Abstract: A general-purpose data terminal (242), such as a personal computer, portable computer, notebook computer, personal intelligent communicator, portable wireless terminal and the like employs a radio frequency (RF) modem (408) and is programmed to function as a two-way acknowledge back pager. The general purpose data terminal (242) maintains a table listing (600) of caller identification information and presents this information to the device user upon receipt of a page (300) from an identifiable caller. The device user may respond to the page by selecting one of a plurality of user definable responses to be transmitted back to the caller. If no response is selected the caller will receive a message informing them of the paged party's unavailability.

Abstract: Selective call systems such as the CCIR Radiopaging Code No. 1 (or POCSAG) have a signal format of successive data batches, each batch having a synchronization codeword followed by a 8 data frames. Each pager is assigned to a frame in every batch, resulting in a battery power conservation duty cycle of 1:8. The invention enables any number of the pagers to operate in accordance with a preselected longer duty cycle. Every N (N>2) successive batches constitute a superbatch, and a pager is assigned to only one or certain ones of the frames thereof. To provide superbatch synchronization a predetermined codeword (PCW) is transmitted in one frame of one batch, preferably the first, of the entire superbatch.

Abstract: A remote control unit for a television or video tape recorder has a minimal number of keys to simplify use of the control unit. The unit is shaped having a rounded bottom and is weighted toward that bottom, so that the remote control unit will stand upright even if momentarily tipped over. The remote control unit includes a programmable read-only memory, so that it can control various units such as a television, video tape recorder, compact audio disc player, and the like. The rounded bottom is attached to the main body of the remote control unit in a rotary fashion so that the bottom may be rotated to select different functions, such as the television or video tape recorder to be controlled.

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: In an electronic arrangement for initiating an action by means or a key element which includes a coded machine readable data memory and a data processing unit for initiating the desired action which includes a reading head for reading the data stored in the key element data memory, the key element data memory is a single contact storage module and also the reading head includes only single contact sensors through which, when contacted by a key element, data are exchanged in series-bit fashion through a single data transmission line, with the key element under the control of the data processing unit.

Abstract: A paging receiver with a motor and buzzer for saving a battery voltage by alerting a low voltage state of the battery. A low voltage detector compares the battery voltage with a reference voltage to generate a low voltage detection signal when the battery voltage is less than the reference voltage. In this case, an alerting driver is switched by the low voltage detection signal for cutting off the electrical passage between a motor and the battery and connecting the tone generator to the buzzer so as to generate alert tone.

Abstract: In an address receiving mode of a paging receiver, an address codeword contained in each successive batch of a paging signal is compared with the address of the receiver to detect a match. The bit rate of data pulses generated by the receiving section are checked to see if it is in a prescribed range of bit rates. If the receiver fails to detect an address match in one of the batches due to fading, it continuously receives the address codewords in successive batches, rather than returning to standby mode, if the bit rate of the data pulse is determined to be in the prescribed range.

Abstract: A method and apparatus update page transmission verification statistics maintained by a network management center (140) in a radio paging system (100) in which encoding of a page is performed by a paging base station lo (132) remote from a central paging controller (101). Verification information is selectively stored (510, 514) in the paging base station (132) when a page is transmitted (512) in response to paging data sent from the central paging controller (101). The verification information includes an identifier (408) associated with the page and a time report (409) for reporting time of transmission of the page. The stored verification information is transmitted (608) periodically from the paging base station (132) to the network management center (140), and then combined (818) in the network management center (140) with current page transmission verification statistics (212) maintained by the network management center (140), thereby updating the page transmission verification statistics (212).

Abstract: A portable vibratory alerting device (20) is part of a resonant system (20, 30) and has a resonant vibrator (60) for both generating a vibrational alert and sensing the resonant frequency of the resonant system. The vibrator (60) is driven by a variable frequency driver (76, 78), and thereafter the resonant frequency is measured by a sensor (82). A vibration controller (72) causes the frequency of the vibrator to be substantially equal to the resonant frequency of the system.Alternately, a portable alerting device (520) has both a vibrator (160) and a sensor (166) for sensing the amplitude of a vibratory alert at various frequencies. A vibration controller (72) generates a vibratory alert at an optimum frequency in response to the sensed amplitudes.

Abstract: A system for verifying the authenticity of a document that bears a number of fields of strings of variable characters such as a check bearing date of issue field, payee field and numeric and alpha amount fields, includes a computer at the document issuing and printing station that controls the computer. A secret program selects certain characters from the strings, transforms those characters into other characters by various methods to generate a unique string of characters to print on the document as a unique code. Any remote authenticating station can authenticate the document with a computer that contains the same secret program used at the time the document was issued. The strings of variable characters born by the document are read into the computer at the authenticating station. The secret program causes the computer to generate an authenticating code from the data read into the computer from the document. The computer compares the authenticating code to the unique code born by the document.

