MXPA97006358A - Method and apparatus for informing a user the message status in a communication device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a communications device (125) receiving a signal in which messages are included. The communication device (125) includes a decoder (215) for retrieving a message received from the signal and a message state element (250) for determining whether the message received is from a first or a second type of message. The transmission of an acknowledgment by the communication device (125) occurs in response to the presentation of a message of the first type, and the transmission of an acknowledgment by a communication device does not occur in response to the presentation of a message of the second type. The communication device (125) also includes a screen (230) for visually presenting information to the user by which the user is notified if the message received is of the first or second type.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INFORMING A USER THE MESSAGE STATUS IN A COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE Field of the Invention The invention relates in general to the processing of messages in a communications device and more specifically to a method and apparatus for informing the user of the status of the messages received by the communications device.

Background of the Invention Conventional communications systems usually include communications devices that are used by system users to receive messages. A device for transmitting messages, eg. a paging terminal, encodes information received in a radio signal for transmission to a communications device, e.g. a portable transceiver carried by a user. The destination communications device receives the paddle signal and decodes the signal to retrieve the message information in ".ella." The message information is then stored and displayed to the user.The message information can be presented to the user automatically or in response to the manipulation by the user of controls accessible from outside the communications device.

In a prior art communication system type, the communication device used by the user for the reception of messages includes a transmitter for transmitting an acknowledgment signal back to the message transmission device in response to reception of the message. message information. In this way, the message transmission device is notified that the communication device has received the message information. When the acknowledgment signal is not received within a predetermined time of message transmission, the message transmission device may retransmit the message to ensure that the communication device receives the message.

In some systems, the communication device may also transmit a "read acknowledgment" signal to the message transmission device in response to the presentation of the message by the communication device. Accordingly, the originator of the message may be informed that the user of the communications device has read the message. However, in existing systems that use acknowledgment signals, the user of the communication device has no way to determine which messages will produce the generation of an acknowledgment signal after its presentation. In such a system, for the user of a communication device it can be a drawback to have to establish communication, eg. by phone or email, with all message originators of all messages presented if you want to make sure that all originators know that the messages have been read.

Accordingly, a method and apparatus is needed to inform the user of a communication device, the status of received messages.

Synthesis of the Invention A method for informing the user, the status of the message in a communication device for receiving messages comprises the steps of receiving a signal and recovering a first message of the signal. The communications device determines whether the first message is- (a first type of message, the presentation of which must produce the transmission of an acknowledgment by the communications device.) Information is presented on the first message to the user, by means of which informs the user that the first message is of the first type.

A communication device receives a signal in which the messages are included. The communication device includes a decoder for retrieving a message received from the signal and a message state element for determining whether the received message is of a first type or of a second type of message. The transmission of an acknowledgment by the communication device occurs in response to the presentation of a message of the first type and the transmission of an acknowledgment by the communication device does not occur in response to the presentation of a message from the second type. The communications device also includes a screen for visually presenting information to the user by which the user is notified if the message received is of the first or the second type.

A communication system for providing signal communication comprises a message transmission device for receiving a message and information indicating whether the presentation of the message is to produce the acknowledgment of receipt. The message transmission device includes circuits for transmitting the message and a label indicating whether the presentation of the message will produce the acknowledgment of receipt. Also included in the communication system is a communication device for receiving the message and the label and for determining from the label whether the presentation of the message will produce the acknowledgment of receipt. The communication device includes a screen to present the message and, when the label indicates that the presentation of the message has to produce the acknowledgment of receipt, a predetermined icon that warns the user that the presentation of the message has to produce the generation of the message. Acknowledgment of receipt. The communication device also includes a transmission element to generate, when the presentation of the message has to produce the acknowledgment of receipt, the acknowledgment in response to the presentation of the message.

Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a diagram of a communication system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a signal diagram of a signal transmitted within the communication system of Fig. 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is an electrical block diagram of a communication device included in the communication system of Fig. 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a flow chart of the operation of a controller included in the communication device of Fig. 3 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a flow chart of the operation of a message state element included in the communication device of Fig. 3 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. Fig.6 illustrates the presentation of the message status information by the communication device of Fig.3 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. Fig.7 is an illustration showing the display of the message status information by the communication device of Fig.3 in response to receiving a message needs an acknowledgment signal, read according to an embodiment preferred of the invention.

Fig.8 is a flowchart of the operation of a presentation element included in the communication device of Fig.3 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. Fig.9 is an illustration showing the display of a message that does not produce the transmission of an acknowledgment signal read by the communication device of Fig.3 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. Fig.10 illustrates the presentation of a message that produces the transmission of an acknowledgment signal read by the communication device of Fig. 3 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Fig.ll is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of a transmission element included in the communication device of Fig. 3 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Description of a Preferred Embodiment Fig. 1 is a diagram of a communication system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. For illustrative purposes only, the communications system 100 is illustrated as a radio communication system comprising a message transmission device, for example a paging terminal 120, for generating and transmitting radio signals. It will be appreciated, however, that the communications system 100 may alternatively comprise other types of communication systems, for example computer networks.

The paging terminal 120 preferably includes an input device (not shown) for receiving messages to be transmitted to one or more communication devices, e.g. portable transceivers 125, included within the communication system 100. In addition, messages can be received from other input devices, for example telephones 105 or computers 110 connected to the paging terminal 120 by a telephone network 115.

According to the present invention, the originator of a message may further indicate that the receiving transceiver 125 has to acknowledge the message in response to the presentation of the message by the transceiver 125. In this way, the originator of the message may be conveniently informed. when the message has been read by the person to whom the message was sent. For example, the terminal 120 may be configured such that the originator of the message may call the terminal 120 by telephone to obtain information about whether the transmitted message has already been read. Alternatively, an operator at terminal 120 may call the originator of the message and notify him that the message has been read.

Fig.2 is a diagram of a signal, eg. a radio signal, transmitted within the communication system 100 by the paging terminal 120. In accordance with the present invention, a message originator may specify the paging terminal 120 if the destination transceiver 125 (FIG. 1) is to send a acknowledgment signal back to terminal 120 in response to reading the message by the user. The terminal 120 then collects information including an address indicating the destination transceiver 125, the message, and, according to the information provided by the originator, a "REACH" label. For example, when the portable transceiver 125 is to transmit a REACK, a bit may be placed at a predetermined location within the information collected in "one". When, on the other hand, the originator of the message has not specified that a REACK is to be provided, that bit of information may be set to "zero". The information collected by the terminal 120 is encoded in a signaling format, eg. the code POCSAG (Uniforming Advisory Group Postal Codes) or GSC (Code in Sequence Golay) and transmitted by air. The signal transmitted by the paging terminal 120 is received by the portable transceiver 125.

With reference to Fig.3, an electrical block diagram of a communication device, e.g. a portable transceiver 125, is illustrated in accordance with the present invention. The transceiver 125 includes a first antenna 205 for receiving transmitted signals and a receiver 210 connected thereto for demodulating the signal. A decoder 215 connected to the receiver 210 decodes the demodulated signal to retrieve the information included in it. The decrypted information is provided to a controller 220, which controls the operation of the transceiver 125. The transceiver 125 also comprises a timer 225 for generating time values, a display 230 for presenting information to the user in visual form, and controls 235 accessible to the user. user from outside the transceiver 125.

In accordance with the present invention, the transceiver 125 in some cases generates a REACK to indicate that the received message has been read by the user. Accordingly, the transceiver 125 also includes an encoder 275 for encoding information in a signaling format eg. POCSAG and a transmitter 280 for transmitting the encoded information using a second antenna 285.

A message memory 240 included in the transceiver 125 is connected to the controller 220 for storing messages, reception times for those messages and indications of whether the transceiver 125 is to transmit a REACK when a particular message is presented to the user. The indication in the memory 240 of whether a REACK is to be transmitted for a given message can be, for example, a signal added to the message or a bit set within a particular location of the memory. For example, a bit associated with a segment of memory where a particular message is stored can be set equal to "one" when a REACK has to be sent for that message and can be set equal to "zero" when it is not to be sent REACK .

