Abstract:
A novel paging technology allows a group of subscribers to share and take advantage of bargain, promotion, and special pricing information that may otherwise be difficult to obtain or only useful for a very limited time. A service provider collects and stores such information. The information is then compared to a profile for each subscriber detailing what type of information that subscriber is interested in receiving. Information matching the interest profile of each subscriber this then transmitted to that subscriber&#39;s pager. Each subscriber&#39;s pager may include an input device, such as a virtual keyboard, so that each subscriber can submit information to the system to be shared with other subscribers.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of wireless pagers. More particularly, the present invention relates to an application of wireless pager technology as a means of collecting and disseminating pricing and bargain information. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Portable radio receivers and transceivers, such as wireless pagers, have become increasingly popular as a means of communication. Pagers are typically carried by users who wish or need to receive communications when they are away from a telephone or computer, or are unable to predict where they may be reached at a given time. 
     In general, the user of a pager purchases the unit and enters into a contract with a service provider. As shown in FIG. 1, when someone  12  wishes to page a particular user, they contact the user&#39;s service provider  11 , identify the user to be paged (perhaps with a personal identification number), and may give a message to the service provider  11  that is to be broadcast to the user&#39;s pager  15 . 
     The service provider  11  maintains a network of radio transceiver base stations  13 ,  14  which are spread throughout the service area covered by the service provider. The transmitting base stations  13  are distributed so that transmissions from at least one base station can be received by a pager  15  anywhere in the service area. 
     In a simplistic system, when the service provider  11  receives a request to page a user  15 , the page is broadcast by all the base stations  13  in the system. Thus, if the pager  15  is located anywhere in the service area, it will receive the page. The pager  15  will then alert the user that a page has been received with, for example, an audible or vibratory alert signal. 
     In a more sophisticated system, the pager  15  may have the capability to not only receive a transmission from the service provider&#39;s system, but also to transmit an answer back to the system. This is referred to as two-way paging. 
     With these advances, the usefulness of pagers as a means of communication has expanded rapidly. Service providers have encouraged this expansion by experimenting with pagers as a means to disseminate information of interest to pager users. For example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,695 to Nelson et al., incorporated herein by reference, a one-way pager system is used to relay sports or financial information to a pager user who has contracted with the service provider for that service. 
     However, there are many potential, undiscovered applications of pager technology which may provide pager users with, as yet unheard of, abilities to communicate. This is particularly true of the developing two-way pager systems. Accordingly, there is a need for improved methods and applications of pager technology to meet the information, recreation and communication demands of pager users. 
     In particular, there are some types of information which are accurate and have value for only short periods of time. For example, stores and other retailers may have promotional sales during which merchandise is offered at bargain prices. For a variety of reasons, news of the sale may not be published or widely disseminated. The merchant may not have or may not care to invest the funds necessary to advertise the sale. Alternatively, advertising that is purchased may not, for whatever reason, reach those who would be interested in the sale. 
     Similarly, entertainment establishments such as movie theaters, clubs, sporting events, etc. may offer impromptu or poorly advertised promotions that members of the public would be interested in if made aware. For example, the price of tickets to a particular event may be unexpectedly reduced at the last minute to sell out an otherwise poorly attended event. In some cases, information regarding the promotion may only be available to people on the scene. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a means to collect and disseminate such bargain pricing information. In particular, there is a need for a means to collect such information from the various and widespread points from which it is available and a means to quickly provided the information while it is still accurate and useful to those who are potentially interested. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to meet the above identified needs and others. More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel paging system and a method of using a the same to provide a means for collecting and disseminating bargain and pricing information while it is still of value to those who are interested in receiving it. 
     Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows or may be learned by those skilled in the art through reading these materials or practicing the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be achieved through the means recited in the attached claims. 
     To achieve the stated and other objects of the present invention, as embodied and described below, the invention may encompass a paging system including: a bargain information database; a processor for accessing the bargain information database; a transmitter for transmitting the information to a pager; and a profile database of subscriber profiles. Each of the profiles describe types of bargain information a particular subscriber wishes to receive. The processor selects information to be transmitted to the particular subscriber in accordance with the particular subscriber&#39;s profile. 
