Paging system with message numbering prior to transmission

• US 5,682,148 A
• Filed: 04/12/1995
• Issued: 10/28/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Protocol-ip.com, LLC
• Original Assignee: Seiko Corporation (Seiko Group), Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Park, Daniel J., Gaskill, Garold B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): HILL, ANDREW M
• Application Number:
  US08/420,617
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.44, 340/825.2, 340/825.21, 455/32.1, 455/38.1, 370/60, 370/61, 370/394, 371/32, 371/33, 371/67.1, 371/69.1, 379/60, 379/61
• US Class Current: 340/7.31
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/04 using radio waves radio-controlled time-pieces G04R
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/229 with other provisions not elsewhere provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/18 Automatic repetition systems, e.g. Van Duuren systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/185 Selective call encoders for paging networks, e.g. paging centre devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/187 using digital or pulse address codes

Abstract

A paging system repeatedly broadcast each message and associates a sequential message number with each paging message. The message number in each message serves two functions. First, the message number is used to determine if the same message was previously received and second, when a subscriber reviews the messages, missing messages can be readily detected by skipped message numbers. All messages that are transmitted are also stored at a clearinghouse and a subscriber can telephone the clearinghouse facility and request that particular missed messages be retransmitted or given by voice response over the telephone.

Claims

1. In a paging system which selectively transmits paging messages from a central transmitter to a plurality of addressable paging receivers,

means located at said central transmitter for assigning sequential numbers to the messages addressed to each of said plurality of addressable paging receivers and for transmitting with each message the number assigned thereto, and

means at each receiver for receiving messages and the numbers assigned thereto and for displaying the assigned numbers of the messages which have been received,

whereby if a message is transmitted and not received a gap will exist in the sequence of numbers displayed.

2. The system recited in claim 1 including means at said receivers to compare message numbers with previously received message numbers, whereby duplicate messages can be detected.

3. In a paging system which selectively transmits paging messages from a central transmitter to an addressable paging receiver,

means located at said central transmitter for assigning sequential message numbers to the messages addressed to said addressable paging receiver and for transmitting with each message the assigned message number,

means at said addressable paging receiver for receiving messages addressed thereto and for receiving the message number of each received message, and

means at said addressable paging receiver for comparing the received message numbers with previously received message numbers and for displaying received message numbers

whereby duplicate messages can be detected and if a message is transmitted and not received a gap will exist in the sequence of message numbers displayed.