Receiving terminal with a message display function

A pager comprises a receiving section for receiving message data, an LCD for displaying the message based on the message data, and a memory for storing the format No. contained in the format code specifying the display format of the message and the actually displayed display format in such a manner that they correspond to each other. When a format code is sensed from the received message data, a display format is read from the memory according to the format No. contained in the format code and develops the subsequence display data on the display format, thereby displaying it on the LCD.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to a receiving terminal most suitable for paging 
receivers, and more particularly to a receiving terminal having a display 
function that develops and displays the incoming data in a fixed format 
and a memory function that sorts out and stores the incoming data. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
Since pagers can be used at lower rates than automobile telephones and 
portable telephones, not only do more and more companies have their 
salespersons carry pagers with them to contact their companies by phone 
from where they have gone, but also an increasing number of individuals 
use pagers as handy tools for communicating with their friends who are 
out. For individuals, there are telephones as means for accessing 
conventional pagers. In the case of companies and individual informers, 
operation service companies, personal computers, information processing 
companies, etc. function to access conventional pagers. 
With those pagers, the informer notifies the called party that he wants to 
be contacted by telephone, by using the call signal of the relevant pager 
stored in a pager service company to sound an alarm, turn on the 
indicator, or vibrate, or by receiving the message added to the call 
signal and indicating the phone number or name of the calling party. 
Some of those pagers have a memory function that sorts out the incoming 
data by the address data specified by the call signal and stores the 
sorted data. 
With such conventional pagers, however, in the call incoming process, the 
character data based on the incoming data is developed directly on the 
display section, which thereby displays it. When the data with a specific 
display format for information service is received and displayed, all of 
the display content data including the blank data not to be displayed is 
taken in. This therefore causes the problem that it takes a longer time to 
complete the call incoming process and more memory is needed. 
In the case of a pager with the function of memorizing a plurality of 
address data items about the call signal, sorting out the incoming data by 
address, and storing the sorted data, since the incoming data is mainly 
used only for individual management of the information service 
corresponding to the incoming address data, this causes the problem that 
the message memory cannot be used effectively in the case of normal 
messages other than those of the information service. 
The aim of the present invention is to provide a receiving terminal which 
not only enables the reduction of the amount of transmitted data in 
displaying the data in a fixed display format, but also makes effective 
use of the message memory by sorting out and storing the incoming data. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is to provide a receiving terminal which 
enables not only the display of a message in a fixed display format, but 
also the sorting out and storing of the incoming data into the memory area 
corresponding to the display format, just by receiving only the display 
format specifying data that specifies a fixed display format and the 
display content data about the actually displayed portion. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a receiving terminal 
capable of adding and changing display formats easily. 
The foregoing objects can be accomplished by providing a receiving terminal 
comprising: receiving means for receiving data; display means for 
displaying the received data; display format storage means for storing a 
display format of the received data on the display means and a format code 
specifying the display format in such a manner that they correspond to 
each other; sensing means for sensing the format code from the received 
data; and control means for controlling the storage means so as to read 
the display format corresponding to the format code from the display 
format storage means when the sensing means senses the format code from 
the received data and then to display the received data in the display 
format on the display means. 
The foregoing objects are also accomplished by providing a receiving 
terminal comprising: receiving means for receiving data; storage means for 
storing the received data in a specific order; order storage means for 
storing the order in which the received data is stored and order specify 
data in such a manner that they correspond to each other; order specify 
data sensing means for sensing the order specify data from the received 
data; and storing means for reading the corresponding order from the order 
storage means and storing the received data in the storage means in the 
specified order, when the order specify data sensing means senses the 
order specify data. 
The foregoing objects are still further accomplished by providing a 
receiving terminal comprising: a receiving circuit for receiving data; a 
display for displaying the received data; a memory for storing a display 
format of the received data on the display and a format code specifying 
the display format in such a manner that they correspond to each other; 
and a CPU for controlling the memory so as to read the display format 
corresponding to the format code from the display format storage means, 
when the format code is sensed, and then to display the received data in 
the display format on the display. 
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the 
description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the 
description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects 
and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of 
the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the 
appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Hereinafter, referring to FIGS. 1 to 33, embodiments of the present 
invention will be explained. 
FIGS. 1 to 8 show a first embodiment of a pager to which a receiving device 
of the present invention is applied. 
First, the configuration will be described. 
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a pager 1. 
In the figure, the pager 1 comprises an antenna 2, a receiving section 3, a 
decoder section 4, an ID-ROM 5, a key input section 6, a CPU 7, a P-ROM 8, 
a RAM 9, a D-ROM 10, an alarm driving section 11, a speaker 12, an LED 13, 
a display driving section 14, and an LCD 16. 
The antenna 2 receives a call signal transmitted by radio from a pager 
service company (not shown) and outputs it to the receiving section 3. The 
receiving section 3 is controlled by the intermittent signal from the 
decoder section 4, intermittently receives the call signal from the 
antenna 2, detects and demodulates the received signal, converts the 
demodulated signal into digital data, and then outputs the digital data to 
the decoder section 4. 
The decoder section 4 judges whether or not the call number from the 
receiving section 3 coincides with its own call number, with the help of 
the ID-ROM 5 in which its own call number has been entered. If they 
coincide with each other, it will cause the receiving section 3 to 
continue reception and outputs a pager-1 call sense signal to the CPU 7. 
On the basis of the request from the CPU 7, the decoder section 4 also 
outputs the message information arrived together with the call signal to 
the CPU 7. 
The ID-ROM 5 forms a memory area into which its own call number is entered. 
The key input section 6 is composed of numeric keys, mode keys, and power 
switches and outputs the instruction signal from each key input operation. 
