WO1997007639A1

WO1997007639A1 - Selectable page alert controller

Info

Publication number: WO1997007639A1
Application number: PCT/US1996/010351
Authority: WO
Inventors: Charles M. Mellone; Randi Weitzen Faris; Mark Besharat
Original assignee: Motorola Inc.
Priority date: 1995-08-17
Filing date: 1996-06-14
Publication date: 1997-02-27

Abstract

A page alert controller (10) that can selectively disable the alert event associated with received messages from any of the sources or groupings of sources the message receiver/pager is configured to receive data from. The selective page alert controller (10) includes a source identifier (12) which indexes a particular memory address in an alert condition register (12) corresponding to the source of the received message. Depending on the contents of the memory address indexed, the alert condition register (12) determines whether or not the message receiver/pager will alert an operator of the received message. The contents of the alert condition register (12) are programmable by the message receiver operator such that the alert associated with each of the sources can be enabled or disabled through an operator interface (14) on the message receiver.

Description

1

SELECTABLE PAGE ALERT CONTROLLER

Field of the Invention This invention generally relates to an apparatus and method for controlling an alert event in a multi-address message receiver/pager and more particularly to a page alert controller wherein the alert event associated with one or more message sources can be selectively enabled and disabled.

Background of the Invention In a conventional paging system, one or more transmitting stations transmits message receiver/pager address and data information in a conventional protocol format, such as POCSAG or Golay Sequential Code. Included in the transmitted signaling format are the selective call address of the individual pager designated to receive the paging call. Some pagers are programmed with only one selective call address and respond accordingly to alert the user when that address and corresponding message is decoded from the received signal. However, most pagers today comprise multi-address receivers, which are programmed with two or more call addresses and alert an operator to each decoded address and corresponding message. For example, conventional protocol formats permit multiple address functions for each decoded call address. In particular, POCSAG, permits four address functions for each call address. Additionally, sub-addressing allows multi-address pagers to receive data from even more sources. Normally, the source of a message is embedded in the call address. However, when sub-addressing is used, the source is determined by the combination of the address and some portion of the data. In the typical case, a pager can be assigned hundreds of sub-addresses, each of which correspond to a different source. The addresses of the multi-address information receiver comprise individual addresses which correspond to conventional paging services and common addresses which correspond to information services. Generally, individual addresses are unique to a particular pager and correspond to sources that send personal or business information such as telephone numbers or personal alpha messages. This type of information is received on a relatively infrequent basis and is generally read when received and then stored in memory for later reference. On the other hand, common addresses are common to several pagers and correspond to group or mail box sources that send data such as stock price information, merchandise trading information, sports scores, news print messages and other types of mass media information which are relevant to more than one individual. Common source data is transmitted on a relatively frequent basis and is generally less important to an individual as compared with information received from an individual source. In a multi-address pager having several common addresses it is typical to receive messages on a frequent basis. The constant alerts generated can become an annoyance to a pager owner/operator if he/she is alerted each time a new message is received. In order to eliminate the public nuisance created by repetitive audible sound bursts, prior art pagers permitted an operator to choose a silent/vibratory alert mode for each address the pager is designed to receive information from. However, even in the silent mode, the pager still generated an alert for all incoming messages which would be a nuisance to the operator. In the alternative, the operator could turn the pager off, however, the operator would then run the risk of missing important pages. Accordingly, there is a present need for an alert controller that can selectively enable or disable the alert event associated with each of the sources the pager is designed to receive data from.

Summary of the Invention This invention provides a message receiver/pager operator with the ability to specifically enable and disable the alert event associated with each of the sources the pager is configured to receive data from. The invention generally comprises a source decoder that indexes or maps N addresses into an array of N memory locations that comprise an alert condition register. The plurality of memory locations contained in the alert condition register store bits of information which correspond to whether or not an operator will be alerted when messages are received and decoded from a particular source.

The operator/user of the pager has the ability to selectively alter the contents of the alert condition register through a user interface on the face of the pager. For example, the operator can selectively change the contents of a memory location that corresponds with a mail drop source, thereby disabling or enabling the alert event associated with that source. If the alert is enabled for a particular source, whenever a new message is received and decoded from that source, the pager will alert the user. The alert type will depend on the alert pattern code corresponding to the particular source. If the pager is in the audible mode, the alert is an audible chirp or some other preprogrammed melody. Alternatively, if the pager is in the silent mode, the pager will vibrate for a predetermined length of time. However, if the alert is disabled, the message will be received and decoded but no alert will be generated.

Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the present invention contained in a conventional message receiver/pager;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the source decoder and alert condition register; FIG. 3 is a generalized view of the operator interface and display of a message receiver/pager.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment With reference to FIG. 1 , there is depicted a block diagram of a page alert controller contained within a conventional message receiver/pager that is generally characterized by reference numeral 10. The page alert controller 10 is generally comprised of a programmable alert condition register 12, a user interface 14 and a source decoder 22. In the circuit shown in FIG. 1 paging signals are first received by the antenna 16 which is coupled to receiver 18. Receiver 18 includes an input stage which receives, demodulates, and converts the paging signal into an analog output signal having a varying AC content which is representative of the serialized digitally coded modulated data of the paging signal. The varying AC output is received by decoder section 36 which is comprised of several elements including a microcomputer (not shown) and code plug 34. Primary control over decoder section 36 is provided by the microcomputer which decodes the address and data information corresponding to the varying AC output from receiver section 18. Additionally, the microcomputer detects errors present in the decoded data. Code plug 34 is a non-volatile electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) that is programmed at the factory with the preamble, pager address codes and other pager options the pager is configured with. Ultimately, code plug 34 determines whether data associated with a particular individual or common address will be decoded. If code plug 34 is configured such that the pager decodes data from a particular source it is the function of alert controller 10 to determine whether or not an alert event will be generated in response to a received and decoded message.

The address and data decoder 20 of the preferred embodiment is capable of decoding a plurality of pager addresses and generating a first digital word over the binary bit address lines 50 that uniquely corresponds to the decoded pager address. In addition, decoder 20 is capable of decoding a plurality of address functions and generating a second digital word over binary address function lines 52 which uniquely corresponds to the decoded address function.

The pager embodiment depicted in FIG. 1 also includes an alert event signal generating system comprising an alert oscillator 28 which generates an oscillating signal that is conducted over a signal line 54 to a conventional alert waveform generator 26. A third digital word received over binary bit alert lines 56 instructs alert waveform generator 26 to produce an alert annunciation envelope waveform which is used to drive either an audio, tactile, or visual annunciator. In operation, the alert waveform generator 26 produces an envelope waveform pattern to conduct or not conduct the oscillator signal from an alerts oscillator 28 to an annunciator.

The present embodiment further includes an audio annunciator comprising the elements of an audio amplifier (not shown) which drives a conventional speaker 30 in accordance with the alert envelope pattern produced by alert waveform generator 26. In a similar manner, alert waveform generator 26 may also drive an eccentrically configured motor system 32 for providing tactile vibrations or a simple visual lamp (not shown), both conventionally used in pager receivers, without deviating from the broad principles of the present invention.

In accordance with the present invention, a programmable alert condition register unit 12 is coupled to both source decoder 22 and alert waveform generator 26. Register 12 comprises a plurality of memory locations such as those depicted in FIG. 2. In the present embodiment, memory locations denoted by the addresses 0-31 are correlated on a one-to-one basis with the combined codes of all of the coded first and second digital words. Circuitry contained within source decoder 22 maps the combined code of the first and second digital words such that the contents of each memory location may be individually accessed uniquely by its corresponding combined code as shown in Table 1 and in FIG. 2. Preferably, alert condition register 12 contains as many memory locations or addresses as the total number of sources the pager is configured to receive messages from. For example, as shown in Table 1 below and FIG. 2, if the pager has eight call addresses A1-A8, each having four function addresses F1-F4, which is typical in POCSAG protocol, the alert condition register would have 32 memory locations/addresses, each memory location corresponding to one of the sources the pager is designed to receive data from.

