Paging receiver having a speaker and an LED alternatively driven on receiving a call

• US 5,463,380 A
• Filed: 12/03/1993
• Issued: 10/31/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Matai, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HILL, ANDREW M
• Application Number:
  US08/161,091
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.44, 340/825.46, 340/825.47, 340/825.48, 340/309.4, 340/581, 340/311.1, 340/326, 340/329, 340/331, 340/636, 455/343, 455/228
• US Class Current: 340/7.32
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/181 due to failing power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/1025 Paging receivers with audible signalling details

Abstract

A paging receiver having alerting means implemented as a speaker and a light emitting diode (LED). The paging receiver has a decoder for outputting a pair of periodically varying drive signals on determining that a call meant for the receiver has been received, a speaker drive for causing a speaker to sound in the pattern of either one of two drive pattern signals, and an LED driver for turning on the LED in the other pattern. The drive periods of the two drive pattern signals are arranged alternately with each other and such that they do not overlap each other, whereby the luminance of the LED is maintained at a sufficiently high level even when a battery powering the paging receiver reaches the last stage of its service life.

Claims

1. A paging receiver comprising:

first means for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal to produce a demodulated output;

second means for detecting data representative of a predetermined paging number out of said demodulated output to produce a detection output;

third means responsive to said detection output for generating first and second drive signals during a predetermined period of time, each of said first and second drive signals having an amplitude alternating between high and low levels, the high levels of said first and second drive signals alternating with each other during said predetermined period of time;

first alerting means responsive to said first drive signal for alerting the production of said detection output;

second alerting means responsive to said second drive signal for alerting the production of said detection output; and

battery means for feeding source power to said first, second and third means, and said first and second alerting means;

wherein said first and second alerting means substantially concurrently alert the detection of said detection output to a user of said paging receiver during said predetermined period of time;

wherein said first alerting means comprises a light emitting diode (LED) and an LED driver for driving said LED in response to said first drive signal; and

wherein said second alerting means comprises a speaker and a speaker driver for driving said speaker in response to said second drive signal;

fourth means for producing a control signal when the output voltage of said battery means is higher than a predetermined level; and

inverting means, responsive to said control signal, for inverting the polarity of one of said first and second drive signals to simultaneously drive said first and second alerting means.

2. A paging receiver comprising:

first means for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal to produce a demodulated output;

second means for detecting data representative of a predetermined paging number out of said demodulated output to produce a detection output;

third means responsive to said detection output for generating first and second drive signals during a predetermined period of time, each of said first and second drive signals having an amplitude alternating between high and low levels, the high levels of said first and second drive signals alternating with each other during said predetermined period of time;

first alerting means responsive to said first drive signal for alerting the production of said detection output;

second alerting means responsive to said second drive signal for alerting the production of said detection output; and

battery means for feeding source power to said first second and third means and said first and second alerting means;

wherein said first and second alerting means substantially concurrently alert the detection of said detection output to a user of said paging receiver during said predetermined period of time;

wherein said first alerting means comprises a light emitting diode (LED) and an LED driver for driving said LED in response to said first drive signal; and

wherein said second alerting means Comprises a speaker and a speaker driver for driving said speaker in response to said second drive signal;

fourth means for producing a control signal when an ambient temperature is higher than a predetermined value; and

fifth means, responsive to said control signal, for inverting the polarity of one of said first and second drive signals to simultaneously drive said first and second alerting means.

3. A paging receiver comprising:

first means for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal to produce a demodulated output;

second means for detecting data representative of a predetermined paging number out of said demodulated output to produce a detection output;

third means responsive to said detection output for generating first and second drive signals during a predetermined period of time, each of said first and second drive signals having an amplitude alternating between high and low levels, the high levels of said first and second drive signals alternating with each other during said predetermined period of time;

first alerting means responsive to said first drive signal for alerting the production of said detection output;

second alerting means responsive to said second drive signal for alerting the production of said detection output; and

battery means for feeding source power to said first, second and third means, and said first and second alerting means;

wherein said first and second alerting means substantially concurrently alert the detection of said detection output to a user of said paging receiver during said predetermined period of time;

wherein said first alerting means comprises a light emitting diode (LED) and an LED driver for driving said LED in response to said first drive signal; and

wherein said second alerting means comprises a speaker and a speaker driver for driving said speaker in response to said second drive signal;

fourth means for producing a first control signal when the output voltage of said battery means is higher than a predetermined value;

fifth means for producing a second control signal when ambient temperature is higher than a predetermined value; and

sixth means, responsive to said first control signal and said second control signal, for inverting the polarity of one of said first and second drive signals to simultaneously drive said first and second alerting means.

