Dynamically addressable communications system and method

• US 5,652,574 A
• Filed: 02/02/1995
• Issued: 07/29/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William H. Berkman
• Original Assignee: William H. Berkman
• Inventors: Berkman, William H., Wachob, David E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donaghue, Larry D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rinehart, Mark H.
• Application Number:
  US08/384,671
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.52, 340/825.53, 340/825.21, 340/825.26, 340/825.27, 340/825.44, 340/825.47
• US Class Current: 340/7.45
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/187 using digital or pulse address codes

Abstract

A dynamically-addressable communications system provides either a list or set of dynamic addresses to selected receivers for broadcasting information packets from a transmission source to the selected receivers. Each dynamic address provided in the set is associated with a particular information packet designated to be received by the particular selected receivers to which that dynamic address is provided. Additionally, each broadcasted information packet includes at least one dynamic address identical to the dynamic address provided to its associated selected receivers. Thus, the broadcasted information packet which includes such identical dynamic address may be received by its associated selected receivers, which then modify the dynamic address list. Preferably, after each selected receiver receives a broadcasted information packet, the dynamic address associated with that particular received information packet is removed from the list of dynamic addresses provided to that selected receiver at least temporarily.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically-addressable transmission of information packets from a broadcast source to a plurality of receivers, the method comprising the steps of;

(a) providing at least one of a plurality of receivers with a set of at least one dynamic address in a first transmission, each provided dynamic address in the set being associated with a particular information packet designated to be received by at least one corresponding receiver to which such dynamic address is provided; and

(b) transmitting at least one of the designated information packets from a broadcast source to the plurality of receivers in a second transmission, at least one of the transmitted information packets including at least one dynamic address which is the same as one of the provided dynamic addresses, wherein each address is receivable by each corresponding receiver to which such dynamic address has been provided, and upon such reception, each corresponding receiver modifies the provided dynamic address set;

wherein step (a) includes storing the set of dynamic addresses provided to each receiver in dynamic memory included in each such receiver before separate transmission of information identified by said set of dynamic addresses, and wherein at least one of the provided dynamic addresses corresponds with a billing credit; and

wherein, in step (b), the modification by each corresponding receiver of the provided dynamic address set includes removing the dynamic address associated with a received information packet from the set of dynamic addresses provided to the corresponding selected receiver after that receiver receives such information packet and storing the removed dynamic address temporarily to permit a user to request additional packet information related to the temporarily stored dynamic address.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein providing includes:

a user request for at least one dynamic address to be added to the provided set of dynamic addresses in a receiver.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

adding at least one dynamic address in response to a non-real-time user requesting transmission of additional information through a key interface.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the set of dynamic addresses is provided in response to user request for information through manual entry.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the provided set of dynamic addresses is dynamically reconfigurable at the receiver.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the set of dynamic addresses is provided in a pre-transmission without information, by the broadcast source transmitting such set of dynamic addresses to the plurality of receivers over a predefined transmission frequency and time period.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein:

the predefined transmission frequency and time period is settable prior to transmission and is stored in at least one of the receivers.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein:

the set of dynamic addresses is provided to a particular receiver even when the particular receiver is powered-down by the user, by causing the particular receiver to power-up during a predefined, settable, time period and frequency.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the transmitted information packet is received, is stored, and is retrieved according to an alterable sequence for retrieval priority.

10. A messaging system, comprising:

(a) a plurality of receivers;

(b) means for providing said receivers with a set of at least one dynamic address, each provided dynamic address in the set being associated with a particular information packet designated to be received by at least one corresponding receiver to which such dynamic address is provided, wherein at least one of the provided dynamic addresses corresponds with a billing credit; and

(b) source means for transmitting at least one of the designated information packets to the plurality of receivers;

wherein at least one of the transmitted information packets includes at least one dynamic address which is the same as one of the provided dynamic addresses, wherein each address is receivable by each corresponding receiver to which such dynamic address has been provided, and upon such reception, each corresponding receiver modifies the provided dynamic address set;

wherein each of said receivers includes dynamic memory for storing the set of dynamic addresses provided to each receiver before separate transmission of information identified by said set of dynamic addresses; and

wherein the modification by each corresponding receiver of the provided dynamic address set includes removing the dynamic address associated with a received information packet from the set of dynamic addresses provided to the corresponding selected receiver after that receiver receives such information packet, and storing the removed dynamic address temporarily to permit a user to request additional packet information related to the temporarily stored dynamic address.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said means for providing includes means for adding, in response to a user request, at least one dynamic address to the provided set of dynamic addresses in a receiver.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising means for adding at least one dynamic address in response to a non real-time user requesting transmission of additional information through a key interface.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the set of dynamic addresses is provided in response to user request for information through manual entry.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the provided set of dynamic addresses is dynamically reconfigurable at the receiver.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the set of dynamic addresses is provided in a pro-transmission without information over a predefined transmission frequency and time period.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the predefined transmission frequency and time period is sortable prior to transmission and is stored in at least one of the receivers.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the set of dynamic addresses is provided to a particular receiver even when the particular receiver is powered-down by the user, by causing the particular receiver to power-up during a predefined, settable, time period and frequency.