Paging receiver having audible and vibrator annunciating means

• US 4,918,438 A
• Filed: 05/28/1987
• Issued: 04/17/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Yamasaki, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holloway, III, Edwin C.
• Application Number:
  US07/054,915
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.46, 340/825.44, 340/825.48, 340/311.1, 340/407, 340/309.4, 340/327, 340/328, 340/407
• US Class Current: 340/7.58
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/1016 using wireless transmission calling systems using transmission by inductive loop H04B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/1025 Paging receivers with audible signalling details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems

Abstract

A paging receiver which includes a conventional receiver circuit for receiving a paging signal, having a page number that identifies the intended recipient, a memory for storing a unique page number which is assigned to that particular receiver and a decorder for comparing the page number included in the received paging signal with the page number which is stored in the memory. If the stored and received page numbers coincide, detection pulse is produced that starts a first and a second timer. The first timer produces a mode switch pulse following the lapse of a first predetermined period of time. The second timer which has a period longer than first period of time, generates an auto-reset pulse upon lapse of its period. The mode switch pulse and the auto-reset pulse are sent to an annunciation mode switch having an output for driving both a tactile annunciator and an audible annunciator. The detection pulse causes the annunciator mode switch to energize one of the tactile and audible annunciators. When the mode switch pulse is generated by the first timer, the annunciator mode switch will drive the other of the two annunciators and turn the first annunciator off. Finally, the auto-reset pulse will cause the annunciation mode switch to turn off the second annunciator. A manual reset switch also provides a reset pulse input to the annunciation mode switch when can stop the activation of either the tactile or audible annunciator at anytime.

Claims

1. A paging receiver comprising:

receiver means for receiving a paging signal which includes a page number;

memory means for storing a page number which is assigned to said receiver;

decoder means for comparing said page number including in said paging signal received with said page number which is stored in said memory means, and producing a detection pulse if said two page numbers coincide;

a first and a second timer means starting in response to said detection pulse, for producing, respectively, a mode switch pulse and an auto-reset pulse on lapse of a first and a second predetermined period of time, said first period of time being shorter than said second period of time;

reset switch means for generating a manual reset pulse;

a tactile and an audible annunciator means; and

annunciation mode switching means for driving one of said annunciator means in response to said detection pulse, stopping said one annunciator means driven and driving the other annunciator means in response to said mode switch pulse, stopping said other annunciator means in response to said auto-reset pulse, and stopping the driven annunciator means in response to said manual reset pulse.

2. A paging receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tactile annunciator means comprises a vibrator, and said audible annunciator means comprises a speaker.

3. A paging receiver as claimed in claim 2, wherein said decoder means and annunciation mode switching means comprise a one-chip central processing unit.

4. A paging receiver as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a function select switch means for generating an annunciation sequence switch pulse, said mode switching means switching the driving order of said tactile and audible annunciator means in response to said annunciation sequence switch pulse.

5. A paging receiver as claimed in claim 3, wherein said mode switching means comprises:

a first flip-flop having a set terminal and a reset terminal to which said detection pulse and said mode switch pulse, respectively, are applied;

a second flip-flop having a set terminal and a reset terminal to which said detection pulse and one of said auto-reset pulse and said manual reset pulse, respectively, are applied;

a first two-input AND gate to which the Q terminal output of said first flip-flop and said annunciation sequence switch pulse are applied;

a second two-input AND gate to which the Q terminal output of said first flip-flop and an inverted pulse of said annunciation sequence switch pulse are applied;

a first two-input NAND gate to which the Q output of said first flip-flop and an inverted pulse of said annunciation sequence switch pulse are applied;

a second two-input NAND gate to which the Q terminal output of said first flip-flop and said annunciation sequence switch pulse are applied;

a first two-input OR gate to which the outputs of said first two-input AND and said first two-input NAND gates are applied;

a second two-input OR gate to which the outputs of said second two-input AND and said second two-input NAND gates are applied;

a third two-input AND gate responsive to the output of said first two-input OR gate and the Q terminal output of said second flip-flop for producing a signal which drives said tactile annunciator means;

a fourth two-input AND gate to which the output of said second two-input OR gate and the Q terminal output of said second flip-flop are applied;

an alert signal generator for generating a signal having an audible frequency; and

a fifth two-input AND gate responsive to the output of said fourth two-input AND gate and said signal having an audible frequency for producing a signal which drives said audible annunciator means.

