Method and apparatus for quick access to selected updated information in a selective call receiver

A selective call receiver (30) receives personal messages and information services provided database messages. A memory (44) stores the personal messages in a first portion (46) and the database messages as a plurality of screens in a second portion (48). A display (42) displays the plurality of screens for the user's perusal. The user can display the screens manually through activation of user input controls (40) when operating in a database mode under the control of a controller (52). Alternatively, the user can display selected screens in a quick access or quick view mode by placing operation of the receiver (30) under the control of a quick view controller (60) coupled to the database portion of memory (48) and the display (42). The user can selectively flag a screen (FIG. 9) or trigger a numeric field of a screen (FIG. 16) via activation of user input controls (40) when operating in a database mode under the control of a controller (52). When database messages are received which update a flagged screen or triggered screen, the flagged or triggered screen automatically becomes one of the selected screens for display in the quick view mode.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED, COPENDING APPLICATION 
Related, copending applications are patent application 08/226,100, filed 
concurrently herewith, by Charles Ganucheau, Dean P. Vanden Heuvel, Craig 
Halley, Kyong Mun, and Patrick Dumstorff, and assigned to the assignee 
hereof, entitled "Method and Apparatus for User Selectable Quick Data 
Access in a Selective Call Receiver"; and patent application 07/880,819, 
filed concurrently herewith, by Dean P. Vanden Heuvel, Craig Halley, and 
Charles Ganucheau, and assigned to the assignee hereof, entitled "Method 
and Apparatus for Data Driven Triggering in a Selective Call Receiver". 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates in general to selective call receivers, and in 
particular to selective call receivers for receiving information services. 
2. Background of the Invention 
Selective call receivers are radio frequency receivers which selectively 
receive messages. Conventionally, a selective call receiver examines a 
selective call signal to determine whether the receiver has been 
addressed. When an address assigned to the receiver is detected, the 
selective call receiver decodes a selective call message. The user is 
alerted that a message has been received and the message can thereafter be 
presented, either as a voice message or a numeric or alphanumeric 
displayed message. The message may be displayed on a conventional display 
such as a liquid crystal display (LCD). It is desirable that selective 
call receivers be portable and, consequently, most selective call 
receivers have LCDs of limited size. Additionally, most selective call 
receivers have limited room for user input controls. 
More recently, users of selective call receivers desire additional 
features, such as reception of information services, while maintaining the 
desire for small portable receivers. Information services are services 
which provide regularly updated messages, such as news services (UPI), 
financial services (Dow Jones Stock Reports), or sports services. One such 
information services selective call system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 
4,845,491. 
A user can subscribe to several information services and receive 
information on many topics. Each topic may consist of several screens 
(i.e. information capable of being displayed on the LCD at one time). To 
view a screen of information, the user manipulates the limited number of 
user input controls to reach the screen. This manipulation could consist 
of numerous activations of user controls. The information is updated 
regularly by selective call messages comprising update information. If the 
user is alerted each time one of the screens is updated, it is likely that 
the user would be continuously alerted. Conversely, if the user is not 
alerted when a screen is updated, the user would be unaware of changes in 
information which are of importance to the user. Further, if the user 
elects to be alerted of an update and misses the alert either by having 
the alert turned off or not having the receiver on or near the user's 
person when the alert is activated, the user has no way of knowing that an 
update of information has occurred. 
Additionally, access to updated information poses the same difficulties as 
access to any screen of information. It is undesirable for the user to be 
forced to continuously manipulate the user controls to select screens of 
interest in order to view updated information. 
Thus, what is needed is a method and apparatus for notifying the user of 
selected updates of information and for allowing a user quick access to 
the screen or screens of updated information. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A selective call receiver receives messages which update databases that 
have been previously stored, and the databases comprise a plurality of 
screens of information. A method for displaying information in the 
selective call receiver comprises the step of receiving a selective call 
message comprising update information and database information, wherein 
the database information specifies a database and a location within the 
specified database for storage of the update information. The method 
further comprises the steps of updating a portion of the specified 
database in response to the update information and determining whether a 
screen of information that includes the updated portion of the specified 
database has been previously flagged by a user to indicate that the screen 
is of special interest. Thereafter, the screen is added to a list of 
screens of special interest to the user if the screen has been flagged. 
