Combination pager, organizer and radio

• US 5,929,774 A
• Filed: 06/13/1997
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Norman J. Charlton
• Original Assignee: Norman J. Charlton
• Inventors: Charlton, Norman J
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dalencourt, Yves
• Application Number:
  US08/874,385
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.44, 340/311.1, 340/825.52, 340/825.48, 364/705.05, 455/556, 455/228, 455/90, 455/344
• US Class Current: 340/7.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/165 the additional display being small, e.g. for presenting status information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0208 for combination with other devices having a different main function, e.g. watches, pens

Abstract

A combination electronic pager, organizer and radio (10) supplied with power by at least one of an external and an internal power supply (56) and connectable to a telephone line (50). The combination electronic pager, organizer and radio (10) includes a housing including a base unit (12) and a face unit (14). Positioned within the base unit (12) is a radio (64) for receiving an external radio transmission and including a tuning dial (36) for tuning the received transmission and a speaker (30) for producing an audio representation of the received signal. The radio (64) is connected to receive power from the at least one of the external and internal power sources (56). A microprocessor (54) including a memory (58) for storing data for use thereby and a clock (62) for indicating a present time of day, date, month and year is also positioned within the base unit (12) and is connected to receive power from the at least one of the external and internal power supplies (56). A keyboard (24) is connected to input data to the microprocessor (54) for storage in the memory (58), the data includes information relating to dates and times of appointments. A modem (60) is connected between the microprocessor (54) and the telephone line for initiating a telephone call to a predetermined telephone number upon a determination by the microprocessor (54) that a time indicated by the clock (62) matches a time associated with data stored in the memory (58) and associated with an appointment input on said keyboard (24). The microprocessor (54) is also capable of performing arithmetic calculations, store names, telephone numbers, addresses and memos and processing financial information.

Claims

1. A combination electronic pager, organizer and radio supplied with power by at least one of an external and an internal power supply and connectable to a telephone line, said combination electronic pager, organizer and radio comprising:

a) a housing including a base unit and a display unit;

b) a radio positioned within said base unit for receiving an external radio transmission including a tuning dial for tuning said received transmission and a speaker for producing an audio representation of said received signal, said radio being connected to receive power from the at least one of the external and internal power sources, said radio further including a headphone connection port and a pair of headphones connected to said radio through said headphone connection port for providing an audio representation of said received signal to a user through said headphones and further comprising a power dial for connecting and disconnecting the at least one of the external and internal power supplies to said radio and controlling a volume of said produced audio signal;

c) a programmable microprocessor including a memory for storing data for use by said microprocessor and a clock for indicating a present time of day, date, month and year, said microprocessor being positioned within said base unit and connected to receive power from the at least one of the external and internal power supplies, and said radio and microprocessor operating independently of each other;

d) a keyboard connected to input data to said microprocessor for storage in said memory, said data including information relating to dates and times of appointments;

e) a modem connected between said microprocessor and the telephone line for initiating a telephone call to a predetermined telephone number upon a determination by said microprocessor that a time indicated by said clock matches a time associated with data stored in said memory and associated with an appointment input on said keyboard, said programmable microprocessor providing notification of an appointment by producing an audio signal to be sounded through said speaker if the user is present or paging the user at a preset telephone number through said modem connected to a telephone line if the user is not present, said audio signal being sounded through said speaker overriding any signal being produced by said radio;

f) a display screen positioned on said display unit and connected to said microprocessor for visually displaying data input to said microprocessor through said keyboard; and

g) a power switch connected between the at least one of the external and internal power sources and said microprocessor, said power switch being operable between a first position preventing power from flowing to said microprocessor and a second position providing power to said microprocessor.

2. The combination electronic pager, organizer and radio as recited in claim 1, wherein said base unit and said display unit are pivotally connected together by at least one pivotable hinge.

3. The combination electronic pager, organizer and radio as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for performing financial and mathematical calculations stored within said memory.

4. The combination electronic pager, organizer and radio as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for storing and retrieving data representative of telephone numbers and addresses in said memory.

5. The combination electronic pager, organizer and radio as recited in claim 1, wherein said radio further includes a tuning dial extending from said base unit for manually tuning the radio to receive a selected signal.