Patent Publication Number: US-2006012463-A1

Title: Local 2-way paging systems and associated methods

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/588,177, filed 15 Jul. 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference to the same extent as though fully replicated herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND  
      Paging systems are used in a variety of applications such as TV and radio transmission, cellular/PCS communications, and pager services. In association with wide area networks, existing pager repeaters typically only provide one-way communication. By way of example, a base station antenna typically transmits a signal to a pager, sometimes utilizing tower-mounted repeaters. The signal may contain a return phone number for reaching the person who is calling the pager.  
      Paging systems that cover broad geographic areas typically employ sophisticated networks of repeaters mounted on transmission towers. Tower-mounted repeater systems are often used to extend the range of a base station and to fill nulls in the coverage area of the base station. These paging systems generally include: a link antenna that is directed/aimed at a base station antenna; repeater electronics; and a broadcast antenna that is directed towards the area of interest. Often, the link antenna is highly directional, with high gain and a very narrow beam because it only needs to “see” the base station antenna. The broadcast antenna has a wider beam, to cover the intended area. Thus, traditional pager repeaters only provide for one-way communication with the pager and do not transmit signals to the base station antenna.  
      One recent advance provides pagers that allow two way communications; i.e., the pager also transmits signals. Thus, additional full base station antennas are required to provide two-way pager coverage over large areas. This is because full base stations are required to send and receive pager signals over large areas, as compared to the capability of highly directional link antennas. However, full base station antennas are costly to construct and expensive to maintain.  
      Typical paging systems require a user to enter full information of a text message, resulting in user interfaces wherein a user may be faced with options such as using more than one key to enter a letter (e.g., keys of a telephone keypad) or must use a keyboard that has a key for each letter (e.g., a “qwerty” keyboard), which may form an inconveniently large keyboard or inconveniently small keys.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      A pager that is capable of two-way communications (a “2-way pager”) overcomes the problems outlined above and advances the art by operating on a local network of 2-way pagers. In one embodiment, the 2-way pager operates within a local network of 2-way pagers for office or commercial use. Each 2-way pager is configured to use the local network by setting the network ID on configuration switches (e.g., DIP switches) within the pager. Pagers thus only communicate with other pagers having the same network ID.  
      In one embodiment, a 2-way pager includes a transceiver for transmitting a sent page and for receiving a received page, and a user interface for displaying information of the received page and for inputting information of the sent page. The pager also includes memory configured to store a list of pagee IDs and a list of page codes; and a processor. The processor responds to the user interface and the memory, and associates a selected pagee ID with a selected page code to compose the sent page.  
      In one embodiment, a method of two-way paging includes accepting a key sequence to compose information of a page on a first pager, and sending the page from the first pager to a second pager. The page includes information of a network ID, a pager ID, a pagee ID and a page code. The method includes the second pager receiving the page, validating that the second pager is configured for the network ID of the page, and sending a confirmation from the second pager to the first pager to confirm that the page was received.  
      In one embodiment, a software product includes instructions that when executed by a computer, perform steps for two-way paging. The steps include accepting a key sequence to compose information of a page on a first pager, and sending the page from the first pager to a second pager. The page includes information of a network ID, a pager ID, a pagee ID and a page code. The method includes the second pager receiving the page, validating that the second pager is configured for the network ID of the page, and sending a confirmation from the second pager to the first pager to confirm that the page was received. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  shows a block schematic diagram of one 2-way pager.  
       FIG. 2A  shows a front view of one 2-way pager.  
       FIG. 2B  shows a back view of one 2-way pager.  
       FIG. 3  illustrates a local network, showing how 2-way pagers may communicate with each other.  
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart of one exemplary process of 2-way paging.  
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart of a learn mode of a 2-way pager.  
       FIG. 6  is a flowchart of a repeater mode of a 2-way pager.  
       FIG. 7  is a flowchart of a send page mode of a 2-way pager.  
