Pager capable of operating in multiple paging systems

• US 5,196,842 A
• Filed: 07/22/1991
• Issued: 03/23/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rudy, Tommy R., Holmes, Thomas F., Gomez, Fernando A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holloway, III, Edwin C.
• Application Number:
  US07/733,921
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.44, 340/825.04, 340/311.1, 455/56, 455/56.1, 370/110.1
• US Class Current: 340/7.25
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/022 Selective call receivers

Abstract

A pager (400) capable of operating in a plurality of paging systems (210, 212, and 214) includes a receiver (404) for receiving information messages which include idle words from one of the paging systems. Upon receiving the information messages the pager (400) decodes the information messages in order to determine the system identification information contained in the idle word. The pager (400) then compares the decoded system identification information with the unique paging system identification number presently being utilized by the pager (400). If the system identification information matches the unique paging system identification number presently being utilized by the pager, the pager (400) remains in the present paging system. If the data does not match, the pager uses controller (410) to determine if any of the stored sets of system configuration parameters which are each associated with a unique paging system identification number matches the decoded system identification information. If a match is found, the controller (410) automatically changes the system configuration parameters to match those associated with the new paging system identification number.

Claims

1. A pager capable of operating in a plurality of paging systems, each of the paging systems transmitting information messages which include idle messages during periods of idle system activity, each of the paging systems having unique system identification information that is transmitted periodically via the idle messages, comprising:

receiver means for receiving information messages from at least one of the plurality of paging systems;

decoder means for decoding the information messages received by the receiver means in order to determine the unique system identification information contained in the idle messages;

storage means coupled to the receiver means for storing a plurality of system configuration parameters, each set of system configuration parameters being associated with a unique paging system identification number;

comparison means for comparing the unique system identification information decoded by the decoder means with the unique paging system identification number presently being utilized by the pager;

controller means responsive to the comparison means for causing the pager to maintain receiving information messages from the presently selected paging system if the unique paging system identification number presently being utilized by the pager matches the unique system identification information decoded by the decoder means and for automatically changing the corresponding system configuration parameters of the pager if the unique pager system identification number presently being utilized does not match the unique system identification information decoded by the decoder means and the unique system identification information previously decoded matches one of the unique pager system identification numbers stored in the storage means; and

counter means for generating a periodic pager counter interval during which the pager decodes information messages in order to determine if the pager is still in the proper paging system by comparing the unique system identification information with the unique paging system identification number presently being utilized by the pager.

2. The pager of claim 1, wherein the plurality of paging systems utilize the POCSAG paging protocol.

3. The pager of claim 2, wherein each of the system configuration parameters includes the frequency of operation of the pager and the pager code number for that system.

4. A method for selecting a paging system on which a pager having multiple paging system capability is to operate, each of the plurality of paging systems transmitting information messages which include idle messages during periods of idle system activity, each of the paging systems also having unique system identification information that is transmitted periodically via the idle messages, the pager having a plurality of system configuration parameters, each set of system configuration parameters being associated with a unique paging system identification number which is also stored in the pager, each set of system configuration parameters corresponding to a unique paging system, comprising the steps of:

presetting the pager to one of the plurality of system configuration parameters stored in the pager;

attempting to receive information messages from one of the plurality of paging system;

decoding any received information messages in order to determine the unique system identification information contained in the idle messages;

comparing the unique system identification information decoded with the unique paging system identification number which is part of the system configuration parameters presently being utilized by the pager;

maintaining the pager operating with the presently selected system configuration parameters if the system identification information that was decoded matches the unique paging system identification number associated with the preset system configuration parameters; and

selecting a new set of system configuration parameters if the system identification information that was decoded does not match the unique paging system identification number.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of paging systems utilize the POCSAG paging protocol.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein each of the system configuration parameters includes the frequency of operation of the pager and the pager code number for that system.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of:

generating a periodic pager counter interval during which the pager decodes information messages in order to determine if the pager is still in the proper paging system by comparing the unique system identification information with the unique paging system identification number presently being utilized by the pager.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the periodic pager counter interval is generated after a predetermined length of time has elapsed after properly matching the system identification information that was previously decoded with the unique paging system identification number that is associated with the presently utilized system configuration parameters and the predetermined length of time being stored in the pager.