Communications: electrical – Selective – Having indication or alarm
Reexamination Certificate
1996-04-01
2001-11-06
Zimmerman, Brian (Department: 2635)
Communications: electrical
Selective
Having indication or alarm
C340S007530, C455S701000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06313736
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to a selective call communication system, and in particular to a selective call communication system for identifying a category of information associated with a message.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Users of selective call receivers who subscribe to maildrop services will receive from a selective call communication system different types of informative messages. These messages can include, for example, caller pages, stock market quotes, email, and weather information. When receiving such messages, prior art systems utilize a blinking icon to alert the user of the selective call receiver that a message has been received. When a multiplicity of these messages are received, the same icon is repeated in a plurality of predetermined locations on a display to indicate that the user has received multiple maildrop messages.
Thus, a user subscribing to two or more services has no way of knowing the nature of the messages received without previewing each message, or alternatively by memorizing an icon location assigned to each maildrop service. As users subscribe to greater numbers of maildrop services, the inconvenience to users in having to preview messages or memorize icon locations increases.
Thus, what is needed is a selective call communication system for identifying a category of information associated with a message. In particular, it is desirable that the user of a selective call receiver be able to identify quickly and efficiently the type of message received without resorting to prior art methods that can require, for example, message previewing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An aspect of the present invention is a method in a selective call communication system that transmits a message of a message type selected from non-maildrop and maildrop, wherein the message of maildrop type comprises one of a plurality of categories of information. The method is for identifying the one of the plurality of categories of information to a user. The method comprises transmitting in the message from a fixed portion of the system an identifier for identifying one of a plurality of icons corresponding to the one of the plurality of categories of information, in response to the message type being maildrop and the identifier being available, and displaying the one of the plurality of icons at a receiver for which the message is intended, in response to receiving the identifier.
A second aspect of the present invention is an apparatus in a selective call communication system that transmits a message of a message type selected from non-maildrop and maildrop, wherein the message of maildrop type comprises one of a plurality of categories of information. The apparatus is for identifying the one of the plurality of categories of information to a user. The apparatus comprises controller/transmitter means for transmitting in the message from a fixed portion of the system an identifier for identifying one of a plurality of icons corresponding to the one of the plurality of categories of information, in response to the message type being maildrop and the identifier being available, and receiver means for receiving and decoding the identifier. The receiver means comprises display means for displaying the one of the plurality of icons, in response to receiving the identifier.
A third aspect of the present invention is a selective call receiver in a selective call communication system that transmits from a fixed portion of the system a message of a message type selected from non-maildrop and maildrop, wherein the message of maildrop type comprises one of a plurality of categories of information. The selective call receiver is for identifying the one of the plurality of categories of information to a user, the selective call receiver comprises an antenna for intercepting a radio signal comprising the message, a receiver element coupled to the antenna for demodulating the message, and a processing system coupled to the receiver element for decoding and processing the message. The message comprises an identifier for identifying one of a plurality of icons corresponding to the one of the plurality of categories of information, in response to the message type being maildrop and the identifier being available. The selective call receiver further comprises a display coupled to the processing system for displaying the one of the plurality of icons, in response to receiving the identifier.
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Fong Pedro Enrique
Hymel James Allen
Dalencourt Yves
Dulaney Randi L.
Motorola Inc.
Zimmerman Brian
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