       FIG. 8  is a flowchart of a receive page mode of a 2-way pager. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  shows a block schematic diagram of one 2-way pager  10 ( 1 ). Pager  10 ( 1 ) has a user interface  12  that responds to user input for managing, displaying and/or sending information. For example, user interface  12  has buttons  22  that a user may press to set up and/or send a page to another pager, or that the user may press to display and/or acknowledge a received page. User interface  12  also includes a display  20  that can display numeric, alphanumeric and/or graphical symbols to the user (see  FIG. 3 ). An optional indicator  24  (e.g., page received confirmation indicator  24 ,  FIG. 2 ) may, for example, indicate when a page sent from pager  10 ( 1 ) is acknowledged. In an alternate embodiment, indicator  24  may be incorporated into display  12 .  
      A processor  14  executes software  29  that may be stored in a memory  26  to control implementation of the functions described herein by pager  10 ( 1 ); it is appreciated that processor  14  and memory  26  may be discrete components or may reside within a single component. Memory  26  may be, for example, nonvolatile memory. Pager  10 ( 1 ) optionally includes a clock  25  (e.g., a real time clock chip) in communication with processor  14 ; clock  25  provides time and/or date information that may be displayed on display  20  and/or included in information of pages (e.g., sent and/or received pages) by processor  14 . It is appreciated that memory  26  and/or clock  25  may be separate components from processor  14 , or they may be integrated (e.g., in a single microchip). In addition to holding software  29 , memory  26  may also hold an identification code (“ID”)  27  that is assigned to pager  10 ( 1 ), and stored data  31  that may include, for example, lists of pages received, IDs of pagees within a network of pager  10 ( 1 ), and codes representing page code used within the network, as described in more detail below.  
      A transceiver  16  transmits data from pager  10 ( 1 ) and receives data to pager  10 ( 1 ), via an antenna  18 . Display  20 , controlled by processor  14 , displays data (see, e.g.,  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4 ) to the user. For example, display  20  may indicate (1) information of one or more received pages (see  FIG. 8 ); (2) information of a page being composed for sending (see  FIG. 7 ); (3) an indication that pager  10 ( 1 ) is operating in repeater mode (see  FIG. 6 ); (4) information of an ID being composed while pager  10 ( 1 ) is in learn mode (see  FIG. 5 ); (5) an indication that a page is pending (e.g., as in “page indicator” of  FIG. 2 ); and/or (6) current time and/or date information. Display  20  may operate in a static mode, such that information displayed on display  20  does not change unless forced by an event (such as receipt of a page or a user operating buttons of pager  10 ( 1 )), or it may operate in a dynamic mode, with display  20  or parts thereof flashing to indicate significance of some piece of information (such as a received page or a low battery condition), or it may sequence through multiple screens of information (such as alternating between page information and date/time information.) Display  20  may be, for example, an LCD or LED display.  
      Pager  10 ( 1 ) optionally includes DIP switches  15  that communicate with processor  14 . DIP switches  15  may be used, for example, to provide network information to processor  14  so that processor  14  can encode the network information into transmitted pages, and only other 2-way pages with the same network information will receive the pages, so that multiple networks of pagers can operate in one area without interfering with each other.  
      A power source  32  may power pager  10 ( 1 ); power source  32  may include, for example, one or more AAA batteries. Pager  10 ( 1 ) optionally includes an input power socket  34  and/or battery contacts  36  for recharging power source  32  and/or for operating pager  10 ( 1 ) from an external power source. Pager  10 ( 1 ) optionally includes an audio output device  28  and/or a vibrator  30  that can generate one or more signals to alert the user to an incoming page. Pager  10 ( 1 ) optionally includes a computer interface port  37  for rapid setup of ID  27  and stored data  31  in memory  26 . Pager  10 ( 1 ) optionally includes a positioning element  38  that may be, for example, a belt clip, a key ring or a stand.  
      In one embodiment, a 2-way pager  10  (as exemplified by pager  10 ( 1 ),  FIG. 1  and pager  10 ( 2 ),  FIG. 2 ) operates in a localized area where certain individual pagers  10  act as repeaters to cover a desired range that is larger than the localized area. The use of pagers  10  as repeaters may for example provide cost savings, particularly if their range is only about 200 feet. The use of one or more 2-way pagers as repeaters thus creates a network that does not require sophisticated towers and antennas to span large distances.  
