JP3162961B2 - Radio paging device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable device such as a pager for receiving information transmitted from a base station via a radio channel, notifying a user of the reception of the information, and displaying the received information. Wireless paging device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Today, a portable radio paging device such as a pager which receives a message transmitted from a base station via a radio channel, notifies a user of the reception of the message, and displays the received message. Is widespread. Generally, such a paging device has an internal SR
Equipped with memory such as AM (static RAM),
A function is provided in which the received message is temporarily stored in the memory, and is displayed again later according to a user's instruction. In China, Hong Kong, etc., information providing text information such as weather forecast, traffic information, television program guide, etc. to the subscriber's radio paging device using such a function of the radio paging device. Provided services are being provided.

As described above, with the enhancement of the services provided to the radio paging apparatus, the radio paging apparatus side to be provided is required to have a function of receiving character information having various contents. Conventionally, a radio paging device has
Only fixed-length messages represented by 10 characters have been received, but today, those receiving variable-length messages are becoming mainstream in response to the diversification of provided information. In such a radio pager, the received message is stored in the memory as variable length data.
Further, among the above-mentioned wireless calling devices in Chinese-speaking countries, those displaying received messages in Chinese characters are becoming mainstream.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a storage state of variable-length data in a memory of a conventional radio pager. FIG. 4A shows the storage state of the data area in the memory after the paging apparatus has received a plurality of messages from the initial state. As shown in FIG. 4A, after the paging apparatus receives a plurality of messages from the initial state, the data area in the memory stores the message 1 having various data lengths received by the paging apparatus. To 8 are successively stored in the order of reception.

A paging apparatus that stores a received message as variable-length data in a memory is different from a paging apparatus that has received only a fixed-length message. Even when a certain thing is deleted and the area becomes a free storage area, the size of the free storage area and the data length of a newly received message are not constant, so that a new message is written to the free storage area as it is. I can't say that. For this reason, the free storage area created in the data area due to the deletion of the message or the like is left as it is without being used, and a new message received by the paging apparatus is replaced by the last free storage area in the data area. Are sequentially stored. The deletion of the message is performed by deleting the control information on the message stored in the control information area. Therefore, the free storage area corresponding to the deleted message is a storage area in which an invalid message is written, and refers to a storage area in which a new message is allowed to be overwritten.

FIG. 4B shows a state in which a new message 9 is further written from the state shown in FIG.
This shows the storage state in the data area when the unnecessary message 2 and message 8 are deleted according to a user's instruction and the message 10 is further written. FIG.
In the example shown in (b), although the storage areas corresponding to the message 2 and the message 8 have become free storage areas, the newly received message 10 is replaced by the message 9 in the data area. It is stored in the following storage area.
As described above, if there is an unused storage area in the memory, the substantial storage capacity of the memory is reduced, and a new message is likely to overflow.

For this reason, each time a new message is received and written in the memory, the radio pager examines the head address of the free storage area at the end of the data area. Initiate message relocation within. FIG. 4C shows an example of message rearrangement in the data area. FIG.
As shown in (c), the paging apparatus copies information in the message in order from the beginning of valid messages to the storage area starting from the head address of the data area, and all valid messages are continuously stored in the storage area. And place it so that it is memorized. At the same time, the head address of each message described in the control information is rewritten. As a result, the unused storage area that is not used can be eliminated, the storage area in the memory can be effectively used, and the storage area for a newly received message can be secured at the end of the data area. In such a radio pager, it takes about 5 seconds to rearrange the message in the memory. In addition, about 10m to receive each message
It takes seconds to several seconds.

[0008]

As described above, for a radio paging apparatus that receives a variable-length message, re-arranging the message in the memory requires securing a storage area for a newly-received message. Although it is an important process, after the relocation of the message is once started in the memory, until the relocation is completed, the radio paging device does not transmit the message even if the message is transmitted from the base station. I cannot receive messages.

[0009] Specifically, in the radio paging apparatus, a high frequency is generated by accessing a memory in order to relocate a message or the like. It is known that the generated high frequency is mixed as noise in a message received by wireless communication even in a shielded paging apparatus and causes a message reading error. On the other hand, a method of shielding a high frequency by strengthening a shield can be considered, but it is not a very effective method for a portable radio paging apparatus in which low cost, light weight, and small size are important. Therefore, the radio paging device receives the message in parallel with the message relocation.
Should be avoided.

[0010] Further, if there is an incoming call during the rearrangement of the message, a method of immediately stopping the rearrangement and switching to the message receiving process can be considered. In order to receive a message, it is essential to start the reception process at the same time as the incoming call. However, in practice, once the relocation of the message is started, the relocation process is immediately stopped for the incoming call It is difficult to do. For this purpose, it is necessary to secure a buffer area for temporarily storing a message received during the rearrangement. Therefore, this method is also not appropriate, and must be unreceivable during message relocation in memory.