The user can then activate a quick view mode of operation, wherein the 
list of screens, including, if it has been flagged, the screen that 
includes the updated portion, is accessible by a user in the quick view 
mode of operation in response to a fewer number of user activations of 
user keys than are required for the display of other screens that are not 
included in the list of screens. 
A selective call receiver receives selective call messages, stores 
databases including a plurality of screens, and receives inputs via user 
keys. The selective call receiver includes receiving means for receiving a 
selective call message comprising update information and database 
information, wherein the database information specifies a database and a 
location within the database for storage of the update information. The 
selective call receiver further includes updating means for updating a 
portion of the specified database in response to the update information 
and flagging means for receiving signals by which a user can flag a screen 
to indicate that the screen is of interest. Determining circuitry 
determines whether a screen of information that includes the updated 
portion of the specified database has been previously flagged by a user, 
and a list of screens of special interest is then generated. The screen is 
added to the list of screens if the screen has been flagged. Control 
circuitry within the selective call receiver provides user activation of a 
quick view mode of operation, wherein each of the list of screens, 
including, if it has been flagged, the screen that includes the updated 
portion, is accessible by a user in the quick view mode of operation in 
response to a fewer number of user activations of user keys than are 
required for the display of other screens that are not included in the 
list of screens.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring to FIG. 1, a selective call system in accordance with a preferred 
embodiment of the present invention transmits two types of signals: 
information services signals and personal message signals. As is well 
known to those skilled in the art, an originator of a personal selective 
call message inputs message information via a telephone input 10 to a 
paging terminal 12. The paging terminal 12 comprises an encoder 14 for 
encoding the message information into selective call signals and a 
transmitter 16 for transmitting the selective call signals via an antenna 
18. 
Information services signals are derived from information services 20 which 
compile information, e.g., financial, sports, news, etc., and forward the 
information to a data center 22. The data center 22 compiles the 
information provided by the information services 20 into appropriate 
messages which are provided to a paging terminal 12' for transmission as 
selective call signals therefrom. The paging terminal 12' similarly 
comprises an encoder 14', a transmitter 16', and an antenna 18'. 
Thus, it can be seen that a selective call system in accordance with the 
preferred embodiment of the present invention broadcasts signals 
comprising personal messages and information services messages for 
reception by a receiver 30. The receiver 30 receives the selective call 
signals at an antenna 32 which generates electrical signals in response to 
the received radio frequency signals and forwards the signals to receiver 
circuitry 34 for demodulation. The demodulated signal is provided to a 
microprocessor 36 for processing thereby. The microprocessor 36 is coupled 
to an alert device 38, user input controls 40, and a display 42 for 
interfacing with a user of the selective call receiver 30. Additionally, 
the microprocessor 36 is coupled to an external random excess memory (RAM) 
44 for storing information therein and for retrieving information 
therefrom. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present 
invention, the external RAM 44 has designated portions for storing 
personal messages 46 and for storing databases 48. The databases 48 are 
stored in a portion of the external RAM 44 in a manner which allows a user 
to access the information services data stored therein. 
When a selective call signal is received and demodulated by the receiver 
circuitry 34, address detection block 50 of the microprocessor 36 examines 
the selective call signal to determine if an address assigned to the 
selective call receiver 30 is present within the signal. When an address 
assigned to the selective call receiver 30 is detected by the address 
detection block 50, a controller 52 is signaled to start a decoder block 
54 decoding the received and demodulated selective call signal. The 
decoded signal is provided from the decoder block 54 to the controller 52 
for processing thereby. The controller 52 stores the decoded selective 
call message in portions 46, 48 of the external RAM 44. The controller 52 
thereafter provides a signal to the alert device 38 to alert the user that 
a selective call message has been received. Upon manipulation of the user 
input controls 40 by the user, the controller will provide the decoded 
selective call message to a display driver 56 for generation of a user 
readable display upon the display 42. A clock 58 is coupled to the 
controller 52 to provide conventional clocking functions allowing for 
proper operation of the controller 52 and the microprocessor 36. 