The CPU (Central Processing Unit) 7 stores the message data from the 
decoder section 4 in the RAM 9 on the basis of various control programs 
stored in the P-ROM 8, controls each section of the pager 1 according to 
the input instruction signal from the key input section 6, and temporarily 
stores the incoming message data and the key input data from the key input 
section 6. Thereafter, the CPU outputs these data items to the LCD 15, 
which displays them. On the basis of the incoming data arrived, the CPU 
also causes the alarm driving section 11 to actuate the speaker 12 or 
forces the LED 13 to blink to inform the user of the incoming. 
When sensing that a format code specifying a display format is added to the 
head of the message data in the call incoming process explained later, the 
CPU 7 develops the display content data read from the D-ROM 10 according 
to the format No. contained in the format code, that is, the corresponding 
display format, so that the data may be arranged in each position in the 
display format, thereby displaying the data on the LCD 15. 
The P-ROM (Read Only Memory) 8 is a program ROM and stores various control 
programs that the CPU 7 executes. 
The RAM (Random Access Memory) 9 forms a memory area that temporarily 
stores the incoming data from the CPU 7 and the key input data. It also 
forms a memory area that stores the corresponding display data by format 
No. as shown in FIG. 2. 
The D-ROM 10 is a data ROM composed of electrically rewritable EEPROM. As 
shown in FIG. 3, it stores format Nos. and display formats in such a 
manner that they correspond to each other. Then, the D-ROM 10 organizes 
various display formats as shown in FIGS. 4A to 4C corresponding to the 
format No. added to the message data so as to form suitable data items and 
stores them separately. 
For example, FIG. 4A shows a display format for displaying stock-price 
information, FIG. 4B shows a display format for displaying inventory 
information, and FIG. 4C shows a display format for displaying schedules. 
These display formats are assigned "05", "10", and "30" as the format Nos. 
contained in the format codes, for example. In the figures, the 
development areas indicating the specified display places of the received 
display contents are secured by "- - - - ". 
The alarm driving section 11 causes the speaker 12 to output alarm sound 
according to the alarm data inputted from the CPU 7. It also forces the 
LED 13 to blink to inform the user of the incoming. The display driving 
section 14 drives the LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 15 according to the 
display control data inputted from the CPU 7 so as to display the display 
contents based on the message data. 
Explained next will be the operation of the embodiment. 
Using the flowchart of FIG. 5, the call incoming process in the pager 1 
will be described. 
First, the pager 1 judges whether or not the call number transmitted from a 
pager service company coincides with its own call number stored in the 
ID-ROM 5. If they coincide with each other, it will cause the receiving 
section 3 to continue operation and judge whether or not the data from the 
decoder section 4 contains the message data following the call sense 
signal (step S1). 
If the message data is present, the pager will take in the received data, 
temporarily store it in the RAM 9, and judges whether or not a format code 
is present at the head of the message data (step S2). If the format code 
is present, the pager will check to see if the display format 
corresponding to the format No. contained in the format code has been 
entered in the D-ROM 10 (steps S3 and S4). If the corresponding display 
format data is entered, the pager will develop the display format on the 
RAM 9 (step S5). 
After the development of the display format is complete, the pager judges 
whether or not the display data exists after the format code (step S6). If 
the display data exists, the pager will develop the display data over the 
display format previously developed on the RAM 9 (step S7), transfer these 
two data items to the display driving section 14 (step S8), display them 
on the LCD 15 (step S9), and terminate the present process. 
If at step S1, the pager has not received the message data, it will cause 
the alarm driving section 11 to carry out the incoming alarm process only, 
develop the display data of "No Message" on the RAM 9 (step S10), transfer 
the developed message data to the display driving section 14 (step S8), 
display it on the LCD (step S9), and terminate the present process. 
The display data appearing on the LCD 15 is sorted out by the format No. of 
the developed display format and stored sequentially in the area divided 
by format No. in the memory area in the RAM 9. 
If at step S2, there is no format code, all of the message data will be 
displayed. Therefore, the pager will convert the data into the 
corresponding character data (step S11), transfer the converted character 
data to the display driving section 14 (step S8), display it in a normal 
display format (step S9), and terminate the present process. 
If at step S4, the format No. corresponding to the format code is not set, 
or at step S6, there is no display data following the format code, the 
pager will determine that there has been no incoming and pass control to 
the call incoming waiting process. 
An example of developing the message data in the call incoming process in 
the pager 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. 
FIG. 6A shows an example of the structure of the message data arrived at 
the pager 1, where the address data (the call number of the pager 1), the 
format code, and the display data are arranged in that order, starting at 
the head. When the transmission side transmits the data to the pager 1, 
the individual data items are arranged in that order and transmitted. 
For example, shown below will be an example of the data set in the format 
code and display data sections following the address data when the data on 
stock-price information has arrived at the pager 1. 
"((050123 .smallcircle..smallcircle..smallcircle.1040 10 up 
0124 .DELTA..DELTA..DELTA.1540 100 down" 
In this data, "((05" is the format code. The data following the format code 
is the display data. As the display contents, "0123 
.smallcircle..smallcircle..smallcircle.1040 10 up" and "0124 
.DELTA..DELTA..DELTA.1540100 down" constitute a series of display data 
items in developing the data on the area in the displayed format. 
In the series of display data items, "0123" and "0124" indicate issue 
codes, ".smallcircle..smallcircle..smallcircle." and 
".DELTA..DELTA..DELTA." indicate issues, "1040" and "1540" indicate stock 
price, and "10", "up" and "100", "down" indicate fluctuations in the stock 
price and fluctuation values. 
Therefore, when sensing the incoming of the message data "((050123 
.smallcircle..smallcircle..smallcircle.1040 10 up 0124 
.DELTA..DELTA..DELTA.1540100 down", the pager 1 judges the format No. of 
the format code indicated by "((05", reads the display format for 
arranging and displaying the stock-price information "05" shown in FIG. 
4(a) from the D-ROM 10 as the data corresponding to the format code 
"((05", and develops it on the RAM 9. 