      In one embodiment, a 2-way pager  10  conveys the ID of the person(s) sending the page, the ID of the pager  10  belonging to the person(s) being paged (hereinafter known as the pagee) and an additional short code, rather than sending numeric, text or voice messages (although numeric, text and voice messages may also be conveyed by pager  10 ). In one example, a page is created by selecting the ID of the pagee&#39;s pager  10  (“pagee ID”) and a code (“page code”) that may follow a convention adopted by the pager and the pagee; the sent page also includes the ID of the pager  10  that sends the page (“pager ID”). For example, pager IDs and pagee IDs may be a user&#39;s initials or other cipher representing a user of pager  10 , and page code may be a location where the pagee is expected to go, an activity the pagee is expected to perform or a situation the pagee is to be alerted to. The use of page codes thus supplants other, more complicated methods of communicating such as keying in a phone number or a text message, although in some embodiments phone numbers and text messages may also be sent by a 2-way pager  10 . Furthermore, the pagee may be selected from a list of pagee IDs stored in memory  26 ; the ability to select both pagee ID and page code from a limited number of available codes provides fast and efficient paging. In one embodiment, a 2-way pager  10  may initially store a list of all possible codes in an initial order. When a page containing a given code is sent, the list is rearranged by taking the code that was in the sent page out of the initial order and placing it at the front of the list. Over time, as certain codes are paged more often than others, the list is reordered to a list that tends to have the most frequently paged codes at the front of the list, and the least frequently paged codes at the end of the list. When a page is composed for sending on a 2-way pager  10 , a portion of display  20  shows the pagee ID and page code to be sent; when the page is received by another 2-way pager  10 , the corresponding portion of display  20  shows the pager ID and the page code. As described in more detail below, a 2-way pager  10  may include one or more of the following features: 
          Each 2-way pager  10  has an ID to identify a user and/or a group of users. The ID of a 2-way pager  10  sending a page is called the pager ID, while the ID of a 2-way pager  10  that receives the page is called the pagee ID.     Each page may contain information such as a network ID, a pager ID, a pagee ID, and/or a page code signifying information to be communicated to the pagee. Each page may optionally include time and/or date information.     A 2-way pager  10  that receives a page may display a pager ID (an ID of a 2-way pager  10  that sent the page) and a page code entered by the user that sends the page.     A 2-way pager  10  that sends a page may display confirmation that the page was received.     A 2-way pager  10  that sends a page may display confirmation that the 2-way pager receiving the page has displayed the sent page.     A number of 2-way pagers  10  within one local network is limited only by number of characters used for the ID  27  stored in memory  26  of each 2-way pager  10 .     A number of characters used to store and display IDs and page codes may be from 2 to 10 characters.     2-way pager  10  may generate an audio tone (e.g., a beep), a vibration and/or visual indications of events such as, for example, receipt of a page, confirmation of a sent page being received and/or displayed.     2-way pager  10  may automatically send a page received confirmation message to the sending 2-way pager  10  to indicate that the page was successfully received. The confirmation message includes the same information as the page, and additional information indicating that the message is a confirmation message (so that confirmation messages are not erroneously interpreted as new pages).     Sending 2-way pager  10  may retransmit a page if a page receive confirmation is not received within a designated time.     2-way pager  10  may sends a displayed acknowledgement message to the sending 2-way pager when a page is displayed on display  20  for the first time.     A user may display a page by pressing a designated button on 2-way pager  10 .     2-way pager  10  may store a list of received pages and may store status of each page as acknowledged or unacknowledged.     2-way pager  10  may flash information such as the pager&#39;s ID and/or code on the display when scrolling through received pages. Flashing may stop when a given page is viewed, or when all received pages have been acknowledged.     2-way pager  10  has a small size.     2-way pager  10  may have a clip that stands the pager on a flat surface and/or loops around a belt.     2-way pager  10  may have a range of 100-200 feet (without extended transmission via a repeater).     DIP switch settings may allow assignment of a network code to 2-way pager  10 , allowing different local networks to be co-located; DIP switch settings may also allow a 2-way pager  10  to differentiate learning its own ID from learning a pagee ID in a learn mode.     2-way pager  10  may indicate the presence of one or more unacknowledged pages.     2-way pager  10  may be configured to operate as a repeater.     2-way pager  10  may have rechargeable battery contacts to allow rechargeable batteries to be installed and charged.     2-way pager  10  may have a socket to allow it to be powered and/or to allow charging of batteries from an external power supply.     2-way pager  10  may have a port for connection with external devices for rapid setup (e.g., pager ID setup and importation of pagee ID and page code lists).        

