Abstract: An electronic analog timepiece provided with a pager is not only excellent from design and fashion standpoints, but is capable of displaying information such as a call signal or alarm, a caller's number or identity, identification number, telephone number or the like on the analog watch display. On the basis of an output signal of an external inputting element or switch, or on the basis of an output signal of a timer, an output of one of a received message information storing circuit or a time measuring circuit is chosen for display by a display switching circuit. The signal selected for display is input to an analog display unit. Further, the output signal of the external inputting switch or timer circuit is input to the received information storing circuit to control the received information. Thus, the analog display can be utilized for the display of time and paging signals.

Abstract: A field programmable gate array in which the pattern of a first smaller switch matrix is continued into a number of other smaller reduced switch matrices necessary to provide full coverage for all of the input conductor combinations at the output conductors.

Abstract: From a paging station a radio display pager receives a sequence of repeat calls and non-repeat calls. Each of the repeat and non-repeat calls contains a message and a message number identifying the message, the same message numbers being repeated for the repeat calls of the sequence. The message numbers of received calls are stored in a first memory. A currently received call is compared with each of the previously stored calls to detect a mismatch. Upon detection of the mismatch, a lost call detector determines the message number of a lost call which may exist between the currently received call and a call stored last in the first memory. The determined message number is stored into a second memory as a lost message number. The stored lost message number is erased if a call bearing the same message number is received. The lost message number that remains in the second memory is put on display to allow the owner of the pager to inform the system center of the lost message number to obtain the lost message.

Abstract: In a packet communication system, loose source routing is employed to permit communication over networks of disparate types, including geographic and path-unaware types. No information resides on a wired access point (WAP). All of the intelligence of the system resides in Name Servers, which provide opaque addresses that end nodes (radios) in a wireless cloud can use to send packets to other end nodes (radios) in other wireless clouds. (A cloud is the set of radios serviced by a particular WAP.) According to the invention, the method employs an ordered list called a path and the network address of a packet consists of such an ordered list of addresses with a "marker" that flags the current destination of the packet and a "direction bit" that tells which direction on the list the next destination is. Each address in the path is type-length-value (TLV) encoded.

Abstract: A selective call messaging peripheral (100) capable of receiving at least one message and communicating it to an electronic information processing device (200) comprises a microcontroller (105) including a processor (106) for executing a microcode program that controls operation of the peripheral and a receiver (103) that operates to receive and demodulate an information signal to provide a recovered information signal including an address signal and the message. A correlator (109) compares the recovered address signal with a predetermined address and generates an address detection, indicating selection of the peripheral.

Abstract: A remote control method and system controlling a radio unit so as to readily specify a portion where a failure occurs, and to quickly take recovery measures against the failure includes a supervisory unit located in the vicinity of the radio unit. If abnormality occurs in the operation of the supervisory unit, an alarm signal detecting unit monitors an operation of the supervisory unit, and transmits the alarm signal to an abnormal processing signal outputting unit through a communication control line. When the abnormal processing signal outputting unit receives the alarm signal from the alarm detecting unit, it transmits the abnormal processing signal to an abnormal processing unit through the communication control line. When the abnormal processing unit receives the abnormal processing signal from the abnormal processing signal outputting unit, it executes abnormal processing in accordance with the received abnormal processing signal.

Abstract: A building management system improves the regulation and controls the functioning of appliances (41, 42, 51), such as luminaires, window blinds and heating equipment in a building. The appliances are connected via a communication bus (20) to a control system (10), which performs the automatic regulation and control. To avoid rewiring the bus (20) every time that changes are made to the arrangement of the appliances and/or the lay-out of the building, transponders (40, 50) are mounted at regular fixed places in the building, which transponders transmit bus signals wirelessly to the appliances (41, 42, 51). Additionally the transponders may be provided with a receiver (50a) for two-way communication between appliances and system and for communication between the user and the system using a remote control unit (59).

Abstract: In order to detect a paging channel assigned to a pager in a shorter time in a frequency divided pager network system, a plurality of paging channels given priorities in channel searching are separately assigned to the paging areas in a manner wherein reuse in adjacent paging areas is avoided. A frequency subset number and frequency subset indicators related thereto, are stored in a memory in a pager. Subsequently, paging channels available in the system are allocated to the frequency subset indicators. Further, a relationship between the frequency subset indicators and the corresponding paging channels is arranged in the form of a table and then stored in the pager. Then, the paging channels are assigned to the paging areas according to the relationship. The above mentioned paging channels given priorities in channel detection are monitored so as to detect which priority channel is transmitted to the pager.

Abstract: A wireless-enabled host electronic equipment includes a built-in antenna and special plug-in receptacles enabling a plug-in wireless communicator to interact with the host and to connect to the built-in antenna for wireless transmission and reception. In accord with the invention the plug-in arrangement is constructed to conform to a standardized plug-in arrangement, such as a PCMCIA standard and to provide additional plug-in capability in addition to the standardized receptacle which does not conflict with the standardized receptacle. The plug-in arrangement is configured to permit use of a plug-in for other purposes in the same standard receptacle.

Abstract: A remote control system includes a remote control unit and a controlled unit. The remote control unit is moved in space, and includes a movement detector, selection switch and transmitter. The movement detector detects movement of the remote control unit. The transmitter transmits output of the movement detector and the selection switch. The controlled unit includes a display device, receiver, and controller. The display device includes a display screen, and displays a cursor and icons on the display screen. The receiver receives the output of the movement detector and the selection switch transmitted by the transmitter. The controller moves the cursor across the display screen in accordance with the output of the movement detector and the selection switch.