TABLE 1 PAGER ADDRESS MEMORY MEMORY ADDRESS FUNCTION REGISTER CONTENTS

Al (000) Fl (00) 000000 0

F2 (01) 100001 1

F3(10) 200010 0 F4(ll) 300011 1 PAGER ADDRESS MEMORY MEMORY

ADDRESS FUNCTION REGISTER CONTENTS

A2 (001) Fl (00) 400100 1 F2 (01) 5 00101 1

A7 (110) F3 (10) 26 11010 0 F4 (l l) 27 11011 0 A8 (l l l) Fl (11) 28 11100 0 F2 (01) 29 11101 0 F3 (10) 30 11110 0

F4 (l l) 31 11111 1

The contents of each memory location/address determine whether or not the operator will be alerted to information received from the source corresponding to that memory location. In the preferred embodiment, if a particular memory location contains the binary equivalent of "1 " that location is said to be "set." If a memory location is set, when a message from the corresponding source is received and decoded the operator will be alerted. However, if the memory register contains the binary equivalent of a "0" that location is not set and when a message is received and decoded from the corresponding source the message will be stored in memory but the operator will not be alerted. It will be appreciated that the sense of the logic can be reversed and obtain the same enable/disable control.

The memory locations of the alert condition register are programmable through an operator interface on the face of the pager. As shown in FIG. 3, interface 14 (of FIG. 1) is comprised of up/down directional buttons 36-38, left/right directional buttons 40-42, function select button 44 and read/reset button 46. As discussed, a pager operator can change the alert status for each source the pager is configured to receive messages from. This is accomplished in the present embodiment by programming the memory locations with binary alert codes. Using interface 14 on the front of the pager, the operator can access function menus which, through a series of prompts, allows him to change the contents of each memory location in alert condition register 12. For example, to change an alert the operator would press the read/reset button 46 to begin the programming sequence by bringing up the status screen. Subsequently, the operator would press directional buttons 36-42 as required to position the cursor over the alert symbol for a particular source. Thereafter, the operator depresses function select button 44 to display the function menu. To enable or disable the alert associated with the selected source, the left and right directional buttons

40-42 are depressed to select the enable/ disable function. A press of the function key 44 then toggles the alert symbol options between enabled and disabled alerts. Through this programming sequence, the pager operator changes the contents of the memory location corresponding with the selected source. As such, the pager will either alert or not alert an operator of messages received from that source depending on the new contents of the alert condition register. Additionally, the operator will be alerted to changes in alert status via the pager display 24 as shown in FIG. 3. Specifically, alert symbols shown indicate the alert status for the sources the pager is configured to receive information from. For each source, the alert symbol is depicted as a speaker symbol. However, the alert symbol can be any type of symbol, such as a musical note for example. If the alert is disabled, the alert symbol can still appear, in which case a line is drawn across the symbol. Altemately, the alert symbol can be extinguished. As shown in FIG. 3, the alert is enabled for sources 1-3, whereas the alert is disabled for sources 4-12.

The above-mentioned process is set forth for exemplary purposes only and it is realized that the pager could be designed in a number of ways obvious to a person skilled in the art to make the operator interface and display more efficient or ergonomic.

Furthermore, the present invention is envisioned for use with any message receiver/pager regardless of the interface, be it buttons on the message receiver/pager, or remotely through an extemal interface to an extemal device which provides the buttons. Accordingly, the above-mentioned programming sequence is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

In operation, after a message has been decoded the source decoder 22 indexes a particular memory location in alert condition register 12 corresponding to the first and second digital words generated by the address and data decoder 20. If the indexed memory location is "set" alert condition register 10 will output a signal to the alert waveform generator 26. In turn, alert waveform generator 26 will conduct the oscillator signal over line 54 according to the envelope waveform generated. Alert waveform generator 26 is typically designed such that each source or certain groupings of sources can have a different audible, visual, or tactile alerts. However, if the indexed memory location of the alert condition register is not set, alert waveform generator 26 will not produce an output signal to an annunciation. Consequently, no alert will be generated when a message is received from the corresponding source. Rather, the decoded data is stored in memory for later reference by the operator.

In summary, when a pager address and associated address function thereof is decoded by decoder 20, two coded words representing the decoded address and address function are provided to the coupled source decoder 22 for uniquely accessing the code contents of the individually and uniquely programmed corresponding memory locations in alert condition register 12. Should the accessed code contain a zero, the alert waveform generator 26 is inhibited from generating an envelope waveform pattem and no alert annunciation is provided for that address and associated address function. Should the accessed alert code contain a one, the alert condition register 12 will enable the alert waveform generator 26 to produce a waveform pattem that corresponds to the decoded source.