      To send a page, a user may select (a) a pagee ID from a list of pagee IDs to be paged and/or (b) a page code from a list of page codes that is stored within memory  26  of a 2-way pager  10 . The use of stored lists of pagee IDs and page codes may make it unnecessary for a user to use a complicated user interface to key in phone numbers or other text information. The user may press, for example, a page button  22 ( 3 ) (see  FIG. 2A ) to send the page. The sent page may specify the ID of the sending pager, the selected pagee ID, and the selected page code, and may also specify a network ID of the sending pager (as configured by DIP switches  15 ,  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 ) and date/time information of the sending pager. The page code may indicate an office where the pagee is to meet the user, for example, or it may indicate an action to be performed by the pagee.  
      When a 2-way pager  10  receives a page, it first determines whether the page is already the last entry in a list of received pages that is stored (e.g., in memory  26 ). If the received page is already the last entry in the list of received pages it is ignored, otherwise it is added to the list of received pages, and the user is alerted (e.g., by output of audio device  28  or vibrator  30 ).  
      In an illustrative example of operation, a doctor&#39;s office may have ten employees, each with a 2-way pager  10  that allows paging from any employee to any other employee within a local 2-way network. Each 2-way pager  10  processes and stores received pages (e.g., as stored data  31  within memory  26  of each pager  10 ) for future addressing use, thereby eliminating the need to key in pagee IDs or page codes. A doctor may select the pagee ID of an employee he wants to meet at his office. The doctor need only press a few buttons  22  on pager  10  to select a pagee ID of the employee and a page code that corresponds to “go to the office,” and then to press the page button  22 ( 3 ) (see  FIG. 2A ), to summon the employee to the office. The 2-way pager  10  of the employee receives the ID of the doctor that sent the page, and the page code that corresponds to “go to the office.” In this example, operation of each 2-way pager  10  is very simple since there is no need to enter an area code, a phone number or a text message.  
       FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B  show front and back views, respectively, of a 2-way pager  10 ( 2 ). Pager  10 ( 2 ) may include some or all of the features of pager  10 ( 1 ) ( FIG. 1 ), with like numerals being used where applicable; specific examples of generic features are identified by numerals in parenthesis (e.g., buttons  22 ( 1 )- 22 ( 3 ) are specific examples of buttons  22 ).  
      In  FIG. 2A , display  20  of pager  10 ( 2 ) includes LCD numerals  40 ( 1 )- 40 ( 4 ) and LCD icons  42 ( 1 )- 42 ( 4 ). LCD numerals  40 ( 1 ) and  40 ( 2 ) may display an ID, and LCD numerals  40 ( 3 ) and  40 ( 4 ) may display a page code, as discussed above. When pager  10 ( 2 ) receives a page, LCD icon  42 ( 1 ) may indicate that the page has been received but not yet acknowledged. LCD icon  42 ( 2 ) may indicate whether pager  10 ( 2 ) is functioning as a repeater (see  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 6 ). LCD icon  42 ( 3 ) may indicate a condition of power supply  32  ( FIG. 1 ); a visually “filled” portion  44  may indicate, for example, a relative amount of charge in batteries  32 ( 1 ) and  32 ( 2 ) (described below). LCD icon  42 ( 4 ) may indicate when pager  10 ( 2 ) is in a “Learn” mode (see  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 ). All of LCD numerals  40 ( 1 )- 40 ( 4 ) and LCD icons  42 ( 1 )- 42 ( 4 ) may be controlled by a processor (e.g., processor  14 ,  FIG. 1 ). Display  20  may be large enough, for example, that LCD numerals  40 ( 1 )- 40 ( 4 ) and LCD icons  42 ( 1 )- 42 ( 4 ) may be read at a distance, enabling a user to see contents of a page when pager  10 ( 2 ) is at belt level without having to move pager  10 ( 2 ). In an alternative embodiment, a display  20  may have more digits and/or icons than shown in display  20 ( 1 ), for example, a display  20  may have certain digits that typically display ID and page code information, and other digits that display time and/or date information  
      Printed (or raised or embossed) indicia such as, for example, indicia  46 ( 1 )- 46 ( 5 ) may be present to help a user understand the meaning and function of features of pager  10 ( 2 ); such indicia may also be customized for a given application. For example, indicia  46 ( 2 ) that reads as “CODE” in  FIG. 2A  may read as “ROOM” for a pager  10  used in a doctor&#39;s office, as “TABLE” for a pager  10  used by a server or manager in a restaurant, or as “DISH” for a pager  10  used by a short order cook in a restaurant. Button  22 ( 1 ) is an “ID advance” button; button  22 ( 2 ) is a “Code advance” button; button  22 ( 3 ) is a “Page” button; exemplary functions of these buttons are explained below in connection with  FIG. 4  through  FIG. 8 . Input power socket  34 , battery contacts  36  and computer interface port  37  are also shown.  
