GB2240864A

GB2240864A - Paging receiver having a plurality of paging numbers

Info

Publication number: GB2240864A
Application number: GB9101964A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hisahi Kondo
Original assignee: NEC Corp
Current assignee: NEC Corp
Priority date: 1990-01-30
Filing date: 1991-01-30
Publication date: 1991-08-14
Anticipated expiration: 2011-01-30
Also published as: JP2600415B2; GB9101964D0; JPH03226030A; GB2240864B

Abstract

In a paging receiver having a displaying function and a plurality of paging numbers assigned thereto, a particular time zone is assigned to each of the paging numbers to allow the paging receiver to effect an alerting operation and a message displaying operation only in a desired time zone. <IMAGE>

Description

PAGING RECEIVER HAVING A DISPLAYING FUNCTION AND A PLURALITY OF PAGING NUMBERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a paging receiver having a displaying function and a plurality of paging numbers assigned thereto and, more particularly, to a paging receiver having a displaying function and effecting an alerting operation and a message displaying operation only in a desired time zone.

A paging receiver with a displaying function having a plurality of paging numbers is extensively used today.

Regarding a conventional paging receiver having two paging numbers, for example, when incoming calls each being meant for one of the two numbers occur at the same time, the receiver performs an alerting operation and a message displaying function substantially at the same time or does not receive them at all. Specifically, when the paging receiver is called by one paging number to which a desired time zone is assigned and, at the same time, called by the other or undesired paging number, the receiver alerts the user to both of the two calls or does not perform the alerting and message displaying operations at all.

Therefore, it is impossible with the conventional paging receiver of the type described to alert the user to an incoming call and display a message only in desired time zones each being assigned to a particular paging number.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a paging receiver with a displaying function which alerts and displays a message only in desired time zones each being assigned to a different paging number thereof.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a paging receiver having a display and a plurality of paging numbers.

A paging receiver with a displaying function for receiving a message signal after a paging signal which is identical with a paging number assigned to the paging receiver of the present invention comprises a timepiece for counting time, a first storage for storing a plurality of paging numbers assigned to the paging receiver, a second storage for storing time zones each being assigned to respective one of the plurality of paging numbers and in which the paging receiver is allowed to receive a call, and a comparing and deciding unit for comparing the content of the timepiece and the contents of the first and second storages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a conventional paging receiver with a displaying function; Fig. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing a paging receiver with a displaying function embodying the present invention; Figs. 3A and 3B are flowcharts demonstrating a specific operation of the illustrative embodiment; Fig. 4 is a block diagram schematically showing an alternative embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 5 is a flowchart indicative of a specific operation of the embodiment shown in Fig. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS To better understand the present invention, a brief reference will be made to a conventional paging receiver of the type to which the present invention pertains, shown in Fig. 1.

Specifically, the paging receiver shown in Fig. 1 is of the type reporting, on receiving a paging signal, the reception immediately by means of alert tone, flashing of a light emitting diode (LED), or the vibration of a vibrator while displaying the received message.

The prior art paging receiver, generally 10, has a radio section 14 to which a radio signal coming in through an antenna 12 is applied. The radio section 14 amplifies and demodulates the input signal. The output of the radio section 14 is applied to a waveform shaping section 16. The output of the waveform shaping section 16, or received data, is fed to a decoder 18.

When the received paging number is identical with a paging number assigned to the paging receiver 10 and stored in a ROM 24, a loudspeaker 30 or an LED 34 is energized to inform the user of the reception of a call. Specifically, the decoder 18 controls a loudspeaker driver 28 to energize the loudspeaker 30 or controls an LED driver 32 to drive the LED 34.

With the conventional paging receiver 10, it is impracticable to receive a paging signal meant for particular one of a plurality of paging numbers assigned to the receiver 10 in a desired time zone, as discussed earlier.

Referring to Fig. 2, a paging receiver with a displaying function embodying the present invention is shown and generally designated by the reference numeral 10A. In the figures, the same or similar components are designated by like reference numerals, and redundant description will be avoided for simplicity. Let it be assumed that two different paging numbers A and B are assigned to the paging receiver 10A.

The paging receiver 10A has a timepiece 36 and a switch 38 which is operable to set desired time zones for receiving paging signals on the timepiece 36. A switch 40 implements various functions such as starting the display of messages having been stored in a RAM 26 and selecting a particular message. A switch 42 is operated to select either the control based on the paging number A or the control based on the paging number B. The paging numbers A and B are stored in a ROM 24.

A specific operation of the paging receiver 10A will be described with reference to Figs. 3A and 3B. On receiving a paging signal (step S1), a CPU 20 determines whether or not the paging receiver 10A is called by the paging number A (S2). If the answer of the step S2 is YES, the CPU 20 determines whether or not the time read on the timepiece 36 lies in the time zone which is assigned to the paging number A (S3). If the answer of the step S3 is YES, either one of a loudspeaker 30 and an LED 34, Fig. 2, is energized (S4) for alerting the user to the reception of a call. The received message is displayed on a display 22, Fig. 2, and written to a RAM 26, Fig. 2 (S5). If the answer of the step S3 is NO, none of the loudspeaker 30 and LED 34 is energized. Instead, the program returns to the step S1 after storing the received message in the RAM 26 (S6).The preset time zone assigned to the paging number A is stored in the RAM 26. When the paging signal is meant for the other paging number B as determined in the step S2, whether or not the time read on the timepiece 36 lies in the time zone assigned to the other paging number B is determined (57). If the answer is YES, the loudspeaker 28 or the LED 34 is energized (S8), and the received message is written to the RAM 7 (S9). If the answer of the step S7 is NO, neither the loudspeaker 28 nor the LED 34 is energized, and the program returns to the step S1 after storing the received message in the RAM 26 (S10). The preset time zone associated with the paging number B is also stored in the RAM 26.

