Paging system

• US 6,226,495 B1
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Simon Neustein
• Original Assignee: Simon Neustein
• Inventors: Neustein, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAUNG, NAY AUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/470,138
• Time in Patent Office: 2,156 Days
• Field of Search: 379/56, 379/57, 455/38.2, 455/31.2, 455/31.3, 455/406, 455/408, 340/311.1, 340/825.44
• US Class Current: 340/311.2
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/1016 using wireless transmission calling systems using transmission by inductive loop H04B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/022 One-way selective calling networks, e.g. wide area paging

Abstract

A paging system, which consists of a number of central stations, each of which contains a number of pager apparatus associated with it. Each pager apparatus responds to one or more identifying numbers so that a caller may send a paging message to one or a number of pager apparatus, all of which respond to the same identifying number. The central station includes a profile of information for each pager apparatus associated with it. Paging information is comprised of various identification numbers to which the pager apparatus responds, as well as selected type of services. Pagers can additionally restrict receiving pages from unwelcome callers, prioritize messages, limit the number of received calls, and arrange for a transfer of their calls from one central station to another central station. The central station can also store voice message providing an indication to the selected pager to call the central station to retrieve voice message. The central station utilizes a protocol which synchronizes the data and the time for each pager apparatus. It can then address messages to one or a plurality of pagers simultaneously, send messages to the pagers or send control signals which can override local controls and enable or disable the local pager operation. The pager can initiate reception outside of the assigned time slot. Emergency calls are handled to override any ongoing transmission. Auditorium cutoff can arrange to disable the audio response of pagers within the locale. Authorization can be required for a transaction. Means exist for billing for the processing and transmission of paging data on a per call basis. Verification of transmission or a transaction for billing purposes can be via a page or over the telephone network to the caller or to a third party.

Claims

1. A paging system, comprising:

a telephone network; and

a wireless paging system connected to said telephone network and including a receive only pager, said paging system comprising;

receipt means for receiving a paging call over said network for a pager from a caller;

paging means for one-way paging the receive only pager responsive to the paging call;

verification means for verifying to the caller transmission of the paging to the pager; and

billing means for billing the caller responsive to the paging.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said billing means bills only for verified transmission of the paging.

3. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said verification means signals the caller through the telephone network.

4. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said caller has a receive only pager and said verification means causes said paging means to page the caller'"'"'s pager.

5. A system as recited in claim 3, wherein said verification means comprises means for receiving the paging by said paging means.

6. A paging system, comprising:

a central station;

a plurality of receive only, wireless pager apparatus responsive to said central station; and

calling means for a caller to access the central station and place a call to at least one of said pager apparatus to transmit a one-way message; and

said central station comprising;

receiving means for receiving the call from the caller for a pager;

processing means for processing the call in accordance with prescribed information relating to the caller and the called pager apparatus;

transmitting means responsive to the processed information for providing signalling to said at least one pager apparatus and transmitting thereto information relative to the message;

verification means for verifying to the caller transmission of the paging to the pager and transmitting to the caller information relative to the message being addressed to the called page, to permit transmission verification by the caller; and

calculating means within the paging system for calculating a bill for servicing the pager signalling transmission by the paging system and arranging for billing only the caller for the pager signalling transmission.

7. A paging system as in claim 6, wherein the caller enters a telephone number of a called party, and wherein a group of pager apparatus are identified by a single identification code, with at least some pager apparatus within the group having its own extension code.

8. A paging system as in claim 6, wherein said transmitter means transmits in frames, each frame comprising a data synchronization signal, a time synchronization signal, followed by a sequence of paging signals each including a pager apparatus address and a message.

9. A paging system as in claim 8, wherein said plurality of pager apparatus are arranged into multiple time synchronized groups of pager apparatus, and wherein said transmitter means comprises means for transmitting a corresponding plurality of time synchronized frames, each time synchronized frame addressing its corresponding group of time synchronized pager apparatus, and wherein said central station comprises clock means for sequentially transmitting said plurality of multiple time synchronized frames, wherein a frame is transmitted for a short duration of time and retransmitted to that group after a longer duration of time.

10. A paging system as in claim 9, further comprising means for receiving a page outside a time slot for said pager apparatus.

11. A paging system as in claim 6, wherein stored information includes instructions for inhibiting receiving calls from unauthorized sources.

12. A paging system as in claim 11, wherein a password is randomly generated and supplied to the pager of the caller.

13. A paging system, comprising:

a central station;

a plurality of receive only, wireless pager apparatus responsive to said central station; and

calling means for a caller to access the central station and place a call to at least one of said pager apparatus to transmit a one-way message; and

said central station comprising;

receiving means for receiving the call from the caller;

processing means for processing the call in accordance with prescribed information relating to the caller and the called pager apparatus;

transmitting means responsive to the processed information for providing signalling to said at least one pager apparatus and transmitting thereto information relative to the message; and

calculating means for billing for the transmission; and

means for transmitting to the caller information relative to the message being addressed to the called page, to permit transmission verification by the caller.

14. A method of paging a called pager holder by a caller, comprising:

telephoning by the caller into a central station and placing a call to at least one pager holder in the paging system to transmit a message thereto;

receiving the call at the central station and processing the call in accordance with a profile of stored information about the transmission services prescribed by the called pager;

transmitting in accordance with the prescribed information of the called pager holder a one-way, wireless paging signal to a pager associated with the calling party, for verification of the page transmission, as well as to the called pager together with information relative to the message; and

calculating, within the central station and based on the verified paging signal transmission, the costs for transmitting the verified paging signal and arranging for billing only the caller for the transmission.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the transmission from the central station is in data frames, each frame including a data synchronization signal, a time synchronization signal and a sequence of paging signals, each including a pager apparatus address and a message.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein a transmitter sends out sequences of individual time synchronized data frames, each such time synchronized data frame addressing a corresponding respective group of time synchronized pagers, and wherein each frame is transmitted for a short duration of time and retransmitted to that group after a longer duration of time.

17. A method of paging a called party by a caller, comprising:

telephoning by the caller into a central station and placing a call to at least one pager in the paging system to transmit a message thereto, and providing an identification of the caller;

receiving the call at the central station and processing the call in accordance with a profile of stored information about the transmission services prescribed by the holder of the called pager;

transmitting in accordance with the prescribed information of the called party a paging signal addressed to the called pager together with information relative to the message; and

verifying the paging signal transmission to the caller via a pager receiver;

billing based upon the verified transmission of the call, wherein the identification of the caller corresponds to the address of a pager of the caller.

18. A method of operating a paging system having a central station, a plurality of receive only, wireless pager apparatus responsive to the central station, calling means for a caller to call the central station and place a call to at least one of the receive only, wireless pager apparatus to one-way transmit a message, the central station including means for receiving the call from the caller and transmitting means responsive to the call received for signalling the at least one receive only, wireless pager apparatus and transmitting information relative to the message, the method comprising:

processing the received call in accordance with preset parameters uniquely defined respectively by the holder of each pager apparatus;

transmitting in accordance with the preset parameters of the called pager holder a one-way, wireless paging signal to a pager associated with the calling party, for verification of the page transmission, as well as to the called pager together with information relative to the message; and

calculating, within the paging system and based on the verified paging signal transmission, for the costs for the verified signalling the at least one receive only, wireless pager by the paging system and arranging for billing only the caller in accordance with the preset parameters.