Abstract: An apparatus for capturing an image of an object on a platen and including a platen having a surface for receiving the object, wherein the platen is transmissive to an optical wavelength of light, an illumination module configured to illuminate at least a portion of the object with light from an illumination source, and an optical sensing module configured to receive the light from the illumination source after the light interacts with the at least a portion of the object. The light from the illumination source is spatially patterned prior to reaching the object. The illumination module can be configured to create the spatially patterned illumination and/or the platen may include a patterned optical coating creating the spatially patterned illumination. The spatially patterned illumination can include a plurality of discrete areas (e.g., a stepped pattern) of different illumination intensity and/or a gradient of different illumination intensity.

Abstract: An apparatus for capturing an image of an object on a platen and including a platen having a surface for receiving the object, wherein the platen is transmissive to an optical wavelength of light, an illumination module configured to illuminate at least a portion of the object with light from an illumination source, and an optical sensing module configured to receive the light from the illumination source after the light interacts with the at least a portion of the object. The light from the illumination source is spatially patterned prior to reaching the object. The illumination module can be configured to create the spatially patterned illumination and/or the platen may include a patterned optical coating creating the spatially patterned illumination. The spatially patterned illumination can include a plurality of discrete areas (e.g., a stepped pattern) of different illumination intensity and/or a gradient of different illumination intensity.

Abstract: An apparatus for capturing an image of an object on a platen and including a platen having a surface for receiving the object, wherein the platen is transmissive to an optical wavelength of light, an illumination module configured to illuminate at least a portion of the object with light from an illumination source, and an optical sensing module configured to receive the light from the illumination source after the light interacts with the at least a portion of the object. The light from the illumination source is spatially patterned prior to reaching the object. The illumination module can be configured to create the spatially patterned illumination and/or the platen may include a patterned optical coating creating the spatially patterned illumination. The spatially patterned illumination can include a plurality of discrete areas (e.g., a stepped pattern) of different illumination intensity and/or a gradient of different illumination intensity.

Abstract: A first portable messaging unit (PMU) (122) sends (502) address information to a second PMU through a wireless messaging system, and the second PMU receives (504) the address information. In response, the second PMU makes a check (506) of whether information identical to the address information is stored in its address book (230) and then processes (508-516) the address information in a predetermined manner dependent upon the result of the check.

Abstract: A server (112) sends (604) selected codebooks (226) and application identifiers (228) to be associated with the codebooks, to a client (122) in preparation for communicating messages. The client receives and stores (606) the selected codebooks and application identifiers. Subsequently, the server, in response to having a message to send to the client, compresses (708) the message according to a codebook associated with an application generating the message, and transmits (710) the message and an application identifier to the client. The client, in response to receiving the message and the application identifier, identifies (714), from the application identifier, the application to receive the message and, hence, the codebook associated with the application, to use for decompressing the message. The client then decompresses (716) the message according to the codebook.

Abstract: A method (100) for enhanced duplicate message processing at a portable subscriber unit (122) comprises the steps of receiving a first message having a first set of message data and a message sequence number associated with the first message. Then portable subscriber unit receives (402) a subsequent message having the same message sequence number (406) and a subsequent set of message data and creates error indications corresponding to errors detected in the portions of the subsequent set of message data. Then the portable subscriber unit compares (412) the first set of message data and its corresponding error indications with the subsequent set of message data and its corresponding error indications. The subsequent message is then tagged (420) if the subsequent message has less error indications (414) than the first message and if the first message was deleted by the user (418) and if the first message contained an error (426).

Abstract: A communication system (10) for coupling a selective call transceiver (18) to a widely distributed information source (24) comprises a server (22) coupled to the widely distributed information source. The server contains agents for retrieving information customized for a given selective call transceiver. The system further includes a paging terminal (20) coupled to the server for allowing the selective call transceiver to request information from the server. The system also includes a transmitter for transmitting the predetermined information retrieved from the widely distributed information source to the selective call transceiver.

