METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ACKNOWLEDGING AND PARTIALLY ANSWERING A PAGING SIGNAL

Abstract: A paging system with a remote pager (15) which includes a transmitter (18) with a plurality of individually selectable encoded acknowledge signals (29-32). The system includes apparatus (11) at the paging terminal (12) for composing messages with a primary message and a plurality of alternate responses, each response corresponding to one of the acknowledge signals. Upon reception of the page, the pager (15) is operated by selecting the acknowledge signal (29-32) corresponding with the desired response to the primary message. Transmission of the selected acknowledge signal (29-32) acknowledges reception of the page and, simultaneously, partially answers the primary message.

Description: METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ACKNOWLEDGING AND PARTIALLY ANSWERING A PAGING SIGNAL Background of the Invention The present invention pertains to paging systems and more specifically to paging systems in which the pager is capable of responding with an acknowledge signal and a partial answer when a page has been received. In many paging systems it is desirable to know when a page has been received by a designated pager. Due to the power and energy dissipation limits imposed by the small size of the batteries used in paging receivers, the power level and transmission time that can be used to send signals acknowledging receipt of the page are extremely limited. Because the power level and transmission time during which RF signals can be transmitted are very limited, the coding scheme must be very simple. In many instances the person having the page transmitted to the paging receiver desires additional information from the person being paged. In these instances it would be extremely advantageous if the additional information could be transmitted with the acknowledge signal. Summary of the Invention It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for acknowledging the receipt of paging signals in a; paging system. ; It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for simultaneously acknowledging receipt of the signal and responding with at least a partial answer. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method and apparatus which will optimize the information that can be conveyed by utilizing a limited set of acknowledge signals each assigned a variable set of meanings. These and other objects are realized in a paging system including a remote pager with a plurality of differently encoded acknowledge signals and means for individual transmission thereof, a central transmitter which transmits messages including primary information and a plurality of possible responses with each response being designated by a different one of the differently encoded acknowledge signals, and an acknowledge receiver for receiving a selected one of the differently encoded acknowledge signals transmitted by the remote pager. Brief Description of the Drawings Referring to the drawings: FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a paging system, including a remote pager having transmission capabilities, embodying the present invention; FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram of the remote pager illustrated in FIG. 1; and FIG. 3 is a view in top plan of the display and control of the pager of FIG. 1. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring specifically to FIG. 1, a paging system is illustrated which embodies the present invention. The paging system includes a telephone (10) which is utilized by a calling party to initiate a page- Telephone (10) is coupled to a computer terminal (11) by means of a standard telephone line. Computer terminal (11) is controlled by a paging system operator who composes messages on the computer terminal in response to messages from the calling party on telephone (10). Computer terminal (11) is coupled through a paging terminal (12) to a central transmitter (13) and an acknowledge receiver (14). It will of course be understood by those skilled in the art that transmitter (13) and receiver (14) may be in a single unit utilizing a single antenna or they may actually be positioned remotely from each other. For example, in any specific area it may be advantageous to interconnect a plurality of spaced apart receivers in a network around the area to reduce the amount of power required for a pager to reach any specific receiver. The system further includes at least one remotely located pager (15). Referring specifically to FIG. 2, the remote pager (15) is illustrated in simplified block form. The pager (15) includes an antenna (16) coupled through a transmit /receive switch (17) to either a transmitter (18) or a receiver (19). Antenna (16), switch (17), transmitter (18), and receiver (19) operate in the normal well known fashion and will not be elaborated upon further. The output of receiver (19) is coupled to an address signal decoder (20) and to a data decoder (21). The output of data decoder (21) is coupled to a data display and control logic circuit (22), which in turn controls an LCD display (23). A plurality of display control inputs (24) through (27) are coupled to the data display and control logic circuit (22) from external controls which will be described presently. Address signal decoder (20) provides enable signals to data decoder (21), data display and control logic circuit (22), and an acknowledge signal encoder (28). The output of acknowledge signal encoder (28) is coupled to a modulation input of transmitter (18). Acknowledge signal encoder (28) also has a plurality of inputs (29) through (32) from a plurality of message selector controls which will be described presently. Referring specifically to FIG. 3, a plan view of the display (23) and controls of pager (15) is illustrated. A plurality of switches A, B, C, and D are illustrated as the message selector controls for inputs (29) through (32), respectively, of acknowledge signal encoder (28). The switches A through D may be simple push button switches, toggle switches or any other type of switch which may be utilized for the purposes to be described presently. Four display function controls, READ, MEMORY, VOLUME, and DISPLAY, are included on the control panel on pager (15) and are connected to inputs (24) through (27), respectively, of data display and control logic circuit (22). Data display and control logic circuit (22) contains a memory and the circuitry required to store and format a message for proper display by LCD display (23). The READ function control provides a signal on input (24) which causes control logic circuit (22) to bring a message from the memory and supply it to LCD display (23). The function control labelled MEMORY provides a signal on input (25) to cause control logic circuit (22) which changes the volume, in a prescribed direction, of any acoustic signaling device that may be coupled to logic circuit (22) in addition to LCD display (23). Finally, the function control labelled DISPLAY supplies signals to logic circuit (22) on input (27) to cause logic circuit (22) to change the brightness of display (23). Each of the message selector switches A,B,C, and D, supply signals to acknowledge signal encoder (28) which cause encoder (28) to supply a different code to transmitter (18) for modulating the RF signal produced thereby. It will of course be understood by those skilled in the art that there are a great variety of codes which may be utilized by acknowledge signal encoder (28), including a simple digital code, frequency or amplitude modulation, or any of a variety of other well known schemes. It will also be understood that the message selector switches A, B, C, and D, can simply be push button switches which automatically cause an encoded transmission upon depression thereof or they could be a type of toggle switch which simply controls acknowledge encoder (28) and transmission occurs in response to a transmission switch (not shown) which is operated after the message selector controls are properly positioned. In this preferred embodiment the message selector switches A, B, C, and D, are simple push button switches which automatically cause a transmission upon the depression thereof, which transmission is encoded with a simple digital code. In the operation of the paging system, a calling party contacts the paging system operator at computer terminal (11) by means of telephone (10). He requests a page of a specific pager, for example pager (15), and further requests the paging system operator compose a message asking the owner of pager (15) what time he would like to meet Mr. Jones for dinner. In addition to the primary message (the question), the calling party provides the paging system operator with a number of alternate responses, or times, he will be available for dinner; 6pm, 7pm, or 8pm. The calling party further instructs the paging system operator that in the event none of these times are available to the pager user being contacted that he should call back the calling party. The paging system operator composes a message on computer terminal (11) w r hich includes the primary message and the alternate responses as shown on LCD display (23) of Fig. 3. The message is transmitted by way of paging terminal (12) and transmitter (13) to pager (15). The message, which also contains a pager address, is received by receiver (19) and supplied to address signal decoder (20) and data decoder (21). Address signal decoder (20) decodes the address portion of the message and, if the address is the same as pager (15), supplies an acknowledge enable signal to acknowledge signal encoder (28), an enable signal to data display and control logic (22) and an enable signal to data decoder (21). When data decoder receives the enable signal from address signal decoder (20) the message from receiver (19) is decoded and the data is supplied to logic circuit (22). Since logic circuit (22) has also received an enable signal, the decoded message activates an acoustic signal or other alert device in pager (15) and is supplied to the memory forming a portion of data display and control logic (22). When the pager user hears the acoustic signal and operates the READ control the message appears at LCD display (23) of pager (15) as illustrated in FIG. 3. Upon reading the message on the pager LCD display (23), the pager user determines a response to the question and selects a message selector switch A, B, C, or D which corresponds with the answer he desires to transmit. The pager user then depresses the message selector switch which automatically transmits an encoded message from transmitter (18) to acknowledge receiver (14). The received response is conducted through paging terminal (12) to computer terminal (11). Computer terminal (11) matches the received encoded signal with the corresponding alternate response, i.e. 6pm, 7pm, 8pm, or call back, and provides the alternate response to the paging system operator by means of a display or the like. The paging system operator then provides the calling party with the selected alternate response. It should be understood that the message from the pager might be interpreted by the computer terminal and an appropriate recorded voice response (or other response signal) relayed to the calling party without intervention by the paging system operator. Thus, the pager has provided an acknowledge signal as well as at least a partial response to the question of the calling party. While no specific message coding format has been described herein it will be understood by those skilled in the art that a variey of message formats may be utilized. A typical message format which might be utilized in the present paging system is described in the book entitled "A Standard Code for Radiopaging" published in July of 1979 wherein the international name for POCSAG is "CCIR Radiopaging Code No. 1" (Rec 584, Geneva, 1982, POCSAG-Code); U.S. Patent No. 4,518,961, entitled "Universal Paging Device With Power Conservation", issued May 21, 1985; and a copending PCT patent application entitled "System for Off-The- Air Reprogramming of Communication Receivers", bearing serial number PCT/US87/00004, filed January 2, 1987, and all incorporated herein by reference. The present invention optimizes the information that can be conveyed with a limited set of acknowledge signals by assigning a variable set of meanings to each acknowledge signal. This functional assignment is accomplished by transmitting the meaning of each of the return signals as part of the initial paging signal. Since the central transmitter is not handicapped by limited power and/or time, the transmission of the additional portion of the message is not a problem. While the pager illustrated utilizes an LCD display, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other types of indicators might be utilized, such as a simple voice speaker, although this would not be as desirable as the described display because of the possibility of errors and the like. Thus, a method and apparatus for acknowledging reception of a paging signal and simultaneously responding with at least a partial answer is disclosed. Since the central transmitter transmits the message and a plurality of possible or alternate responses the battery of the remote pager is used for only a minimum response signal. Also, the maximum amount of information can be conveyed by the minimum response signal. While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of this invention, further modifications and improvements will occur to those skilled in the art. I desire it to be understood, therefor, that this invention is not limited to the particular form shown and I intend in the appended claims to cover all modifications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of this invention.

