Method and system for access to a paging radio receiver

• US 5,373,289 A
• Filed: 01/24/1992
• Issued: 12/13/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Ichinohe, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MERZ, EDWARD W
• Application Number:
  US07/825,495
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.44, 340/825.31, 340/825.32, 340/311.1, 340/825.56, 379/102, 379/103, 379/168, 379/194, 379/195, 455/352, 395/425, 395/725
• US Class Current: 340/5.54
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/1066 with other provisions not elsewhere provided for, e.g. turn-off protection

Abstract

A paging radio receiver system includes a paging radio receiver having an EEPROM storing a predetermined specific pass word, and an access unit comprising an input apparatus, and a comparator comparing a pass word supplied from the input apparatus with the specific pass word, and an access circuit for access to the EEPROM. The comparator supplies an access enabling signal to the access circuit when the supplied pass word is equal to the predetermined specific pass word.

Claims

1. A paging radio receiver system, comprising:

a paging radio receiver which is provided with an EEPROM capable of storing a predetermined specific pass word; and

an access unit comprising an input apparatus, and a pass word comparator for comparing a pass word supplied from said input apparatus with said specific pass word, and an access circuit for access to said EEPROM;

wherein said pass word comparator supplies an access enabling signal to said access circuit when said supplied pass word is equal to said predetermined specific pass word;

a counter for counting the number of non-coincidences between said input pass word and said predetermined specific pass word;

means for locking an access of said access unit to said EEPROM, when said number of non-coincidences is equal to a predetermined number;

a memory having an unlock code region for storing a predetermined specific unlock code; and

said access unit further comprising an unlock code comparator for comparing an unlock code supplied from said input apparatus with said specific unlock code;

wherein said unlock code comparator supplies an unlock signal to said locking means when said supplied unlock code is equal to said predetermined specific unlock code so that said lock state of said access circuit is reset.

2. A paging radio receiver system, according to claim 1:

said memory of said paging radio receiver further comprising an initial code region for storing a predetermined specific initial code; and

said access unit further comprising a detector for detecting whether any information is stored in said EEPROM or not and supplying an initial state detecting signal when any information is not stored in said EEPROM; and

an initial code comparator for comparing an initial code supplied from said input apparatus with said predetermined specific initial code in accordance with said initial state detecting signal;

wherein said initial code comparator supplies an enable signal to said access circuit when said supplied initial code is equal to said specific initial code so that initial information is written in said EEPROM.

3. A method for access to a paging radio receiver, comprising the steps of:

comparing an input pass word supplied by an operator with a predetermined specific pass word stored in an EEPROM of a paging radio receiver, said comparing is performed only if said predetermined pass word is stored in said EEPROM; and

accessing to said EEPROM provided in said paging radio receiver, when said input pass word is equal to said predetermined specific pass word;

counting the number of non-coincidences between said input pass word and said predetermined specific pass word; and

locking an access to said EEPROM, when said number of non-coincidences is equal to a predetermined number;

comparing an input unlock code supplied by an operator with a predetermined specific unlock code stored in a memory of said paging radio receiver; and

resetting said lock state of said EEPROM, when said input unlock code is equal to said predetermined specific unlock code.

4. A method for access to a paging radio receiver, according to claim 3, wherein initial information is written into said EEPROM according to the steps of:

detecting whether any information is stored in said EEPROM or not;

comparing an input initial code supplied by an operator with a predetermined specific initial code stored in said memory of said paging receiver, when any information is not stored in said EEPROM;

writing initial information in said EEPROM, when said input initial code is equal to said predetermined specific initial code.

5. A paging radio receiver system, comprising:

a paging radio receiver;

a RAM contained in said radio receiver;

an initial code region as part of said RAM for storing a predetermined initial code;

an EEPROM which is capable of either having a predetermined password stored therein, or not having a predetermined password stored therein;

an access unit for programming said radio receiver;

a data entry means for inputting data into said access unit;

an initial code input circuit for inputting an initial code from said data entry means into said access unit;

a detector for detecting whether or not said EEPROM has a password stored therein when an operator supplies data to be written into said RAM, wherein when said detector determines that said EEPROM contains no password, said data is not written into said RAM until an initial code is supplied;

a comparator for comparing said predetermined initial code and said initial code, wherein when said predetermined initial code and said initial code are not equal, said data is not written into said radio receiver until an initial code is entered which is equal to said predetermined initial code, and wherein when said predetermined initial code and said initial code are equal, said data is written into said RAM;

a password comparator, wherein when said detector determines that said EEPROM contains a password, said data is not written into said RAM until a password is entered through said data entry means, whereupon said password comparator compares said password with said predetermined password, and if said password and said predetermined password are not equal, said data is not written into said RAM until a password is entered which is equal to said predetermined password, and if said password and said predetermined password are equal, said data is written into said RAM.

6. A method for accessing a paging radio receiver, comprising the steps of:

storing a predetermined initial code in a RAM in said radio receiver;

attempting to access an EEPROM contained in said radio receiver by an operator;

detecting whether or not said EEPROM has a password stored therein;

denying access, if said EEPROM contains no predetermined password, until a correct initial code is entered;

entering an initial code;

comparing said initial code to said predetermined initial code to determine whether said initial code and said predetermined initial code are equal, thereby judging whether a correct initial code has been entered;

denying access to said EEPROM when said initial code and said predetermined initial code are not equal;

allowing access to said EEPROM if said initial code and said predetermined initial code are equal;

entering a password, if said EEPROM contains a predetermined password;

comparing said password and said predetermined password;

allowing access to said EEPROM if said password is equal to said predetermined password;

denying access to said EEPROM if said password is not equal to said predetermined password.