Abstract: A selective call receiver (111) receives a synchronous selective call signal (99) having synchronization portions (102 and 104) and a frame identification portion (106). Upon finding the signal the selective call receiver's bit and frame synchronizers (126 and 128) synchronize to a frame (100) of the signal and a frame ID decoder (130) decodes the frame ID (106). A comparator (136) compares the received frame ID (106) with an ID (142) assigned to the receiver, and optionally a first and second mask (134A and 134B) to determine the number of frames until an occurrence of a desired frame and conserves power until the occurrence of the desired frame (188).

Abstract: Vibratory alertion of received messages to subscribers of low profile pagers can be achieved in the following manner. On the substrate, or pager housing, attaching a pivotal post and a bumper a predetermined distance from the pivotal post. Attaching a substantially planar polarizable material to the pivotal post such that the polarizable material is substantially parallel to the substrate and when in motion, moves substantially parallel to the substrate. The polarizable material is set in motion by an excitation winding which provides a varying field.

Abstract: A system for electronically displaying prices on shelves. To improve operational reliability and to reduce the field strengths emitted, the invention teaches that the transmitter elements are laid in the vicinity of the display units on the edges of the shelves, that the components of the display units receive the energy emitted by the transmitter elements inductively, and that the control transmitter sends an alternating current to the transmitter elements in the pauses between the data packets, and recharges the power supplies of the display units.

Abstract: A selective call receiver (30) receives personal messages and information services provided database messages. A memory (44) stores the personal messages in a first portion (46) and the database messages as a plurality of screens in a second portion (48). A display (42) displays the plurality of screens for the user's perusal. To display a screen, the user can navigate through the plurality of screens manually through activation of user input controls (40) when operating in a database mode under the control of a controller (52). Alternatively, user selected screens can be directly accessed by placing operation of the receiver (30) under the control of a quick view controller (60) coupled to the database portion of memory (48) and the display (42). The quick view controller (60) allows manual selection of user selected screens or, in an automatic mode, sequentially displays the user selected screens.

Abstract: An updatable, interrogation system is provided for interrogating portable data cards. The interrogation system sequentially communicates with each portable data card as it comes within communication range in a first time period for determining a unique identification number associated with each data card. Once the identification number for a card is obtained by the interrogation system, a predetermined transaction, such as deactivating an electronic barrier to entering a limited access area, for the holder of the identified card is initiated. The interrogation system then completes each predetermined transaction of reading from and writing data to each one of the cards while communicating in a second time period. The present invention also discloses an interrogation system where a locking command is transmitted to the portable data card, which is subsequently disabled by a lock reset command issued by the interrogator in response to completion of the predetermined transaction.

Abstract: A portable device (55) has a first receiver (62) for receiving a paging signal (40-52) from a paging system (10). A second receiver (72) receives area identification signals (20-26) from a second system. The received paging signals may be stored in a memory (80) for later retrieval. A controller (75) examines the paging signals (40-52) and selects messages having a location signal (44, 50) matching a location of the device (55). The address of the device (66) may also be used to select the messages. Upon selection, an alert is generated by an alert means (82) and the message is annunciated on a display (84).

Abstract: A system for equipment control comprises a plurality of equipment units and actuator units. These units are linked by a common communication channel, for example a wired bus. Each of the units has a unique address and further associated with a programmable memory for storing therein an event table. The event table comprises event fields, and associated address fields and instruction fields. When the unit changes state--called an event--addresses of other units and corresponding instructions are retrieved from the event table and transmitted to said other units via the common communication channel. The transmitted instructions cause the corresponding other units to change state, for example to be switched on or off.

Abstract: A call alarming apparatus for a paging system, includes a receiver, an alarming circuit, a drive circuit, a controller, a first power supply, a second power supply, and a rectifier. The receiver receives a call number as a radio signal. The alarming circuit is driven to alarm a call when the receiver receives a self call number. The drive circuit drives the alarming circuit by inputting a control signal to the drive circuit. The controller outputs a control signal to the drive circuit on the basis of an output from the receiver. The first power supply supplies power to the alarming and drive circuits. The second power supply is automatically switched to supply power to the drive circuit when a power supply voltage of the first power supply drops. The rectifier prevents a current from flowing from the second power supply into the first power supply.

Abstract: An integrated circuit comprises a plurality of data handling devices interconnected to exchange data by an interconnection bus during a first mode of operation; and diagnostic control means, responsive to a diagnostic device external to the integrated circuit, for controlling one or more of the data handling devices to exchange diagnostic data with the diagnostic device via the interconnection bus during a second, diagnostic, mode of operation.

Abstract: An identification system having an electronic label for processing articles such as baggage or carrier cargo. The system uses the principle of electromagnetic communication in which an interrogator containing a transmitter generates an electromagnetic field through which the electronic label containing a label receiving antenna may pass. The electronic label is attached to the article being processed and includes means for sensing the electromagnetic field and means for generating intermittently repeated label reply signals. The system includes a receiver for detecting and decoding the label reply signal. The electronic label replies intermittently as long as it is within the electromagnetic field, and the field is maintained for a period of time which is greater than the time interval between the intermittently repeated label replies.