Personal computer-based paging system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- receiving in a stationary personal computer a wireless page signal transmitted by a remote base station over a wide geographic area;
if the page signal does not contain an identification header, executing a user-configurable instruction set stored in the personal computer;
if the page signal does contain an information header, detecting one of a plurality of codes in the header;
if the header contains a first of the codes, controlling an external device according to instructions stored in the personal computer;
if the header contains a second of the codes, contacting one of a plurality of external locations specified by the page, the one external location being taken from the group consisting of an external computer network, an electronic mail address, a telephone number, a portable pager number, and a fax machine number.
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Abstract
A paging system uses a stationary personal computer to receive paging signals. The personal computer executes an instruction set, or software, which allows the personal computer to forward or process received page signals. By using a stationary personal computer, received page signals can be used to control the personal computer to contact external devices such as: other personal computers, telephones, fax machines, Internet locations, pagers, and household devices. The personal computer can store received page signals including origination identification information. A multiplex forwarding system can be used by providing identification header information.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving in a stationary personal computer a wireless page signal transmitted by a remote base station over a wide geographic area;
if the page signal does not contain an identification header, executing a user-configurable instruction set stored in the personal computer;
if the page signal does contain an information header, detecting one of a plurality of codes in the header;
if the header contains a first of the codes, controlling an external device according to instructions stored in the personal computer;
if the header contains a second of the codes, contacting one of a plurality of external locations specified by the page, the one external location being taken from the group consisting of an external computer network, an electronic mail address, a telephone number, a portable pager number, and a fax machine number. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method comprising:
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receiving in a stationary personal computer a wireless page signal transmitted by a remote base station over a wide geographic area;
if the page signal does not contain an identification header, executing a user-configurable instruction set stored in the personal computer;
if the page signal does contain an information header, detecting one of a plurality of codes in the header;
if the header contains a first of the codes, controlling an external device according to instructions stored in the personal computer;
if the header contains a second of the codes, contacting one of a plurality of external locations specified by the page, the one external location being taken from the group consisting of an external computer network, an electronic mail address, a telephone number, a portable pager number, and a fax machine number, the header of the page indicates a type of external location. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system comprising a stationary computer including:
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a receiver to receive a wireless page signal transmitted over a wide geographic area by a remote base station;
a driver circuit to provide an output to an external device;
a memory for holding data and instruction sets;
a processor coupled to the receiver, driver circuit, and memory;
software executing on the processor to determine whether or not the page signal contains an identification header, execute a user-configurable one of the instruction sets from the memory if the page signal does not contain a header;
detect one of a plurality of codes in the header if the page signal contains a header;
provide an output to the driver circuit to control the external device according to one of the instruction sets in the memory if the header contains a first of the codes;
contact an external location specified by the page if the header contains a second of the codes, the one external location being taken from the group consisting of an external computer network, an electronic mail address, a telephone number, a portable pager number, and a fax machine number. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification