Translator for messages transmitted to and received by a numeric pager

• US 6,049,697 A
• Filed: 06/18/1998
• Issued: 04/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arlene Scozzarella, Frank Ciociola
• Original Assignee: Arlene Scozzarella, Frank Ciociola
• Inventors: Ciociola, Frank, Scozzarella, Arlene
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAMOS FELICIANO, ELISEO
• Application Number:
  US09/099,794
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 455/38.1, 455/38.4, 455/38.5, 455/31.1, 455/31.2, 455/31.3, 455/412, 455/466, 455/566, 455/556, 455/186.1, 455/186.2, 455/575, 340/311.1, 340/825.44, 379/93.18, 379/93.27, 379/52, 341/20, 341/22, 364/709.11, 364/709.12
• US Class Current: 340/7.31
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/023 with message or information receiving capability

Abstract

A computer-based hand-held translator device for use in relation to preparing a numeric message for sending from a telephone having a telephone keypad to a numeric pager and also in relation to displaying an alpha message originally received as a numeric message on a numeric pager. Keystroke entry of alpha and numeric keys create alpha mode and numeric mode messages on a display. Entry of a translator actuator on the keyboard accesses a chip that translates an alpha mode message on the display to a numeric mode message on the display and that translates a numeric mode message on the display to an alpha mode message in accordance with an algorithm loaded into the chip. At the sender side the alpha message on the display is translated into a numeric mode that is entered onto a telephone keypad targeted to a pager. At the receiver side, the numeric message is entered onto the translator device and then translated to an alpha message. A personal notebook system is optionally included in the translator device.

Claims

1. A translator device for use in relation to preparing a numeric message for sending from a telephone having a telephone keypad to a numeric pager and also in relation to displaying an alpha message originally received as a numeric message on a numeric pager, comprising

input means including an electric circuit for generating signals in response to commands from a user which result in displaying a message in a plurality of slots on a display,

said input means including a plurality of keys including individual alpha letter keys representative of each of the letters of the alphabet associated with corresponding alpha letter characters each capable of being displayed on said display responsive to keystroke operation of a selected alpha letter key,

said plurality of keys also including distinctive numeral keys representative of selected disparate numerals in individual coextensive association with each of said individual alpha letter keys in accordance with an algorithm, said numeral keys being associated with corresponding numeric characters each capable of being displayed on said display responsive to keystroke operation of a selected numeral key, whereby numeric characters can be transferred as a numeric message for transmittal on the telephone keypad to the numeric pager by keystroke operation of the numeral keys of the telephone keypad in accordance with the numeric characters on said display,

alpha means associated with said input means responsive to keystroke operation enabling an alpha mode of operation wherein said alpha characters are displayed on said display,

numeric means associated with said input means responsive to keystroke operation enabling a numeric mode of operation wherein said numeric characters are displayed on said display,

first translation means associated with said alpha means for enabling said alpha letter characters being displayed upon said display in said alpha mode of operation to be translated to numeric characters being displayed in accordance with said algorithm upon said display in said numeric mode of operation upon keystroke operation of said alpha means, and

second translation means associated with said numeric means for enabling said numeric characters being displayed upon said display in said numeric mode of operation to be translated to alpha letter characters being displayed in accordance with said algorithm upon said display in said alpha mode of operation upon keystroke operation of said numeric means.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said algorithm is in accordance with the following conversion table:

space="preserve" listing-type="tabular">______________________________________ Numeral (key) Alphabetic letter (key) ______________________________________ 1 A 2 I 3 E 4 L 5 N 6 S 7 R 8 T 9 O 22 B 33 C 44 D 55 F 66 G 77 H 88 J 99 K 01 M 02 P 03 Q (or Qu) 04 U 05 V 06 W 07 Y 001 X 002 Z ______________________________________

3. The device according to claim 2, further including programmable message means for placing at least one programmed message in one or the other of said numeric mode and said alpha mode into a programmed message memory module and for retrieving said at least one programmed message from said programmed message memory module for entry on said display in one or the other of said numeric mode and said alpha mode, said programmable message means including a programmable message key responsive to keystroke operation for placing said at least one programmed message on said display in one or the other of said numeric mode and said alpha mode.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein said at least one programmed message is a plurality of programmed messages, and further including scroll means associated with said programmed message means and said input put means for entering each of said plurality of programmed messages on said display in one or the other of said numeric mode and said alpha mode.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said programmable message means includes means for deleting any selected programmable message in said alpha mode and said numeric mode.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein said numeric means includes a numeric actuator associated with said input means responsive to keystroke operation resulting in the activation of said numeric means, and wherein said alpha means includes an alpha actuator associated with said input means responsive to keystroke operation resulting in the activation of said alpha means.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein said alpha means and said numeric means includes a single numeric and alpha actuator associated with said input means responsive to successive keystroke operation resulting in alternate activation of said numeric means and said alpha means.

