Paging transceivers and methods for selectively retrieving messages

• US 20050164652A1
• Filed: 03/17/2005
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Helferich Patent Licensing LLC
• Original Assignee: Wireless Science LLC
• Inventors: Helferich, Richard J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,376,432 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/100
• 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 84/025 with acknowledge back capability

Abstract

A paging transceiver and method for selectively paging provides a page to a paging transceiver but does not automatically provide an associated message. The paging transceiver receives the page and alerts the user that a message is waiting and preferably provides a short description of the message. The user can then download or otherwise act on the message at a time and at a place convenient to the user. The user can therefore place the paging transceiver in a location where it can easily receive and reply to the message. The paging system conserves air time and the paging transceiver conserves memory by not automatically receiving the associated messages. The user can determine the time at which the paging transceiver receives transmissions, such as during off-peak hours. The messages stored by the systems and delivered to the paging transceiver may be of different types, such as voice, text, audio, or even video. In addition to messages, the paging system can store other information for the user, such as songs or video clips that the user can sample or updates on weather or stock rates.

Claims

1-53. -53. (canceled)

54. A device for transmitting data to and receiving data from a communication system, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a selective call signal;

a transmitter for transmitting signals to the system; and

means for a user of the transmitting and receiving device to enable and disable acknowledgment signals, wherein, if acknowledgment signals are enabled, the transmitter transmits an acknowledgment signal in response to the receiver receiving the selective call signal, and, if acknowledgment signals are disabled, the transmitter does not transmit acknowledgment signals.

55. The transmitting and receiving device of claim 54, wherein the selective call signal comprises a message identifier that identifies a message stored in a system remote from the transmitting and receiving device, wherein the message is not included in the selective call signal.

56. The transmitting and receiving device of claim 55, further comprising a user interface for receiving from a user of the transmitting and receiving device an input specifying an action to be performed by the system on the message stored in the system.

57. The transmitting and receiving device of claim 56, further comprising a processor for generating a request signal in response to the user interface receiving the input from the user, the request signal indicating the action to be performed by the system and indicating the message, wherein the transmitter transmits the request signal to the system, whereupon receiving the request signal the system performs the action on the message.

58. The transmitting and receiving device of claim 54, wherein the selective call signal also includes an address signal, wherein the address signal is associated with only the transmitting and receiving device.

59. A transmitting and receiving device for transmitting data to and receiving data from a communication system, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a selective call signal;

a transmitter for transmitting signals to the system; and

a user interface for querying a user of the transmitting and receiving device whether the receipt of the selective call signal should be acknowledged, wherein, if the user indicates that the receipt of the selective call signal should be acknowledged, the transmitter transmits an acknowledgment signal to the system, and, if the user does not indicate that the receipt of the selective call signal should be acknowledged, the transmitter does not transmit an acknowledgment signal to the system.

60. The transmitting and receiving device of claim 59, wherein the selective call signal comprises a message identifier that identifies a message that is stored in a system remote from the transmitting and receiving device, wherein the message is not included in the selective call signal.

61. The transmitting and receiving device of claim 60, wherein the user interface is further for receiving from the user an input specifying an action to be performed by the system on the message stored in the system.

62. The transmitting and receiving device of claim 61, further comprising a processor for generating a request signal in response to the user interface receiving the input from the user, the request signal indicating the action to be performed by the system and indicating the message, wherein the transmitter transmits the request signal to the system, whereupon receiving the request signal the system performs the action on the message.

63. The transmitting and receiving device of claim 59, wherein the selective call signal also includes an address signal, wherein the address signal is associated with only the transmitting and receiving device.

64. A transmitting and receiving device for transmitting data to and receiving data from a communication system, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a selective call signal;

a user interface for providing a user with an acknowledgment option after the receiver receives the selective call signal;

a processor programmed to generate an acknowledgment signal in response to the user activating the acknowledgment option; and

a transmitter for transmitting the acknowledgment signal to the system.

65. The transmitting and receiving device of claim 64, wherein the selective call signal comprises a message identifier that identifies a message that is stored in a system remote from the transmitting and receiving device, wherein the message is not included in the selective call signal.

66. The transmitting and receiving device of claim 65, wherein the user interface is further for receiving from the user an input specifying an action to be performed by the system on the message stored in the system.

67. The transmitting and receiving device of claim 66, wherein the processor is programmed to generate a request signal in response to the user interface receiving the input from the user, the request signal indicating the action to be performed by the system and indicating the message, wherein the transmitter transmits the request signal to the system, whereupon receiving the request signal the system performs the action on the message.