Then, the pager judges the series of display data "0123 
.smallcircle..smallcircle..smallcircle.1040 10 up" and "0124 
.DELTA..DELTA..DELTA.1540100 down" by item one by one with the help of 
space data, thereby developing the display data in the corresponding 
individual display positions on the developed format. Then, the pager 
transfers the developed message data to the display driving section 14, 
which causes the LCD 15 to display it. 
Similarly, when the display format for the inventory information for goods 
of FIG. 4B and the display format for schedules of FIG. 4C are specified 
by the format No. contained in the format code in the message data, the 
pager 1 reads the corresponding display format from the D-ROM 10 and 
develops it on the RAM 9, and likewise judges the display data items by 
item one by one and develop them, thereby displaying them on the LCD 15. 
As described above, by storing the display formats for displaying the data 
in fixed display formats in the pager 1, receiving only the format code 
specifying the display format and the data display data makes it possible 
to display the data in a fixed display format and reduce the amount of 
data. The present embodiment can be applied effectively to a character 
display pager capable of transmitting information service with a lot of 
display data and individual information. 
While in the embodiment, the character display data is displayed on the 
specified display format on the basis of the received format code, it is 
possible to change the settings in the D-ROM 10 on the basis of the 
received message data, provided that the D-ROM 10 is composed of an 
electrically rewritable EEROM. 
FIG. 6B shows the structure of the data to rewrite the settings of the 
display format stored in the D-ROM 10 in the message data arrived at the 
pager 1, where the address data (the call number of the pager 1), the 
entry specify code for specifying rewriting, the format No. of the display 
format to be rewritten, and the display format are arranged in that order, 
starting at the head. When the transmission side transmits the contents 
for rewriting the display format in the D-ROM 10 to the pager 1, the 
individual data items are arranged in that order and transmitted. 
Using the flowchart of FIG. 8, the call incoming process in the pager 1 in 
receiving the incoming data of FIG. 6B with the pager 1 will be described. 
First, when sensing the incoming of the call signal to the pager 1 
transmitted from a pager service company, the pager 1 judges whether or 
not the call number coincides with its own call number stored in the 
ID-ROM 5. If they coincide with each other, it will cause the receiving 
section 3 to continue operation and judge whether or not the data from the 
decoder section 4 contains the message data following the call sense 
signal (step S111). 
If the message data is present, the pager will judges whether or not an 
entry specify code is present at the head of the message data (step S112). 
If the entry code is present, the pager will newly write the format No. 
and display format set after the entry specify code into the D-ROM 10 so 
that they may correspond to each other (step S113), form a memory area 
corresponding to the format No. in the RAM 9 (step S114), and terminate 
the present process. 
If the contents following the entry specify code is the display format of 
the format No. already stored in the D-ROM 10, the pager will overwrite 
the display format of the received format No., thereby changing the 
display format. 
If at step S112, there is no entry specify code, all of the message data 
will be displayed. Therefore, the pager will convert the data into the 
corresponding character data (step S115), transfer the converted character 
data to the display driving section 14, display it on the LCD 15 in a 
normal display format (step S116), and terminate the present process. 
If at step S111, the pager has judged that there is no message data, it 
will cause the alarm driving section 11 to carry out the incoming alarm 
process only, develop the display data of "No Message" on the RAM 9 (step 
S117), transfer the developed message data to the display driving section 
14, display it on the LCD 15 (step S118), and terminate the present 
process. 
As described above, with the first embodiment, as a result of storing the 
display formats for displaying the data in fixed display formats in the 
pager, the transmission side has only to transmit the entry specify code, 
the new format No., and the display format in transmitting the data for 
addition or change to the pager 1. This facilitates the rewriting of the 
contents of the D-ROM 10 attributable to information service or the 
addition or change of individual information. 
Furthermore, the memory space of the D-ROM 10 storing the display formats 
can be used effectively. 
Additionally, with the first embodiment, the reduction of the amount of 
data in transmission can be reduced, and the continuous driving time 
required for the pager to receive the message can be shortened, resulting 
in a decrease in the power consumption of the pager 1 and consequently a 
longer service life of the battery. 
While in the embodiment, the rewriting and updating of the display formats 
stored in the D-ROM 10 can be effected by the reception of the individual 
call signal, the present invention is not limited to this. For instance, 
the body of the pager 1 may be provided with an infrared light-receiving 
section, thereby receives an infrared signal indicating the rewriting or 
updating of the display format. 
FIGS. 9 to 33 show a second embodiment of a pager to which a receiving 
terminal of the present invention is applied. 
First, the configuration will be described. 
FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a pager 20. The same parts as those of the 
pager 1 are indicated by the same reference numerals and their explanation 
will not be given. 
In the figure, the pager 20 comprises an antenna 2, a receiving section 3, 
a decoder section 4, an ID-ROM 5, a key input section 25, a CPU 21, a 
P-ROM 22, a RAM 23, a D-ROM 24, an alarm driving section 11, a speaker 12, 
an LED 13, a display driving section 14, and an LCD 16. 
The CPU 21 stores the message data from the decoder section 4 in the RAM 23 
on the basis of various control programs stored in the P-ROM 22, controls 
each section of the pager 20 according to the input instruction signal 
from the key input section 25, and temporarily stores the incoming message 
data and the key input data from the key input section 25 into a buffer 
(not shown). Thereafter, the CPU drives the display driving section 14 to 
cause the LCD 15 to display the message data and the display contents 
based on the key input data. After a call signal to the pager 20 has been 
received, the decoder section 4 inputs a call sense signal to the CPU. 
Then, the CPU causes the decoder section 4 to continue reception. It also 
drives the alarm driving section 11 to actuate the speaker 1 and turns on 
the LED 13, thereby informing the user of a call. 
Furthermore, the CPU 21 contains an automatic setting flag area 211 shown 
in FIG. 10. 