8. The device according to claim 1, further including saved message means for placing at least one message on said display in one or the other of said numeric mode and said alpha mode into a saved message memory module and for retrieving said at least one saved message from said saved message memory module for entry on said display in one or the other of said numeric mode and said alpha mode, said saved message means including a saved message key responsive to keystroke operation for placing said at least one programmed message on said display in one or the other of said numeric mode and said alpha mode.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein said at least one saved message is a plurality of saved messages, and further including scroll means associated with said saved message means and said input means for entering each of said plurality of saved messages on said display in one or the other of said numeric mode and said alpha mode.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein said saved message means includes means for deleting any selected saved message in said alpha mode and said numeric mode.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein said input means includes a keyboard and a central processing unit coupled to said first and second translation means, and said alpha means includes an alpha module and said numeric means includes a numeric module, said display being coupled to said alpha module and to said numeric module, and wherein said first and second translation means includes an algorithm-translation memory module coupled to said central processing unit and to said numeric module and to said alpha module, said algorithm-translation memory module being activated in response to keystroke operation of one or the other of said alpha module and said numeric module.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein said algorithm-translation memory module causes entry of an asterisk on said display in said numeric mode between successive numeric characters both upon keystroke operation of the same numeric key in sequence and also upon keystroke operation of two different numeric keys in sequence resulting in entry on said display of successive numeric characters.

13. The device according to claim 1, further including spacing means for display on said display of a space in said alpha mode and an asterisk in said numeric mode, said spacing means including a space key associated with said input means responsive to keystroke operation resulting in entry of said space in said alpha mode and in entry of said asterisk in said numeric mode.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein said numeric keys are responsive to keystroke operation resulting is displaying on said display in said alpha mode at least one numeric character representing at least one number, and for displaying on said display in said numeric mode at least one numeric character associated with said at least one numeric character representing said at least one number in said alpha mode, and further including numeric signal means associated with said input means for entry of a blank space in a slot in said alpha mode immediately before and after entry on said display of said at least one numeric character representing a number in said alpha mode, and further for entry of a numeric signal in said numeric mode immediately before and after entry on said display of said at least one numeric character associated with said at least one numeric character representing a number in said alpha mode.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein when said translator device is in said numeric mode, keystroke operation of said alpha means and of said first translation means results in each said numeric signal on said display being translated in said alpha mode on said display into said blank space.

16. The device according to claim 14, wherein when said translator device is in said alpha mode, keystroke operation of said numeric means and of said second translation means results in each said blank space on said display being translated in said numeric mode on said display into said numeric signal.

17. The device according to claim 14, wherein said at least one numeric character representing a number in said alpha mode is a plurality of numeric characters, and said at least one numeric character associated with said numeric character associated with said at least one number in said numeric mode is a plurality of numeric characters.

18. The device according to claim 17, further including clearing means for removing all numeric characters and numeric signals from said display in said numeric mode and for removal of all alpha characters and numeric characters representing numbers including said blanks before and after said numeric characters representing numbers from said display in said alpha mode, said clearing means including a clear actuator associated with said input means responsive to keystroke operation resulting in activation of said clearing means.

19. The device according to claim 1, further including delete means for clearing said display in any one of said plurality of slots including clearing one or the other of a selected single numeric character and a single alpha character from one of said plurality of slots on said display in one or the other of said numeric mode and said alpha mode, respectively, said delete means including a delete actuator responsive to keystroke operation resulting in activation of said delete means.

20. The device according to claim 19, further including cursor means for selecting a position on said display relative to said plurality of slots by way of a cursor movable in left and right directions one slot at a time in response to keystroke operation of left and right arrow keys associated with said input means prior to keystroke operation of said delete actuator.

21. The device according to claim 1, further including canned message means for entering at least one preprogrammed message on said display in one or the other of said alpha mode and said numeric mode, said canned message means including at least one canned message key associated with said input means responsive to keystroke operation resulting in entry on said display of canned alpha characters in said alpha mode comprising said at least one alpha canned message and resulting in entry of canned numeric characters in said numeric mode comprising said at least one numeric canned message.

22. The device according to claim 21, wherein said at least one preprogrammed message is a plurality of preprogrammed messages and said at least one canned message key is a plurality of canned message keys.