However, since the relocation of the message is started according to the head address of the free storage area at the end of the data area, it is started regardless of the environment in which the paging apparatus is used. On the other hand, depending on the time and the situation in which the radio paging device is used, there is a problem that the relocation of the message may miss an important reception opportunity, even at most 5 seconds. there were.

[0012] For example, since such a radio pager is a portable receiver, it is not always used only in a state of good radio wave conditions. For this reason, in a certain country or region, the base station side should provide an interval of a predetermined time (for example, about 20 seconds) or more, assuming use of the radio paging apparatus in an area having a poor radio wave condition such as a mountain area. , The same message is transmitted twice. If the same message is transmitted twice at intervals of 20 seconds or more, a situation in which a message transmitted twice cannot be received twice does not occur just because the message is being rearranged. .
However, in an area where the radio wave condition is poor, the remaining one transmission cannot always be received. Originally, even when used in an area with poor radio wave conditions, the radio paging device ensures that it can receive transmitted messages.
Given the purpose of transmitting the same message twice, it is inconvenient to miss a chance to receive due to the mechanism inside the radio pager. Further, the same message is not always transmitted twice depending on the country or region where the wireless paging device is used.

[0013] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and makes it possible to effectively use a storage area of a memory as much as possible without impairing a reception opportunity as compared with a conventional paging apparatus which receives a variable-length message. An object of the present invention is to provide a wireless paging device that can be used.

[0014]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a radio pager, comprising: a message storage unit having a message storage area for storing a received message; Address detection means for detecting the start address of the last free storage area; message writing means for sequentially writing the received message from the detected start address; and message writing means for writing the message in the message storage area. An effect setting unit for invalidating a predetermined message and validating the remaining messages, a clock unit for measuring the current time, and storing a timer setting time represented by a preset timer start time and timer end time. Timer storage means, and whether the measured current time is within the timer set time A timer determination means for determining,
When it is determined that the current time is within the timer set time, a timer start instructing means for instructing the start of the reallocation, and a valid message written in the message storage area in response to the reallocation start instruction, And a rearrangement means for rearranging valid messages so as to be continuously arranged from the head of the message storage area.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a radio paging apparatus.
The paging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a first threshold value storage unit configured to store a first threshold value indicated by a predetermined address; and comparing the detected address with the first threshold value. A first determination unit for determining whether or not the address has been exceeded; and a first start instruction unit for instructing the relocation unit to start relocation when it is determined that the detected address exceeds the first threshold value. .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a radio paging apparatus.
3. The wireless paging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the relocation means further comprises: a second threshold value storage means for storing a predetermined second threshold value at an address smaller than the first threshold value; Is determined,
Second determining means for comparing the detected address with the second threshold value to determine whether the detected address has exceeded the second threshold value; and determining that the detected address does not exceed the second threshold value. And a prohibition unit for prohibiting the timer start instructing unit from outputting an instruction to start rearrangement.

[0017]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a radio pager 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The radio paging device 100 has an RF (radio frequency)
ncy) block 101, decoder 102, EEP (e
electrical erasable program
(ROM) ROM 103, microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as microcomputer) 104, SRAM 105, mask ROM 106, LCD (liquid crystal display) driver 1
07, LCD module 108, key matrix 10
9, LED (light emitting diode) 110, vibrator 1
11 and a buzzer 112.

The RF block 101 operates at regular time intervals.
The wireless information having a predetermined length is received, and the received wireless information is output to the decoder 102. Also, in accordance with an instruction from the decoder 102, a variable length message transmitted from the base station, which is transmitted following the radio information, is received.
Output to The decoder 102 identifies from the received wireless information whether or not the information is transmitted to the wireless calling device 100. As a result of the identification, if the message is addressed to the paging apparatus 100, it instructs the RF block 101 to continuously receive the subsequent message, outputs an interrupt signal to the microcomputer 104, and converts the received message as serial data into the microcomputer 1
04. Also, if the identification result indicates that the decoder 102 is addressed to the paging apparatus 100, the LED 11
0, the vibrator 111 and the buzzer 112 are driven to notify the incoming call.