Other mappings from source/function to alert enable/disable are also possible. For example, due to limits in the user interface, one may only be provided the option to enable/disable alerts on certain groups of addresses. For example, a maildrop source, called a super-address, has five subaddresses defined. One may only have the ability to enable/disable alerts at the super-address level. This behavior would effectively be inherited by all the sub-addresses.

The present embodiment has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. However, it is understood by all those skilled in the pertinent art that an equivalent function is capable of being performed by a programmed processor, which may be part of the decoder section 36 utilizing a programmed software algorithm without deviating from the broad principles of the present invention.

What Is Claimed Is:

Claims

1 . A page alert controller for use in a multi-address message receiver/pager comprising a receiver, decoder and means for generating an alert, said decoder producing an output signal, said page alert controller comprising: means for accessing a memory location, said means for accessing coupled to said decoder; and means for controlling coupled to said means for accessing and said means for generating an alert, said means for controlling comprising a plurality of programmable memory locations, said means for accessing indexing a particular memory location from said plurality of programmable memory locations based upon said output signal, said means for controlling enabling or disabling said means for generating an alert depending upon data stored in said particular memory location.

2. The page alert controller as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an interface, said interface disposed between said means for controlling and an operator, said interface allowing said operator to change the contents of said programmable memory locations.

3. The page alert controller as set forth in claim 2 wherein said interface comprises a plurality of pushbuttons.

4. The page alert controller as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a means for displaying an alert status, said means for displaying coupled to said means for controlling and displaying at least one symbol corresponding to the contents of at least one of said plurality of memory locations.

5. The page alert controller as set forth in claim 1 wherein when said data stored in said particular memory location is equivalent to a binary "1" said means for controlling enables said means for generating an alert and when said data stored in said particular memory location is equivalent to a binary "0" said means for controlling disables said means for generating an alert.

6. A page alert controller for use in a multi-address message receiver/pager comprising a receiver, an address and data decoder and means for generating an alert, said decoder producing an output signal, said page alert controller comprising: an alert condition register, said register comprising a plurality of programmable memory locations; and a source decoder, said source decoder accessing a particular one of said plurality of memory locations depending on said output signal, said alert condition register actuating said means for generating an alert based on the contents of said particular one of said plurality of memory locations.

7. The page alert controller as set forth in claim 6 further comprising an interface, said interface disposed between said alert condition register and an operator, said interface allowing said operator to change the contents of said memory locations.

8. The page alert controller as set forth in claim 7 wherein said interface comprises a plurality of pushbuttons.

9. The page alert controller as set forth in claim 6 further comprising a means for displaying an alert status, said means for displaying coupled to said alert condition register and displaying at least one symbol corresponding to the contents of at least one of said plurality of memory locations.

10. The page alert controller as set forth in claim 6 wherein when said data stored in said particular memory location is equivalent to a binary "1" said means for controlling enables said means for generating an alert and when said data stored in said particular memory location is equivalent to a binary "0" said means for controlling disables said means for generating an alert.

1 1. A selective alert pager comprising: a receiver, said receiver acquiring a transmitted radio frequency signal and producing a first output signal corresponding to said acquired signal; a first decoder; said first decoder coupled to said receiver and decoding said first output signal; an alert condition register, said register comprising a plurality of programmable memory locations; a means for generating an alert, said means for generating an alert coupled to said alert condition register; and a second decoder, said second decoder coupled to said first decoder and said alert condition register, said second decoder accessing a particular one of said plurality of programmable memory locations depending on said output signal, said alert condition register actuating said means for generating an alert based on data stored in said particular one of said plurality of memory locations.

12. The page alert controller as set forth in claim 11 wherein when said data stored in said particular memory location is equivalent to a binary "1 " said means for controlling enables said means for generating an alert and when said data stored in said particular memory location is equivalent to a binary "0" said means for controlling disables said means for generating an alert.

13. The page alert controller as set forth in claim 11 further comprising an interface, said interface disposed between said alert condition register and an operator, said interface allowing said operator to change the contents of said memory locations.

14. The page alert controller as set forth in claim 13 wherein said interface comprises a plurality of pushbuttons.