GB2302196A

GB2302196A - Radio pager receiver

Info

Publication number: GB2302196A
Application number: GB9612056A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tetsuya Makino
Original assignee: NEC Corp
Current assignee: NEC Corp
Priority date: 1995-06-13
Filing date: 1996-06-10
Publication date: 1997-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 2016-06-10
Also published as: JPH08340563A; GB2302196B; GB9612056D0; JP2693929B2

Abstract

A radio pager receiver can change the arrangement of function setting switches (SW1-SW3) substantially freely and includes setting function storage means for storing setting function information corresponding to setting functions of the function setting switches, a PROM, and a CPU. The setting functions of the function setting switches can be set and changed by the user. In response to operation of the function setting switches, a setting function corresponding to the operated one of the function setting switches can be executed in accordance with the setting function information. The radio pager receiver has, on a front face of a housing, an LCD (6) which can display a received message and a message for operation, and the function setting switches (SW1 to SW3). The setting functions can be set and changed to any of menu switch A , review switch B , and lead switch C .

Description

RADIO PAGER RECEIVER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention: This invention relates to a radio pager receiver, and more particularly to a radio pager receiver having a plurality of function setting switches.

2. Description of the Related Art: A conventional radio pager receiver of the type mentioned includes a plurality of function setting switches for setting the time, for setting a sounding pattern and a sounding frequency for use for sounding call notification, for stopping a notification operation and for setting reception functions such as reading out, displaying and processing of a received message.

While setting of various functions in the radio pager receiver described above is performed by operations of the plurality of function switches, the method of setting those functions has become so complicated that it is often the case that the arrangement of the function switches which has been set in advance by a maker considering it to be best is not necessarily an arrangement which is easy for a user (for example, for a left-handed person) to operate or is favorable to a user.

According to the present invention, a radio pager receiver which at least includes a display unit which can display a received message and a message for operation and a plurality of function setting switches comprises setting function storage means for storing setting function information corresponding to setting functions of the function setting switches, setting function changing means capable of setting and changing the setting functions of the function setting switches, and setting function execution means responsive to an operation of any of the function setting switches for executing a setting function corresponding to the operated one of the function setting switches in accordance with the setting function information.

The radio pager receiver may be constructed such that the function setting switches include a menu switch for generating a control signal for causing the display unit to display the plurality of setting functions, a lead switch for generating a control signal for selecting one of the setting functions, and a review switch for generating a control signal for deciding execution of the selected one of the setting functions and such that the setting function changing means includes means responsive to one of the function setting switches for starting a setting changing operation of the setting functions.

Further, the radio pager receiver may be constructed such that the setting functions displayed on the display unit in response to the operation of the menu switch has one of the function setting switches in which a menu for changing the setting functions is included.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a radio pager receiver according to the present invention; Fig. 2 illustrates an example of function setting of function setting switches SW1 to SW3 in the present embodiment, and wherein (a) of Fig. 2 is a schematic front elevational view of the present embodiment and (b) of Fig. 2 is a view illustrating an example of function setting of switches SW1 to SW3; and Fig. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a control flow after depression of a function setting switch until execution of an operation responsive to the depression of the switch in the present embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a radio pager receiver according to the present invention.

Antenna 1 of the radio pager receiver receives a paging signal transmitted from a radio base station of a pager system. The paging signal is composed of a paging number signal and a succeeding data signal such as a message signal. The paging signal is, for example, an FSK (frequency shift keying) modulated signal. The paging signal is received and demodulated by receiver unit 2 and then supplied to decoder 3.

Decoder 3 decodes the demodulated paging signal to produce a paging number, and compares the decoded paging number with a paging number of itself stored in advance in ID-ROM 12 for which an EPROM or a like device is used. When the two paging numbers coincide with each other, decoder 3 activates controller 4.

Consequently, controller 4 controls alert unit 7 and alert driver 8 to cause light emitting diode 9 to emit light, to cause loudspeaker 10 to sound and to further cause vibrator 11 to vibrate thereby to notify a person carrying the radio pager receiver that a call has been received.

When the paging signal includes a message signal, decoder 3 decodes and sends the message signal to controller 4. Controller 4 supplies the message signal to LCD driver 44, which causes LCD (Liquid Crystal Display Device) 6 to display message information corresponding to the received message signal. The message signal is temporarily stored into RAM (Random Access Memory) 42 in controller 4 so that it can be read out in response to an operation of switch unit 5.

