Selective call receiver and method of storing messages therein

• US 5,705,995 A
• Filed: 04/07/1997
• Issued: 01/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Laflin, Barbara Diaz, Laflin, Timothy Cecil
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): MERZ, EDWARD W
• Application Number:
  US08/833,461
• Time in Patent Office: 274 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.26, 340/825.27, 340/825.44, 340/825.47
• US Class Current: 340/7.48
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/227 with call or message storage means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails

Abstract

A selective call receiver such as a pager (44) sorts and stores received messages (24-32) by categories and, optionally, by sub-categories as well. The category of a received message is determined by comparing a received message to identifying data (106) stored in the pager (44). Both the identifying data (106) and the categories can by changed by the user. When the category of a received message has been determined, a user alert is generated, the alert being indicative of the category of the message.

Claims

1. In a selective call receiver having memory and receiving messages that are transmitted by a standard signaling protocol, a method of storing received messages that include data without modifying the standard signaling protocol, comprising at the selective call receiver:

receiving and decoding incoming messages;

providing a location in memory for storing received messages according to categories;

for each category, storing in memory an associated list of user-selected identifying data; and

comparing data in a received message to the user-selected identifying data and, if a match is found, storing the received message in memory and under the category associated with the matching identifying data.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, including generating a user alert upon receipt of a message, and wherein the alert is different for at least some categories of received messages.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 including storing messages according to categories and sub-categories, and also storing identifying data associated with each sub-category.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the identifying data includes telephone numbers.

5. A selective call receiver as set forth in claim 1 wherein the identifying data includes names of people.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the selective call receiver has a memory containing names of categories, and including changing the content of the memory upon user demand.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1 including changing the list of identifying data upon user demand.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1 including displaying a stored message and an indication of the category under which the displayed message has been stored.

9. A method as set forth in claim 1 including storing in memory at least first and second addresses, the first address for receiving messages in an information services category, and the second address for receiving messages in at least a second, different category.

10. In a selective call receiver having memory and receiving messages that are transmitted by a standard signaling protocol, a method of storing received messages that include data without modifying the standard signaling protocol, comprising at the selective call receiver:

receiving incoming messages;

storing in memory at least first and second addresses to which the receiver will respond, the first address for receiving messages in an information services category and the second address for receiving messages in at least a second, different category;

providing a location in memory for storing received messages according to categories;

for at least one category, storing in memory an associated list of user-selected identifying data;

comparing data in a received message to the user-selected identifying data and, if a match is found, storing the message in memory and under the category associated with the matching identifying data; and

displaying a stored message and an indication of the category under which the displayed message has been stored.

11. A selective call receiver, comprising:

circuitry for receiving incoming messages that include data;

at least one memory for storing received messages according to categories and, for at least one category, storing an associated list of user-selected identifying data;

means for a user to input identifying data to the memory;

a processor coupled to the memory and being programmed to compare data in a received message to the user-selected identifying data and, if a match is found, to cause the received message to be stored in the memory under the category associated with the matching identifying data; and

a display for displaying stored messages.

12. A selective call receiver as set forth in claim 11, further including user controls coupled to the processor for selecting a category of messages to be displayed, and wherein the processor is further programmed to respond to the user controls by causing display of one or more messages in a selected category.

13. A selective call receiver as set forth in claim 11, including means for generating a user alert upon receipt of a message, a characteristic of the user alert being dependent on the category of the received message.

14. A selective call receiver as set forth in claim 11, including a user control, wherein the content of the at least one memory includes names of categories, and wherein the processor is programmed to respond to the user control for changing the content of the memory.

15. A selective call receiver as set forth in claim 11 wherein the selective call receiver receives only messages having predetermined addresses stored in the memory, and wherein the memory stores at least first and second addresses, the first address for receiving messages in an information services category, and the second address for receiving messages in other categories.

16. A selective call receiver as set forth in claim 11 wherein the memory stores messages according to categories and sub-categories, and stores identifying data associated with each sub-category.

17. A selective call receiver as set forth in claim 11 wherein the identifying data associated with categories includes telephone numbers.

18. A selective call receiver as set forth in claim 11 including a user control, and wherein the processor is responsive to the user control for changing the identifying data.

19. A selective call receiver, comprising:

circuitry for receiving incoming messages that include data;

at least one memory for storing at least first and second addresses to which the receiver will respond, the first address for receiving messages in an information services category and the second address for receiving messages in at least a second, different category, the memory also storing received messages according to categories and, for at least one category, an associated list of user-selected identifying data;

means for a user to input identifying data to the memory;

a processor coupled to the memory and being programmed to compare data in a received message to the user-selected identifying data and, if a match is found, to cause the received message to be stored in the memory under the category associated with the matching identifying data;

a display; and

a user control coupled to the processor for selecting a category of messages to be displayed, the processor being responsive to the user control for causing the display to show one or more messages in the selected category.

20. A selective call receiver as set forth in claim 19, including means for generating a user alert upon receipt of a message, a characteristic of the user alert being dependent on the category of the received message.

21. A selective call receiver as set forth in claim 19 wherein the memory also stores messages according to sub-categories, and stores identifying data associated with each sub-category.