Multi-channel personal messaging unit
First Claim
1. A personal data communications device for concurrently communicating with primary and secondary digital communication networks, the personal data communications device comprising:
- a receiver which is alternatively switchable to first and second communications channels, the first communications channel being used by the primary digital communication network in accordance with a reserved time slot protocol having discrete time slots for data transmissions to the personal data communications device, the second communications channel being used by the secondary digital communication network;
channel selection logic connected to the receiver to switch the receiver to the first communications channel during the discrete time slots and to the second communications channel during other times;
a data processor connected to communicate through the receiver with the primary digital communication network when the receiver is switched to the first communications channel and with the secondary digital communication network when the receiver is switched to the second communications channel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile communications system in accordance with the invention comprises primary and secondary wireless digital communications networks. The system also comprises a wireless mobile messaging unit. The primary wireless digital communications network operates on a first communications channel using a reserved time slot protocol having discrete time slots reserved for data transmissions to the mobile messaging unit. The secondary wireless digital communications network operates on a second communications channel using a continuous downlink protocol under which data transmissions to the mobile messaging unit might take place at any time. The wireless mobile messaging unit has channel selection logic operatively connected to tune the mobile messaging unit to the first communications channel during the discrete time slots and to the second communications channel during other times. This allows the mobile unit to communicate concurrently with both of the primary and secondary digital communication networks, while requiring only a single radio receiver or transceiver.
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Citations
61 Claims
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1. A personal data communications device for concurrently communicating with primary and secondary digital communication networks, the personal data communications device comprising:
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a receiver which is alternatively switchable to first and second communications channels, the first communications channel being used by the primary digital communication network in accordance with a reserved time slot protocol having discrete time slots for data transmissions to the personal data communications device, the second communications channel being used by the secondary digital communication network; channel selection logic connected to the receiver to switch the receiver to the first communications channel during the discrete time slots and to the second communications channel during other times; a data processor connected to communicate through the receiver with the primary digital communication network when the receiver is switched to the first communications channel and with the secondary digital communication network when the receiver is switched to the second communications channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A personal data communications device for concurrently communicating with primary and secondary digital communication networks, the personal data communications device comprising:
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a radio which is alternatively tunable to first and second communications channels, the first communications channel being used by the primary digital communication network in accordance with a reserved time slot protocol having discrete time slots for data transmissions to the personal communications device, the second communications channel being used by the secondary digital communication network; a data processor packaged with the radio as a mobile unit, the data processor being operatively connected to tune the radio to one of the first and second communications channels for data communication through the radio with one of the primary and secondary digital communication networks; the data processor being programmed to tune the radio to the first communications channel during the discrete time slots and to tune the radio to the second communications channel during other times; the data processor being further programmed to communicate digitally through the radio with the primary digital communication network when the radio is tuned to the first communications channel and with the secondary digital communication network when the radio is tuned to the second communications channel. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A personal data communications device for concurrently communicating with primary and secondary digital communication networks, the personal data communications device comprising:
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a wireless mobile messaging unit including a visual data display and a user input device; the wireless mobile messaging unit containing a radio transceiver which is alternatively tunable to first and second communications channels, the first communications channel being used by the primary digital communication network in accordance with a reserved time slot protocol having discrete time slots for data transmissions to the personal communications device, the second communications channel being used by the secondary digital communication network in accordance with a continuous downlink protocol under which unacknowledged data transmissions are re-transmitted; the wireless mobile messaging unit further containing a data processor connected to communicate with the data display, the user input device, and the radio transceiver, the data processor being connected to the radio transceiver to tune the radio transceiver to one of the first and second communications channels; a modulator/demodulator connected between the data processor and the radio transceiver; the data processor being programmed to tune the radio transceiver to the first communications channel during the discrete time slots and to tune the radio transceiver to the second communications channel during other times; the data processor being further programmed to communicate digitally through the modulator/demodulator and radio transceiver (a) with the primary digital communication network when the radio transceiver is tuned to the first communications channel and (b) with the secondary digital communication network when the radio transceiver is tuned to the second communications channel. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A mobile communications system comprising:
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a primary wireless digital communications network which operates on a first communications channel using a reserved time slot protocol; a secondary wireless digital communications network which operates on a second communications channel; a wireless mobile messaging unit having a radio which is alternatively tunable to the first and second communications channels, the primary wireless digital communications network having discrete time slots for data transmissions to the wireless mobile messaging unit; the wireless mobile messaging unit having channel selection logic operatively connected to tune the radio to the first communications channel during the discrete time slots and to the second communications channel during other times to concurrently communicate with both of the primary and secondary digital communication networks. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A mobile communications system comprising:
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a primary wireless digital communications network which operates on a first communications channel using a reserved time slot protocol; a secondary wireless digital communications network which operates on a second communications channel using a continuous downlink protocol under which unacknowledged data transmissions are re-transmitted; a wireless mobile messaging unit having a radio transceiver which is alternatively tunable to the first and second communications channels, the primary wireless digital communications network having discrete time slots for data transmissions to the wireless mobile messaging unit; the wireless mobile messaging unit having a data processor operatively connected to tune the radio transceiver to one of the first and second communications channels for data communication through the radio transceiver with one of the primary and secondary digital communication networks; the data processor being programmed to tune the radio transceiver to the first communications channel during the discrete time slots and to tune the radio transceiver to the second communications channel during other times; the data processor being further programmed to communicate digitally through the radio transceiver with the primary digital communication network when the radio transceiver is tuned to the first communications channel and with the secondary digital communication network when the radio transceiver is tuned to the second communications channel. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method of operating a data communications system which includes a plurality of messaging units, the method comprising the following steps:
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digitally transmitting messages on a first communications channel from a primary digital communications network using a reserved time slot protocol; digitally transmitting data on a second communications channel from a secondary digital communications network using a continuous downlink protocol; switching a receiver within particular messaging unit to the first communications channel during discrete time slots used by the primary digital communications network for data transmissions to the particular messaging unit; switching said receiver to the second communications channel during times other than the discrete time slots; communicating between the particular messaging unit and the primary digital communications network when the receiver is switched to the first communications channel; communicating between the particular messaging unit and the secondary digital communications network when the receiver is switched to the second communications channel. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method of operating a wireless data communications system which includes a plurality of mobile messaging units, the method comprising the following steps:
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digitally transmitting messages on a first communications channel from a primary digital communications network using a reserved time slot protocol; digitally transmitting data on a second communications channel from a secondary digital communications network using a continuous downlink protocol; tuning a radio within a particular mobile messaging unit to the first communications channel during discrete time slots used by the primary digital communications network for data transmissions to the particular mobile messaging unit; tuning said radio to the second communications channel during times other than the discrete time slots; communicating between the particular mobile messaging unit and the primary digital communications network when the radio is tuned to the first communications channel; communicating between the particular mobile messaging unit and the secondary digital communications network when the radio is tuned to the second communications channel. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A method of operating a wireless data communications system which includes a plurality of mobile messaging units, the method comprising the following steps:
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digitally transmitting messages on a first communications channel from a primary digital communications network to the plurality of mobile messaging units using a reserved time slot protocol; digitally transmitting data on a second communications channel from a secondary digital communications network to the plurality of mobile messaging units using a continuous downlink protocol; coordinating transmissions to a particular mobile messaging unit from the secondary digital communications network to take place during times other than those discrete time slots used by the primary digital communications network for message transmissions to the particular mobile messaging unit. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61)
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Specification