Selective call receiver having abstract icon message display

• US 6,020,828 A
• Filed: 06/27/1997
• Issued: 02/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Gotou, Kazuhumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILSON JR, WILLIAM HALL
• Application Number:
  US08/884,036
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.44, 340/311.1, 340/825.69, 340/815.4, 340/815.53, 455/38.4, 455/140, 455/526, 455/517, 455/575, 455/38.1, 455/566, 370/313, 345/133, 345/348, 345/349, 345/141, 345/509, 345/194, 345/214, 345/87, 313/513, 349/16, 1/1
• US Class Current: 340/7.56
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/226 with alphanumeric or graphic display means

Abstract

A selective call receiver includes a memory storing a plurality of icons which are associated with different pieces of objective information, respectively. When a received message includes the icon designation data and a message, an abstract icon corresponding to the icon designation data is displayed at a predetermined place on screen together with the message. A user may assign objective information to respective ones of the abstract icons.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a message on screen in a selective call receiver having a display device, the method comprising the steps of:

storing predetermined icon data comprising a plurality of icons which have abstract geometrical shapes;

a user of the selective call receiver assigning different pieces of objective information to each of the plurality of icons, respectively;

checking whether received message data includes icon designation data; and

displaying an icon corresponding to the icon designation data at a predetermined place on screen of the display device when the received message data includes the icon designation data.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein predetermined numerals are previously assigned to the icons, respectively, and the icon designation data comprises one of the numerals.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the icon designation data further comprises a predetermined code followed by one of the numerals,

wherein the checking step comprises:

checking whether the received message data includes the predetermined code; and

checking whether one of the numerals follows the predetermined code when the received message data includes the predetermined code.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein predetermined places on screen of the display device are previously assigned to the icons, respectively.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the objective information includes information regarding at least one of place, occupation and personality.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of checking whether the received message data includes message data other than the icon designation data,

wherein, in the displying step, the message data and the icon corresponding to the icon designation data are displayed at predetermined places on screen of the display device when the received message data includes the icon designation data and the message data.