Telecommunications – Transmitter and receiver at separate stations
Reexamination Certificate
1997-07-11
2001-01-09
Maung, Nay (Department: 2744)
Telecommunications
Transmitter and receiver at separate stations
C455S432300, C455S433000, C340S870030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06173157
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to paging systems in general, and in particular to a method of registering and controlling registration data for new and roaming pagers in a paging system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Paging systems have undergone significant changes in the past twenty years. Early paging units were simple radio receivers that beeped upon receipt of a paging signal from a paging service. These paging units could not respond to the paging service because they were only simple receivers. Thus, the system had no way to keep track of the location of each pager and had to transmit every outgoing pager message from every transmitter in the areas where the pager was to receive coverage.
With the development of two-way pagers, which contain their own small, low-power transmitters, pagers became capable of sending signals to the paging system. Thus, by including geographically spaced-apart receivers in the paging system, the general location of a pager could be determined by measuring the strength of its signal relative to each receiver. With this advancement, simple methods for registering the locations of pagers were developed. Under one method, each pager is made to broadcast its unique serial number when it is turned on or at some other prompting. Once a paging system's receiver receives a pager's signal, it contacts a central database to record the current location of the pager. Future messages for the pager are then sent to the nearest transmitter station for broadcast. The central database also contains a service record for the pager that includes the pager's serial number as well as information manually entered by the service providers when a new pager is purchased and service is activated. The service record indicates the areas of coverage and types of service for the pager.
As the areas of use and numbers of users have expanded, a need has developed for more efficient registration methods. Having to access a central database every time a message needs to be sent, in addition to actually sending the message, utilizes excess amounts of time and paging system resources. Also, prior systems have had few, if any, effective methods for finding a lost pager or correcting similar registration errors that may be stored at various locations in a paging system.
The present invention is directed to providing a method to overcome the foregoing and other disadvantages. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an efficient method for registering new pagers and for keeping track of pagers once they are in a paging system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A paging system including messaging switches that are used to transfer messages to pagers is provided. Different types of messaging switches may be used, including an input messaging switch for receiving messages from an input such as a telephone line or a computer, a home messaging switch for storing messages for the pagers and recording the current geographical location of the pagers to which the messages should be sent, and an output messaging switch for transferring the messages to the broadcast stations near where the pagers are located.
According to the present invention, when a pager roams into a geographic area covered by the base station transmitters of an output messaging switch, the pager registers with the output messaging switch by sending out a registration signal that can be converted into information as to the pager's home node. Once the output messaging switch receives the registration signal from the pager, it sends a Register Location message to the home messaging switch that contains the home node for the pager. Once the home messaging switch receives the Register Location message from the output messaging switch, it sends future messages for the pager to that output messaging switch.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, when a pager registers, the output messaging switch determines the appropriate home node for the pager by converting a home identifier that the pager sends with its registration message. The pager may send the entire home identifier, or only a part thereof. The conversion may be done through means such as an algorithm or a look-up table. The pager may be programmed with the home identifier through an over-the-air procedure that originates at the home messaging switch and is then transmitted to the pager from the output messaging switch. The home identifier programming information is broadcast to the pager through a series of two-way pager protocol operations. The home identifier can also be changed at a later time through similar over-the-air procedures. Having the home identifier stored in the pager can eliminate the need for the output messaging switch to contact a central database to determine the correct home node for the pager when a registration message is received.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a home node in a home messaging switch may be specially designated for the registration of new pagers. Pagers can be programmed when they are manufactured with the home identifier that converts to the address for the special new pager home node. Then, when a new pager registers for the first time, the output messaging switch sends the Register Location message to the new pager home node. The new pager home node then sends a message to reprogram the home identifier in the pager to correspond to a regular home node, which will service the pager from that time on. By using this process, a pager can be programmed at the factory with the home identifier for the new pager home node and, then, at a later time the regular home node for the pager can be selected and programmed into the pager.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the home messaging switch for the pager is able to search for the current location of the pager by sending a Find Output Node With Pager message to groups or all of the output nodes in the system. The output messaging switch that has the output node that has the pager registered with it will respond to the home messaging switch, thus revealing the pager's current output node location. In addition to being able to search for the pager at the output node level, the home messaging switch is able to search for the pager all the way down to the pager level by sending an Initiate Location Query message to all of the output messaging switches. Upon receiving an Initiate Location Query message, the output messaging switches broadcast a specific Locate signal that will only be responded to by the correct pager. The output messaging switch that receives the response from the pager will then respond to the home messaging switch, thus revealing the pager's current location. Searching for the pager at various levels is significantly more efficient than searching only at the pager level. Searching at the pager level requires the use of substantial valuable air time and over-the-air resources. By conducting initial searches only at the output node level, considerable resources are saved.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an output messaging switch is able to determine the correct home node for the pager by sending a Find Home Node With Pager message to groups or all of the home nodes in the system. The home messaging switch that has the home node that has the record for the pager will respond to the output messaging switch, thus revealing the correct home node for the pager. By being able to search for the correct home node for the pager, the output messaging switch is able to proceed in instances where the pager has been programmed with an incorrect home identifier.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, when an output messaging switch loses touch with a pager, it continues to try to reach the pager with a periodic Find Pager message. When the pager finally does respond and/or reregister in response to the Find Pager messages, the output messaging switch sends a Pager Recovered message to the home messaging switch. The home messaging switch then respon
Fawcett Glenn S.
Godoroja Andrei
Christensen O'Connor Johnson & Kindness PLLC
Glenayre Electronics, Inc.
Maung Nay
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