23. The device according to claim 1, wherein said display holds at least 20 slots for entry of one or the other of a maximum of one or the other of 20 numeric characters or 20 alpha characters.

24. The device according to claim 23, wherein said at least 20 slots is a plurality of slots.

25. The device according to claim 24, further including counting means for recording and showing the number of said plurality of slots that have been used on said display.

26. The device according to claim 1, further including switch display means for automatically clearing the display of one or the other of numeric characters and alpha characters when all the slots are filled and for presenting a clear display for allowing further entry of one of the other of numeric and alpha characters.

27. The device according to claim 26, wherein said input means further includes another electrical circuit connected to programmable personal message means for entry upon said display of at least one category of personal message of one or the other of at least one personal alphabetic message and at least one personal numeral message associated with said alphabetic message in one or the other of an alphabetic mode and a numeral mode, respectively, comprising said alpha characters and said numeric characters, respectively, upon keystroke operation of one or the other of said alpha keys and said numeric keys, respectively, said another electrical circuit being connected to said switch display means, activation of said at least one category activating said switch clear means to activate said another electrical circuit.

28. The device of claim 27, further including alpha letter means associated with said input means and said another electrical circuit responsive to keystroke operation enabling an alphabetic mode of operation wherein said alpha characters are displayed on said display, and further including numeral means associated with said input means and said another electrical circuit responsive to keystroke operation enabling a numeral mode of operation wherein said numeric characters are displayed on said display.

29. The device according to claim 28, wherein said at least one personal alpha letter message and said at least one associated personal numeral message is a plurality of personal alpha letter messages and a plurality of associated personal numeral messages stored in an alphabetic memory module and in a numeral memory module, respectively.

30. The device according to claim 29, wherein said at least one category of personal message is a plurality of categories of personal messages each including a plurality of personal alpha letter messages and a plurality of associated numeral messages.

31. The device according to claim 30, further including menu means for accessing each of said plurality of categories of personal messages, said menu means including a menu actuator associated with said input means and said another circuit means, said menu actuator being activated in response to keystroke operation.

32. The device according to claim 31, wherein each of said plurality of categories includes a plurality of subcategory messages each containing a plurality of subcategory messages in said alphabetic mode and in said numeral mode and further including scroll means associated with each of said plurality of categories for locating each of said plurality of subcategory messages for presentation on said display.

33. The device according to claim 32, further including programming means for selecting any of said plurality of categories and selecting any of said plurality of subcategory messages and for one or the other of removing and entering any personal message therein.

34. A method of preparing a numeric message for dispatch from a telephone having a telephone keypad to a numeric pager wherein the sender of the numeric message has a sender translator device and the receiver of the numeric message has the numeric pager and a receiver translator device, comprising the steps of:

the sender selecting an alpha mode of operation on the sender translator display by keystroke operation of an alpha mode actuator,

the sender entering a selected alpha message by keystroke operation of selected alpha letter keys of a plurality of individual alpha letter keys representative of each of the letters of the alphabet associated with corresponding alpha characters on said sender translator, each keystroke operation resulting in the display on said sender translator display of selected alpha characters comprising the alpha message,

the sender selecting a numeric mode of operation on said translator display by keystroke operation of a numeric mode actuator wherein said alpha character message on said translator display is translated into an encoded numeric message on said translator display according to an algorithm,

the sender dialing on a standard DTMF telephone keypad the pager numbers of the numeric pager of the receiver of said numeric message, wherein the dialed pager is activated,

the sender transmitting the encoded numeric message that is displayed on said translator display onto a standard DTMF telephone keypad by entering by keystroke operation of the numeric keys of the telephone keypad in accordance with the encoded numeric message on said translator display thereby accessing the paging terminal by way of the public telephone network, and thereupon accessing the pager of the receiver of the message via the automated paging terminal, wherein the encoded numeric message is displayed upon the pager screen,

the receiver selecting the numeric mode of operation on the receiver translator device by keystroke operation of the numeric mode actuator,

the receiver entering the encoded numeric message shown on the pager screen by keystroke operation of a plurality of numeric keys associated in individual coextensive association with each of said alpha letter keys in accordance with said algorithm, each keystroke operation resulting in the display on said receiver translator display of particular numeric characters comprising the numeric message,

the receiver selecting the alpha mode of operation by keystroke operation of the alpha mode actuator wherein the numeric message on the translator display is translated in accordance with the algorithm into the alpha message first entered on the sender translator display.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein said algorithm is defined by the following table:

space="preserve" listing-type="tabular">______________________________________ Numeral (key) Alphabetic letter (key) ______________________________________ 1 A 2 I 3 E 4 L 5 N 6 S 7 R 8 T 9 O 22 B 33 C 44 D 55 F 66 G 77 H 88 J 99 K 01 M 02 P 03 Qu 04 U 05 V 06 W 07 Y 001 X 002 Z ______________________________________

