Interactive pager docking system

• US 6,696,922 B1
• Filed: 08/18/1999
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 1229937 Ontario Limited
• Original Assignee: 1229937 Ontario Limited
• Inventors: Griffith, Guy, Wong, Cheng Cheong Gilbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): YANG, CLARA I
• Application Number:
  US09/376,312
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• Field of Search: 340/7.32, 340/7.1, 340/7.4, 340/7.63, 320/114, 320/115, 320/116
• US Class Current: 340/7.32
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/03 Cooperating elements; Interaction or communication between different cooperating elements or between cooperating elements and receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/00 Devices specially adapted for wireless communication networks, e.g. terminals, base stations or access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An interactive pager docking system includes a docking cradle which is powered by a rechargeable battery, and includes a battery charger module which monitors the status of the battery and recharges it if necessary. It also includes a plurality of external serial ports and a serial port multiplexer, so that a number of different external peripheral devices may be connected to it. A GPS receiver communicates with the pager, so that an automatic vehicle location system may be operated employing the pager. A satellite transceiver may be connected to the docking cradle, together with an external printer, bar code scanner, and/or alarm annunciator. The docking cradle is adapted to be powered by a vehicle battery, but turns off the GPS receiver after a predetermined period of time so as not to run down the vehicle battery if the pager is not in place in the docking cradle.

Claims

1. An interactive pager docking system for a pager, comprising an interactive two-way packet data pager and a docking cradle therefor;

wherein said interactive two-way packet data pager is a two-way wireless radio communicator having a microprocessor, and being capable of executing a programmed application, and also being capable of sending, receiving, sharing, and displaying alphanumeric data;

wherein said interactive two-way packet data pager is powered by a rechargeable battery, and has a pair of externally connectible battery terminals for delivering charging power to said rechargeable battery;

wherein said interactive two-way pager has a radio modem for sending and receiving alphanumeric data in packet data format;

wherein said interactive two-way pager has a communications port for sending and receiving alphanumeric data and control signals to and from said docking cradle;

wherein said docking cradle is adapted to physically hold said pager in place when said pager is inserted into said docking cradle;

wherein said docking cradle has a pair of battery charger terminals for connecting to said externally connectible battery terminals of said pager when said pager is being physically held in place in said docking cradle;

wherein said docking cradle has a docking communications port for connecting to said communications port of said pager when said pager is being physically held in place in said docking cradle;

wherein said docking cradle is connectible to a source of power, and is adapted to provide charging power to said rechargeable battery in said pager under the control of a battery charger module in said docking cradle, when said pager is being physically held in place in said docking cradle;

wherein said docking cradle includes a communication multiplexer in series with said communications port of said docking cradle and at least two further external communications ports in series with said multiplexer for connection to external peripheral devices capable of exchanging data and control signals with said docking cradle and said pager through said further communications port;

wherein said communications ports of said pager and in said docking cradle are RS-232 ports, and wherein said interactive pager docking system further comprises a GPS receiver in communication with said docking cradle through a communications port provided in said docking cradle therefor;

wherein sensing means are provided to determine the presence of said pager in said docking cradle, and wherein said docking cradle includes a power module to provide power to said GPS receiver; and

wherein said power module includes a timer which acts to shut off power to said GPS receiver when said sensing means senses that said pager has not been in said docking cradle for a predetermined period of time.

2. The interactive pager docking system of claim 1, wherein said communications ports of said pager and in said docking cradle are chosen from the group consisting of RS-232, USB, and Ethernet ports.

3. The interactive pager docking system of claim 1, wherein said GPS receiver communicates with said docking cradle through one of said at least two further communications ports in series with said multiplexer.

4. The interactive pager docking system of claim 1, wherein said GPS receiver communicates with said docking cradle through a dedicated RS-232 port provided therefor.

5. The interactive pager docking system of claim 1, wherein said docking cradle includes spring means so as to provide a spring resistance against which said pager is physically held in place so as to maintain a shock-proof and vibration-proof connection between said externally connectable battery terminals of said pager and said pair of battery charger terminals of said docking cradle, and between said communications port of said pager and the said docking communications port of said docking cradle.

6. The interactive pager docking system of claim 1, wherein said external devices to which said docking cradle is connected through said at least two further external communications ports are chosen from the group consisting of GPS receivers, satellite transceivers, printers, bar code scanners, alarm annunciators, and combinations thereof.

