Messaging system and method having roaming capability and controlled group messaging

• US 5,600,312 A
• Filed: 03/09/1995
• Issued: 02/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Laflin, Barbara D., Eaton, Eric T., Willard, David F., Schwendeman, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILSON JR, WILLIAM HALL
• Application Number:
  US08/401,317
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 455/186.1, 455/38.2, 455/57.1, 340/22, 340/37, 340/311.1, 340/825.44, 340/825.47, 340/825.52, 340/825.68, 340/825.69, 379/56, 379/57
• US Class Current: 340/7.27
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/022 One-way selective calling networks, e.g. wide area paging

Abstract

A messaging system and method capable of transmitting group messages throughout a Network (200) such that receivers which are outside of a "local" or "home" area of coverage receive such group messages, whereas receivers which are in a "local" area of coverage over ride and do not receive the group message as a result of decoding system identifiers and ignoring those messages having network roaming identification.

Claims

1. A method for selectively communicating group messages to pagers in a network, the method comprising the steps of:

dividing a network into a plurality of service areas, each service area comprising at least one zone;

assigning to each network a network roaming identifier which comprises at least a network identifier and a service area identifier such that the network identifier is common throughout a network, the service area identifier for identifying a service area within a network;

assigning to each service area at least one system identifier which comprises at least a local service provider identifier and a zone identifier for identifying a zone within a service area;

storing in at least one receiver subscribed for receiving messages in a particular network and in at least one home service area in the particular network, a network roaming identifier associated with the particular network and at least one particular system identifier associated with the at least one home service area;

generating a group message to be decoded by a select group of receivers subscribed to receive messages in the particular network;

generating a signal associated with each zone for communicating addressed messages to receivers in each zone, including a step of associating within the signal the group message with the network roaming identifier corresponding to a network, the signal further including a system identifier corresponding to each zone;

transmitting in each zone the signal associated with each zone;

in the at least one receiver, receiving the signal transmitted in a zone and decoding the system identifier corresponding to the at least one home service area and ignoring the network roaming identifier so as not to receive the group message associated with the network roaming information, and when the at least one receiver determines that the decoded system identifier does not correspond to the stored particular system identifier, decoding the network roaming identifier and the group message associated therewith.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network roaming identifier is transmitted in at first and second occurences within a time frame, the second occurrence of the network roaming identifier having the group message associated therewith.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the time frame comprises an address field and a message field, and wherein the network roaming identifier transmitted in the first occurrence is in the address field, and wherein the network identifier transmitted in the second occurrence is in the address field, and the group message associated with the network identifier is located in the message field.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of transmitting comprises transmitting the signal in successive cycles, each cycle comprising a plurality of consecutive time frames, each time frame comprising at least a sync word, an address field, and a message field, and wherein the network roaming identifier is contained in the address field of the sync word, and wherein the system identifier is contained in the sync word.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the network identifier corresponding to the network roaming identifier is in the address field, and the Service Area identifier corresponding to the network roaming identifier is in the message field.

6. The method of claim 1, and wherein the step of generating the group message comprises generating a network message which is designated for reception throughout a network, and wherein the step of associating the group message comprises associating the network message with a network identifier of a network roaming identifier such that the network message is designated for reception throughout a network corresponding to a network identifier.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating the group message comprises generating a service area message designated for reception throughout a service area, and the step of associating comprises associating the service area message with an entire network roaming identifier such that the network message is designated for reception throughout a service area corresponding to a network roaming identifier.

8. A selective call receiver comprising:

a receiver circuit for receiving a transmitted signal and generating output signals, the transmitted signal including a network roaming identifier associated with a network in which the transmitted signal is transmitted and a system identifier associated with the service area in which the signal is transmitted;

a control circuit coupled to the receiver circuit and responsive to the output signals of receiver, the control circuit comprising a memory for storing a particular network roaming identifier associated with at least one particular network in which the selective call receiver is subscribed to receive messages and a system identifier associated with at least one particular service area in which the selective call receiver is subscibed to receive messages, a processor circuit for decoding the output signals from the receiver circuit in accordance with a control program, the processor circuit being programmed by the control program for;

decoding the system identifier in the transmitted signal;

determining whether the system identifier in the transmitted signal matches the particular system identifier stored in the memory;

ignoring the network roaming identifier in the transmitted signal and any group message associated with the network roaming identifier in the transmitted signal when the system identifier in the transmitted signal matches the particular system identifier; and

otherwise decoding the network roaming identifier in the transmitted signal and the group message associated therewith.