The selective call receiver 30 is user operable in three modes in 
accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention: a 
personal message mode, a database mode, and a quick view mode. When 
operating in the personal message mode, the selective call receiver can 
function as a conventional pager whereby the user can manipulate the user 
input controls 40 to select and read various personal messages stored in 
the personal message portion 46 of the RAM 44. During database mode 
operation, the user can manipulate the user input controls 40 to select 
and read various screens of the databases stored in the database portion 
48 of the RAM 44. 
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, quick 
view mode operation is a mode of operation for allowing a user quick 
access to selected screens under the control of a quick view controller 
60. The quick view controller 60 is coupled to the controller 52 for 
controlling the operation of the microprocessor 36 when the user places 
the selective call receiver 30 into the quick view operation mode. The 
quick view operation mode involves either an automatic quick view mode 
wherein the quick view controller 60 automatically retrieves user selected 
screens from the database 48 and provides those screens sequentially to 
the display driver 56 for display upon the display 42 or a manual quick 
view mode wherein selected screens may be user selectably retrieved from 
the memory 48 for display without the user having to navigate through a 
database to the screen. The clock 58 is coupled to the quick view 
controller 60 for controlling the amount of time that each of the user 
selective screens are displayed upon the display 42. 
Referring next to FIG. 2, a preferred embodiment of the multi-function 
selective call receiver 30 of FIG. 1 is depicted. The user input controls 
40 (FIG. 1) comprise a plurality of user activatable keys 40a, 40b, 40c, 
40d, 40e, 40f, and 40g. The alert device 38 is a visual indicator, such as 
a light emitting diode (LED). An audible annunciator could also be mounted 
just inside the housing of the receiver 30 to operate in conjunction with 
the LED 38 for alerting the user. 
On the display 42 of FIG. 2, a typical database screen showing date 
information, time information, and financial stock information is shown. 
Referring to FIG. 3, upon activation of the function key 40b, the bottom 
line of the four line display 42 is overwritten with a function menu 70 
showing a plurality of icons, each of the plurality of icons identifying a 
particular function. The left/right cursor keys 40e, 40f allow the user to 
scroll among the various functions of the function menu 70 and to select 
one of the icons. Upon selection of the proper icon, e.g., 70a, 70b, or 
70c the user depresses the function key 40b to activate that function. In 
accordance with the present invention, the user selects the man icon 70a 
to insert the displayed screen into the list of screens for quick view 
mode operation. 
Referring to FIG. 4, the operation of the quick view controller 60 is shown 
as a quick view routine 100. Initially, it is determined 102 whether there 
are any entries (screens) assigned to the quick view mode. If there are no 
screens for quick view operation when the quick view mode is selected 100, 
the quick view controller 60 (FIG. 1) passes operation back to the 
controller 52 for display of the personal message status screen 103 and 
allows the user to select operations not essential to the operation of the 
present invention. 
If there are quick view entries 102, then selection of the quick view mode 
prompts display of a quick view status screen 104, as shown in FIG. 6. The 
quick view status screen (FIG. 6) comprises time information 200, date 
information 202, and a message indicating activation of quick view mode 
204 which may be personalized by the service provider. Additionally, 
selected screen icons 206a, 206b and 206c indicate that three screens have 
been preselected by the user for display during quick view operation. 
Flag-shaped screen icon 206d indicates that a fourth screen has 
automatically been inserted for quick view display in accordance with the 
present invention. 
The highlighting of icon 206a indicates that the left most icon 206a is the 
current active icon. In accordance with the present invention, activation 
of the read key 40a or the down cursor key 40d as a user input 106 (FIG. 
4) will cause display of the selected quick view database screen, which 
initially is the screen indicated by the current icon 206a (FIG. 6). To 
adjust the current active icon 109, the user activates the left cursor key 
40e or the right cursor key 40f for movement left or right, respectively, 
among the screen indication icons 206a, 206b, 206c, and 206d. 