7. The interactive pager docking system of claim 6, wherein data and control signal translation modules are included in said docking cradle so as to provide translation between and among said pager and the external peripheral devices connected to said docking cradle through said communications ports.

8. The interactive pager docking system of claim 1, wherein said interactive two-way packet data pager has a “

QWERTY”

keyboard for inputting alphanumeric data to said pager.

9. The interactive pager docking system of claim 1, wherein one of said further external communications ports in said docking cradle is connected to a satellite transceiver, so that data is sent from and received by said pager through said docking cradle.

10. The interactive pager docking system of claim 1, wherein said pair of battery charger terminals in said docking cradle is physically located with said docking communications port, and wherein there are at least two communications terminals provided for purposes of sending and receiving data and control signals to and from said pager.

11. The interactive pager docking system of claim 10, wherein one of said pair of battery charger terminals and one of said at least two communications terminals is a common terminal.

12. The interactive pager docking system of claim 1, wherein said battery charger module is adapted to detect the terminal voltage of said rechargeable battery in said pager, and to initiate a charging operation when predetermined terminal voltage conditions of said rechargeable battery exist.

13. The interactive pager docking system of claim 12, wherein said battery charger module further includes temperature sensing means to determine the internal temperature of said rechargeable battery, and to discontinue said charging operation when predetermined internal temperature conditions of said rechargeable battery exist.

14. The interactive pager docking system of claim 12, wherein said battery charger module further includes timer means to discontinue said charging operation after a predetermined period of time.

15. The interactive pager docking system of claim 1, wherein said docking cradle includes lamp means for indicating the status of a charging operation, under the control of said battery charger module;

and for indicating the presence of incoming data to said pager, under the control of said microprocessor.

16. An interactive pager docking system for a pager, comprising an interactive two-way packet data pager and a docking cradle therefor;

wherein said interactive two-way packet data pager is a two-way wireless radio communicator having a microprocessor, and being capable of executing a programmed application, and also being capable of sending, receiving, sharing, and displaying alphanumeric data;

wherein said interactive two-way packet data pager is powered by a rechargeable battery, and has a pair of externally connectable battery terminals for delivering charging power to said rechargeable battery;

wherein said interactive two-way pager has a radio modem for sending and receiving alphanumeric data in packet data format;

wherein said interactive two-way pager has a communications port for sending and receiving alphanumeric data and control signals to and from said docking cradle;

wherein said docking cradle is adapted to physically hold said pager in place when said pager is inserted into said docking cradle;

wherein said docking cradle has a pair of battery charger terminals for connecting to said externally connectible battery terminals of said pager when said pager is being physically held in place in said docking cradle;

wherein said docking cradle has a docking communications port for connecting to said communications port of said pager when said pager is being physically held in place in said docking cradle;

wherein said docking cradle is connectible to a source of power, and is adapted to provide charging power to said rechargeable battery in said pager under the control of a battery charger module in said docking cradle, when said pager is being physically held in place in said docking cradle;

wherein said docking cradle includes a communication multiplexer in series with said communications port of said docking cradle and at least two further external communications ports in series with said multiplexer for connection to external peripheral devices capable of exchanging data and control signals with said docking cradle and said pager through said further communications port;

wherein said docking cradle is adapted to be connected to a source of 12 volts DC power, so as to be mounted in a vehicle;

wherein said interactive pager docking system further comprises a GPS receiver in communication with said docking cradle through a communications port provided therefor;

wherein sensing means are provided to determine the presence of said pager in said docking cradle, and wherein said docking cradle includes a power module to provide power to said GPS receiver; and

wherein said power module includes a timer which acts to shut off power to said GPS receiver when said sensing means senses that said pager has not been in said docking cradle for a predetermined period of time;

whereby power is not drawn from a vehicle battery to which said interactive pager docking system is connected in the absence of said pager being inserted into said docking cradle after said predetermined period of time.

17. The interactive pager docking system of claim 16, wherein said GPS receiver communicates with said docking cradle through one of said at least two further communications ports in series with said multiplexer.

18. The interactive pager docking system of claim 16, wherein said GPS receiver communicates with said docking cradle through a dedicated RS-232 port provided therefor.