9. A method for communicating messages to a plurality of addressable receivers subscribed to receive messages in a network which comprises multiple service areas, comprising steps of:

assigning to each network a network roaming identifier which comprises at least a network identifier and a service area identifier such that the network identifier is common throughout a network;

generating a signal for transmission in a service area of the network, the signal comprising a plurality of frames for consecutive transmission such that the plurality of frames define a cycle, each frame comprising substantially in sequence, synchronization information, a block information field comprising a plurality of block information words, an address field comprising a plurality of address information, a vector field comprising a plurality of vector information, and a message field comprising a plurality of messages associated with address information and corresponding vector information;

encoding in the address field of a particular frame in a cycle, a particular network identifier which includes an address word for an addressable receiver;

encoding in the vector field of the particular frame, in association with the particular network identifier at least the service area identifier, which together with the particular network identifier comprise a network roaming identifier code word;

encoding in the address field of the particular frame, a shortened network roaming identifier code word comprising the particular network identifier, in order to indicate that a network system message is being transmitted;

encoding a network system message in the message field in association with the shortened network roaming identifier code word; and

transmitting the signal in the service area of the network.

10. A selective call receiver comprising:

a receiver circuit for receiving a transmitted signal and generating output signals, the transmitted signal comprising a plurality of frames consecutively transmitted such that the plurality of frames define a cycle, each frame comprising substantially in sequence, synchronization information, a block information field comprising a plurality of block information words, an address field comprising a plurality of address information, a vector field comprising a plurality of vector information, and a message field comprising a plurality of messages associated with address information and corresponding vector information;

a control circuit coupled to the receiver circuit and responsive to the output signals of the receiver circuit, the control circuit comprising a memory for storing a particular network roaming identifier associated with at least one particular network in which the selective call receiver is subscribed to receive messages and a system identifier associated with at least one particular service area in which the selective call receiver is subscribed to receive messages, a processor circuit for decoding the output signals of the receiver circuit in accordance with a control program, the processor circuit being programmed by the control program for;

decoding from the address field of a particular frame in a cycle, a network identifier which an address word for an addressable receiver;

decoding from the vector field of the particular frame, in association with the network identifier at least a service area identifier, which together with the network identifier comprise a network roaming address word;

decoding from the address field of the particular frame, a shortened network roaming identifier code word comprising the network identifier, which indicates that a network system message is being transmitted; and

decoding the network system message from the message field in association with the shortened network roaming address word.

11. A method for communicating messages to a plurality of addressable receivers subscribed to receive messages in a network which comprises multiple service areas, comprising steps of:

dividing a network into a plurality of service areas, each service area comprising at least one zone;

assigning to each service area at least one system identifier which comprises at least a service provider identifier and a zone identifier for identifying a zone within a service area;

generating a signal for transmission in a service area of the network, the signal comprising a plurality of frames for consecutive transmission such that the plurality of frames define a cycle, each frame comprising substantially in sequence, synchronization information, a block information field comprising a plurality of block information words, an address field comprising a plurality of address information, a vector field comprising a plurality of vector information, and a message field comprising a plurality of messages associated with address information and corresponding vector information;

encoding into two of the block information words, a first service area identifier word comprising a local system identifier and zone identifier, and a second service area identifier word comprising traffic splitting flags and country codes;

encoding into another of the block information words system message information indicating a system message type;

encoding addresses for receivers in the address field;

encoding vector information in the vector field;

encoding system message vector in the first location of the message field; and

encoding in the message field a system message in association with the system message vector.

12. A selective call receiver comprising:

a receiver circuit for receiving a transmitted signal and generating output signals, the transmitted signal comprising a plurality of frames consecutively transmitted such that the plurality of frames define a cycle, each frame comprising substantially in sequence, synchronization information, a block information field comprising a plurality of block information words, an address field comprising a plurality of address information, a vector field comprising a plurality of vector information, and a message field comprising a plurality of messages associated with address information and corresponding vector information;

a control circuit coupled to the receiver circuit and responsive to the output signals of the receiver circuit, the control circuit comprising a memory for storing a particular service area identifier associated with at least one particular service area in which the selective call receiver is subscribed to receive messages, and a processor circuit for decoding the output signals of the receiver circuit in accordance with a control program, the processor circuit being programmed by the control program for;

decoding two of the block information words that include a first service are identifier word comprising a local system identifier and zone identifier, and a second service area identifier word comprising traffic splitting flags and country codes;

decoding another of the block information words that includes system message information indicating a system message type;

determining whether the system message type corresponds to a pertinent system message for the selective call receiver;

decoding a system message vector from the first location in the message field; and

decoding a system message associated with the system message vector from the message field.