To see a received message on a display 22, Fig. 2, the user operates the switch 40 (S11). Then, a message received last appears first on the display 22. For which of the paging numbers A and B the message appearing on the display 22 is meant is also displayed. Every time the user operates the switch 40, the message appearing on the display 22 is replaced with another received message (S12). While a received message is displayed on the display 22 (S13), the user may operate the switch 38 (S13) to see the preset time zone assigned to the paging number A together with the paging number A on the display 22 (S14). Then, whether or not the switch 42 is operated to replace the paging number A with the paging number B is determined (S15).If the answer of the step S15 is YES, the time zone assigned to the paging number B and the paging number appear on the display 22 (S16). Every time the switch 42 is operated, the display is changed over. Subsequently, whether or not the switch 38 is operated to change the time zone is determined (S17). If the answer of the step S17 is YES, the new time zone is set (S18). Thereafter, the program returns to the step S14. In this condition, the alerting operation and the display of a received message are effected only if the time read on the timepiece 36 lies in the assigned time zone and if the received paging number is identical with the paging number stored in the ROM 24.If the answer of the step S17 is NO, the program returns to the step S1 after ending the displaying operation (S19). If the answer of the step S13 is NO, the program also returns to the step S1 after completing the displaying operation (S20).

Referring to Fig. 4, an alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown. In the figures, the same or similar components are designated by like reference numerals, and redundant description will be avoided for simplicity. As shown, the paging receiver, generally lOB, has the timepiece 36, and the switches 38, 40 and 42 whose outputs are applied to the CPU 20 for setting particular time zones to be assigned to the paging numbers A and B. In response, the CPU 20 writes data representative of the time zones assigned to the paging numbers A and B in the RAM 26 in association with the individual paging numbers A and B stored in the ROM 24.

A reference will be made to Fig. 5 for describing a specific operation of the alternative embodiment. As shown, when the paging receiver 10A receives a paging signal (S21), the CPU 20 reads the time on the timepiece 36 via the decoder 18, reads the paging numbers A and B out of the ROM 24 via the decoder 18, and reads the time zones assigned to the paging numbers A and B out of the RAM 26 (S22). The received paging signal is compared with the paging number A (S23). If the two paging numbers are identical, the time is compared with the time zone assigned to the paging number A (S24). If the time lies in the assigned time zone, the alerting operation using the loudspeaker 30 or the LED 34 is effected (S25). At the same time, the received message is displayed on the display 22 and written to the RAM 26 (S26).If the answer of the step S 24 is NO, the paging receiver 10B is restored to a waiting state (S21). If the answer of the step S23 is NO, the received signal is compared with the other paging number B (S27). If the answer of the step S27 is NO, the paging receiver 10B is also restored to the waiting state. If the answer of the step S27 is YES, the time is compared with the time zone assigned to the paging number B (S28). If the answer of the step S28 is NO, the paging receiver lOB is returned to the waiting state. If the answer of the step S28 is YES, the alerting operation is effected (S29), and the received message is displayed on the display 22 and written to the RAM 26 (S30).It is noteworthy that even if the received paging number is identical with the paging number A or B, the alerting operation and the storage of the received message in the RAM 26 are not executed so long as the time read on the timepiece 36 does not lie in the time zone assigned to the paging number.

In summary, it will be seen that the present invention provides a paging receiver with a displaying function which is capable of assigning a particular time zone to each of a plurality of paging numbers. Such a receiver can alert the user only to received calls meant for a desired paging number to which a desired time zone is assigned, i. e., the user can use a plurality of paging numbers for different purposes. For example, when the user desires to use one paging number for business and another paging number for privacy, the user may assign business hours to the former to avoid annoying private calls when at work. When a time zone other than the business hours is assigned to the primate paging number B, the user will be free from business calls during private hours.

Various modifications will become possible for those skilled in the art after receiving the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the scope thereof.

Claims

1. A paging receiver with a displaying function for receiving a message signal after a paging signal which is identical with a paging number assigned to said paging receiver, said paging receiver comprising: timepiece means for counting time; first storing means for storing a plurality of paging numbers assigned to said paging receiver; second storing means for storing time zones each being assigned to respective one of said plurality of paging numbers and in which said paging receiver is allowed to receive a call; and comparing and deciding means for comparing a content of said timepiece means and contents of said first and second storing means.

2. A paging receiver as claimed in claim 1, further comprising third storing means for storing time zones each being assigned to respective one of said plurality of paging numbers for reporting reception of a message signal.

3. A paging receiver as claimed in claim 2, further comprising fourth storing means for storing received message signals each being meant for respective one of said plurality of paging numbers.

4. A paging receiver comprising: means for receiving a paging signal which is identical with one of a plurality of paging numbers assigned to said paging receiver; timer means for counting a time; means for storing time zones each being assigned to respective one of said plurality of paging numbers; means for comparing the content of said timer means and the content of said storing means; and means for annunciating a page in accordance with the comparison result of said comparing means.

5. A paging receiver comprising: means for receiving a paging signal which is identical with one of a plurality of paging numbers assigned to said paging receiver; first means for storing time zones each being assigned to respective one of said plurality of paging numbers; second means for counting a time; third means connected to said second means for producing reception time signals each indicating reception times of said plurality of paging numbers; fourth means for comparing said reception time signals and said time zones to produce a control signal when a given one of said reception time signals is included in one of said time zones which is assigned to one of said paging numbers which is associated with said given reception time signal; and fifth means for annunciating a page in response to said control signal.

6. A paging receiver as claimed in claim 1 substantially as described herein with reference to either Figs. 2, 3A and 3B, or Figs. 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.