Wireless terminal device

• US 6,411,804 B1
• Filed: 01/09/1998
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsumura, Toshiyuki, Isomichi, Yasuhiro, Inukai, Shinichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BEAMER, TEMICA M
• Application Number:
  US09/004,982
• Time in Patent Office: 1,628 Days
• Field of Search: 455/31.1, 455/88, 455/31.3, 455/418, 455/426, 455/31.2, 455/556, 455/412, 340/825.44, 359/109, 359/110
• US Class Current: 455/403
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/022 Paging systems personal calling arrangements or devices G08B3/1008; selective calling networks H04W84/022
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/023 with message or information receiving capability

Abstract

A pager which includes, in addition to a message receiving function, a data generation program responsive to an operation for generating and storing data in the memory; and optical communication circuit for generating and transmitting a first optical signal indicative of the message or the generated data in accordance with a data selection command to another pager and for directly receiving a second optical signal including second data from the other pager and outputting the received data; and a receiving control program for storing the received data in the memory in response to a receiving command. It may further comprise: an ID code generation program for generating a first ID code according to the data selection command; a data attaching program for attaching the ID code to the data to be transmitted to another pager. The received data is stored according to the received ID code. A light intensity changing circuit may change an intensity of the first optical signal. Moreover, it is judged whether it is possible to communicate with another pager from the received data; and the user is informed of the judging result.

Claims

1. A wireless terminal device comprising:

radio wave receiving means for receiving a radio wave signal including message data and address data;

storing means;

message receiving means for receiving said message data from the received radio wave signal and storing the received message data in said storing means when said address data indicates said wireless terminal device;

data generation means responsive to an operation for generating data and storing said generated data in said storing means;

optical communication means for converting transmission data into a first optical signal and directly transmitting said first optical signal to another wireless terminal device and for directly receiving a second optical signal including second data from said other of wireless terminal device and converting said second optical signal into received data;

transmission control means for reading either of said message data or said generated data from said storing means in accordance with a data selection command as said transmission data and transmitting said transmission data through said optical communication means in response to a user-entered transmission command setting said wireless terminal device into a user-initiated transmission mode; and

receiving control means for storing said received data in said storing means in response to a user entered receiving command setting said wireless terminal device into a user-initiated receiving mode; and

identification code generation means for generating a first identification code in accordance with said data selection command;

data attaching means for attaching said identification code to said transmission data, said transmitting means transmitting said transmission data and said identification code, wherein said received data includes a second identification code; and

detection means for detecting said second identification code from said received data, said receiving means storing said received data in said storing means at one of storing areas in accordance with the detected second identification code.

2. A wireless terminal device comprising:

radio wave receiving means for receiving a radio wave signal including message data and address data;

storing means;

message receiving means for receiving said message data from the received radio wave signal and storing the received message data in said storing means when said address data indicates said wireless terminal device;

data generation means responsive to an operation for generating data and storing said generated data in said storing means;

optical communication means for converting transmission data into a first optical signal and directly transmitting said first optical signal to another wireless terminal device and for directly receiving a second optical signal including second data from said other of wireless terminal device and converting said second optical signal into received data;

transmission control means for reading either of said message data or said generated data from said storing means in accordance with a data selection command as said transmission data and transmitting said transmission data through said optical communication means in response to a user-entered transmission command setting said wireless terminal device into a user-initiated transmission mode; and

receiving control means for storing said received data in said storing means in response to a user entered receiving command setting said wireless terminal device into a user-initiated receiving mode; and

light intensity changing means for changing an intensity of said first optical signal in accordance with an intensity changing command signal.

4. The wireless terminal device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said optical communication means comprises test signal generation means for generating a test signal in response to a test signal command and timer means, said transmitting means operating said optical communication means to increase said intensity of light when said transmitting means does not receive said transmission command within a predetermined interval measured by said timer.

