Short range wireless RFguest pager system with removable memory providing displayed ancillary information for making waiting in line more tolerable and productive

• US 20060017542A1
• Filed: 07/22/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Malik, Nadeem, Kobrosly, Walid M., Holloway, Lane Thomas
• Application Number:
  US10/897,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20060017542A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/7.550
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/223 using wireless transmission

Abstract

An implementation for giving the guest carrying the pager ancillary information in a short range guest pager system, including a localized short range RF transmitter and portable wireless receiving pager with an activatable page indicator. The implementation comprises a pager housing supporting the pager indicator adapted to receive removable memory means in which the ancillary information is stored. There is a display in the housing with interactive user input means to the pager for selectively activating the display of the ancillary information, and display controller means in said housing for controlling said display of this ancillary information.

Claims

1. In a short range guest pager system including a localized short range RF transmitter and portable wireless receiving pager with an activatable page indicator, an implementation for providing the guest porting the pager with ancillary information comprising:

a pager housing supporting said indicator;

removable memory means in said housing storing said ancillary information;

a display in said housing;

interactive user input means to said pager for selectively activating the display of said ancillary information; and

display controller means in said housing for controlling said display of said ancillary information.

2. The short range guest pager system of claim 1 wherein said page indicator is a flasher.

3. The short range guest pager system of claim 1 wherein said display is a liquid crystal display.

4. The short range guest pager system of claim 3 wherein:

said liquid crystal display is a touch screen display; and

said interactive user input means is a touch input to said screen.

5. The short range guest pager system of claim 4 wherein said touch input is a stylus.

6. The short range guest pager system of claim 3 wherein said user interactive input means includes input buttons on said housing.

7. The short range guest pager system of claim 3 wherein said removable memory means is a programmable memory card.

8. The short range guest pager system of claim 7 wherein said programmable memory card is a flash memory card.

9. The short range guest pager system of claim 8 wherein said flash memory card is a memory stick.

10. The short range guest pager system of claim 9 wherein said housing includes a USB I/O slot and said removable memory stick is inserted into said USB I/O slot.

11. A portable wireless receiving guest pager with an activatable page indicator activatable by a localized short range wireless transmitter comprising:

a pager housing supporting a portable wireless activatable page indicator;

removable memory means in said housing storing ancillary information for a guest porting the pager;

a display in said housing;

interactive user input means to said pager for selectively activating the display of said ancillary information; and

display controller means in said housing for controlling said display of said ancillary information.

12. The portable wireless receiving guest pager of claim 11 wherein said page indicator is a flasher.

13. The portable wireless receiving guest pager of claim 11 wherein said display is a liquid crystal display.

14. The portable wireless receiving guest pager of claim 13 wherein:

said liquid crystal display is a touch screen display; and

said interactive user input means is a touch input to said screen.

15. The portable wireless receiving guest pager of claim 14 wherein said touch input is a stylus.

16. The portable wireless receiving guest pager of claim 13 wherein said user interactive input means includes input buttons on said housing.

17. The portable wireless receiving guest pager of claim 13 wherein said removable memory means is a programmable memory card.

18. The portable wireless receiving guest pager of claim 17 wherein said programmable memory card is a flash memory card.

19. The portable wireless receiving guest pager of claim 18 wherein said flash memory card is a memory stick.

20. The portable wireless receiving guest pager of claim 19 wherein said housing includes a USB I/O slot and said removable memory stick is inserted into said USB I/O slot.