Abstract: A selective call receiving device (10) such as a pager is controlled to dynamically change a base frame assigned to the device and subsequent control frames derived therefrom. The time that the device is operative to look for its address in a received signal can thus be dynamically changed to improve the efficiencies of a mixed systems environment without substantially reducing the battery life of the selective call receiving device (10). In two embodiments of the invention a new base frame for the device is derived from an originally assigned base frame that is stored in the selective call receiving device. In another embodiment, a new base frame for the device is derived from the device's address along with frame management information that is received by the selective call receiving device.

Abstract: A method (400) for error correction processing of a repeat message in a messaging system where each repeat message contains errors in different portions of the repeat message includes the steps in a portable subscriber unit (122) of receiving a first copy containing a first set of errors (402) and receiving a subsequent copy containing a subsequent set of errors (406). A comparison (410) between the first set and subsequent set of errors is done to eliminate (412) any non-recurring errors in forming an error reduced message. The error reduced message is corrected as necessary if an nth copy of the repeat message is received and if errors remain in the error reduced message by comparing a set of remaining errors in the error reduced message with an nth set of errors found in the nth copy of the repeat message to eliminate any further non-recurring errors.

Abstract: A method and the corresponding messaging system of selecting a transmitter for directed message delivery set is a messaging system including a plurality of transmitters arranged and constructed to operate in a simulcast or non-simulcast mode, the method including directing a first and a second transmitter to transmit in the simulcast mode, respectively, a first signal including a reference parameter and a first identification signal and a second signal including the reference parameter and a second identification signal, the first identification signal and the second identification signal distinguished from the reference parameter by, respectively, a first and a second predetermined amount, and receiving an acknowledgment signal that includes a indication of the first identification signal relative to the second identification signal or both relative to a threshold as determined at a messaging unit location, the indication corresponding to a preferred transmitter, selected from the first and the second transm

Abstract: A method and apparatus allocates a first predetermined plurality of frame time slots (102) to a first protocol, and allocates a second predetermined plurality of frame time slots (102) to a second protocol having a base frame management capability. The base frame management capability is applied such that portable selective call receiving devices (10) utilizing the second protocol normally perform battery saving throughout the first predetermined plurality of frame time slots (102).

Abstract: A selective call transceiver (20) in a messaging system (100) having a plurality of transmitters (90, 94, 99), comprises a receiver module (26), a transmitter module (22) coupled to the receiver module and a controller (28) coupled to the receiver module and the transmitter module for controlling the operation of the selective call transceiver. Additionally the selective call transceiver comprises a GPS receiver (24) for receiving GPS information and coupled to the controller, wherein the controller uses the GPS information to assist in the control of functions selected from the group consisting of transmitter power control, site selection switching, sub-zone selection switching, forward error correction, retry transmission decisions, Doppler frequency shifting, synchronization, and frequency scanning and selection.

Abstract: A method and apparatus transmit (502) from a controller (112) a message element (416) and an indication (418) of a signal quality threshold corresponding to the message element. A receiver (122) receives (504) the message element and the corresponding indication of the signal quality threshold, and measures (506) a received signal quality experienced while receiving the message element. The receiver completes (512, 514) a negative response to the message when the received signal quality is worse than the signal quality threshold, and a positive response to the message when the received signal quality is not worse than the signal quality threshold. The message element is defined as one of (a) the message in its entirety and (b) a portion of the message.

Abstract: A communication device (100) including an antenna (110) for receiving a signal. A receiver circuit (12) is coupled to the antenna (110) and demodulates the signal which is received by the antenna (110). A signal strength measuring circuit (126) is coupled to the antenna (110) and generates a signal strength indicator signal representing a strength of the signal received by the antenna (110). A controller (130) is coupled to the receiver circuit (120) for receiving the signal strength indicator signal and generating a tuning signal in response thereto. An antenna tuning circuit (140) is coupled to the controller (130) and is responsive to the tuning signal for tuning the antenna (110) to a reduced gain level when the strength of the signal received by the antenna (110) is indicative of strong signal conditions.

Abstract: A SCT (Selective Call Transceiver) (10) includes a memory (54) which stores a list (60) of addressees with whom the SCT user normally communicates. The memory also stores, for each of selected addresses, an associated group (62) of customized messages. The SCT (10) has a processor (18) that is programmed to permit the user to easily choose a customized message to be sent to an addressee, either by way of replying to a previously received message or by initiating transmission of a new communication.