      In  FIG. 2B , positioning element  38 ( 1 ) is for example a belt clip, however other positioning elements such as a stand may be utilized. Two batteries  32 ( 1 ) and  32 ( 2 ) are shown in dashed outline as they are hidden, in this view, behind a battery cover  48 . Also hidden behind battery cover  48 , and partially beneath batteries  32 ( 1 )- 32 ( 2 ), are four DIP switches  15  that may be used to define a network that pager  10 ( 2 ) belongs to, as discussed in connection with  FIG. 1 , and/or ( 2 ) to change the ID of a pager, as discussed below in connection with  FIG. 5 . Pager  10 ( 2 ) forms holes  33  over audio device  28  that is otherwise hidden within pager  10 ( 2 ). Vibrator  30  is also shown as hidden within pager  10 ( 2 ). Input power socket  34 , battery contacts  36  and computer interface port  37  are also shown.  
      Variations in number, position and type of elements shown in  FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B  are within the scope of the current disclosure. For example, although  FIG. 2A  shows two LCD numerals corresponding with ID digits and two LCD numerals corresponding with code digits, different numbers and types of numerals may be used, the ID and code digits may be different in numbers or be in separate displays, and separate displays may be of differing types. Different numbers of buttons may be used and may correspond with different functions than the exemplary functions described in connection with  FIG. 4  through  FIG. 8 .  
      When pager transmission range is unimpeded by intervening objects, each 2-way pager  10  may have a range of about 200 feet. A 2-way pager  10  may also be configured to operate as a repeater, meaning that a pager so configured re-transmits any page that it receives, instead of acknowledging and displaying the page (see  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 6 ). A pager  10  configured as a repeater extends the range of the local network; when one or more 2-way pagers  10  at appropriate locations are repeaters, the range of the local network may be extended to allow 2-way pagers  10  to communicate beyond their individual communication range (i.e., beyond 200 feet, see  FIG. 3 ). Repeaters may also be used to overcome pager communication coverage problems (caused for example by shapes of and/or materials used in certain buildings). A pager  10  configured as a repeater treats a confirmation message like any other incoming page; that is, it repeats the confirmation message so as to relay it back to the sending 2-way pager  10 .  
       FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a local network, showing how 2-way pagers  10 ( 3 )- 10 ( 11 ) may communicate with each other. Each of pagers  10 ( 3 )- 10 ( 11 ) has a range indicated by arrows  50  (not all arrows  50  are labeled, for clarity of illustration). It can be seen, for example, that pager  10 ( 3 ) can communicate directly with pagers  10 ( 4 ),  10 ( 6 ) and  10 ( 7 ), and that pager  10 ( 10 ) can communicate directly with pagers  10 ( 6 ),  10 ( 7 ),  10 ( 8 ),  10 ( 9 ) and  10 ( 11 ).  
