Paging device having last-to-first sequential character memory search routine

• US 5,675,324 A
• Filed: 03/13/1995
• Issued: 10/07/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Isoe, Toshio, Hashimoto, Shintaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILSON JR, WILLIAM HALL
• Application Number:
  US08/402,953
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 340/311.1, 340/825.44, 340/825.47, 340/825.52, 340/825.68, 340/825.69, 455/57.1, 379/56, 379/217, 235/375, 235/379, 235/383
• US Class Current: 340/7.52
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/229 with other provisions not elsewhere provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2753 providing data content
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20

Abstract

A paging device with a message display function enables a person who possesses the paging device to register plural calling numbers including an area code in a memory section by operating an attached input section. The paging device is arranged such that upon receiving a calling number, a calling number corresponding to the received calling number is searched in last-to-first sequential character order, from a calling number directory registered in the memory section, and the calling number including the area code is displayed on a display section. In this way, even when a calling person transmits the calling number without the area code, the calling number including the area code which is registered beforehand is displayed on the display section of the paging device.

Claims

1. A paging device having a message display function, comprising:

receiving means for receiving information of a calling number;

input means for inputting a calling number including an area code to be registered;

memory means having a memory area for storing plural registered calling numbers inputted by said input means;

search means for comparing the information of a calling number received by said receiving means with a character string of a registered calling number stored in said memory means in order from a last character to a first character so as to search a registered calling number composed of at least a same number of characters as the received calling number and including a same character string starting with a last character as a character string from the last character to the first character of the calling number received by said receiving means; and

display means for displaying the registered calling number searched by said search means.

2. The paging device having a message display function as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said memory means includes a memory area for storing supplemental information including at least a person'"'"'s name inputted by said input means so as to be paired with a corresponding registered calling number,

the supplemental information can be registered as as desired by operating said input means; and

said display means also displays the supplemental information corresponding to the registered calling number when displaying the registered calling number searched by said search means.

3. The paging device having a message display function as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said memory means includes a memory area for storing secret information inputted by said input means so as to be paired with a corresponding registered calling number,

the secret information can be registered as desired by operating said input means, said paging device further comprising;

judging means for determining whether or not the secret information is attached to the registered calling number searched by said search means; and

inhibit means for inhibiting the supplemental information to be displayed by said display means based on a result of determination by said judging means.

4. The paging device having a message display function as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said input means can specify each calling number to be registered either as a telephone number or a facsimile number when inputting the calling number;

said memory means includes a first memory area for storing registered calling numbers inputted by said input means in such a manner that said registered calling numbers are classified into telephone numbers and facsimile numbers, and a second memory area for storing plural fixed messages for telephone numbers and facsimile numbers;

said search means includes judging means for determining whether a registered calling number is a telephone number or a facsimile number when detecting the registered calling number corresponding to the received calling number from said first memory area, and selection means for selecting a fixed message for telephone numbers or facsimile numbers from the second memory area based of a result of determination by said judging means; and

said display means displays also a fixed message selected by said selection means when displaying the registered calling number searched by said search means.

5. The paging device having a message display function as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

timer means for measuring a current time; and

received time setting means for writing information of the current time measured by said timer means in said memory means upon receiving the information of a calling number.

6. The paging device having a message display function as set forth in claim 1, wherein said search means includes:

a first buffer memory for temporarily storing the received calling number;

second buffer memory for temporarily storing each registered calling number fetched from said memory means in order; and

digit identification determining means for determining whether the received calling number stored in said buffer memory is identical with the registered calling number stored in said buffer memory by comparing numbers in order from a last digit.

7. The paging device having a message display function as set forth in claim 1, wherein said search means includes:

first location detecting means for detecting a location of a symbol in the received calling number;

second location detecting means for detecting a location of a symbol in each registered calling number stored in said memory means; and

selection means for selecting a registered calling number stored in said memory means, which includes a symbol in a same location as a location detected by said first location detecting means by comparing a result of detection by said first location detecting means and a result of detection by said second location detecting means,

wherein said search means performs a searching operation only with respect to registered numbers selected by said selection means.

8. The paging device having a message display function as set forth in claim 7, wherein said first location detecting means includes:

first judging means for determining whether each character in the received calling number is a symbol or a numeral by fetching respective characters of the received calling number in order from a last character; and

plural counters for counting a location of each symbol in the received calling number based on a result of determination by said first judging means, and said second location detecting means includes;

second judging means for determining whether each character in each registered calling number is a symbol or a numeral by fetching respective characters of the registered calling number in order from a last character; and

plural counters for counting a location of each symbol in the registered calling number based on a result of determination by said second judging means.

9. The paging device having a message display function as set forth in claim 1, wherein said search means includes:

first count means for counting a total number of numerals in the received calling number;

second count means for counting respective numbers of numerals in respective numeral strings divided by at least one symbol in each registered calling number; and

selection means for selecting among registered calling numbers stored in said memory means, a registered calling number which includes a combination of values counted by said second count means, which gives a same value as a value of said first count means by comparing the count value of said first count means with respective combinations of values counted by said second count means,

wherein search means performs a searching operation with respect to only registered calling numbers selected by said selection means.