Claims: What I claim is : 1. In a paging system including a central transmitter, an acknowledge receiver and at least one remote pager having transmission capability, a method of acknowledging reception of a paging signal transmitted from the central transmitter to the remote pager and simultaneously responding with at least a partial answer, comprising the steps of: providing the remote pager with a plurality of differently encoded acknowledge signals and means for individual transmission of the acknowledge signals; transmitting a message from the central transmitter, which message includes primary information and a plurality of possible responses with each possible response being designated by a different one of the differently encoded acknowledge signals; receiving the transmitted message with the remote pager; and acknowledging reception of the transmitted message by transmitting from the remote pager to the acknowledge receiver the designated one of the plurality of differently encoded acknowledge signals corresponding to a desired one of the plurality of possible responses. 2. A method of acknowledging a page and simultaneously responding with at least a partial answer, comprising the steps of: receiving a paging signal including a primary message and a plurality of alternate responses, each alternate response being designated by a predetermined code; selecting a desired one of the plurality of alternate responses; encoding a signal with the predetermined code designating the selected one of the plurality of alternate responses; and transmitting the encoded signal. 3. In a paging system including a central transmitter and an acknowledge receiver, at least one remote pager for acknowledging reception of a paging signal transmitted from the central transmitter comprising: a remote pager receiver having a predetermined address and an output; an address signal decoder coupled to the output of said remote pager receiver and providing an indicator enable signal and an acknowledge enable signal when signals coded with the predetermined address of said remote pager receiver are received; indicator means coupled to said remote pager receiver and said address signal decoder for indicating received paging signals from said remote pager receiver in response to reception of an indicator enable signal from said address signal decoder; an acknowledge signal encoder including apparatus for generating a plurality of differently encoded acknowledge signals and means for selecting a desired one of the plurality of differently encoded acknowledge signals, said encoder being coupled to receive the acknowledge enable signal from said address signal decoder and provide the selected one of the plurality of .differently encoded acknowledge signals in response to operation of the selecting means; and a remote pager transmitter coupled to said acknowledge signal encoder for receiving therefrom the selected one of the plurality of differently encoded acknowledge signals and for transmitting a signal encoded with the selected one of the plurality of differently encoded acknowledge signals. 4. In a paging system including a central transmitter and an acknowledge receiver, at least one remote pager for acknowledging reception of a paging signal transmitted from the central transmitter as claimed in claim 3 wherein the indicator means includes a visual display. 5. In a paging system including a central transmitter and an acknowledge receiver, at least one remote pager for acknowledging reception of a paging signal transmitted from the central transmitter as claimed in claim 3 wherein the means for selecting a desired one of the plurality of differently encoded acknowledge signals includes a plurality of switches. 6. In a paging system including a central transmitter and an acknowledge receiver, at least one remote pager for acknowledging reception of a paging signal transmitted from the central transmitter as claimed in claim 5 wherein the plurality of switches are connected to select a desired one of the plurality of differently encoded acknowledge signals and simultaneously operate the remote pager transmitter to transmit a signal encoded with the selected one of the plurality of differently encoded acknowledge signals.

Inventors: DAVIS WALTER LEE, DAVIS, WALTER, LEE
Applicants: MOTOROLA INC, MOTOROLA, INC.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: G06F7
IPC codes: G08B5, H04W84