When the first selected quick view database screen is displayed 108, a 
timer is set 110 in controller 60 (FIG. 1). By referencing the clock 58, 
the controller 60 controls the display of the selected screen for a 
predetermined time. The predetermined time is preferably user selectable. 
In manual quick view operation, when the timer times out 112, the display 
reverts 104 to the quick view status display (FIG. 6) and awaits user 
selection 106 of a next quick view database screen. In automatic quick 
view operation, when the timer times out 112, the quick view controller 60 
(FIG. 1) automatically selects the next quick view database screen 114 by 
retrieving the screen from the database portion 48 of the memory 44 and 
providing it to the display driver 56 (FIG. 1). The display driver 56 
causes the selected quick view screen to be displayed 108. 
In either manual or automatic operation, if timeout has not occurred 112, 
the user can override timer control by a key press 116 on any of the user 
input controls 40 (FIG. 6). For example, the user may not wish to view one 
of the quick view screens for the predetermined amount of time set by the 
timer 110. Therefore, an appropriate key press 116, such as activation of 
a key indicating selection of the next screen 118, would cause operation 
to proceed to retrieval of the next screen 114 earlier than timeout 112 of 
the predetermined time set in the timer 110. Any other key pressed would 
take operation out of the quick view database screen mode and return 
operation to display of the quick view status screen 104. 
From the status screen 104, a user input 106 can request a quick view 
function menu 120 (FIG. 5). A menu request 120 is performed by activation 
of the function key 40b (FIG. 6) which causes display of a function menu. 
A quick view status screen function menu 208 is shown in FIG. 7. The 
function menu 208 comprises a plurality of icons which can be utilized to 
select various quick view functions. Referring back to FIG. 5, when the 
function menu is displayed 122 the quick view controller 60 (FIG. 1) looks 
for input from the left and right cursor keys 40e and 40f. The cursor keys 
can be used to navigate 126 the menu of functions 208 (FIG. 7) to allow 
the user to select a function. For example, if the user selects the delete 
function 126 as indicated by the lightning icon 208a (FIG. 7) the quick 
view entry (screen) indicated by the highlighted indicator icon 206a is 
removed from the list of quick view screens 128 and operation proceeds 
back to the start of the quick view routine 100. If another function is 
selected 126, the action indicated by the menu icon selected is performed 
130 and operation returns to the start of the quick view mode 100. 
Thus, it can be seen that a selective call receiver operated in accordance 
with the present invention allows the user to view preselected quick view 
screens in order to keep apprised of various information services. A 
preferred embodiment of the present invention allows selection of twenty 
(20) screens for quick view operation. When a user is not actively 
interacting with the multi function selective call receiver 30, the user 
can place the receiver into automatic quick view mode operation and the 
quick view controller 60 will cause the display of various preselected 
screens of interest to the user. These screens will be presented 
sequentially in a wrap-around manner such that each of the screens will be 
displayed until the user makes an appropriate key press 116 (FIG. 4) to 
exit from quick view operation. 
Removal of screens from the quick view operation has been described 126, 
128 (FIG. 5). Referring to FIG. 8, a flowchart of the operation of the 
manual insertion process whereby a database screen is user selected for 
quick view operation is shown. Initially, operation of the selective call 
receiver 30 (FIG. 2) is in the database operation mode wherein a database 
status display is active 300. The database status display is similar to 
the quick view status display shown in FIG. 6 wherein the indicator icons 
206 indicate the number of databases active and a message personalized by 
the service provider indicates that operation is in the database mode. 
User input 302 will allow for subsequent action. For example, the user may 
press a function key 40b (FIG. 7) and a menu of functions similar to that 
shown as menu 208 in FIG. 7 will be presented 304. Activation of the up 
cursor key 40c or the side key 40g will cause the controller 52 (FIG. 1) 
to pass control of the operation of the receiver 30 to the controller 60 
for quick view operation 100. Activation of the left or right movement 
keys 40e, 40f, respectively, allows the user to move the cursor left or 
right through the database indicators 206 to select a database for quick 
viewing. 