In storing the message data in the D-ROM 24, it is judged from the up or 
down of the flag whether the setting of the selection of the message 
memory area MA and the rearrangement of the incoming message data is 
effected on the basis of the judgment of the CPU 21 automatically, or 
according to the instruction from the user. In a data allocation setting 
process explained later, the setting and changing can be effected by the 
key input operation by the user. These flags are used as judgment criteria 
in the call incoming process explained later, when the job code added to 
the head of the message data has been sensed or when the item code has 
been sensed in the message data. 
For example, when a job code (format code) added to the head of the message 
data has been sensed in the call incoming process, the state of the area 
selection flag in the automatic setting flag area 211 is referred to. If 
the flag is up, the message data will be stored in the job memory area 
corresponding to the message memory MA in the D-ROM 24 on the basis of the 
identification information in the job code added to the message data. If 
the flag is down, the message data will be left stored in the RAM 23 until 
the instruction from the key input section has arrived, regardless of the 
presence/absence of the job code. 
If an item code added to the message data has been sensed when the message 
data read from the RAM 23 is sorted out and stored in the D-ROM 24, the 
state of the data rearrangement flag in the automatic setting flag area 
211 is referred to. If the flag is up, the message data will be stored in 
the address according to the priority of the corresponding job memory area 
on the basis of the priority given to the item code. If the flag is down, 
the message data will be left stored in the RAM 23 until the instruction 
from the key input section has arrived, regardless of the presence/absence 
of the item code. 
The P-ROM 22 is a program ROM and stores various control programs that the 
CPU 21 executes. It also stores a character code matrix for a character 
generator and that for free messages. The character code matrix for free 
messages contains katakana characters, alphabets, numerals, and symbols 
corresponding to two-digit numbers as shown in FIG. 11. For instance, 
specifying code "27" gives the alphabet G and specifying code "63" gives 
the katakana character "(fu)". 
The P-ROM 22 also stores a job content table shown in FIG. 12. The job 
content table stores "Message Title" displayed in the first line on the 
display format, a plurality of item titles displayed in the individual 
lines on the display format, including "Address" and "Addresser", by job 
content such as "Please Call Me" or "Meeting." In a display format setting 
process explained later, when the user has inputted and acknowledged a job 
code by key operation, the CPU 21 sets the job code in the display format 
data memory FD, reads the job contents from the job content table, and 
displays it on the LCD 15. When sensing the acknowledgment of the job 
contents by the user, the CPU 21 displays the job message corresponding to 
the job contents and a plurality of item titles corresponding to the job 
contents on the LCD 15 in the form of an item title menu. 
The RAM 23 forms a memory area that temporarily stores the key input data 
and the incoming data that is inputted from the CPU 21 and is about to be 
stored in the D-ROM 24. 
The D-ROM 24 is a data ROM composed of electrically rewritable EEPROM. The 
D-ROM 24 has a memory structure as shown in FIG. 13, which divided into 
item code data memory CD, display format data memory FD, TEL bank memory 
TB, priority data memory PD, and message memory MA. 
The item code data memory CD has a memory structure as shown in FIG. 14 and 
stores item codes set by "*+(one-digit number)" and kinds of item that 
"Name" and "Place" in such a manner that they correspond to each other. 
The kinds of item are such that in the incoming message data, pieces of 
item information displayed frequently, such as incoming time, addresser's 
name, address, and meeting time, are designed to be identified by item 
codes. For instance, in the job content table, although the item title 
"Addresser's Name" of the job contents "Please Call Me" differs from the 
item title "Client's Name" of the job contents "Job" in item title, they 
agree with each other in that they display "Name", the item information 
based on the kinds of item. The transmitter who knows the correspondence 
between "Kinds of Item" and "Item Codes" previously, adds the item code 
"*1" corresponding to "Name" to the head of the item information so that 
the item information "Addresser's Name" can be identified by "Name" in 
transmitting the message "Please Call Me" as the job contents. Then, the 
pager 20 recognizes that the item information that can be identified by 
the kind of item "Name" exists in the received message data. 
In kind of these item, data distinction flags for distinguishing between 
data structures of item information are set by item code. If the item 
information has a data structure that can be distinguished by kind of item 
"Time" (:), the flag will be set. If the item information indicates 
character data, the flag will be reset. 
Furthermore, the item code is used not only to set a display format in a 
setting process explained later, but also to determine the order in which 
the message data to the D-ROM 24 is rearranged. In addition, the 
correspondence between the item codes and item information can be entered 
newly, changed, and deleted in the display format setting. 
The display format data memory FD stores the job codes (format codes) set 
by "*+(two-digit number)" to identify the job contents including "Please 
Call Me" or "Meeting" in the message data and the actually displayed 
display format in such a manner that they correspond to each other. In the 
display format defined by the job code, an item title, an item code, and 
the kinds of item defined by the item code are grouped into a set, ranging 
from the second to fifth lines for each job content as shown in FIG. 15. 
These definitions are set in the D-ROM 24 in the display format setting 
process explained later. 
The data set in the priority item code column is used as criteria for 
rearrangement of the message data in storing the message data in the D-ROM 
24. 
For instance, when the job contents "Meeting" is received as the message 
data and the RAM 23 stores the message data in the D-ROM 24, the data is 
usually stored in the order of "Incoming Time" on a time stamp (not 
shown). Because the priority code is "*4" or item information "Meeting 
Time", "Meeting Time" is given priority over "Incoming Time" in storing 
the message data. Therefore, the "Meeting" data is arranged in the order 
of the latest "Meeting Time", not in the order of "Incoming Time" on the 
time stamp, and stored in the D-ROM 24. 
The TEL bank memory TB stores mostly transmitter's names, addresses, and 
telephone numbers in such a manner that they correspond to the item codes 
as shown in FIG. 16. When the message data is stored in the D-ROM 24 in 
such a manner that each data item correspond to each transmitter's name, 
priority is set as criteria for rearrangement of the message data. 