Here, controller 4 includes, in addition to RAM 42 and LCD driver 44, P-ROM (Programmable Read Only Memory) 41 in which a program for selection of an option function of the radio pager receiver, character fonts and so forth are stored in advance, and CPU (Central Processing Unit) 43 which executes a controlling operation of controller 4. Switch unit 5 generates a control signal for interrupting the operation of CPU 43 in order to perform turning ON/OFF of power supply, setting of the time, setting of a sounding pattern and a sounding frequency in sounding call notification, stopping of a notification operation, and setting of functions such as reading out and displaying and processing of a received message.

Switch unit 5 includes a plurality of function setting switches SW1, SW2 and SW3.

In the radio pager receiver of the present embodiment, setting function information corresponding to setting functions of function setting switches SW1, SW2 and SW3 is stored into RAM 42. The setting functions of switches SW1, SW2 and SW3 can be set and changed. Also after the setting function change, in the present receiver, CPU 43 causes, in response to operations of function setting switches SW1, SW2 and SW3, predetermined components to execute setting functions in accordance with the setting function information stored in RAM 42 corresponding to the setting functions of switches SW1, SW2 and SW3 after the change of the setting items, similarly as in operations prior to the change of setting functions.

Operations regarding a change of the setting functions of function setting switches SW1 to SW3 are described in detail below with reference to Fig. 1 as well as Fig. 2 which illustrates an example of setting functions of switches SW1 to SW3. It is to be noted that (a) of Fig. 2 is a schematic front elevational view of the present embodiment, and (b) of Fig. 2 is a view illustrating an example of setting functions of switches SW1 to SW3.

The radio pager receiver has, on the front face of housing 20, a display window of LCD 6 and function setting switches SWl, SW2 and SW3 of switch unit 5 (refer to (a) of Fig. 2). When one of switches SW1 to SW3 is depressed, a corresponding function setting control signal, for example, for a function of a menu switch A (which may be hereinafter referred to merely as A), another function of a review switch B (which may be hereinafter referred to merely as B) or a lead switch C (which may be hereinafter referred to merely as C) is inputted to CPU 43. Depression of menu switch A causes LCD 6 to display a plurality of setting functions of the receiver and starts an operation (menu) relating to function setting of the receiver.

On the other hand, depression of lead switch C scrolls the display of LCD 6 downwardly in (a) of Fig. 2 to allow selection of a setting function, but depression of review switch B either scrolls the display of LCD 6 upwardly in (a) of Fig. 2 or decides selection of one of the setting functions. One of the setting functions of the receiver is an item "switch function setting change" for changing setting of the setting functions of switches SW1 to SW3. The setting functions of the receiver include, in addition to the "switch setting function change", "date/time setting", "alarm setting", "sounding setting for call notification", "received message reading out", "typical sentence setting" and so on.Further, the setting functions of function setting switches SWl, SW2 and SW3 are initially set by a maker such that, for example, the setting function of function setting switch SW1 is that of menu switch A, the setting function of function setting switch SW2 is that of review switch B and the setting function of function setting switch SW3 is that of lead switch C.

A changing operation of the setting functions of function setting switches SW1 to SW3 in the present invention is described. After the receiver is purchased, a first change of the setting functions of function setting switches SW1 to SW3 is started by depression of switch SW1. When switch SW1 is depressed, the receiver enters a menu mode, in which CPU 43 causes LCD 6 to display the predetermined setting functions. Then, switch SW3 is depressed to select the "switch setting function change from among the setting functions. After the selection is completed, switch SW2 is depressed to enter an operation of deciding the setting functions of switches SW1 to SW3.

A first example of a deciding operation of the setting functions by switches SW2 and SW3 is described first. When switch SW3 is depressed, CPU 43 causes LCD 6 to display a message of "Which should be allocated to switch SW1 ?" and "A, B, C". The user selects one of A, B and C and then depresses switch SW2 to decide the setting function of switch SW1 to the selected item.

CPU 43 stores setting function information corresponding to the decided setting function into the setting function memory of RAM 42 for switch SW1.