The EEPROM 103 stores set environment data, for example, a timer setting time for relocating a message in the SRAM 105, or a timer setting time for an incoming call notification and a corresponding incoming call notification method. The microcomputer 104 includes a clock unit 11 that measures the current time.
3 and a ROM (not shown) that stores a program for the microcomputer 104. The microcomputer 104 checks the head address of the free storage area at the end of the data area against the second reference address at each timer setting time of the message rearrangement, and determines the start address of the free storage area at the end of the data area as the first address. If two reference addresses are exceeded, SRAM
Initiate message relocation at 105. Also,
In order to prevent the SRAM 105 from overflowing until the next timer set time, the radio pager 1
Every time a new message is received and a new message is written to the SRAM 105, the head address of the free storage area at the end of the data area is compared with the first reference address, and the start address of the free storage area at the end of the data area is determined. When the address exceeds the first reference address, the rearrangement of the message in the SRAM 105 is started. The microcomputer 104
Reads the control information from the control information area at the start of the rearrangement in any case of starting the rearrangement,
The presence or absence of a free storage area due to the invalid message in the RAM 105 is checked. If there is no free storage area due to the invalid message in the SRAM 105, the message in the SRAM 105 is not rearranged.

The timer setting time is generally set in advance to a time zone in which the frequency of reception of the radio pager 100 is considered to be low, for example, a time zone of AM3: 58 to AM4: 00. The radio pager 100 rearranges data by setting a timer at most once a day, but when the radio pager 100 is used in a generally conceivable use state, for example, Except for the case where a relatively long message is frequently received, the data need only be relocated once every two to three days. Therefore, in a general use state, the data is not relocated based on the first reference address. It is not expected to occur. Also, the first reference address is
For example, address 7800 is set for the data area from address 2000 to address 7FFF, and the second reference address is more preferentially rearranged within the range of the timer set time than the first reference address. Is set to, for example, address 7000 for the data area from address 2000 to address 7FFF.

Further, the microcomputer 104 includes the decoder 10
In response to the interrupt signal from the CPU 2, the received message is written into the data area in the SRAM 105,
Control information including a head address, a tail address, and the like of the written message is generated and written to a control information area in the SRAM 105. The SRAM 105 has a storage capacity of about 32 Kbytes and mainly stores received messages. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing storage area divisions in the SRAM 105 of the radio pager 100 of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the storage area of the SRAM 105
It is divided into an EEPROM area, a control information area, a work area and a data area.

The 1K-bit storage area from address 0 to address 80, which is divided as an EEPROM area, has an EEPROM.
The contents stored in the ROM 103 are written. This is EE
The PROM 103 requires a longer access time than the SRAM 105, so that it is possible to avoid accessing the EEPROM 103 directly. In a storage area of about 2 Kbytes from address 80 to address 7FF, which is divided as a control information area, for each valid message stored in a data area described later, the start address and end address of the message are described. The obtained control information is stored.

From address 800, divided as a work area
In a storage area of 6 Kbytes up to the address 1FFF, data and the like generated in the middle of processing such as data processing are temporarily stored. The work area is used as a spare storage area for other processing. 2 from address 2000 to address 7FFF, divided as a data area
The content of the received message is written in the 4 Kbyte storage area in message units.

The mask ROM 106 includes a fixed table previously set in the radio pager, such as a correspondence table showing a correspondence between a fixed sentence representing a predetermined character string by one character code or a combination thereof and a corresponding decoded sentence. Memorize important data. The LCD driver 107 is connected to the microcomputer 10
Based on the data transferred from No. 4, message display data is created.

The LCD module 108 includes, for example, 12
8 x 32 dot dot matrix LCD, etc.
In accordance with the display data from the LCD driver 107, the called party, the contents of the received message, and the like are displayed in characters and graphics. The key matrix 109 inputs an input value according to a user operation. The LED 110 notifies the user of an incoming call by light.

The vibrator 111 notifies the user of an incoming call by vibration. The buzzer 112 notifies the user of the incoming call by sound. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of message rearrangement start control by the microcomputer 104 according to the present embodiment. The microcomputer 104 includes an SRAM 105
From the control information written in the control information area, the start address of the free storage area at the end of the data area is checked (step S301), and compared with the first reference address (step S302).

If the result of the comparison indicates that the start address of the free storage area at the end of the data area is equal to or lower than the first reference address, the current time is read from the clock unit 113 and the current time is within the range of the timer set time for message relocation. Is determined (step S303). Also, as a result of matching,
If the start address of the free storage area at the end of the data area exceeds the first reference address, the process proceeds to step S305.

If the result of the determination is within the range of the timer set time, the head address of the free storage area at the end of the data area is further compared with the second reference address (step S).
304). If the result of the determination is outside the range of the timer set time, the process moves to step S307. As a result of the comparison, when the head address of the free storage area at the end of the data area exceeds the second reference address, the microcomputer 104
From the address of each message described in the control information, the presence or absence of a free storage area due to invalid data in the SRAM 105 is checked (step S305). If the result of the comparison indicates that the start address of the free storage area at the end of the data area is equal to or lower than the second reference address, step S307
Move on to processing.

