Alphanumeric paging system

• US 6,144,839 A
• Filed: 04/04/1997
• Issued: 11/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jakimowicz, Philippe, Weber, Roy Philip, Goldman, Shelley B., Foladare, Mark Jeffrey, Silverman, David Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Armstrong, Darnell R.
• Application Number:
  US08/832,876
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 455/31.1, 455/31.2, 455/31.3, 455/38.1, 455/38.4, 455/186.1, 455/340.825, 455/825.36, 455/38.3, 455/446, 340/825.44, 379/88.16, 379/88.22, 379/88.27
• US Class Current: 340/7.48
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/229 with other provisions not elsewhere provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/185 Selective call encoders for paging networks, e.g. paging centre devices

Abstract

An apparatus and method provide a database in a pager that contains menus that may be displayed on a pager display. A paging service sends a page including an identification to the pager. The pager receives the identification, retrieves a menu from the pager database and displays the menu. The pager responds to the page based on a selection selected from the displayed menu.

Claims

1. A paging system, comprising:

a paging service; and

a pager that includes a first database, wherein the paging service sends a page containing an identification of a menu to the pager, the identification being different than the menu and the menu being prestored in the pager, the pager retrieving the menu from the first database based on the identification and displays the menu, wherein the pager responds to the page based on a selection from the displayed menu.

2. The paging system of claim 1, further comprising a second database coupled to the paging service, wherein when the paging service receives a call directed to the pager, the paging system determines the identification based on a caller identification corresponding to the call and information in the second database.

3. The paging system of claim 2, wherein the information in the second database includes:

a first portion that associates the caller identifications with menu identifications; and

a second portion that contains menus, each of the menu identifications corresponding to one of the menus.

4. The paging system of claim 3, wherein menus in the first database correspond to the menus in the second portion of the second database, the menu identifications identifying the same menus in the first database and the second portion of the second database.

5. The paging system of claim 1, wherein the pager displays other menus based on inputs received through a user interface.

6. The paging system of claim 5, wherein the pager responds to the page based on a selection from the displayed menu.

7. A method for operating a paging system, comprising:

sending a page from a paging service to a pager, the page containing an identification of a menu, the identification being different than the menu and the menu being prestored in the pager;

retrieving the menu from a first database of a pager based on the identification;

displaying the retrieved menu;

selecting an item from the displayed menu; and

responding to the page based on the selection of the selecting step.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a call directed to the pager; and

determining the identification based on a caller identification that corresponds to the call and information in a second database coupled to the paging service.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the information in the second database includes:

a first portion that associates the caller identifications with menu identifications; and

a second portion that contains menus, each of the menu identifications corresponding to one of the menus.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein menus in the first database correspond to the menus in the second portion of the second database, the menu identifications identifying the same menus in the first database and the second portion of the second database.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising displaying other menus based on inputs received through a user interface.

12. The paging system of claim 11, further comprising:

selecting an item from the displayed menu; and

responding to the page based on the selection of the selecting step.