Abstract: A communication device such as pager (100) includes a controller (110) which decodes an incoming high priority message (402) and stores it in memory (112). A user control (116) such as a “Read” control switch is then used to present at least a portion of the high priority message on a display (106). Once the high priority message has been read, the message data of the high priority message is persistently presented on display until a user decides to delete the message. Depending on the size of the display, a portion or all of the message data is presented. If the display is too small to accommodate at one time all message data of a high priority message, portions of the message data of the high priority message are displayed for a predetermined period on a rotating basis. If there are more than one high priority message that are to be persistently displayed, each high priority message is displayed for a predetermined period on a rotating basis.

Abstract: A communication device such as pager (100) includes a controller (110) which helps decode an incoming message having important information and stores it in memory (112). A user control (116) such as a "Read" control switch is then used to display the message on the display (106). In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, controller (110) locates the important information found in the stored message and causes it to be displayed on one or more stationary display lines (416) which do not change even when the user scrolls through different display screens (408-412) to read the entire message. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the pager controller (110) will have stored a set of rules which will help it locate the important information (e.g., telephone number, etc.) found in a stored message. Once the important information is found, the controller (110) will cause this information to be displayed as a stationary display line when displaying the message in one or more display screens.

Abstract: A method for reducing power consumption in a selective call receiver includes the steps of first receiving a paging signal that includes a preamble and a plurality of batches, each of the batches having a synchronization codeword and a plurality of frames including at least an address information, detecting a skip code within one of the batches, skipping a predetermined number of batches without decoding any address information contained therein in response to the skip code, and decoding the address information of a one of the batches next subsequent to the predetermined number of batches. The skip code can be encoded in a portion of the signal, such as the synchronization codeword of the one of the batches, the address information of the one of the batches, and a selected frame of the one of the batches. The predetermined number can be contained in either of a codeplug in the selective call receiver or the signal portion containing the skip code.

Abstract: A method for an RF base station (105) to transmit an emergency message to a selective call receiver (104). The base station (105) receives incoming messages that are to be transmitted to selective call receivers, some of which incoming messages are emergency messages that include an emergency code, such as "911". The base station (105) creates a shortened emergency message by removing the emergency code from an incoming emergency message, and sends the shortened emergency message to a selective call receiver (104), along with an alert instruction for actuating a priority alert in the selective call receiver (104).

Abstract: A method and apparatus in a receiver (110) for use in a selective call communication system (100) conserves battery power. The system (100) utilizes a signaling protocol (300) comprising a first bit and frame sync (320) transmitted at a predetermined baud rate, followed by a second bit and frame sync (322) transmitted at a second baud rate. The first bit and frame sync (320) defines the second baud rate. The receiver (110) synchronizes (406, 410) with the first bit and frame sync (320), determines (416) therefrom the second baud rate, and battery saves (420) during transmission of the second bit and frame sync (322) in response to determining that the second baud rate is equal to the predetermined baud rate.

Abstract: A system and method for minimizing current drain of a battery in a portable receiver, such as a selective call receiver (110), by monitoring the warm-up time of a component (130) of the receiver (116), such as an oscillator (134), to periodically determine changes in the warm-up time of the component (130). That component of the receiver is powered up prior to designated time slots (440) by a time period (Wt) according to the dynamic changes in receiver warm-up time.

Abstract: A data communication receiver (100) for operating in a demonstration mode comprises a receiving circuit (110) for receiving and decoding radio frequency signals, a battery (140) for powering the receiving circuit (110), and a display (150) for displaying information. A switch (142) coupled between the battery (140) and the receiving circuit (110) disconnects the receiving circuit (110) from the battery (140) to disable the receiving circuit (110) when a signal has been received indicating that the data communication receiver (100) is to operate in the demonstration mode. A demonstration element (165, 170) coupled to the display (150) provides at least one demonstration screen to the display (150) in response to the disabling of the receiving circuit (110).

Abstract: A selective call receiver (200) includes a receiver (204) which receives paging signals, the paging signals have a preamble (102), a synchronization codeword (104), and at least an address information (108, 110). A synchronization obtaining circuit (206), coupled to the receiver (204), obtains synchronization to the paging signal. The synchronization obtaining circuit (206) has a preamble detector (404) which detects preamble (102), a synchronization codeword detector (406), responsive to the preamble being detected, detects the synchronization codeword (104), and address decoder (408), responsive to the synchronization codeword being detected, decodes the address information (108, 110). A synchronization maintaining circuit (224, 408) maintains synchronization to the paging signals during the address decoding, and a baud rate detector (224) detects valid and invalid baud rates during address decoding.