10. The paging device having a message display function as set forth in claim 9, wherein said first count means includes:

first judging means for determining whether each character of the received calling number is a symbol or numeral by fetching respective characters of the received calling number in order from a last character; and

a single counter for counting only a number of numerals in the received calling number based on a result of determination by said first judging means, and said second count means includes;

second judging means for determining whether each character in the registered calling number is a symbol or a numeral by fetching respective characters of each registered calling number in order from a last character, and

plural counters for counting respective numbers of characters in respective numeral strings of the registered calling numbers divided by the symbol in the registered calling number based on a result of determination by said second judging means.

11. The paging device having a message display function as set forth in claim 1, being composed of:

a main body including a connecter for connecting the main body to said input means; and

said input means being detachable from the main body through said connector.

12. The paging device having a message display function as set forth in claim 11, wherein:

said main body includes an informing sound generating section for generating an informing sound for informing a user that said receiving means receives the information of a calling number, and

an informing sound stop key for stopping the informing sound.

13. The paging device having a message display function as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said input means can be folded by being composed of a fixed section fixed to a main body and a movable section mounted to one end of the fixed section so as to be freely rotatable,

switch key arrays for inputting calling numbers to be registered are formed both on the fixed section and on the movable section, and

said input means can take a folded position where a switch key array on the fixed section and a switch key array on the movable section face one another and a key operation permitting position where a key switch array is exposed with an open position of the movable section.

14. The paging device having a message display function as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said memory means is an IC card detachable from a main body, and

said input means is an information input device provided separately from the main body, for permitting information to be written in the IC card.

15. The paging device having a message display function as set forth in claim 14, wherein:

said information input device is an electric organizer.

16. A paging device having a message display function comprising:

receiving means for receiving information comprising a calling number, said information may or may not include an area code;

input means for inputting a calling number that includes an area code as a registered calling number;

memory means having a memory area for storing plural registered calling numbers inputted by said input means;

search detecting means for detecting a registered calling number corresponding to a calling number received by said receiving means, which may or may not include an area code, said search detecting means comparing a character string of a received calling number against a character string of each registered calling number stored in memory, wherein said comparing is performed between characters in respective character strings in a last-to-first sequential character order that begins with respective last characters of said received calling number and a registered calling number and concludes with a first character of said received calling number and a corresponding last-to-first sequential character of said registered calling number; and

display means for displaying said corresponding registered calling number, including said area code, detected by said search detecting means.

17. The paging device having a message display function as set forth in claim 16, wherein:

supplemental information including at least a person'"'"'s name can be stored in said memory means so as to be paired with respective corresponding plural calling numbers by operating said input means, and

said display means also displays a corresponding supplemental information when displaying the registered calling number detected by said search detecting means.

18. The paging device having a message display function as set forth in claim 16, wherein:

plural calling numbers can be registered in said memory means so as to be classified into telephone numbers and facsimile numbers as well as plural fixed messages for telephone numbers or facsimile numbers by operating said input means;

said search detecting means detects a registered calling number corresponding to the received calling number by searching, and determines whether the registered calling number detected by said search detecting means is a telephone number or facsimile number; and

said display means displays also a corresponding fixed message when displaying the registered calling number searched by said search detecting means.

19. A method for displaying information associated with a calling number from a transmission received in a paging device having a memory, a means for inputting information into the memory, a message display function, and a display, comprising the steps of:

a) registering a calling number along with associated additional information in said paging device by inputting said calling number along with said additional information in a memory in said paging device, said memory means having a memory area for storing plural calling numbers and said additional information;

b) upon receiving a transmitted calling number, detecting a corresponding calling number registered in said paging device by comparing a character string of a received calling number against a character string of each registered calling number stored in memory, said comparing performed between characters in respective character strings in a last-to-first sequential character order that begins with respective last characters of said received calling number and a registered calling number and concludes with a first character of said received calling number and a corresponding last-to-first sequential character of said registered calling number; and

displaying said corresponding registered calling number detected in step b), including said area code.

20. A paging device having a message display function comprising:

an RF receiver section, said receiver section receiving a transmitted calling number;

a memory, said memory having a memory area for storing plural registered calling numbers including associated area code information;

a central processor;

a registered calling number search routine stored in said memory and operating said central processor to detect a stored registered calling number corresponding to a calling number received by said receiving means, said search routine comparing a character string of a received calling number against a character string of each registered calling number stored in memory, wherein said comparing is performed between characters in respective character strings in a last-to-first sequential character order that begins with respective last characters of said received calling number and a registered calling number and concludes with a first character of said received calling number and a corresponding last-to-first sequential character of said registered calling number; and

a display device, said display device displaying the registered calling number including area code detected by said search routine.