Selective call receiver capable of requesting information from a communication system and method therefor

• US 5,555,446 A
• Filed: 02/21/1995
• Issued: 09/10/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jasinski, Leon
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, NGUYEN THANH
• Application Number:
  US08/391,301
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 455/38.1, 455/38.4, 455/53.1, 455/54.2, 455/56.1, 455/88, 455/89, 455/90, 455/185.1, 455/186.1, 455/186.2, 455/345, 455/346, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.3 , 455/6.1, 455/6.2, 348/13, 348/7, 348/10, 348/12, 379/57, 379/58, 379/59, 379/61, 379/89, 379/63, 379/95-98, 340/825.44, 340/311.1, 340/905, 340/825.02, 340/825.56, 340/825.27, 395/600
• US Class Current: 340/7.21
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/185 Selective call encoders for paging networks, e.g. paging centre devices

Abstract

A communication system has a base station having memory for storing information within a plurality of information files relating to a plurality of information services. A receiver receives an information service request for requesting information within at least one of the plurality of information files from a selective call receiver. A transmitter transmits the information requested from within the at least one information service file to the selective call receiver. The selective call receiver includes a generator for generating the information service request and a transmitter transmitting the information service request. The selective call receiver receives the information transmitted from the base station in response to the information service request and a display displays the received information.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a base station including;

means for storing information within a plurality of information files relating to a plurality of information services, said means for storing stores access information relating to the plurality of information services wherein said access information being arranged in a hierarchy-tree-structure for providing access to the information being stored;

means for receiving an information service request for requesting the information within at least one of the plurality of information files from a selective call receiver; and

means for transmitting the information requested from within the at least one of the plurality of information files to the selective call receiver; and

the selective call receiver including;

means for generating the information service request, said means for generating generates the information service request in a code word having a series of bits for identifying the at least one of the plurality of information files, wherein the plurality of information files are, organized in a hierarchy-tree-structure and the codeword having 2×

N series of bits capable of providing access to N levels of the plurality of information files of the hierarchy-tree structure wherein every 2 bits of the 2×

N series of bits provides access to a different level of the hierarchy-tree-structure;

means for transmitting the information service request;

means for receiving the information transmitted from the base station in response to the information service request;

means for storing the information being received; and

means for displaying the information.

2. The communication system according to claim 1 wherein the base station is coupled to a plurality of information service providers capable of providing the information to the plurality of information files, said plurality of information service providers periodically update the information stored in the plurality of information files.

3. The communication system according to claim 1 wherein the base station further including a means for processing the information service request.

4. The communication system according to claim 3 wherein the processing means further including a means for decoding the information service request.

5. The communication system according to claim 1 wherein the codeword is encoded with 2×

N number of bits corresponding to N number of levels of the hierarchy-tree-structure wherein 2^2N represents a number of the plurality of information files capable of being accessed by said selective call receiver transmitting the information service request having a 2×

N bit codeword.

6. The communication system according to claim 1 wherein the transmitting means of the base station further including means for communicating with information service providers external to the base station in response to the information service request.

7. The communication system according to claim 1 wherein the selective call receiver further including an inputting means for enabling a user to request information.

8. A selective call receiver capable of generating an information service request, comprising:

means for generating the information service request, said means for generating generates the information service request in a codeword having a 2×

N series of bits capable of providing access to N levels of a plurality of information files wherein every 2 bits of the 2×

N series of bits provides access to a different level of information in the plurality of information files organized in a hierarchy-tree-structure;

means for transmitting the information service request on a first frequency requesting information to a base station coupled to a plurality of information services;

means for receiving the information transmitted from the base station on a second frequency in response to the information service request;

means for storing the information being received; and

means for displaying the received information.

9. The selective call receiver according to claim 8 wherein the codeword is encoded with 2×

N number of bits corresponding to N number of levels of the hierarchy-tree-structure and wherein 2^2N represents a number of the plurality of information files capable of being accessed by said selective call receiver transmitting the information service request in a 2×

N bit codeword.

