Radio pager with touch sensitive display panel inactive during message reception

• US 5,793,303 A
• Filed: 06/20/1996
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Koga, Kuniaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, III, Edwin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FARABEE, ARTHUR G
• Application Number:
  US08/666,202
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 178/18, 178/17 C, 84/653, 345/173, 345/174, 379/58, 340/825.44, 348/239, 455/38.2, 455/38.3, 455/38.4
• US Class Current: 340/7.56
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/225 Display details

Abstract

In a radio display pager, the display panel is overlaid with a touch sensitive film and a scan pulse generator is provided. When receiving a paging signal and storing a received message, the scan pulse generator is inactive to avoid interference. The scan pulse generator is activated when a physical key is manually operated for displaying virtual keys by applying a first scan pulse to one end of each horizontal path of the touch sensitive film and a second scan pulse to one end of each vertical path of the film. A pair of coordinate signals is derived from the scan pulse outputs from the other ends of the horizontal and vertical paths. When one of the virtual keys is operated, coordinate signals representing its position are produced and, in response, a corresponding message in the memory is displayed. The scan pulse generator is deactivated when the physical key is operated again.

Claims

1. A selective calling radio display pager comprising:

a display panel;

a touch sensitive film overlying the display panel;

scanning means for applying, when activated, a first scan pulse to one end of each of parallel horizontal paths of said touch sensitive film and applying a second scan pulse to one end of each of parallel vertical paths of said touch sensitive film and producing a pair of coordinate signals from the first and second scan pulses delivered from the other ends of the horizontal and vertical paths;

receive means for receiving messages having an address corresponding to an address of the pager when the scanning means is inactive;

a memory;

a physical key; and

control means for storing the received messages into said memory when the scanning means is inactive, for switching the scanning means to active state in response to manual operation of the physical key, for displaying virtual keys on said display panel when said scanning means is in the active state, and for displaying a message stored in the memory on said display panel in response to the coordinate signals from the scanning means representing the position of one of the virtual keys which is manually operated.

2. A selective calling radio display pager as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control means includes means for switching said scanning means to inactive state again when the physical key is operated after said one of the virtual keys is operated.

3. A method for operating a selective calling radio display pager comprising a display panel, a touch sensitive film overlying the display panel, scanning means for applying, when activated, a first scan pulse to one end of each of parallel horizontal paths of said touch sensitive film and applying a second scan pulse to one end of each of parallel vertical paths of said touch sensitive film and producing a pair of coordinate signals from the first and second scan pulses delivered from the other ends of the horizontal and vertical paths, and a manually operated physical key, the method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a message having an address corresponding to an address of the pager and storing the received message into a memory while keeping said scanning means in an inactive state;

b) determining whether the physical key is operated or not;

c) if the physical key is determined to be operated, activating said scanning means and if the physical key is determined to be not operated, repeating the step (a);

d) displaying virtual keys on the display panel; and

e) displaying a message stored in the memory on said display panel in response to the coordinate signals from the scanning means representing the position of one of the virtual keys which is manually operated.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising, after the step (e), deactivating said scanning means in response to operation of the physical key.

5. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising, between the steps (a) and (b), the steps of:

a1) activating an annunciator; and

a2) deactivating the annunciator and displaying a message most recently stored in the memory on said display panel in response to operation of the physical key.

6. A selective calling radio display pager comprising:

a display panel;

a touch sensitive film connected to said display panel;

a scanning mechanism having an active state and an inactive state, wherein when said scanning mechanism is in its active state said scanning mechanism determines whether said touch sensitive film is touched;

a receiver that, when said scanning mechanism is in its inactive state, receives messages having an address corresponding to an address of the pager;

a memory;

a physical key that switches said scanning mechanism between its active and inactive states; and

a control unit that directs the received messages into said memory when said scanning mechanism is in its inactive state, and that displays virtual keys on said display panel when said scanning mechanism is in its active state.