeric display page or an alphanumeric display page; and transmitter means, coupled to the control means, for transmitting the display message page.

2. The paging system of claim 1, further comprising formatting means for formatting the display message page to transmit according to the received display data.

3. The paging system of claim 1, wherein the display data comprises numeric data and the type of display message page is a numeric display message page.

4. The paging system of claim 3, wherein the numeric display message page is transmitted to a numeric display pager address.

5. The paging system of claim 1, wherein the display data comprises alphanumeric data and the type of display message page is an alphanumeric display message page.

6. The paging system of claim 5, wherein the alphanumeric display message page is transmitted to an alphanumeric display pager address.

7. The paging system of claim 1, wherein the receiving means comprises at least one telephone input capable of receiving a display message page request from telephones.

8. The paging system of claim 1, wherein the receiving means comprises at least one telephone input capable of receiving a display message page request from computers, VDTs, and page entry terminals (PETs).

9. The paging system of claim 1, wherein the receiving means comprises at least one dedicated input capable of receiving a display message page request from a console terminal.

10. The paging system of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of selective call receivers, each comprising: receiver means for receiving the display message page; and decoder means for decoding at least one display pager address and the associated display message page.

11. The paging system of claim 10, wherein the type of display message page is a numeric display message page and the display pager address is a numeric display pager address.

12. The paging system of claim 10, wherein the type of display message page is an alphanumeric display message page and the display pager address is an alphanumeric display pager address.

13. A method for accommodating display message page requests by a paging system, comprising the steps of: receiving a display message page request containing at least display data; determining from the display data whether to transmit a numeric display page or an alphanumeric display page; and transmitting the display message page.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the transmitting step comprises the step of formatting the display message according to the received display data.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining step comprises the step of selecting a display pager address to transmit according to the received display data.

16. A paging system, comprising: at least one paging transmitting site, comprising: means for receiving a display message page request containing at least display data; control means for determining from the display data whether to transmit a numeric display page or an alphanumeric display page; and transmitter means, coupled to the control means, for transmitting the display message page; and at least one selective call receiver, comprising: receiver means for receiving the display message page; and decoder means for decoding at least one display pager address and the associated display message page.