If there is a free storage area for invalid data in the SRAM 105, the microcomputer 104
5 is started (step S30).
6). If there is no free storage area due to invalid data in the SRAM 105, the message is not rearranged.
The process moves to step S307. With the above, the microcomputer 10
4, the message rearrangement start control ends once,
The microcomputer 104 performs other processing (step S3).
07). As other processing, for example, the microcomputer 10
4 reads out the contents of the message from the SRAM 105 in response to a user's instruction, creates display data of the message, and supplies the display data to the LCD driver 107 for each display. Alternatively, for example, the microcomputer 104
In accordance with the contents stored in the EPROM 103, the timer of the notifying means for notifying the incoming call is controlled. In step S307, the microcomputer 104 performs other processing of the above contents according to a predetermined procedure, and returns to the processing of step S301 after the other processing is completed.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the radio paging apparatus 100 preferentially starts the rearrangement of messages in a time zone where the frequency of message reception is generally low.
Relocation of the message can be started with as little chance of receiving the message as possible. Also, by re-arranging the message, even when a variable-length message is received, the storage area of the memory can be effectively used, and a free area for writing a newly received message is always allocated. Since it can be secured at the end of the data area, the microcomputer 104 can write the received message into the memory by a simple processing procedure.

[0031]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, message relocation is performed at a preset timer setting time, so that the timer setting time is set to a time zone where reception frequency is relatively low. This has the effect of reducing the probability that reception opportunities will be impaired by message rearrangement. Further, since valid messages are continuously arranged from the beginning of the message storage area, a free storage area in which the received message is to be written is secured at the end of the message storage area without losing the contents of the valid message. can do.
Thus, the message writing means only needs to write the received message sequentially from the detected start address in the same procedure at all times, and if the received message is not written to the message storage area in real time. It is very convenient for a radio paging device that does not have to.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, further,
Even if the start address of the free storage area at the end of the message storage area exceeds the first threshold, the message is rearranged even outside the timer setting time. Even when the capacity of the free storage area is reduced, there is an effect that the free storage area can be secured by rearranging the messages.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the second threshold value is set to an address smaller than the first threshold value. The rearrangement is performed with a margin in the capacity of the free storage area at the end of. For this reason, if the start address of the last free storage area does not exceed the second threshold, message relocation is prohibited even if the timer is set, and even if the reception time is relatively low, This also has an effect that it is possible to prevent the opportunity of reception from being impaired by unnecessary rearrangement of messages.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a radio pager 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an SRAM 10 of the wireless calling device 100 of the present embodiment.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing storage area divisions in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of message rearrangement start control by the microcomputer 104 according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a storage state of variable-length data in a memory of a conventional paging apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Wireless paging device 101 RF block 102 Decoder 103 EEPROM 104 Microcomputer 105 SRAM 106 Mask ROM 107 LCD driver 108 LCD module 109 Key matrix 110 LED 111 Vibrator 112 Buzzer 113 Clock section

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A radio paging apparatus for receiving a variable-length message transmitted from a base station and storing the variable-length message in a memory, the message storage means having a message storage area for storing the received message. Address detection means for detecting the start address of the free storage area at the end of the message storage area; message writing means for sequentially writing the received message from the detected start address; Out of the specified messages, a validity setting means for invalidating a predetermined message and validating the remaining messages, a time measuring means for measuring the current time, and a preset timer start time and timer end time. Timer storage means for storing the timer setting time, and the measured current time Timer determination means for determining whether or not the time is within a timer set time; timer start instructing means for instructing start of relocation when the current time is determined to be within the timer set time; And relocation means for rearranging valid messages so that valid messages written in the message storage area are arranged continuously from the beginning of the message storage area in accordance with Radio paging device. 2. The paging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
A first threshold value storage unit that stores a first threshold value indicated by a predetermined address; and compares the detected address with the first threshold value to determine whether the detected address exceeds the first threshold value. A wireless paging system comprising: first determination means; and first start instruction means for instructing the rearrangement means to start rearrangement when it is determined that the detected address exceeds a first threshold value. apparatus. 3. The second paging device according to claim 1, wherein said relocating means further stores a second threshold value predetermined at an address smaller than said first threshold value. A second determining means for comparing the detected address with a second threshold value when it is determined that the time is within the timer set time, and determining whether the detected address has exceeded the second threshold value; A wireless paging apparatus comprising: a timer start instructing unit that includes a prohibition unit that prohibits output of an instruction to start rearrangement when it is determined that the assigned address does not exceed the second threshold value.