The priority data memory PD stores keywords possibly contained in the item 
information as comparison condition item by item, when the item 
information corresponding to the kinds of item of the priority item code 
in the message data has no time data structure unlike "Incoming Time" or 
"Meeting Time". The priority data memory is a memory area that is referred 
to for a criterion for rearrangement of the message data. 
For instance, when the data "Job" is received and the RAM 23 stores this 
message data in the D-ROM 24, because the priority item code "*2" or the 
kind of item "Place" is set in the display format corresponding to the 
"Job" in the display format data memory FD, the message data has the kind 
of item "Place" rearranged in preference to the others. 
Because the kind of item "Place" is not time information, the rearrangement 
of the incoming data is effected by referring to the item information 
"Work Place" identified by kind of item "Place" and the keyword in the 
priority data memory area PD shown in FIG. 17. 
The setting of these keywords can be effected by referring to the character 
code matrix shown in FIG. 11, as long as the kind of item is not "Time" 
when the user sets a priority item code in the display format setting 
process explained later. 
The message memory MA is a memory area that stores the message data 
identified by a job code with being grouped every job content and is 
designed to correspond to the job contents set in the display format data 
memory FD. When a display format is newly set by the job code, a specific 
amount of memory area is set automatically. When this memory area is 
filled with the message data, a specific amount of memory area is set 
additionally. As shown in FIG. 12, "Other" memory areas are set in advance 
to store the normal message data to which no job code is added. 
Like the key input section 6 in the first embodiment, the key input section 
25 is provided with numeric keys, a power switch, and mode keys. The mode 
keys are used to specify the setting mode in which a display format is set 
in the pager 20 and data allocation is set, and the message reading mode. 
The key input section is also provided with a cross key for performing 
selection by moving the cursor to the select specify content displayed on 
the LCD 15 in the setting process and a setting key for deciding on the 
selected setting contents. 
Using the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 and display examples shown in 
FIGS. 21 to 25, the process of setting the display format of job content 
"Meeting" corresponding to job code "*02" in the D-ROM 24 will be 
explained as an example of setting a display format in the setting mode. 
The flow from the power-off state to the display format setting process 
will be described. 
When the power switch is operated in the power-off state, the receiving 
section 3, under the control of the decoder section 4, effects 
intermittent driving to receive the frame information set to itself, that 
is, remains in the incoming call waiting state (step S21). 
In this state, it is judged whether or not selection of setting mode has 
been sensed (step S22). If it is not sensed, the receiving section will 
return to the incoming call waiting state at step S21. 
If selection of setting mode has been sensed, a display screen as shown in 
FIG. 21 will appear. In this display state, it is sensed whether the user 
has selected and determined "2. Display Format Setting" (step S23). 
After the determination of "2. Display Format Setting" has been sensed, a 
check is made from the state of the present empty memory in the D-ROM 24 
to see if there is enough capacity to accommodate the job memory area in 
which a specific capacity can be set automatically as a result of new 
display format setting (step S24). 
If there is an enough empty space, the setting of a job code will be 
prompted at step 27. If it is judged that there is no empty space, the 
contents will be displayed which allow the user to determine whether the 
display format stored in the display format data memory FD in the present 
D-ROM 24 should be modified or deleted (step S26). 
If the selection and determination of the modification or deletion of the 
already set display format have been sensed, the display format 
corresponding to the job memory area with the smallest amount of message 
data among the message data items automatically sorted out by job and 
stored in the D-ROM 24 will be modified or deleted. As a result, all of 
the message data stored in the job memory area corresponding to the 
display format to be modified or deleted is deleted. If they have not been 
sensed, control will return to the incoming call waiting state at step 
S21. 
When there is an empty space left in the memory after the new setting or 
when the selection and determination of the modification or deletion of 
the already set display format has been sensed even if there is no empty 
space, the portion "a" in the display contents of FIG. 22 will be 
displayed to prompt the user to enter a job code (step S27). 
For this display, it is judged whether or not a job code has been inputted 
and the job code has been determined (step S28). If the determination of a 
job code has not been sensed, control will go back to step S27. 
When the determination of job code "*02" has been sensed, the job content 
table stored in the P-ROM 22 will be read out and added to portion "a" in 
the display contents of FIG. 22. Then, portions b and c will be displayed 
(step S29). Then, the selection and determination of the job contents from 
a job content menu consisting of a plurality of job contents shown in 
portion "c" are waited for (step S30). 
If the selection and determination of the job content "Meeting" has been 
sensed, control will proceed to the display format setting process of the 
job content "Meeting" (step S30). If the selection and determination of 
the job contents has not been sensed, control will return to step S29. 
The display format setting process is such that when the previously 
inputted job code has been sensed in the message data, the display format 
of the job contents actually displayed on the LCD 15 is set in the D-ROM 
24. Here, using the flowchart of FIG. 19, a case where the user specifies 
and creates the display format of job content "Meeting" of FIG. 24 and the 
CPU 21 sets the created display format in the D-ROM 24 will be explained. 
First, when the determination of job content "Meeting" has been sensed at 
step S30, the message title "Please come to the following place" 
corresponding to "Meeting" will be read from the job content table and 
displayed in portion "d" in the display format of FIG. 23. Additionally, a 
plurality of display items will be read and displayed in portion "e" as an 
item title menu. 
To prompt the user to input the display item titles and item codes in the 
second to fifth lines, the second line on the display format is 
monochromatically reversed (step S33). 
Here, the user enters the item titles and item codes one by one in the 
second to fifth lines. After the user has inputted these titles and codes, 
the CPU 21 waits for the user's determination of the lines in which the 
item titles and item titles are set (step S34). 