4. A paging receiver comprising:

a receiver section for receiving and demodulating a radio frequency (RF) signal;

a waveform shaping circuit for shaping a waveform of a demodulated output of said receiver section;

a ROM for storing data representative of a predetermined paging number;

a decoder responsive to an output signal of said waveform shaping circuit for reading said data out of said ROM and, outputting a paging number detection signal when said output signal of said waveform shaping circuit includes data identical with said data read out of said ROM, said decoder outputting a paging number detection signal;

means responsive to said paging number detection signal for generating first and second drive signals during a predetermined period of time, each of said first and second drive signals having an amplitude alternating between high and low levels, the high levels of said first and second drive signals alternating with each other during said predetermined period of time;

audible alerting means responsive to said first drive signal for alerting the production of said paging number detection signal;

visible alerting means responsive to said second drive signal for alerting the production of said paging number detection signal; and

battery means for feeding source power to said decoder, said audible alerting means and said visible alerting means;

wherein said audible alerting means and said visible alerting means substantially concurrently alert the detection of said predetermined paging number to a user of said paging receiver during said predetermined period of time;

wherein said means responsive to said paging number detection signal comprises;

a first AND gate for receiving said paging number detection signal output by said decoder and a periodic pattern signal and outputting either one of said first and second drive signals;

an inverting circuit to which said periodic pattern signal is applied; and

a second AND gate for receiving the output of said inverting circuit and said paging number detection signal output by said decoder and outputting the other drive signal;

a voltage detecting circuit for outputting a first control signal when the output voltage of said battery is higher than a predetermined value;

holding means for holding, on receiving said first control signal from said voltage detecting circuit and said paging number detection signal from said decoder, said first control signal in response to a positive-going edge of said paging number detecting signal; and

a switch for inputting, on receiving said first control signal from said holding means, said periodic pattern signal to said second AND gate in place of the output signal of said inverting circuit.

5. A paging receiver as claimed in claim 4, wherein said holding means comprises a D flip-flop clocked by said paging number detection signal.

6. A paging receiver comprising:

a receiver section for receiving and demodulating a radio frequency (RF) signal;

a waveform shaping circuit for shaping a waveform of a demodulated output of said receiver section;

a ROM for storing data representative of a predetermined paging number;

a decoder responsive to an output signal of said waveform shaping circuit for reading said data out of said ROM and, outputting a paging number detection signal when said output signal of said waveform shaping circuit includes data identical with said data read out of said ROM, said decoder outputting a paging number detection signal;

means responsive to said paging number detection signal for generating first and second drive signals during a predetermined period of time, each of said first and second drive signals having an amplitude alternating between high and low levels, the high levels of said first and second drive signals alternating with each other during said predetermined period of time;

audible alerting means responsive to said first drive signal for alerting the production of said paging number detection signal;

visible alerting means responsive to said second drive signal for alerting the production of said paging number detection signal; and

battery means for feeding source power to said decoder, said audible alerting meads and said visible alerting means;

wherein said audible alerting means and said visible alerting means substantially concurrently alert the detection of said predetermined paging number to a user of said paging receiver during said predetermine period of time;

wherein said means responsive to said paging number detection signal comprises;

a first AND gate for receiving said paging number detection signal output by said decoder and a periodic pattern signal and outputting either one of said for and second drive signals;

an inverting circuit to which said periodic pattern signal is applied; and

a second AND gate for receiving the output of said inverting circuit and said paging number detection signal output by said decoder and outputting the other drive signal;

a temperature detecting circuit for outputting a second control signal when ambient temperature is higher than a predetermined value; and

a switch for inputting, on receiving said second control signal from said temperature detecting circuit, said periodic pattern signal to said second AND gate in place of the output signal of said inverting circuit.

7. A paging receiver comprising:

a receiver section for receiving and demodulating a radio frequency (RF) signal;

a waveform shaping circuit for shaping a waveform of a demodulated output of said receiver section;

a ROM for storing data representative of a predetermined paging number;

a decoder responsive to an output signal of said waveform shaping circuit for reading said data out of said ROM and, outputting a paging number detection signal when said output signal of said waveform shaping circuit includes data identical with said data read out of said ROM, said decoder outputting a paging number detection signal;

means responsive to said paging number detection signal for generating first and second drive signals during a predetermined period of time, each of said first and second drive signals having an amplitude alternating between high and low levels, the high levels of said first and second drive signals alternating with each other during said predetermined period of time;

audible alerting means responsive to said first drive signal for alerting the production of said paging number detection signal;

visible alerting means responsive to said second drive signal for alerting the production of said paging number detection signal; and

battery means for feeding source power to said decoder, said audible alerting means and said visible alerting means;

wherein said audible alerting means and said visible alerting means substantially concurrently alert the detection of said predetermined paging number to a user of said paging receiver during said predetermined period of time;

wherein said means responsive to said paging number detection signal comprises;

a first AND gate for receiving said paging number detection signal output by said decoder and a periodic pattern signal and outputting either one of said first and second drive signals;

an inverting circuit to which said periodic pattern signal is applied; and

a second AND gate for receiving the output of said inverting circuit and said paging number detection signal output by said decoder and outputting the other drive signal;

a voltage detecting circuit for outputting a first control signal when the output voltage of said battery is higher than a predetermined value;

holding means for holding, on receiving said first control signal from said voltage detection circuit and said paging number detection signal from said decoder, said first control signal at a positive-going edge of said paging number detection signal;

a temperature detecting circuit for outputting a second control signal when ambient temperature is higher than a predetermined value;

a third AND gate to which said first control signal from said holding means and said second control signal from said temperature detecting circuit are applied; and

a switch for inputting, on receiving the output signal of said third AND gate, said periodic pattern signal to said second AND gate in place of the output signal of said inverting circuit.