10. The selective call receiver according to claim 8 further comprising an inputting means for inputting the information for selecting the plurality of information services.

11. In a communication system, a method for requesting information comprising the steps of:

(a) storing the information, in a base station, within a plurality of information files relating to a plurality of information services, said step of storing stores access information relating to the plurality of information files wherein said access information being arranged in a hierarchy-tree-structure for providing access to the information stored in the base station;

(b) receiving a request from a selective call receiver for the information within at least one of the plurality of information files;

(c) transmitting the information requested within the at least one of the plurality of information files to the selective call receiver requesting the information;

(d) generating, in the selective call receiver, a information service request, said step of generating generates the information service request in a codeword having a 2×

N series of bits capable of providing access to N levels of the plurality of information files wherein every 2 bits of the 2×

N series of bits provides access to a different level of information in the plurality of information files organized in the hierarchy-tree-structure;

(e) transmitting the information service request to the base station;

(f) receiving the information transmitted from the base station in response to the information service request by the selective call receiver;

(g) storing the information being received in the selective call receiver, and

(h) displaying the received information.

12. The method according to claim 11 further comprising the step of processing the information service request by the base station to determine the information file from which the information is being requested.

13. A communication system, comprising:

a base station; and

a plurality of selective call receivers;

said base station having a plurality of information files coupled to a plurality of information service providers, said base station comprising;

processing means for processing information and information service requests, said processing means further including a decoding means for decoding the information service requests;

memory means coupled to the processing means for storing access information relating to a subscription to at least a subset of the plurality of information service providers by each of the plurality of selective call receivers;

base station receiving means for receiving the information service requests from the plurality of selective call receivers and for receiving the information from the plurality of information service providers;

base station transmitting means coupled to the processing means for transmitting the information to the selective call receiver requesting same; and

each selective call receiver subscribing to at least a subset of the plurality of information service providers wherein each selective call receiver capable of requesting the information from one of the subset of the information service providers, each selective call receiver comprising;

portable transmitting means for transmitting the information service request to the base station at a first information rate over a radio communication channel indicating the information service provider from which the information is being requested;

portable processing means coupled to the portable transmitting means for processing the information service request, said processing means further including an encoding means for encoding the information service request in a codeword for identifying the information service provider from the subset of the information service providers from which information is being requested, said codeword comprises a plurality of bits organized in a frame for identifying the information service provider wherein access to the subset of the information service providers being subscribed to by the selective call receiver is organized in a hierarchy-tree-structure wherein the codeword has 2×

N series of bits capable of providing access to N levels of the plurality of information files of the hierarchy-tree structure wherein every 2 bits of the 2×

N series of bits provides access to a different level of the hierarchy-tree structure within the base station, and upon receipt of the codeword by the base station, the base station identifies the information service provider by decoding the plurality of bits indicating the hierarchy-tree-structure for determining the information service provider from which the information is being requested by the selective call receiver; and

portable receiving means coupled to the processing means for receiving the information from the information service provider via the base station at a second information rate substantially higher than the first information rate.

14. The communication system according to claim 13 wherein the codeword comprising N bits representing N number of levels in the hierarchy-tree-structure wherein 2^2N represents the number of the information service providers capable of being accessed by said selective call receiver having the codeword encoded with 2×

N bits.

15. A selective call receiver subscribing to at least a subset of a plurality of information service providers coupled to an external base station, comprising:

transmitting means for transmitting an information service request to said external base station indicating an information service provider from which information is being requested, said information service request being transmitted at a first information rate over a radio communication channel;

processing means coupled to the transmitting means for processing the information service request, said processing means further including an encoding means for encoding the information service request into a codeword identifying the information service provider from the subset of the plurality of information service providers from which the information is being requested, said codeword comprises an 2×

N series of bits organized in a frame for identifying N levels of information service providers wherein every 2 bits of the 2×

N series of bits is capable of providing access to a different level of the N levels of information service providers being organized in a hierarchy-tree-structure; and

receiving means coupled to the processing means for receiving the information from the information service provider via the external base station at a second information rate substantially higher than the first information rate.