6. A paging receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mode switching means comprises:

a first flip-flop having a set terminal and a reset terminal to which said detect pulse and said mode switch pulse, respectively, are applied;

a second flip-flop having a set terminal and a reset terminal to which said detect pulse and one of said autoreset pulse and said manual reset pulse, respectively, are applied;

a first two-input AND gate responsive to the Q terminal outputs of said first and second flip-flops for producing a signal which drives said tactile annunciator means;

a second two-input AND gate to which an inverted signal of the Q terminal output of said first flip-flop and the Q terminal output of said second flip-flop are applied;

an alert signal generator for generating a signal having an audible frequency; and

a third two-input AND gate responsive to the output of said second two-input AND gate and said signal having an audible frequency for driving said audible annunciator means.

7. A paging receiver comprising:

detector means for detecting a pager signal which is assigned to said receiver, to produce a detection pulse;

a tactile and an audible annunciator means; and

an annunciation control means responsive to said detection pulse for automatically and sequentially driving said tactile and audible annunciator means for a first and a second predetermined period of time, respectively,

wherein said annunciation control means comprises a mode switch timer responsive to said detection pulse for counting said first predetermined period of time, and an auto-reset timer responsive to said detection pulse for counting a period of time which is a sum of said first and second predetermined periods of time.

8. A method of controlling a tactile and an audible annunciator means of a paging receiver, comprising the steps of:

producing a detection pulse by detecting a page number which is assigned to said receiver;

in response to said detection pulse, starting a first and a second timer having, respectively, a first and a second period of time and driving one of said tactile and audible annunciator means, said first period of time being shorter than said second period of time;

in response to the time-over of said first timer, stopping one of said annunciator means driven and driving the other annunciator means;

stopping said other annunciator means in response to the time-over of said second timer; and

stopping one of said annunciator means being driven in response to a reset pulse.

9. A method of controlling the tactile and audible annunciator means of a paging receiver, comprising the steps of:

receiving a paging signal which includes a page number;

storing a page number which is assigned to said receiver;

comparing said page number included in said paging signal received with said page number stored and, if said two page numbers coincide, producing a detection pulse;

in response to said detection pulse, starting a first and a second timer having, respectively, a first and a second predetermined period of time, said second predetermined period of time being longer than said first predetermined period of time;

driving one of said tactile and audible annunciator means in response to said detection pulse;

in response to the time-over of said first timer, stopping said one annunciator means driven and driving the other annunciator means; and

stopping said other annunciator means in response to the time-over of said second timer.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the steps of manually generating a reset pulse, and stopping the annunciator means driven in response to said reset pulse and irrespective of whether said first and second timers are over.

11. A method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the step of manually generating an annunciation sequence switch pulse, and switching a driving order of said tactile and audible annunciator means in response to said annunciation sequence switch pulse.

12. A method of controlling annunciator means of a paging receiver, comprising the steps of:

receiving a paging signal which includes a page number;

storing a page number which is assigned to said receiver;

comparing said page number included in said paging signal received with said page number stored and, if said two numbers coincide, producing a detection pulse;

driving one of a tactile and audible annunciator means of said receiver for a first predetermined period of time in response to said detection pulse; and

automatically driving the other annunciator means for a second predetermined period of time on lapse of said first predetermined period of time.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the steps of generating a first pulse, and stopping the annunciator means driven in response to said first pulse irrespective of said first and second predetermined periods of time.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising the steps of generating a second pulse, and switching a driving order of said tactile and audible annunciator means in response to said second pulse.