Activation of the down cursor key 40d or the exit key 40a from the database 
status display 300 will allow the user to navigate 306 to a desired 
database screen. The current screen is displayed 308 for user perusal 
until when the desired screen is displayed 308. Thereupon, the function 
key 40b (FIG. 7) may be activated 310 to cause display of a database 
function menu as shown in FIG. 3. Or if the user has selected an undesired 
database screen, and it is displayed 308, the user may activate 310 the 
side key 40g to return operation to display the database status screen 
300. Activation 310 of any other key other than the side or function key 
40g or 40b, respectively, returns to database operation to navigate to a 
different database screen 306. 
While the database function menu is displayed 312, the user may select any 
of the icons displayed by manipulation of the left and right cursor keys 
40e, 40f and, when the appropriate icon is highlighted, activating the 
function key 40b. If the quick view icon 70a (FIG. 3) is selected 314, a 
quick view entry of the currently displayed database screen is created 316 
and operation returns to display the current database screen without the 
function menu 308. If the quick view icon 70a (FIG. 3) is not selected 
314, processing determines whether the flag icon 70b (FIG. 3) is selected 
318. 
If the flag icon 70b is selected, the currently displayed database screen 
is flagged for auto quick view entry (i.e., auto entry into the list of 
quick view screens when updated) in accordance with the present invention 
as described hereinafter. Other menu functions may be performed 318 
through appropriate selection of the other function icons 70 (FIG. 3). 
After performing the menu functions 318, operation returns to display the 
current database screen 308. 
Referring to FIG. 9, flagging of the desired database for auto quick view 
entry changes the display such that a flag icon 325 is alternately 
displayed with the character in the upper right corner of the display 42 
to indicate a flagged condition. Manual insertion of a database screen 
into quick view has been described with reference to FIG. 8. In accordance 
with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, automatic 
insertion of a database screen into quick view can be accomplished by a 
user flagging a particular database screen as described herein above or by 
a user triggering a numeric field of a database as described herein below. 
When an update is made via a received database message to a flagged screen 
or a triggered screen wherein the update causes the triggered field to be 
outside selected boundaries, the screen is automatically inserted as a 
screen for quick view operation. 
Referring to FIGS. 10, 11, and 12, a flow chart of the screen trigger set 
operation of a selective call receiver 30 of the preferred embodiment of 
the present invention begins when a user navigates through a database to a 
desired screen of information 350. The current screen is displayed 352 and 
processing awaits user input via one of the user controls 40a, 40b, 40c, 
40d, 40e, 40f, or 40g (FIG. 2). Activation of the side key 40g as a user 
input 354 returns processing to the database status display screen as 
previously described 356. Activation of the function key 40b displays 358 
the database function menu 70 (FIG. 3) on the fourth line of the display 
42. Activation of any other key for the user input 354 allows the user to 
navigate through the database 350. 
A user input 360, while the database function menu 70 is displayed, allows 
the user to select one of the functions offered by the function menu 70. 
Activation of the left and right cursor movement keys 40e and 40f, 
respectively, allows the user selectability of a function. As the cursor 
moves from one function icon to another function icon, the function icon 
is back highlighted to allow ease of choice. Activation of the exit key 
40a or the side key 40g takes the user out of the function mode and 
displays the four lines of the current database screen 352. 
If the user input 360 is activation of the function key 40b, the user 
selects the highlighted icon. If the icon selected 362 is not the data 
check icon 70c or is not 363 the flag icon 70b, another function icon has 
been selected, and processing performs other menu functions 364 before 
returning to display the current database screen 352. If the flag icon 70b 
is selected 363, the current database is flagged 365 before returning to 
display the flagged screen as shown in FIG. 9. 