68. The transmitting and receiving device of claim 64, wherein the selective call signal also includes an address signal, wherein the address signal is associated with only the transmitting and receiving device.

69. A transmitting and receiving device for transmitting data to and receiving data from a communication system, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a selective call signal;

a processor programmed to generate an acknowledgment signal in response to receiving the selective call signal only if the selective call signal further comprises an acknowledgment request; and

a transmitter for transmitting the acknowledgment signal to the system.

70. The transmitting and receiving device of claim 69, wherein the selective call signal comprises a message identifier that identifies a message that is stored in a system remote from the transmitting and receiving device, wherein the message is not included in the selective call signal.

71. The transmitting and receiving device of claim 70, further comprising a user interface for receiving from a user of the transmitting and receiving device an input specifying an action to be performed by the system on the message stored in the system.

72. The transmitting and receiving device of claim 71, wherein the processor is programmed to generate a request signal in response to the user interface receiving the input from the user, the request signal indicating the action to be performed by the system and indicating the message, wherein the transmitter transmits the request signal to the system, whereupon receiving the request signal the system performs the action on the message.

73. The transmitting and receiving device of claim 69, wherein the selective call signal also includes an address signal, wherein the address signal is associated with only the transmitting and receiving device.

74. A transmitting and receiving device for transmitting data to and receiving data from a communication system, comprising:

a user interface for providing a user of the transmitting and receiving device with the ability to disable acknowledgment of notification signals, wherein a notification signal is a signal notifying the user that information intended for the transmitting and receiving device is stored in a system and available to be retrieved from the system by the transmitting and receiving device;

a receiver for receiving from the system a notification signal having an information identifier that identifies information that is stored in the system;

a processor for generating an acknowledgment signal in response to the receiver receiving the notification signal if acknowledgment of notification signals has not been disabled; and

a transmitter for transmitting the acknowledgment signal to the system, wherein

the receiver receives from the system the information identified by the information identifier, and

regardless of whether acknowledgment of notification signals is disabled, the transmitter transmits to the system an acknowledgment signal in response to the receiver successfully receiving the information.

75. The transmitting and receiving device of claim 74, wherein the receiver receives the notification signal from a paging network.

76. The transmitting and receiving device of claim 74, wherein the receiver receives the notification signal from a mobile radiotelephone network.

77. The transmitting and receiving device of claim 74, wherein the notification signal also includes an address signal, wherein the address signal is associated with only the transmitting and receiving device.

78. In a communications network comprising a transmitting and receiving device for transmitting data to and receiving data from a system remote from the transmitting and receiving device, a method performed by the transmitting and receiving device, comprising the steps of:

receiving a selective call signal comprising a message identifier that identifies a message that is stored in the system, wherein the message is not included in the selective call signal;

querying a user of the transmitting and receiving device whether the receipt of the selective call signal should be acknowledged; and

transmitting an acknowledgment signal to the system only if, in response to the query, the user indicates that the receipt of the message identifier should be acknowledged.

79. In a communications network comprising a transmitting and receiving device for transmitting data to and receiving data from a system remote from the transmitting and receiving device, a method performed by the transmitting and receiving device, comprising the steps of:

receiving a selective call signal;

determining whether the selective call signal comprises an acknowledgment request;

generating an acknowledgment signal for acknowledging the receipt of the selective call signal only if the selective call signal comprises an acknowledgment request; and

transmitting the acknowledgment signal to the system if the acknowledgment signal is generated.

80. In a communications network comprising a transmitting and receiving device for transmitting data to and receiving data from a system remote from the transmitting and receiving device, a method performed by the transmitting and receiving device, comprising the steps of:

providing a user of the transmitting and receiving device with the ability to disable acknowledgment of notification signals, wherein a notification signal is a signal notifying the user that information intended for the transmitting and receiving device is stored in the system and available to be retrieved by the transmitting and receiving device;

receiving from the system a notification signal having an information identifier that identifies information that is stored in the system;

generating an acknowledgment signal in response to the receiver receiving the notification signal if acknowledgment of notification signals has not been disabled;

transmitting the acknowledgment signal to the system after it is generated;

receiving from the system the information identified by the information identifier; and

transmitting to the system an acknowledgment signal in response to the receiver successfully receiving the information from the system regardless of whether acknowledgment of notification signals is disabled.