     The system of the present invention may further encompass a pager having: a display; an antenna; and a controller. The bargain information transmitted by the paging system is received by the antenna and displayed on the display. 
     The paging system of the present invention may further comprise a receiver for receiving transmissions from the pager. The pager may further comprise an input device for inputting data to the controller. The data may be transmitted with the antenna to the receiver of the paging system. 
     The input device may be a virtual keyboard, and may include a transmit icon displayed on the display such that data is transmitted by the pager to the receiver in response to the selection of the icon. According to the principles of the present invention, the processor of the paging system may add data transmitted from the pager to the bargain information database. 
     The present invention may also encompass a method of using a paging system including the steps of: compiling a database of bargain information; accessing the bargain information database with a processor; transmitting the information to a pager with a transmitter; and compiling a profile database of subscriber profiles. 
     Each of the profiles may describe types of bargain information a particular subscriber wishes to receive. The method of the present invention may also include the step of selecting information to be transmitted to the particular subscriber in accordance with the particular subscriber&#39;s interest profile. 
     The method of the present invention, may further include the steps of: providing a pager; displaying data on a display of the pager; and receiving transmitted information with an antenna of the pager. The step of receiving data may further comprise receiving bargain information transmitted by the paging system. The step of displaying data may further comprise displaying the bargain information. 
     The method of the present invention may further include the steps of: receiving transmissions from a pager with a receiver of the paging system; inputting data to a controller of the pager with an input device provided on the pager; and transmitting the data to the paging system. The step of inputting data may further comprise displaying a transmit icon. The step of transmitting data may further comprise selecting the transmit icon to transmit data entered with the input device. 
     The method of the present invention may further include the step of adding data transmitted from the pager to the bargain information database. Finally, the method may include the steps of determining the location of a pager with the paging system; and screening the information for information relevant to that location. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention and are a part of the specification. Together with the following description, the drawings demonstrate and explain the principles of the present invention. In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional two-way paging network with which the present invention may be practiced. 
     FIG. 2 is a diagram of a pager according to the principles of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a diagram of the key components of the system of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Using the drawings, the preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be explained. Under the principles of the present invention, pager technology can be adapted to provide a means for collecting and disseminating bargain pricing information while it is accurate and valuable to those interested in receiving it. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 3, under the principles of the present invention, a service provider maintains a paging system  10 . When a subscriber contracts with the service provider for pager service, the subscriber may indicate a desire for the service provider&#39;s bargain information service. Under the principles of the present invention, the subscriber may then provide the service provider with an interest profile. 
     A subscriber&#39;s profile lists a variety of information about the subscriber&#39;s interests. For example, a subscriber&#39;s profile will indicate if the subscriber has an interest in movies, particular types of sporting events, the theater, ballet, opera and other forms of recreation. The subscriber&#39;s profile may also indicate the strength of a subscriber&#39;s interest in particular types of food, or the subscriber&#39;s purchasing needs or habits. 
     The service provider will store the subscriber&#39;s profile in a database  44  for use by the paging system  10 . The subscriber may also contact the service provider to update the profile as necessary. This may be particularly true if the subscriber has a temporary need to purchase a particular item and the subscriber would like to find as low a price on that item as possible. 
     As described above, a pager and paging system may allow for one-way or two-way paging. The principles and features of the present invention may be practiced with either type of paging system. However, the preferred embodiment is practiced with a two-way paging system. 
     In a one-way paging system, the service provider must collect the bargain pricing information desired by subscribers. This information, when collected, is stored in a database  45 . Because the bargain information is typically only accurate and, therefore, valuable for a short period, a central processor  46  monitors the information in the database  45 . 
     The processor  46  also accesses the database  44  of subscriber profiles. Using the profile information, the processor  46  will screen the information in database  45  to determine whether any of it is of interest to particular subscribers. When the processor  46  identifies information in database  45  in which a particular subscriber would be interested, the processor  46 , using base station  43 , transmits the information to that subscriber&#39;s pager  15 . 