If the data check icon 70c is selected 362, a value for the current line is 
initially set to the top line of the display 366. Referring to FIG. 13, 
the user selects a current line 400 (as shown boxed) for triggering 
information. The chosen line, or the current line, contains a desired 
field for user selection. Referring back to FIG. 11, the current database 
screen is displayed and the current line is highlighted 368. In FIG. 13, 
for example, line 400, the second line of the display, is the current line 
and is therefore highlighted. A user input 370 of one of the cursor 
movement keys 40c, 40d allows the user to adjust the current line 372, and 
the database screen is again displayed with the adjusted current line 
highlighted 368. Activation of the exit key or side key 40a, 40g takes the 
user out of the trigger set routine, returning to display the current 
database screen without a highlighted current line 352. 
After choosing the appropriate line for triggering, the user activates 370 
the function key 40b which initially selects the first numeric field on 
the line as the active field 374. The current line only is displayed with 
the active field highlighted 376. Activation of the cursor keys 40d, 40e 
as a user input 378 allows the user to adjust, or select, the active field 
desired 380. As the active field is adjusted 380, the current line is 
displayed with the selected active field highlighted 376. Activation, at 
this time, of the exit key 40a or the side key 40g as a user input 378, 
takes the user out of the trigger set operation and returns to display the 
current screen 352. 
In accordance with the present invention, after the user selects the 
desired field 380 and that field is highlighted on the display 376, the 
user activates 378 the function key 40b which displays the current line 
while adding surrounding window values 382 and sets the active character 
initially to the first character of the upper window value 384. Referring 
to FIG. 14, the display 42 presents the current line of information "DJIA 
3306.18" 410. The current line is surrounded with an upper window value 
412 and a lower window value 414. The first character 416 of the upper 
window value 412 is the initial active character and is highlighted 386 
(FIG. 12). 
If a user input is received 388 involving activation of one of the cursor 
movement keys 40b, 40d, 40e, or 40f, an adjustment of the active character 
position or value is performed 390. If the cursor key activation involves 
activation of the left or right 40e, 40f keys, the active character 
position is adjusted 392 in the appropriate direction. If the up or down 
cursor keys 30c, 40d are activated 390, the value of the active character 
is adjusted 394 up or down in the appropriate direction. After adjustment 
of the active character position 392 or the active character value 394, 
processing returns to display the current line with the surrounding window 
values 384 highlighting the active character 386 as adjusted. When the 
user has completed adjustment of all the active character values 394, as 
shown in FIG. 15, activation of the function key 40b as a user input 388 
sets an active data check for the current database screen 396. Processing 
returns to display the database screen 352 with a "check mark" icon 425 
(FIG. 16) alternately displayed in the upper right corner of the display 
42 with the original character located thereat. 
Activation of the data check trigger values allows a user to bracket normal 
activity or predictable activity of a varying value such as a stock market 
quotation or a baseball score. When an update is received for an active 
data check screen which causes the active numeric field value to become 
greater than the upper window value or less than the lower window value, 
the user is alerted and the screen is automatically inserted into the 
quick view operation. Thus, when movement of a stock reaches a range of 
interest to the user, the user will be notified by alert generation and 
will be able to view the stock quotation in the quick view mode without 
tedious manipulation of user controls to select the appropriate screen. An 
alternate embodiment of the present invention could allow triggering of 
data fields comprising non-numeric data, such as alphanumeric data. If an 
update is not equivalent to the triggers stored, then the user will be 
alerted. 
The automatic quick view entry operation of the controller 52 (FIG. 1) in 
accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown 
in FIGS. 17 and 18. After processing starts 450, the controller 52 awaits 
reception of a database update message 452. When the database block is 
received 452, the block is examined to see if the block identification is 
appropriate 454. The user may subscribe to various databases and, when the 
database blocks arrive, they are associated with an address identifying 
the database in a manner known to those skilled in the art. If the address 
is not an active address for the selective call receiver 454 (i.e., a 
block identification is not correct) the database block is rejected 456 
and processing returns to await reception of a next database block 452. 
If the database block identification is acceptable 454, the controller 52 
examines the database portion 48 of the RAM 44 (FIG. 1) to determine 456 
whether a database corresponding to the database block received exists in 
the memory 46. If the database block does not exist 456 in RAM 44, a 
database block is created 458 in accordance with the received database 
block. If the database block does exist in memory 456, the location of the 
currently stored database block in the RAM 44 is found 460 and the new 
data received is placed into the RAM 44 at the location specified 462 by 
the database block information received. 
In accordance with the present invention, the screen in which the new data 
is entered 462 is examined to determine if the screen has been flagged 464 
by the user. If the screen is flagged 464 when an update is received, the 
quick view screens are examined 466 to determine if an entry for the 
flagged screen already exists in quick view. If the flagged screen is 
already inserted into quick view 466, the old entry of the quick view 
screen is updated 468, the icon on the quick view standby screen 206 (FIG. 
6) is set for "unread" operation 470, and an alert is generated 472. The 
alert notifies the user that an update has occurred to a quick view screen 
and can be a different alert than the conventional alert reception of 
personal messages. After the alert is generated 472, processing by the 
controller 52 (FIG. 1) of received information returns to await reception 
of a next database block 452. 
If a screen has been flagged 464, but a quick view entry does not exist for 
the screen 466, the number of screens in quick view are examined 474 to 
determine if space is available for addition of a new quick view screen. 
If no space is available 474, the flagged screen is rejected entry into 
quick view 476 but the user is nevertheless alerted 472 to notify that an 
update of a flagged screen has occurred. 
If space is available in quick view for addition of another screen 474, the 
flag icon 206d (FIG. 6) is displayed on the quick view status screen to 
indicate that an auto entry insertion of a screen has occurred 478 in 
accordance with the present invention. The updated screen is added as a 
new entry to quick view 480 and the user alert is generated 472. 
Processing then returns to await reception of the next database block 452. 
The updated screen is added as a new entry to quick view 480 and the user 
alert is generated 472. Processing then returns to await reception of the 
next database block 452. 
In accordance with a further feature of the present invention, if the 
screen being updated is not flagged 464 but a data check trigger is 
activated for the screen 482, the updated value of the selected data field 
is compared to the stored data check limits 484 to determine 486 whether 
the updated values are within or outside the range set by the data check 
limit. If the updated value is within the range of the stored limit 486, 
the increase or decrease in the value is of no interest to the user so the 
alert is not generated and the screen is not stored into quick view. 
Instead, processing returns to await reception of the next database block 
received 452. 
If, on the other hand, the updated values are outside the data check ranges 
486, processing proceeds to insert the screen into quick view in the same 
manner as a flagged screen update is inserted therein. If the triggered 
screen is already in quick view 466, the old entry is updated 468, the 
icon for "unread" operation is set 470, and an alert is generated 472 
before processing returns to step 452 to await reception of the next 
database block. If the triggered screen is not in quick view 466 and space 
is available 474, the flagged icon is used to indicate auto entry of a 
screen into quick view 478 and a new quick view entry is created 480 for 
the updated screen. The user alert is generated 472 and processing returns 
to await the next database block received. Finally, if the data check 
limits are exceeded by the updated values 486, and no quick view screen 
exists for the updated triggered screen 466, and if there is no space 
available 474 in quick view for an additional screen, entry of the 
triggered screen into quick view is rejected 476. The user, however, is 
notified by generation of an alert 472 before processing returns to await 
the next database block received 452. 
By now it should be appreciated there has been provided a method and 
apparatus for notifying the user of selected updates of information and 
allowing the user a quick access to the screen or screens of updated 
information. In one contemplated mode of operation, the user can select 
various triggers and flags, place the selective call receiver into a 
charger on his desk, and place the selective call receiver into quick view 
operation mode. When any information of interest to the user is received, 
the user is alerted and can view the information automatically as it is 
displayed in the quick view screens. Stock quotations are particularly 
suited to the trigger feature of the present invention. Additionally, news 
stories of interest to a user are particularly suited for flagging in 
accordance with the present invention. Thus, when a stock quotation value 
falls outside the preselected limits set by the user or when a news story 
is updated with more information, the user will be notified and can 
quickly and easily view the updated information.