      It can also be seen in the embodiment of  FIG. 3  that pager  10 ( 7 ) can communicate directly with any other pager  10 ( 3 )- 10 ( 11 ). Therefore, if 2-way pager  10 ( 7 ) acts as a repeater, any of pagers  10 ( 3 )- 10 ( 11 ) can communicate with each other through 2-way pager  10 ( 7 ). For example, 2-way pager  10 ( 7 ), acting as a repeater, allows pager  10 ( 3 ) to communicate with any of pagers  10 ( 5 ),  10 ( 8 ),  10 ( 9 ),  10 ( 10 ) and  10 ( 11 ). When pager  10 ( 3 ) communicates with pager  10 ( 8 ), for example, the steps involved are: (1) Pager  10 ( 3 ) sends a page; (2) pager  10 ( 7 ) detects the page and repeats the page; (3) pager  10 ( 8 ) detects the page, alerts a user of pager  10 ( 8 ) and sends a first confirmation that the page was detected; (4) pager  10 ( 7 ) detects the first confirmation and repeats it, (5) pager  10 ( 3 ) detects and displays the first confirmation; (6) the user of pager  10 ( 8 ) presses, for example, the “ID advance” button  22 ( 1 ) to confirm displaying the page, and pager  10 ( 8 ) sends a second confirmation acknowledging that the user has displayed the page; (7) pager  10 ( 7 ) detects the second confirmation and repeats it; and (8) pager  10 ( 3 ) detects and displays the second confirmation.  
      2-way pagers may transmit and receive pages using one or more frequencies within the frequency range 150 MHz to 900 MHz, although other frequencies may be used in certain cases.  
      A transmission collision occurs when two users of 2-way pagers  10  press the page button at about the same time, so that the resulting transmissions overlap; the pages transmitted may not be received correctly, in which case a receiving 2-way pager  10  will not respond to the page. The 2-way pagers  10  that originally sent the pages thus do not receive a ‘receive confirm’ message for the page, and in one embodiment, may wait for a random delay period and re-transmit the page. Also, if the 2-way pager does not indicate a read acknowledge for the page, the user may also re-send the page.  
      In one embodiment, a 2-way pager may indicate that a page is received by destination 2-way pager by displaying an icon on the display. This does not indicate that the user of the destination 2-way pager has read the page, but that it was received by the intended 2-way pager and is stored in its list of pages.  
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart of one exemplary process  100  of 2-way paging; process  100  is for example implemented by a 2-way pager  10 . Process  100  (and other modes illustrated in  FIG. 5  through  FIG. 8 ) may be executed, for example, by processor  14  of 2-way pager  10 . Process  100  (and other modes illustrated in  FIG. 5  through  FIG. 8 ) includes decision points that may accept a “key sequence” from a user of 2-way pager  10 ( 1 ); it is appreciated that while exemplary sequences of buttons (e.g., buttons  22 ,  FIG. 1  or buttons  22 ( 1 )- 22 ( 3 ),  FIG. 2A ) are listed in some cases, such key sequences are exemplary only, that is, a 2-way pager  10  may accept sequences of buttons  22  as input even if they are different from those listed. Certain steps in process  100  (and other modes illustrated in  FIG. 5  through  FIG. 8 ) are enclosed within dashed rectangles to indicate that the steps so enclosed are optional to functionality of a 2-way pager  10 .  
      Process  100  begins at a Start step  110 . Step  120  accepts a key sequence to enter a learn mode  200 : if the appropriate key sequence is entered by the user, process  100  enters learn mode  200  (see  FIG. 5 ); otherwise process  100  enters step  130 . Step  130  accepts a key sequence to enter a repeater mode  300 : if the appropriate key sequence is entered by the user, process  100  enters repeater mode  300  (see  FIG. 6 ); otherwise process  100  enters step  140 .  
      Step  140  accepts a key sequence to toggle an alert mode of 2-way pager  10  between an audible mode and a vibrate mode. A given alert mode (audible mode or vibrate mode) of 2-way pager  10  may be stored in memory  26  so that the pager can come back up in the same mode even if powered down, or the alert mode may be determined by an active logic state while powered on, reverting to a default alert mode when the pager powers down. In step  140 , if the appropriate key sequence is entered by the user, step  150  changes the current alert mode from audible to vibrate or from vibrate to audible (and may optionally store the current alert mode in memory  26 ), otherwise process  100  enters step  160 .  