3. A wireless terminal device comprising:

radio wave receiving means for receiving a radio wave signal including message data and address data;

storing means;

message receiving means for receiving said message data from the received radio wave signal and storing the received message data in said storing means when said address data indicates said wireless terminal device;

data generation means responsive to an operation for generating data and storing said generated data in said storing means;

optical communication means for converting transmission data into a first optical signal and directly transmitting said first optical signal to another wireless terminal device and for directly receiving a second optical signal including second data from said other of wireless terminal device and converting said second optical signal into received data;

transmission control means for reading either of said message data or said generated data from said storing means in accordance with a data selection command as said transmission data and transmitting said transmission data through said optical communication means in response to a user-entered transmission command setting said wireless terminal device into a user-initiated transmission mode; and

receiving control means for storing said received data in said storing means in response to a user entered receiving command setting said wireless terminal device into a user-initiated receiving mode; and

judging means for judging whether it is possible to communicate with another wireless terminal device from said received data; and

informing means for informing a user of the judging result from said judging means with a melody when said judging means judges it is possible to communicate with another wireless terminal device.

5. A method of communication between wireless terminal devices comprising the steps of:

receiving a radio wave signal including message data and address data;

providing a memory;

receiving said message data from the received radio wave signal and storing the received message data in said memory when said address data indicates said wireless terminal device;

generating data and storing said generated data in said memory in response to an operation;

converting input data into a first optical signal and directly transmitting said first optical signal to another wireless terminal device;

directly receiving a second optical signal including second data from said another wireless terminal device;

converting said second optical signal into received data;

reading either of said message data or said generated data from said memory in accordance with a data selection command indicative of either of said message data or said generated data as transmission data;

transmitting said transmission data as said first optical signal in response to a user entered transmission command setting said wireless terminal device into a user-initiated transmission mode;

storing said received data in said memory in response to a user-entered receiving command setting said wireless terminal device in a user-initiated receiving mode;

generating a first identification code in accordance with said data selection command;

attaching said first identification code to said transmission data;

transmitting said transmission data and said first identification code, wherein said received data includes a second identification code;

detecting said second identification code from said received data; and

storing said received data in said memory at one of storing areas in accordance with the detected second identification code.

6. A method of communication between wireless terminal devices comprising the steps of:

receiving a radio wave signal including message. data and address data;

providing a memory;

receiving said message data from the received radio wave signal and storing the received message data in said memory when said address data indicates said wireless terminal device;

generating data and storing said generated data in said memory in response to an operation;

converting input data into a first optical signal and directly transmitting said first optical signal to another wireless terminal device;

directly receiving a second optical signal including second data from said another wireless terminal device;

converting said second optical signal into received data;

reading either of said message data or said generated data from said memory in accordance with a data selection command indicative of either of said message data or said generated data as transmission data;

transmitting said transmission data as said first optical signal in response to a user entered transmission command setting said wireless terminal device into a user-initiated transmission mode;

storing said received data in said memory in response to a user-entered receiving command setting said wireless terminal device in a user-initiated receiving mode; and

changing an intensity of said first optical signal in accordance with an intensity changing command signal.

7. A method of communication between wireless terminal devices, comprising the steps of:

receiving a radio wave signal including message data and address data;

providing a memory;

receiving said message data from the received radio wave signal and storing the received message data in said memory when said address data indicates said wireless terminal device;

generating data and storing said generated data in said memory in response to an operation;

converting input data into a first optical signal and directly transmitting said first optical signal to another wireless terminal device;

directly receiving a second optical signal including second data from said other wireless terminal device;

converting said second optical signal into received data;

reading either of said message data or said generated data from said memory in accordance with a data selection command indicative of either of said message data or said generated data as transmission data;

transmitting said transmission data as said first optical signal in response to a user-entered transmission command setting said wireless terminal device into a user-initiated transmission mode;

storing said received data in said memory in response to a user-entered receiving command setting said wireless terminal device in a user-initiated receiving mode;

judging whether it is possible to communicate with another wireless terminal device from said received data; and

informing a user of the judging result with a melody when said judging means judges it is possible to communicate with another wireless terminal device.