Method and apparatus for scheduling a message for a first messaging system and informing a subscriber unit about the message through a second messaging system

• US 6,081,202 A
• Filed: 12/17/1997
• Issued: 06/27/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dorenbosch, Jheroen Pieter
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): JEANGLAUDE, JEAN BRUNER
• Application Number:
  US08/992,161
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.44, 340/825.47, 340/825.52, 340/825.51, 340/825.48, 340/825.5, 340/994, 340/998, 375/267, 375/347, 375/57, 375/58, 455/186.1, 455/31.3, 455/456, 455/457, 455/38.1, 455/33.2, 370/336, 370/348, 370/349, 370/473, 370/509, 370/337, 370/345, 370/442, 370/443
• US Class Current: 340/7.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/185 Selective call encoders for paging networks, e.g. paging centre devices

Abstract

A first messaging system (112, 116) schedules (502) a first store-and-forward message (406, 408) for transmission to a subscriber unit (122) on a first channel (410) and enters (504) a second store-and-forward message (404) into a second messaging system (113, 116), the second message intended for the subscriber unit and including a scheduling instruction for receiving the first message. The second messaging system communicates the second message to the subscriber unit on a second channel (412), and the subscriber unit tunes (620) to the first channel, in accordance with the scheduling instruction, after receiving the second message. The first messaging system then transmits (506) the first message on the first channel as scheduled, and the subscriber unit receives the first message on the first channel.

Claims

1. A method for scheduling and communicating a first store-and-forward message through a first messaging system on a first channel, the first message intended for a subscriber unit operating in a second messaging system on a second channel, the method comprising the steps of:

scheduling, by the first messaging system, the first message for transmission on the first channel;

entering, by the first messaging system, a second store-and-forward message into the second messaging system, the second message intended for the subscriber unit and containing a scheduling instruction for receiving the first message, the second message entered through a standard message entry port of the second messaging system as utilized by individual message originators, wherein the scheduling instruction contained in the second message is transparent to the second messaging system;

communicating, by the second messaging system, the second message to the subscriber unit on the second channel;

tuning, by the subscriber unit, to the first channel, in accordance with the scheduling instruction, after receiving the second message;

transmitting, by the first messaging system, the first message on the first channel as scheduled; and

receiving, by the subscriber unit, the first message on the first channel.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of

returning, by the subscriber unit, to the second channel in response to completing reception of the first message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising in the subscriber unit the step of

resolving a conflict according to a predetermined conflict resolution, wherein the conflict results from scheduling, by the second messaging system, a third message for transmission to the subscriber unit, the third message scheduled at a time which overlaps with a transmission of the first message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the scheduling step comprises the step of

scheduling the first message to be repeated at a first interval that is orthogonal to a second interval utilized by the second messaging system for sending messages to the subscriber unit.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the entering step further comprises the step of placing configuration information for the first messaging system into the second message, and

wherein the method further comprises in the subscriber unit the steps of:

storing the configuration information in a memory; and

utilizing the configuration information for receiving the first message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the entering step comprises the step of placing, into the second message, information defining a repeat interval structure utilized for repeating the first message.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising in the subscriber unit the step of

interpreting a portion of the second message to derive the scheduling instruction.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the tuning step comprises the step of tuning to the first channel during at least one of a plurality of time periods during which the first message is repeated.

9. A subscriber unit for receiving a first store-and-forward message through a first messaging system on a first channel, the subscriber unit operating in a second messaging system on a second channel, the subscriber unit comprising:

a receiver for receiving a second store-and-forward message from the second messaging system on the second channel, the second message intended for the subscriber unit and containing a scheduling instruction for receiving the first message, the second message entered through a standard message entry port of the second messaging system as utilized by individual message originators, wherein the scheduling instruction contained in the second message is transparent to the second messaging system;

a processing system coupled to the receiver for tuning the receiver to the first channel in accordance with the scheduling instruction to receive the first message on the first channel, after receiving the second message.

10. The subscriber unit of claim 9, wherein the processing system is programmed to return the receiver to the second channel, in response to completing reception of the first message.

11. The subscriber unit of claim 9, wherein the processing system is programmed to resolve a conflict according to a predetermined conflict resolution, wherein the conflict results from scheduling, by the second messaging system, a third message for transmission to the subscriber unit, the third message scheduled at a time which overlaps with a transmission of the first message.

12. The subscriber unit of claim 9,

wherein the processing system and the receiver are arranged to cooperate to receive configuration information for the first messaging system in the second message, and

wherein the processing system comprises a memory, and

wherein the processing system is programmed to:

store the configuration information in the memory; and

utilize the configuration information for receiving the first message.

13. The subscriber unit of claim 9, wherein the processing system is programmed to interpret a portion of the second message to derive the scheduling instruction.

14. The subscriber unit of claim 9, wherein the processing system is programmed to tune the receiver to the first channel during at least one of a plurality of time periods during which the first message is repeated.

15. A controller in a first messaging system for scheduling and communicating a first store-and-forward message on a first channel, the first message intended for a subscriber unit operating in a second messaging system on a second channel, the controller comprising:

an input interface for receiving the first message;

a processing system coupled to the input interface for scheduling the first message for transmission on the first channel;

a base station interface coupled to the processing system for controlling a base station to transmit the first message on the first channel as scheduled; and

a communication interface coupled to the processing system and coupled to a standard message entry port of the second messaging system as utilized by individual message originators, for entering a second store-and-forward message into the second messaging system, the second message intended for the subscriber unit and containing a scheduling instruction for receiving the first message on the first channel, wherein the scheduling instruction contained in the second message is transparent to the second messaging system.

16. The controller of claim 15, wherein the processing system is programmed to schedule the first message to be repeated at a first interval that is orthogonal to a second interval utilized by the second messaging system for sending messages to the subscriber unit.

17. The controller of claim 15, wherein the processing system is programmed to place configuration information for the first messaging system into the second message.

18. The controller of claim 15, wherein the processing system is programmed to place, into the second message, information defining a repeat interval structure utilized for repeating the first message.