Event notification within a local system

• US 6,934,955 B2
• Filed: 12/22/1998
• Issued: 08/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nickum, Larry A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rao, Sheela S.
• Application Number:
  US09/218,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20020147524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,436 Days
• Field of Search: 700/9, 700/80, 340/506, 340/825.44, 340/7.3, 340/7.2, 340/7.24, 340/7.25, 455/31.1, 704/273, 704/274, 370/338, 709/202, 709/227, 709/228, 709/229, 709/318, 709/100, 705/9, 719/318
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1409 for removal detection of electrical appliances by detecting their physical disconnection from an electrical system, e.g. using a switch incorporated in the plug connector
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources

Abstract

An event notification system is described. The system comprises a computer having a CPU and memory and which executes an operating system operative to manage computer programs and wherein the programs generate events, a notification controller connected to the computer and operative to detect the generated events, a notification transceiver communicatively connected to the notification controller and capable of transmitting a message containing data on the event, and a portable transceiver including a notifier for receiving the message.

Claims

1. An event notification system, comprising:

a computer having a CPU and memory and which executes an operating system operative to manage computer programs and wherein said computer programs generate events, the computer further having a bus coupled to the CPU;

a notification controller connected to the bus and operative to detect the generated events;

a wireless notification transceiver communicatively connected to the notification controller and capable of transmitting a signal including a message containing data on the event; and

a portable transceiver including a notifier for receiving said message.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the notifier is an LED.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the notifier is an LCD panel operative to display a text based message.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the notifier is a speech-synthesizer capable of producing an audible voice message.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the notifier is a speaker operative to produce an audible indication that the message has been received.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the notification transceiver is integrated with the notification controller.

7. The event notification system of claim 1 wherein the notification transceiver is further capable of receiving an acknowledgment to the message from the portable transceiver.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the event is one of a computer application completion event, an incoming fax event, an incoming voice call event, an incoming e-mail event, detection of a security system breach and detection of unauthorized use of the computer.

9. An event notification system, comprising:

a computer having a CPU and memory and which executes an operating system operative to manage computer programs and wherein said computer programs generate events, the computer further having a bus coupled to the CPU;

a notification controller connected to the bus and operative to detect the generated events; and

a wireless notification transceiver notification transceiver communicatively connected to the notification controller and capable of transmitting a signal including a message containing data on the event to activate a portable transceiver.

10. The event notification system of claim 9 wherein the notification transceiver is integral to the notification controller.

11. The event notification system of claim 9 wherein the notification transceiver operates al, at a frequency licensed for local use.

12. The event notification system of claim 9 wherein the notification transceiver is operable to receive an acknowledgment of the transmitted message.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the event is one of a computer application completion event, an incoming fax event, an incoming voice call event, an incoming e-mail event, detection of a security system breach and detection of unauthorized use of the computer.

14. A method for notifying a remote user of an event occurring on a computer, the method comprising:

generating an event from a software program;

detecting the event;

signaling a notification controller coupled to a bus and a wireless transceiver that the event has been detected; and

using the wireless transceiver, transmitting a signal including a message containing data about the event to a portable transceiver.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the software program comprises an e-mail application.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the software program comprises a fax interface program.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein generating an event comprises generating an interrupt request (IRQ) and detecting the event comprises responding to the interrupt.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising activating a notifier on the portable transceiver to alert a user to the message.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising receiving an acknowledgment of the message.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the event is one of a computer application completion event, an incoming fax event, an incoming voice call event, an incoming e-mail event, detection of a security system breach and detection of unauthorized use of the computer.

21. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

generating an event from a software program run on a computer;

detecting the event;

signaling a notification controller coupled to a bus and a wireless transceiver that the event has been detected; and

transmitting a signal including a message containing data about the event to a portable transceiver.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein the software program comprises an e-mail application.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein the software program comprises a fax interface program.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein generating an event comprises generating an interrupt request (IRQ) and detecting the event comprises responding to the interrupt.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 further comprising activating a notifier on the portable transceiver to alert a user to the message.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 further comprising receiving an acknowledgment of the message.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein the event is one of a computer application completion event, an incoming fax event, an incoming voice call event, an incoming e-mail event, detection of a security system breach and detection of unauthorized use of the computer.