     The pager  15  is provided with an antenna  42  to receive transmissions from the base stations of the paging system  10 . A controller  41  in pager  15  receives the information-via antenna  42 , displays the information on a display  24 , and alerts the subscriber. The subscriber may then read the information on display  24  and decided whether to take advantage of the offered bargain. 
     As noted, the bargain and pricing information with which the present invention is concerned is often difficult to obtain. In a one-way paging system, the service provider may collect information for database  45  by monitoring bargain and pricing information in area publications, to the extent that such information is published. The service provider may also make its own efforts to collect the information. 
     Additionally, when a particular promotion occurs, the merchant or manager of the event may notify the service provider, knowing that the service provider can quickly transmit the information to a target audience who have already indicated an interest in such information. 
     Even more effectively, those who subscribe to the bargain information service may serve as an information gathering network. Because subscribers will have an interest in the service provider&#39;s ability to collect the type of information they wish to receive, they may telephone the service provider with bargain information they become aware of. The information can then be disseminated to other subscribers who may be interested. Accordingly, the subscribers themselves become an information gathering network. 
     This method of accumulating bargain information is facilitated in the preferred embodiment of the present invention which is practiced with a two-way paging system. As mentioned above, in a two-way paging system, the subscribers may use their pagers  15  to send messages to the paging system  10 . 
     An input device  49  is provided on pager  15  with which the subscriber can enter a message regarding bargain information of which the subscriber has become aware. Controller  41  then transmits the input, using antenna  42 , to the paging system  10 . The information is received by processor  46 , through base station  43 , and stored in database  45 . The information can then be matched to subscriber profile parameters and transmitted to those subscribers who may be interested. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, under the principles of the present invention, the input device of pager  21  may be a virtual keyboard  26 . The virtual keyboard  26  consists, in part, of the letters of the alphabet and digits 0 to 9 displayed on display  24  of pager  21 . The pager  21  is also provided with buttons  23  for moving a cursor (not shown) on display  24 . 
     When a particular letter or number of the virtual keyboard is highlighted by the cursor, the subscriber can press button  22  to select that letter or number. The selected letter or number is added to a message which is preferably displayed on display  24 . By repeating this procedure a number of times, the subscriber can produce a message conveying bargain information. 
     When the message is complete, the subscriber selects a transmit icon  25  using the cursor and buttons  23 ,  22  in the manner described above. The pager  21  then transmits the message to the paging system for dissemination to other subscribers. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other equivalent alphanumeric input devices could be used under the principles of the present invention in place of the virtual keyboard  26 . 
     To further refine the usefulness of information sent to subscribers under the principles of the present invention, the bargain information sent to the subscriber may be specific to particular areas designated by the subscriber in the subscriber&#39;s profile. Alternatively, because a two-way paging system can determine the rough location of a pager transmitting data to the system, the bargain information transmitted to that pager may be specific to a general area where the pager is located at any given time. 
     With reference to FIG. 1, the method of determining the general location of a pager  15  using a two-way paging network will now be briefly described. Because the strength of a transmission from a pager  15  is tightly constrained by the battery power available to the pager, a two-way paging system must include a greater number of receiving base stations  14  than transmitting base stations  13 . 
     The receiving base stations  14  are smaller and distributed more widely than transmitting base stations  13  in order to receive the relatively weak transmissions broadcast by individual pagers  15 . The receiving base stations  14  must be sufficient in number and distribution to receive pager transmissions originating anywhere in the area served by the service provider. 
     In a two-way paging system, a transmission from a pager  15  may be received by one or more receiving base stations  14 . By determining which base station  14  is receiving the pager signal or, if more than one base station is receiving the pager signal, which base station is receiving the stronger signal, the general location of the pager  15  and, thus, the pager user can be roughly determined. This is based on the generally true principle that the base station  14  receiving the strongest signal from the pager  15  is geographically closest to that pager. 
     Accordingly, the processor  46  of the paging system  10  can first screen the available bargain information for that information in which a subscriber has expressed an interest in his or her subscriber profile. The system can then, or alternatively, determine the rough location of the subscriber&#39;s pager and send only that bargain information which is specific to that area. 
     The preceding description has been presented only to illustrate and describe the invention. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to any precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. 
     The preferred embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application. The preceding description is intended to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims.