Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer conferencing – Demand based messaging
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-23
2001-08-28
Rinehart, Mark H. (Department: 2752)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer conferencing
Demand based messaging
C709S228000, C709S230000, C709S237000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06282564
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the exchange of stored information between a Stored Program Computer System (SPCS), such as located at a telephone company central office or elsewhere, and Cutomer Premises Equipment (CPE), such as an appropriately enabled telephone.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electronic mail or e-mail is a communication scheme which has acquired increasing acceptance due to its use on personal computers. Paging has been common in connection with wireless paging systems and has involved the transmission of small, simple messages. Telephones have traditionally been used to communicate audio signals between users. The integration of audio signals and message signals has, to come extent, been provided by eqipment employing an analogue display services interface (ADSI) protocol. Such protocol was established to enable a stored program computer system (SPCS) to remotely control a visual display device such as liquid crystal display (LCD) included in customer premises equipment (CPE). The ADSI protocol has provided for certain extensions which allow users to employ the protocol for features other than simply controlling a visual display device. However, none has been used to communicate e-mail and pages.
Manufacturers such as Uniden and Phillips have attempted to provide data transfer functionality between an SPCS and customer premises equipment, however, these typically use a high speed data mode which requires synchronization time and can have a net effect of being slow as seen by the user. In addition, equipment to facilitate the use of such a data mode can be expensive.
As the ADSI protocol has already provided for communication between an SPCS and customer premises equipment, use of the ADSI protocol extension for e-mail and paging is desirable as systems are already in place to communicate messages according to the ADSI protocol. What would be desirable, therefore, would be a device which uses extensions to the ADSI protocol to allow a telephone user to send and receive pages and e-mails at a telephone, in conjunction with a messaging platform. Freferably, an SPCS can query customer premises equipment to determine whether or not it has room to store an e-mail or page, an SPCS can download an e-mail or page, and an SPCS can query customer premises equipment to see it is has a message to be uploaded. In addition, preferably an SPCS can signal customer premises equipment to assume a high speed data mode which uses a high speed data transfer protocol to upload information from the CPE to the SPCS, when desired. The present invention addresses these and other needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for communicating information. The apparatus comprises memory and a transmitter. The memory is for storing information in a data record having pre-defined information fragments and identification fields associated with respective fragments for identifying the respective record fragments. The transmitter is for transmitting the information fragments and identifications of the information fragments in respective messages.
Preferably, the transmitter is operable to transmit the message is compliance with at least one ADSI protocol extension.
Preferably, the transmitter is operable to transmit a query message to query whether or not a receiving device is ready to receive messages and preferably, the transmitter is operable to tramsit a query message to query whether or not the receiving device is complaint with an ADSI protocol extension.
It is desirable that the apparatus invlude a receiver operable to receive an acknowledgement signal, the transmitter transmitting the messages in response to receipt of the acknowledgement signal.
Preferably, the receiver is operable to receive an acknowledgement signal before enabling the transmitter to transmit a subsequent message.
Preferably, the memory is operable to store an electronic mail message in the data record and/or operable to store a page message in the data record.
Preferably, the message transkitter is operable to transmit the messages on a public telephone network.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for receiving inforamtion. The apparatus includes a receiver and a processor. The receiver is for receinging messages having information fragments and identifcations for identifying the information fragements. The processor is for producing a data record including the identifications and the ifnroamtion fragments.
Preferably, the receiver is operable to receive the receive messages in compliance with at least one pre-defined ADSI protocol extension.
Preferably, the apparatus includes a transmitter for transmitting a dual tone multi-frequency signal in responce to receipt of at least one message.
Preferably, the receiver is operable to receive messages at customer premises equipment in a public telephone network.
In one embodiment, the receiver is operable to receive download complete message, to confirm that the information fragments received comprise all information fragments of the record and to signal the transmitter to transmit a predefined signal in response thereto.
It is desirable that the apparatus includes non-volatile memory for storing a record contain the information fragments.
Preferably, the transmitter is operable to transmit a signal when the receive message meets a pre-defined criteria.
In accordance with another asepct of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for providing e-mail and paging services to customer premises equipment. The apparatus includes memory, a transmitter, receiver and a processor. The memory is for storing at least one of e-mail and page information in a stored program computer system data record having pre-defined information fragments and identification fields associated with respective information fragments for identifying the respective record fragments. The transmitter is for transmitting the information fragments and identifications of the inforamtion fragments in respective messages, to customer premises equipment. The receiver is for receiving messages at the customer premises equipment. The processor is for reconstructing the stored program computer system data record at the customer. premises equipment, from the information fragments and identifications thereof.
Preferably, the apparatus includes memory at the CPE, a transmitter at the CPE, a receiver at the SPCS and a processor at the SPCS. The memory at the CPE is for storing at the customer premises equipment at least one of e-mail and page information in a CPE data record having pre-defined information fragments and identification fields associated with respective information fragments for identifying the respective information fragments. The transmitter at the CPE is for transmitting the information fragments and identifications thereof in respective messages, to the stored program computer system. The receiver is for receiving the messages at the SPCS. The processor is for reconstructing the CPE data record at the stored program computer system.
Preferably, the transmitters are operable to transmit messages on a public telephone network.
Preferably, the transmitters are operable to transmit the messages in compliance with at least one ADSI protocol extension.
It is desirable that the transmitter at the CPE is operable to transmit an acknowledgement signal from the CPE to the stored program computer system in response to successful receipt of the message and preferably, the transmitter at the CPE is operable to transmit a dual tone multi-frequency signal as the acknowledgement signal.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of communicating information. The method includes the steps of:
a) storing said information in a data record having pre-defined information fragments and identification fields associated with respective fragments for identifying aid respective information fragments;
b) transmitting said information fragments and identificati
Bleile Leonard George
Smith Anthony Hamilton
Cobrin & Gittes
Nortel Networks Limited
Rinehart Mark H.
Romero Almari
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