When the determination of a line to be set (the second line in this case) 
has been sensed, it is judged whether or not the line lies within the five 
lines previously defined on the display format (step S35). 
When it is judged that it lies within the five lines, the line to be set 
will be monochromatically reversed (step S36). 
Next, it is judge whether or not any item title has been selected from the 
item title menu in portion "e" (step S37). 
When the selection of "Incoming Time" has been sensed, the item title 
"Incoming Time" is displayed in the reversed line. Then, "*02" is set in 
the job code area, "Meeting" in the job content area, and "Incoming Time" 
in the item title area in the second line, and then the user is urged to 
input an item code (step S38). 
When the determination of "*6" has been sensed as the item code 
corresponding to item title "Incoming Time" (step S39), it is judged 
whether or not the kinds of item corresponding to the item code has been 
entered in the item code data memory CD (step S40). In the concrete 
example, because the kind of item "Incoming Time" has been entered so as 
to correspond to the item code "*6", the item code "*6" is displayed next 
to item title "Incoming Time" in the determined line, and "*6" is set in 
the item code area in the second line of the display format data memory 
(step S43). 
FIG. 23 shows a display state accompanying the setting process at steps up 
to S43. This is a case where the user has entered item title "Incoming 
Time" and the corresponding item code "*6" in the second line according to 
the concrete example. 
In the setting process up to this point, for instance, at step S35, if the 
determination of a line beyond the fifth line has been sensed, or when the 
determination of the sixth line in which an item title menu is displayed 
has been sensed, the CPU 21 judges that the termination of the display 
format setting has been specified, and passes control to the judging 
process at step S47. If at step S40, the kinds of item corresponding to 
the item code determined and sensed has not been stored in the item code 
data memory CD, the entry of the kind of item corresponding to the entered 
item code and the display prompting the setting of the data distinction 
flag will be developed (step S41), and the sensing of the entry of the 
kind of item and the setting of the flag will be waited for (step S42). 
When it is judged that the entry of the kind of item has been sensed and 
the flag has been set, the setting process is returned to step S43. 
At step S43 and later, that is, after the determination of the item code 
has been sensed, the CPU 21 judges whether or not there are any lines in 
which item titles and item codes have not been set, or unset lines, in the 
display format data memory FD concerning the display formats so far set 
(step S44). If there is any unset line, the unset line will be reversed 
monochromatically (step S45) and the determination of the line in which an 
item title and item code are to be entered will be waited for (step S46). 
In explanation of the display example of FIG. 23, because the setting 
process is complete up to the second line, and the third, fourth, and 
fifth lines have not been set yet, it is judged at step S44 that the 
result is "Yes." 
Therefore, the unset line, or the third line is reversed monochromatically, 
and the determination of the third, fourth, and fifth lines in which item 
titles and item codes are to be entered is waited for (step S46). 
At step S35, if the determination of the sixth line has been sensed, or at 
step S44, if it is judged that there is no unset line, the item title menu 
displayed in the sixth line is changed to display content "Setting End 
Yes/No" and it is prompted to judge whether or not the setting process of 
display formats has finished. FIG. 24 shows the display state at step S47. 
This is the case where the user has determined item title "Meeting Time" 
and item code "*4" in the third line, item title "Meeting Place" and item 
code "*2", in the fourth line, and item title "Name" and item code "*1" in 
the fifth line, by repeating the steps S35 to S44. 
In the display state, when "Yes" is sensed, the setting of the display 
format is considered to have finished and a memory area for storing the 
message data about job content "Meeting" is set in the empty memory in the 
D-ROM 24 (step S48). 
If "No" is sensed, the correction and deletion of the once set display 
format is considered to be effected and control is returned to step S33. 
After the setting process has been completed so far, then control moves to 
the setting of priority item codes serving as criteria for rearrangement 
in storing the message data in the job memory area. The setting process is 
such that when the message data is stored in the job memory area, the item 
code corresponding to the desired item content is set in the priority item 
code area in the display format data memory FD in order to judge which 
kind of item should be given priority in rearrangement. As a concrete 
example, explanation will be given about a case where as a result of 
setting the display format of job content "Meeting", "Time" is set as a 
priority item code, that is, the massage data is rearranged by giving 
priority to "Meeting Time" over the other pieces of item information 
displayed. 
FIG. 25 shows the display state at this time, where the previously set item 
titles and the corresponding item codes appear (step S48). 
In this display state, the selection and determination of the item code 
corresponding to the desired kind of item is waited for (step S50). 
When the CPU 21 senses the selection and determination of item code "*4" 
corresponding to kind of item "Time," it is judged with reference to the 
item code data memory CD whether or not the data distinction flag of kind 
of item "Time" has been set (step S51). 
Since the data distinction flag of kind of item "Time" is set, it is judge 
to be "Yes" at step S51, and the determined and sensed item code "*4" is 
set. On the basis of the sense result of "Yes" or "No" in the display 
content "Setting Complete Yes/No" in the sixth line in the display example 
of FIG. 25, it is judged whether or not the setting process of item codes 
should be completed (step S57). 
If "Yes" is sensed, "*4" will be set in the priority item code memory area 
in the display format data memory FD and a series of display format 
setting processes will be terminated (step S58). 
If "No" is sensed, control returns to step S49, where the selection and 
determination of the item code will be sensed. 
In the processes executed so far, for example, when the data distinction 
flag of the determined and sensed item code is down, that is, when the 
kind of item corresponding to the item code is "Character" data, not 
"Time" data, it is judged whether or not the keyword corresponding to the 
kind of item is stored in the priority data memory PD (step S52). 