Abstract: A user of a selective call receiver (100) is capable of inputting and storing user defined search key information and user defined corresponding information into non-volatile memory (107), via user input control (109). Subsequent to receiving and decoding a message having message information and storing the message information into memory (106), the selective call receiver (100) is capable of searching the message information for an occurrence of the user defined search key information, and presenting the message information and at least a portion of corresponding information for an occurrence of corresponding user defined search key information in the message information.

Abstract: A selective call receiver (5) comprises receiver circuitry (14) for receiving a message, a display (22) for displaying a key pad arrangement (70) and for displaying the received message in a message display area (68). A microcomputer (20) and user controls (12) interact with the key pad arrangement (70) to modify the received message. A method of displaying the received message comprises the steps of displaying the key pad arrangement (70) and interacting with the key pad arrangement (70) so as to modify the message or add a new message.

Abstract: A password access method/algorithm is effected by generating a pseudorandom array of each letter of the alphabet and the numerals 0 through 9 such that the password entry can be monitored without disclosing the letters or numerals contained in the password. The preferred arrangement is a square matrix of six rows and six columns of characters. The user enters the password by selecting either the row or column containing each letter of a memorized password.

Abstract: A selective call receiver (100) for facilitating storage and presentation of a received selective call message. A microcontroller (105) executes a microcode program that controls operation of the selective call receiver (100). Received messages are stored by a memory manager (119) in a memory (115) coupled to the microcontroller (105). The memory manager (115) allocates and deallocates memory blocks, each block corresponding to a memory storage area (504) capable of storing at least a portion of the received message. The memory manager (119) also maintains a dynamic list (505) representing used and unused memory slots, the list being initialized in response to receipt of a database configuration message (301, 302) and updated in response to subsequent received selective call messages.

Abstract: In particular for reducing the waiting time at the checkouts of self-service supermarkets, articles are registered by providing each article with a microcircuit (24) having a loop for picking up high frequency energy and for responding to an interrogation by transmitting a modulated message at high frequency representing an article-identifying signature. An article (20) is taken into account by exciting its microcircuit by applying an energy-supplying and interrogation high frequency signal thereto to cause it to transmit the modulated signal of the signature, the modulated signal is picked up by memory means causing the signatures to correspond to the prices of articles, the price of the interrogated article is stored in a memory, and it is displayed, and the price of the article is added to that of any articles that may previously have been taken into account.

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. The user can display the screens manually through activation of user input controls (40) when operating in a database mode under the control of a controller (52). Alternatively, the user can display selected screens in a quick access or quick view mode 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 user can selectively flag a screen (FIG. 9) or trigger a numeric field of a screen (FIG. 16) via activation of user input controls (40) when operating in a database mode under the control of a controller (52).

Abstract: A personal radio paging receiver includes a radio section, a control section, a DC/DC converter, and a secondary battery. The radio section receives/demodulates an external radio signal and outputs a POCSAG signal. The control section divides the POCSAG signal into a first sync signal portion and a second batch signal portion, and outputs a control signal during a period of the first portion. The DC/DC converter operates for only a period during which the control signal is received. The secondary battery supplies power to the control section in synchronism with the second portion. The DC/DC converter is supplied to charge the second battery.

Abstract: A substantially transparent housing (202) for an electronic device (100) is capable of enclosing at least one component (502, 504). The enclosed at least one component (502, 504) can be visible from the outside of the housing (202). The housing (202) includes an outer surface (701) and an inner surface (702). A portion of the inner surface (703) is textured to provide a translucent surface. A portion of the outer surface (704) overlaps the textured portion of the inner surface (703). The overlapping portion of the outer surface (704) has opaque marks (602). The opaque marks (602) provide information visible from the outside of the housing (202). A method is also provided for applying the opaque marks (602) to the housing (202).

Abstract: A pager receiver for receiving radio broadcast message signals including call signal information and message information comprises a receiver (3) for receiving and demodulating coded message signals, a memory (5) for memorizing the message information, a coded message signal decoder (4) for selectively furnishing message information to the memory (5) and function control circuitry (8) capable of furnishing control signals to the memory and of receiving therefrom message information stored therein. The memory (5) comprises internal processing circuitry for controlling the reception of message information coming from the decoder (4) so that the selected message information furnished by the decoder (4) may be stored in the memory without the necessity of having control available from a micro-computer or processor outside such memory which thus becomes, in a manner of speaking, "intelligent". The receiver may be applied to pagers incorporated in wrist-watches.

Abstract: A remote control system for an audio/video system has a first remote controller for transmitting a first remote control signal for designating and operating one of the A/V devices. In accordance with the first remote control signal, an operational mode for a designated A/V device is set. A second remote control signal transmitter is provided for transmitting a second remote control signal for operating the designated A/V device in accordance with the set operational mode.