      Step  160  checks whether a confirmation has been received. If so, a confirmation LED (e.g., LED  24 ) is turned off; otherwise process  100  enters step  180 . Step  180  checks whether a page has been received: if so, process  100  enters step  190 , otherwise process  100  enters a send page mode  400  (see  FIG. 7 ). Step  190  checks to see whether a received page is valid; for example, whether the format of the received page is valid (e.g., not corrupted by a transmission collision) and that the received page has a network ID that is the same as the 2-way pager  10  receiving the page (e.g., it is a page for the correct network, not a different network). If the received page is valid, process  100  enters a receive page mode  500 , otherwise process  100  returns to step  110 .  
      Dashed lines connecting learn mode  200 , repeater mode  300 , send page mode  400  and receive page mode  500  with Start step  110  indicate that each of these modes returns to Start step  110 ; the logic flows that effect these returns are illustrated in  FIG. 5  through  FIG. 8 .  
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart of learn mode  200  of 2-way pager  10 . Step  210  of learn mode  200  turns on a “Learn” icon (e.g., LCD icon  42 ( 4 ),  FIG. 2A ) and resets ID digits to beginning characters of an ID digit sequence. For example, an ID digit sequence may include values of blank, 0 through 9 and/or A through Z in any order; step  210  resets each of the ID digits to whatever value is considered the first in the digit sequence. Step  220  scrolls the value of the first ID digit through the digit sequence in response to an appropriate key sequence (e.g., use of ID advance button  22 ( 1 ),  FIG. 2A ). Step  230  accepts a key sequence that changes the digit being scrolled to the second (or subsequent) digit; in the absence of such a key sequence, learn mode  200  reverts to step  220 . Step  240  scrolls the value of the second (or subsequent) ID digit through the digit sequence in response to an appropriate key sequence (e.g., use of ID advance button  22 ( 1 ),  FIG. 2A ). Step  250  accepts a key sequence that indicates a user wishes to complete learn mode; in the absence of such a key sequence, learn mode  200  reverts to step  240 . Step  260  checks the configuration of the 2-way pager  10 &#39;s DIP switches (e.g., DIP switches  15 ,  FIG. 2B ). If the DIP switches are set to a configuration that corresponds with a pager ID learn mode, learn mode  200  enters step  270  that stores the currently displayed ID as the pager ID. If the DIP switches are set to any other configuration (e.g., a network configuration as discussed in connection with  FIG. 2B ), learn mode  200  enters step  280  that stores the currently displayed ID as a pagee ID. After either of steps  270  or  280 , learn mode  200  enters step  290  that turns off the “Learn” icon and turns on a confirmation LED (e.g., LED  24 ,  FIG. 2A ). After step  290 , 2-way pager  10  exits learn mode and returns to step  110  of process  100  ( FIG. 4 ).  
       FIG. 6  is a flowchart of repeater mode  300  of 2-way pager  10 . Step  310  of repeater mode  300  turns on a repeater icon (e.g., LCD icon  42 ( 2 ),  FIG. 2A ). Step  320  accepts a key sequence to exit the repeater mode (e.g., pressing both ID advance button  22 ( 1 ) and Code advance button  22 ( 2 ) ( FIG. 2A ) simultaneously). If such a sequence is received, repeater mode  300  enters step  330  that turns off the repeater icon, then returns to step  110  of process  100  ( FIG. 4 ). If the key sequence to exit repeater mode is not received in step  320 , step  340  checks to see if a page has been received. If no page has been received, repeater mode  300  returns to step  320 . If a page is received, step  350  checks to see if the page is valid. If the page is not valid (e.g., it is corrupted by a transmission collision, or it is a page for a different network), repeater mode  300  returns to step  320 . If the page is valid, step  360  repeats the page. It will be appreciated when a 2-way pager  10  is in repeater mode  300 , confirmations are repeated in the same manner as an original page. An optional step  370  waits for a predetermined delay and repeats the page; step  370  may increase chances of a page (or a confirmation) being successfully relayed in case a transmission error disrupts the first repetition of the page, or in case an intended pagee (or pager intended as recipient of a confirmation) is temporarily out of range. After step  370  (or step  360 , if step  370  is omitted) repeater mode  300  returns to step  320 .  