When it is judged that the keyword is stored, control will be passed to 
step S57 because the rearrangement of the message data can be performed by 
searching the item information corresponding to the kinds of item for the 
keyword. If the keyword of the kinds of item corresponding to the selected 
item code is not stored in the priority data memory PD, the display that 
prompts the user to enter the keyword corresponding to the kind of item of 
the inputted item code is developed (step S53). Then, the entry of the 
keyword of a two-digit number defined in the character code matrix is 
waited for (step S54). When it is judged that the entry of the keyword has 
been completed, the keyword is set in the kinds of item corresponding to 
the priority item data memory PD (step S55), and control returns to step 
S56. 
When a plurality of keywords are set, keyword priority is determined in the 
order in which they have been entered and determined. 
Using the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 18 and 20 and the display example of 
FIG. 26, the data allocation setting process in the setting mode will be 
explained. 
The flow from the power-off state to the data allocation setting process 
will be described. 
When the power switch is operated in the power-off state, the receiving 
section 3, under the control of the decoder section 4, effects 
intermittent driving to receive the frame information set to itself, that 
is, remains in the incoming call waiting state (step S21). 
In this state, it is judged whether or not the user has selected the 
setting mode from the mode keys (step S22). If it is not sensed, the 
receiving section will return to the incoming call waiting state at step 
S21. 
If selection of setting mode has been sensed, a display screen as shown in 
FIG. 21 will appear. In this display state, it is judged that the user has 
selected "1. Data Allocation Setting" through a cross-key operation and 
determined on it by a set-key operation (step S23). 
After sensing the determination of "1. Data Allocation Setting", the CPU 21 
sets the flag in the automatic setting flag area 211 shown in FIG. 10. 
FIG. 26 shows the display state of the LCD 15 at this time. When the data 
allocation setting has been determined, the contents are shown in the 
display portion "f" which prompt the user to select "AUTO", a process 
according to the judgment of the CPU 21, or "MANU", a process according to 
the user's instruction, in connection with "Area Selection" in the message 
memory area MA on the basis of the job code added to the message data and 
"Data Rearrangement" of the message data according to priority in the case 
of an item code added to the message data. 
In this display state, the selection and determination by the user is 
sensed. The CPU 21 judges whether or not "Area Selection" has been 
selected first and then either "AUTO" or "MANU" has been selected and 
determined (step S58). 
When the selection and determination of "AUTO" has been sensed, it is 
judged to be area automatic selection and the area selection flag in the 
automatic setting flag area 211 is set (step S59). 
When the selection and determination of "MANU" has been sensed, it is 
judged to be area manual selection and the area selection flag in the 
automatic setting flag area 211 is reset (step S60). 
Then, the CPU 21 judges whether or not "Data Rearrangement" has been 
selected and either "AUTO" or "MANU" has been selected and determined 
(step S61). 
When the selection and determination of "AUTO" has been sensed, it is 
judged to be data rearrangement automatic processing and the data 
rearrangement flag in the automatic setting flag area 211 is set (step 
S62). 
When the selection and determination of "MENU" has been sensed, it is 
judged to be data rearrangement manual processing and the data 
rearrangement flag in the automatic setting flag area 211 is reset (step 
S63). 
The setting is judged by sensing the selection and determination of "Yes" 
or "No" (step S64). 
The end of the setting is judged by sensing the reoperation of the mode key 
(step S65). 
Referring to the flowchart of FIG. 27 and FIGS. 28 and 29, the call 
incoming and data storage processes in the pager 20 of the second 
embodiment will be explained. 
The pager 20, in the incoming call waiting state, judges the reception of 
the call signal transmitted from a pager service company (not shown). When 
the pager has sensed the reception of the call signal (step S71), the 
pager judges whether or not the call number of the call signal coincides 
with the its own call number stored in the ID-ROM 5 (step S72). Only when 
they coincide with each other, the pager causes the receiving section 3 to 
continue operation and temporarily stores in the RAM 23 the message data 
inputted soon after the call sense signal from the decoder section 4 (step 
S73). 
Then, after the message based on the message data has been displayed on the 
LCD 15, the state of the area selection flag in the automatic setting flag 
area 211 is checked (step S74). 
When it is confirmed that the area selection flag is set, it is judged 
whether or not a job code (format specification) is added to the head of 
the message data (step S75). 
When a job code is added, it is judged whether or not there is an item code 
at the head of each piece of item information contained in the message 
data (step S76). 
When an item code is present, the state of the data rearrangement flag in 
the automatic flag area 211 is checked (step S77). 
If the data rearrangement flag in the automatic setting flag area 211 is 
set, the message data items are rearranged and stored in the job memory 
area corresponding to the job code in the message memory MA in the D-ROM 
24, according to the priority set by the sensed item code, and then the 
call incoming process is completed (step S78). 
In the above case, for instance, when 
"*02*6*413:10*2TOKYO STATION*1AOKI YOUICHI" 
is received as the message data, job code "*02" is sensed at the head of 
the message data. From the display format data memory FD in the D-ROM 24, 
the job content of the message data is judged to be "Meeting." Therefore, 
when a message is displayed on the basis of the message data, the display 
state as shown in FIG. 29 results. 
In the display state, display portion "g" is where the item title and the 
item code have been set in the display format setting process. In the 
display format of FIG. 24, the incoming time "10:23" timed on a time stamp 
is displayed in the portion corresponding to item code "*6", message 
"13:10" in the portion corresponding to item code "*4", message "TOKYO 
STATION" in the portion corresponding to item code "*2", and message "AOKI 
YOUICHI" in the portion corresponding to item code "*1." Because the data 
rearrangement flag in the automatic setting flag area 211 is set, the 
message data is stored in the memory area for job content "Meeting" in the 
message memory area MA in the D-ROM 24. Because the priority item code is 
"*4", or kind of item "Time", the message is not stored in the memory area 
for "Meeting" in the order of incoming time, but in the order of meeting 
time, that is, the message is stored between "Message 3" received 
previously (meeting time is 13:00) and "Message 4" (Meeting time is 
14:50). As a result of the storage, the address number identifying the 
order of messages is changed. 
