Communications: electrical – Continuously variable indicating – With meter reading
Reexamination Certificate
1995-12-08
2001-04-10
Horabik, Michael (Department: 2635)
Communications: electrical
Continuously variable indicating
With meter reading
C340S870030, C370S313000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06215413
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to wireless communication systems and more particularly to an RF receiver with user selectable receiver addressing.
Present paging systems identify messages for pager receivers with a pager address number. The address number matches a unique address permanently stored in the pager receiver. Pager messages and associated pager addresses are reformatted into a time division multiplexed data stream and transmitted over a radio frequency (RF) signal. The pager receiver monitors transmitted signals for messages with a transmitted address that matches the receiver address. If a message includes a transmitted address that corresponds with the receiver address, the message is processed and displayed on the pager receiver.
Multiple addresses exist in some receivers but the multiple addresses are used for group services or provide different functions such as selecting between voice or data. The multiple addresses are not selectable by the pager user.
A single pager receiver is often used by more than one person. For example, if the pager is used while driving a car, the pager user depends on the current car driver and car passengers. When multiple people use the same pager receiver, every message transmitted to the pager receiver is displayed. Thus, the person currently driving the car receives all messages for family members. However, the driver may not want to be disrupted by pager messages sent to other family members.
In another example, a father, while carrying a pager in a business meeting, may not want to receive messages directed to his daughter. Further, many pager messages give little information identifying the message sender. Thus, the father may waste time responding to messages directed to his daughter, son or wife.
Different persons each having their own personal pager receiver may each need to receive pager messages transmitted to a common telephone number. For example, workers at the same factory may each need to respond to pager messages sent to a common work number. Each employee may also want to receive personal pager messages unrelated to the work messages.
While some employees receive both work-related pager messages and personal pager messages during work hours, some employees may not want to receive work-related pager messages during off hours or the personal pager messages of others during work hours. Thus, the pager user must carry two different pager receivers, one pager receiver for work-related messages and a second pager receiver for personal-related messages.
In a similar manner, cellular telephone calls are identified by a unique telephone number permanently stored in a cellular telephone. If the cellular phone is shared by different family members, calls sent to one family member may be answered by other family members currently in possession of the cellular telephone. Cellular telephone users are charged a fee each time a cellular phone call is answered. Thus, time and money is wasted when cellular telephone calls are answered by the wrong family member.
Cellular telephones can also operate with different personality modules which each store a different cellular telephone number. The current user of the cellular telephone snaps his or her personality module into a cellular telephone. The cellular telephone then receives phone calls for the phone number matching the currently inserted personality module.
The personality modules cannot select between multiple authorized receiver addresses previously stored in the cellular telephone. Thus, the personality modules can then be used by anyone even without proper authorization. If lost or stolen, the owner of the lost personality module may be charged for cellular telephone calls made by others on any telephone. Thus, personality modules create a security risk if lost or stolen.
Accordingly, a need remains for selectively and securely changing multiple receiver addresses in wireless RF receivers according to the current receiver user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Selectable receiver addressing is used to control how messages are output from different receivers. Receiver users selectively enable and disable personal addresses in the receiver. The receiver turns on for brief periods of time corresponding with time slots in digitally transmitted data. The receiver is synchronized to turn on during transmission time slots where data may be transmitted having associated transmitted receiver addresses matching any one of the enabled addresses stored in the receiver.
If a transmitted receiver address matches one of the stored and enabled receiver addresses, the message is supplied to the receiver output. If the transmitted address does not match the stored receiver address, the message is not supplied and accordingly the receiver user is not disturbed.
Selectable receiver addressing increases communication efficiency and functionality of pager receivers and other wireless receiving devices by customizing each receiver to the current receiver user. Since messages are selectively output from each receiver, the current user can prevent interruptions from messages for others while also directing messages from other receiver devices to the receiver device currently in the user's possession. As a result, fewer pager receivers can be used to more accurately relay messages to the correct person.
The receiver addresses are enabled and disabled with select and deselect buttons or through other user input devices that serve to identify the current receiver user. For example, the same system that identifies a car operator, controls car mirrors and controls the position of a car seat can be used to select the personal receiver addresses. The processor thus enables the personal receiver address associated with the current car user.
In turn, the receiver polls for messages during time periods corresponding with transmitted receiver addresses matching the personal receiver address of the car user.
Other devices used to automatically identify the receiver user include infrared (IR) signals transmitted from a personal wrist watch or a personal identification code read with a bar code reader. The IR signal or bar code reader transmits the user identification code to the receiver which in turn enables an associated receiver address.
Alternatively, receiver addresses and associated receiver commands are transmitted on the same RF signals carrying pager messages. The receiver user directs a transmitter clearinghouse to send new receiver addresses and associated command codes. The receiver reads the command codes and, if necessary, changes the currently stored receiver addresses. The receiver then polls for messages having message addresses matching the new set of enabled receiver addresses.
Receiver addresses are also enabled and disabled according to the time of day. In one embodiment, a receiver address is automatically enabled on a first pager receiver during a first time period and the same receiver address is automatically enabled on a second pager receiver during a second time period. Thus, two people can carry different pager receivers and receive messages for the same receiver address at different selected time periods.
Selectable receiver addresses are also incorporated into two-way communication systems such as cellular telephones. A cellular telephone user selectively enables and disables a personal address in the cellular phone. Phone messages with transmitted addresses not matching the enabled receiver address are either not processed by the cellular phone or relayed to an alternative phone number, such as a home phone number. Thus, the cellular phone user is not disrupted by phone calls for others.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a diagram showing a wireless car pager receiver including user selectable r
Galbi Elmer
Horabik Michael
Seiko Communication Systems
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