36. The method according to claim 34, further including the steps of:

entering by keystroke operation a numeric signal key on said translator display in the alpha mode of operation in association with further entry of numeral keys signaling that numeric characters associated with said numeric signal key represent numbers, entry of said numeric signal key resulting in blanks in the slots associated with the numeric characters on said display representing numbers,

activating said numeric mode actuator resulting in translating said alpha message on said translator display to a numeric message on said translator display in said numeric mode of operation wherein the blanks in the slots associated with the numeric characters appears as a numeric symbol comprising selected numeric characters in said numeric mode, and

transmitting the numeric number message displayed on said translator display onto the telephone keypad, wherein the numeric signal and associated numeric characters representing numbers in the alpha mode are displayed upon the pager screen, and

the receiver of the message activating the numeric mode actuator and entering by keystroke operation of the numeral keys the numeric signals and associated numeric characters on the pager screen onto the receiver translator display thus translating the numeric signal with the numeric character message on the pager screen into numerals in the numeric message, and

activating the alpha mode actuator thus translating the numeric message on the translator display including the numeric signals and the numeric character message representing numerals in the alpha mode into an alpha mode message including numerals representing numbers and blank slots associated with the numeric signals in the numeric mode message.

37. The method according to claim 34, further including the steps of:

selecting and activating one of an alpha letter mode of operation and a numeral mode of operation,

selecting and entering a default switch wherein both a translator electric circuit and a personal notebook electric circuit are activated for subsequent selection,

selecting the personal notebook electric circuit by activating a find menu actuator on the keyboard so as to activate for subsequent selection at least one category of personal messages holding a plurality of locations containing at least one subcategory of personal message,

scrolling through locations to the at least one subcategory of personal message for viewing onto the translator display,

optionally selecting and activating the other of the alpha mode of operation and the numeric mode of operation display for viewing on the translator display, and

selecting and entering the default switch.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein said at least one category of personal messages is a plurality of categories of personal messages and said at least one subcategory of personal message is a plurality of subcategories of personal messages.

39. The method according to claim 37, further including the step of deleting the selected message by activation of a delete actuator.

40. The method according to claim 34, further including the steps of:

selecting and activating one of an alpha letter mode of operation and a numeral mode of operation,

selecting and entering a default switch on the keyboard wherein one of a translator electric circuit and a personal notebook electric circuit is activated,

selecting the personal notebook electric circuit by activating an enter menu actuator on the keyboard so as to activate for subsequent selection at least one category of personal messages holding a plurality of locations capable of holding at least one subcategory of personal message,

entering a personal message by keystroke operation of one of the alpha letter keys and the numeric keys according to the selected alpha mode or numeric mode of operation, respectively,

saving the personal message by keystroke operation of a save actuator on the keyboard,

entering the other of the selected alpha mode and numeric mode of operation,

entering another personal message by keystroke operation of the other of the alpha letter keys and the numeric keys,

saving the another personal message by keystroke operation of the save actuator, and

selecting and entering the default switch.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein the at least one category of personal messages having a plurality of locations capable of holding at least one subcategory of personal message is a plurality of categories of personal messages having a plurality of locations capable of holding a plurality of subcategories of personal messages.

42. The method according to claim 34, further including the steps of:

selecting and activating one of an alpha letter mode of operation and a numeral mode of operation,

selecting and entering a default switch on the keyboard wherein one of a translator electric circuit and a personal notebook electric circuit is activated,

selecting the personal notebook electric circuit by activating an enter menu actuator on the keyboard so as to activate for subsequent selection personal code means including at least one personal code key having a distinctive printed numeral,

selecting and activating the alpha letter mode of operation,

entering by keystroke operation of the alpha keys an alpha message onto the display,

saving the alpha message by keystroke entry of the save actuator, and

selecting and entering the default switch.

43. The method according to claim 42, wherein said at least one personal code key having a distinctive printed numeral is a plurality of personal code keys each having a distinctive printed numeral.

44. The method according to claim 42, further including the step of:

entering by keystroke of numeral keys related to the printed numeral of the at least one personal code key by entering by keystroke operation of the numeric keys of the telephone keypad so as to access the pager screen where a numeric message related to the printed numeral of the at least one personal code key is displayed.