When at step S76, no item code is not sensed at the head of each piece of 
item information in the message data, it is impossible to identify the 
kinds of item of the item information in the message data. Accordingly, on 
the developed display screen, although the job message corresponding to 
the job code is displayed, a series of messages without item titles is 
displayed. Furthermore, the message data is stored in the job memory area 
corresponding to the job code in the message memory MA in the D-ROM 24. 
Because the absence of item codes makes it impossible to judge the 
priority by kinds of item, however, the message data is stored in the last 
address in the corresponding job memory area and the call incoming process 
is terminated (step S79). 
At step S75, it is judged whether or not a job code is added to the head of 
the message data. If a code is not added, it is judged that there is no 
specification of display formats and a series of normal messages without 
message titles is displayed. Then, the message data is stored in the last 
address in the "Others" memory area in the message memory MA in the D-ROM 
24, and the call incoming process is terminated (step S80). 
When at step S74, it is found that the area selection flag in the automatic 
setting flag area 211 is reset, or at step S57, it is found that the data 
rearrangement flag in the automatic setting flag area 211 is reset, the 
message data is determined to be unprocessed data and is restored in the 
RAM 23 and the call incoming process is terminated (step S81). 
Referring to the flowchart of FIG. 30 and the display examples shown in 
FIGS. 31 to 33, the processing of the message data in the read mode in the 
pager 20 of the second embodiment will be explained. 
When the power switch is operated in the power-off state, the receiving 
section 3, under the control of the decoder section 4, effects 
intermittent driving to receive the frame information set to itself, that 
is, remains in the incoming call waiting state (step S91). 
In this state, by a mode key operation at the key input section 25, it is 
judged whether or not the CPU 21 has sensed the selection of the read mode 
(step S92). If it has not sensed it, control will be passed to the 
incoming call waiting state at step S91. 
If the selection of the message read mode has been sensed, the RAM 23 is 
searched for the memory (step S93) and it is judged whether or not 
unprocessed message data is stored (step S94). 
When unprocessed data is present, a display screen as shown in FIG. 31 is 
developed. On the display screen, the number of items of the message data 
sorted out by job code and stored in the D-ROM 24 appears. If unprocessed 
data is present, the number of unprocessed data items will also be 
displayed in the display portion h (step S95). 
In this display state, the selection and determination of portion "h" is 
judged (step S96). 
When the selection and determination of portion "h" has been sensed, the 
display screen changes to that of FIG. 32, which shows the contents of the 
received message data and its incoming time at the same time (step S97). 
In this display state, the message data to be displayed is specified by a 
select operation. When the determination of the message data has been 
sensed, the display screen as shown in FIG. 33 appears. Furthermore, in 
the lower portion of the screen, portion "i" is developed to prompt the 
user to choose whether to store the message into the D-ROM 24 (step S98). 
In this display state, it is judged whether "Yes" or "No" in display 
portion "i" has been selected and determined (step S99). 
When the determination of "Yes" has been sensed, the process of storing the 
unprocessed data into the D-ROM 24 is started. In the storing process, the 
data is automatically sorted out and stored according to the steps S75, 
S76, S78, S79, and S80 in that order in the flowchart of FIG. 25 (step 
S100). 
When the determination of "No" has been sensed, the unprocessed data is 
judged to be unnecessary and deleted from the RAM 23 (step S101). 
At step S94, when it is not judged whether or not the unprocessed message 
data is stored, the undisplayed contents in display portion "h" are 
developed on the LCD (step S102). 
In this display state, the selection and determination are sensed and the 
incoming message is displayed (step S103). The end of the mode is judged 
by sensing the operation of the mode key. 
When a message based on the incoming data is displayed, the message data 
can be simplified by making use of item codes. 
Specifically, in the call incoming process, the display screen of FIG. 29 
can be obtained even when, for example, the message data 
"*02*6*413:10*2TOKYO STATION*1-*30987-65-4321" 
is received, instead of receiving the message data 
"*02*6*413:10*2TOKYO STATION*1AOKI YOUICHI" 
In this case, the item code previously defined in the display format is 
connected to the item code specified by the data transmitter in the 
message data, which thereby specifies that the item information for the 
kinds of item set by the former item code should be retrieved from the TEL 
bank memory TB with reference to the item information for the kinds of 
item set by the latter item code and then displayed. 
Therefore, in the case of the message data, item code "*1", or kind of item 
"Name" specifies that it should be retrieved from the TEL bank memory TB 
with reference to item code "*3", or kind of item "Telephone Number", 
"0987-65-4321" and the name, or "AOKI YOUICHI" be displayed. 
Therefore, by performing such a message data process, the data transmitter 
side need not enter the character codes corresponding to character data 
items such as kana characters and alphabets and thereby can shorten and 
simplify the data. 
Since in the display format, a display item and the corresponding item code 
are set in each line, the data transmitter does not necessarily create and 
transmit the item codes and item information in the order of line. 
For instance, in creating data, the display contents of the message data 
based on the data are the same, even when the order of input is changed 
and "02*6*1AOKI YOUICHI*2TOKYO STATION*413:10" is inputted instead of 
"*02*6*413:10*2TOKYO STATION*1AOKI YOUICHI" 
As described above, with the pager 20 of the present embodiment, the memory 
area in which the user stores the message data is designed to enable 
setting by job, the user can sort out and manage the message data. 
Therefore, by applying the present invention to a pager with a large 
memory, it is possible to improve the managing function of incoming data 
and the use efficiency of the pager. 
While in the first and second embodiments, the present invention has been 
applied to the pagers 1 and 20, it may be applied to portable 
communication terminals, teletext receivers, and digital radios. 
Specifically, the present invention may be applied to any device that can 
receive and store text information. 
Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled 
in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited 
to the specific details, and representative devices shown and described 
herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing 
from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by 
the appended claims and their equivalents.