       FIG. 7  is a flowchart of send page mode  400  of 2-way pager  10 . Send Page mode  400  allows a user of 2-way pager  10  to compose a page by selecting information displayed on display  20 , then sending the page. Step  410  of send page mode  400  accepts a key sequence (e.g., Page button  22 ( 3 ),  FIG. 2A ) to send a page that is currently displayed on display  20 . If the key sequence is received, send page mode  400  enters step  460 , otherwise send page mode  400  enters step  420 , which accepts a key sequence (e.g., ID advance button  22 ( 1 ),  FIG. 2A ) to advance a pagee ID displayed in display  20 . If the key sequence to advance a pagee ID is received in step  420 , send page mode  400  enters step  430 , which advances the ID digits of display  20  to display another stored pagee ID in the pagee ID list (as discussed in connection with  FIG. 1 ), then returns to step  410 . If the key sequence to advance a pagee ID is not received in step  420 , send page mode  400  enters step  440 , which accepts a key sequence (e.g., Code advance button  22 ( 2 ),  FIG. 2A ) to advance a page code displayed in display  20 . If the key sequence to advance a page code is received in step  440 , send page mode  400  enters step  450 , which displays another page code stored in the code list (as discussed in connection with  FIG. 1 ) in display  20 , then returns to step  410 .  
      Once a user is satisfied with a page displayed in display  20  and presses the appropriate key sequence to send a page, send page mode  400  enters step  460 , which transmits a page that includes a network ID (as set by DIP switches  15 ,  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2B ), the pager ID (e.g., the ID  27  ( FIG. 1 ) stored in the sending 2-way pager  10 ), the currently displayed (in display  20 ) pagee ID (e.g., the ID  27  ( FIG. 1 ) stored in the 2-way pager  10  intended to receive the page) and page code. The page may also, optionally, include date and/or time information of the sending 2-way pager  10 . An optional step  465  moves the page code of the transmitted page to the front of a stored page code list of 2-way pager  10  (as discussed in connection with  FIG. 1 ). Optional step  470  waits for a confirmation to be received, and when a confirmation is received optional step  480  turns on a confirmation LED of the sending 2-way pager  20 . After step  460  and/or optional steps  470  and  480 , send page mode  400  returns to step  110  of process  100  ( FIG. 4 ).  
       FIG. 8  is a flowchart of receive page mode  500  of 2-way pager  10 . Step  510  of receive page mode  500  adds a newly received page (which was confirmed as valid in step  190 , process  100 ) to the received page list of 2-way pager  10 . An optional step  520  sends a page received confirmation and issues an alert which may be audible (e.g., a beep, or an audible signal that can convey information about the page code by varying pitch, tone, type and/or sequence of sounds) or tactile (e.g., the pager may vibrate). An optional step  530  turns on an unacknowledged page icon (e.g., LCD icon  42 ( 1 ),  FIG. 1 ) and places part or all of display  20  in a blinking mode. Step  540  displays the most recent unacknowledged page in display  20 . Step  540  accepts a key sequence (e.g., ID advance button  22 ( 1 ),  FIG. 2A ) to advance the displayed page. If the key sequence to advance the displayed page is received, receive page mode  500  enters step  560 , otherwise it reverts to step  540 . Step  560  sends an acknowledgement of the current page, and an optional step  570  changes the current page status to “acknowledged” in the received page list. Step  580  reviews the received page list to determine whether “unacknowledged” pages remain in the received page list; if so, step  590  displays the next unacknowledged page in the list, and receive page mode  500  reverts to step  540 . If no “unacknowledged” pages remain in the received page list, an optional step  600  turns off the blinking mode of display  20 , an optional step  610  displays the most recent page, and receive page mode returns to step  110  of process  100  ( FIG. 4 ).  
      Since certain changes may be made in the above methods and systems without departing from the scope of the disclosure herein, one intention is that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. By way of example, those skilled in the art should appreciate that the 2-way pager described herein may be constructed, connected, arranged, and/or combined in ways that are equivalent to what is shown.  
     REFERENCES  
      The following patents are incorporated herein by reference:  
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