Thereafter, CPU 43 causes LCD 6 to display a message of "Which should be allocated to switch SW2 ?" and "setting functions which have not been selected from among A, B and C". The user selects a setting function and depresses switch SW2 to decide the setting function of switch SW2. CPU 43 stores setting function information corresponding to the decided setting function into the setting function memory of RAM 42 for switch SW2. The setting function of switch SW3 is automatically decided to be the remaining one function.

Thus, the setting functions of all of switches SW1 to SW3 are changed and decided.

In a second example of a deciding operation of the setting functions, when switch SW3 is depressed, CPU 43 causes LCD 6 to display all combinations of the setting functions of switches SW1, SW2 and SW3. The combinations of switches SW1 to SW3 in the present embodiment are six from A to F as seen from (b) of Fig.

2. The user selects a favorable one from among the combinations and depresses switch SW2 to change and decide the setting functions of switches SW1 to SW3.

It is to be noted that also a further change of the setting functions of switches SW1 to SW3 described above can naturally be performed, after depression of menu switch A, in a procedure similar to that described above.

Fig. 3 is a flow chart showing a control flow after one of function setting switches SW1, SW2 and SW3 in the present embodiment is depressed until a setting function operation is executed in response to the depression of the switch.

First, if one switch X from among function setting switches SW1, SW2 and SW3 is depressed (step 1), then an interruption occurs with CPU 43 of controller 4 in response to a control signal generated by switch X (step 2). Thereupon, CPU 43 analyzes, by a software program prepared in P-ROM 41, the interruption to recognize which one of switches SW1, SW2 and SW3 has been depressed (step 3). Thereafter, CPU 43 reads in setting function information of a setting function corresponding to switch X from RAM 42 to confirm the setting function of depressed switch X (step 4).

Finally, CPU 43 executes an interruption operation corresponding to the setting function of depressed switch X (step 5). Then, if another switch different from switch X is depressed, then CPU 43 executes the operations in steps 1 to 5, and in the present embodiment, execution of one menu is completed by depression of function setting switches SW1 to SW3 each by once.

It is to be noted that, while, in the present embodiment, the procedure of execution of a menu upon depression of each of function setting switches SW1, SW2 and SW3 is described in connection with the "switch setting function change" menu, if contents of the menu are different, then naturally the setting functions of function setting switches SWl to SW3 may be varied to vary contents of the execution. For example, if the setting function is "received message reading out", then lead switch B is changed to an upward scroll switch, and review switch C is changed to a downward scroll switch.

Further, while the present embodiment has three function setting switches of SW1, SW2 and SW3, the number of function setting switches is not limited to three, but may be any number only if setting of functions can be realized.

Further, while, in the present embodiment, setting function information of function setting switches SW1 to SW3 is stored in RAM 42, if the setting function information is stored into ID-ROM 12, then even if power cannot be supplied to RAM 42 any more because of consumption of the battery of the radio pager receiver or by some other reason, the setting functions can be held and the setting functions of function setting switches SW1 to SW3 can be continued.

As described above, since the radio pager receiver of the present invention includes setting function changing means which can set and change setting functions of individual function setting switches, it is advantageous in that the arrangement of the function switches can substantially be provided with a degree of freedom and a user who is not satisfied with the initially set arrangement of the function switches can freely change the setting functions of the function switches to setting functions which are easy for the user to operate or to favorable setting functions.

Claims

1. A radio pager receiver which at least includes a display unit which can display a received message and a message for operation and a plurality of function setting switches, comprising: setting function storage means for storing setting function information corresponding to setting functions of said function setting switches; setting function changing means capable of setting and changing the setting functions of said function setting switches; and setting function execution means responsive to an operation of any of said function setting switches for executing a setting function corresponding to the operated one of said function setting switches in accordance with the setting function information.

2. A radio pager receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein said function setting switches include: a menu switch for generating a control signal for causing said display unit to display the plurality of setting functions; a lead switch for generating a control signal for selecting one of the setting functions; and a review switch for generating a control signal for deciding execution of the selected one of the setting functions.

3. A radio pager receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein said setting function changing means includes means responsive to one of said function setting switches for starting a setting changing operation of the setting functions.

4. A radio pager receiver as claimed in claim 3, wherein the setting functions displayed on said display unit in response to the operation of said menu switch has one of said function setting switches in which a menu for changing the setting functions is included.

5. A radio pager receiver substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.