The transceiver 125 also includes another memory, e.g. a read-only memory (ROM) 245, for storing factory elements and subroutines executed by the controller 220 in doubt about the operation of the transceiver 125. The ROM 245 preferably includes a communication device address and a location in which a label can be found REACH transmitted to transceiver 125. ROM 245 also includes a message state element 250 for storing received messages in message memory 240 together with the appropriate REACK indication and for providing information, from message status to display 230 A presentation element 260 included in the ROM 245 provides not only stored messages to the display 230, but also indications in icons informing the user that the presentation of a selected message will produce the transmission of a REACK. The ROM 245 also stores a transmission element 270 to generate and control the transmission of a REACK from the transceiver 125.

Although the message state element 250, the presentation element 260 and the transmission element 270 are illustrated and described with factory elements within the ROM 245, it will be appreciated that these elements can be implemented through hardware configured to execute equivalent operations as well. An art connoisseur will understand that it would be possible for a single antenna to perform the functions of the first and second antennas 205,285 by using a switch (not shown) to altar the connection of the single antenna between the receiver 230 and the transmitter 280.

In accordance with the present invention, each message received by the transceiver 125 is labeled in the memory 240 to indicate whether or not REACK is to be transmitted back to the terminal 120 (FIG. 1) in response to the presentation of the message to the user. The transceiver 125 convenently presents an icon indicating which messages will produce the transmission of a REACK in response to the presentation. Consequently, when the user reads a message marked with a REACK icon, he knows that a REACK will be generated and transmitted back to terminal 120 (Fig.l). The user does not need to call or otherwise communicate with the originator of the message to let him know that he has read the message. Conversely, when a user reads a message that is not marked with a REACK icon, he knows that he must personally communicate with the originator of the message if he wishes to inform him that the message has been read.

Fig. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the controller 220. In accordance with the present invention, the controller 220 receives, in step 305, information that includes a address, a REACK label, and a message. When, in step 310, the address of the message is not equivalent to the device address stored in the ROM 245, the message is discarded, in step 312. When, in step 310, the address of the message is equivalent to the stored address, the information received by the controller 220 is provided, in step 315, to the status element of message 250 (Fig.3).

In step 320, the controller 220 receives a command triggered by the user from the controls 235. When, in step 325, the command does not indicate that a message is to be displayed, the controller 220 proceeds to execute other processing, in step 330. When, in step 325, the order of the controls 235 indicates that a message is to be displayed, the controller 220 sends, in step 335, a signal indicating the selected message to the display element 260.

In response to the reception of a "presented" signal, in step 340, which indicates that the selected message has been displayed, the controller 220, in step 345, resorts to the message memory 240 to determine whether the message presented it is labeled with a REACK label indicating that a REACK should be transmitted to recognize that the message has been read by the user. When, in step 350, a REACK label indicates that a REACK should be transmitted, the controller 220 selectively extracts the "message reception time from the message memory 240, in step 355. Then, the reception time is provided. , in step 360, to the transmission element 270.

With reference to Fig. 5, a flow chart illustrates the operation of the message state element 250 (Fig.3) according to the invention. In step 405, information, including at least one REACK tag and a message, is received from the controller 220, after which the timer 225 is used, in step 410, to selectively extract a time value indicating the time of reception of the message. In step 415, the message included in the information and the reception time are stored in the message memory 240.

Then, ROM 245 is used, in step 420, to selectively extract the predetermined location from the REACK tag. When, in step 425, the REACK tag is present in the predetermined location, the message state element 250 also determines, in step 430, whether the REACK tag indicates that the presentation of the message is to produce the transmission of a message. REACK. When there is no REACK label present in the message or when the REACK label indicates that REACK is not to be sent, the message is marked, in step 435, in message memory 240 to indicate that the presentation of the message should not produce the message. transmission of a REACK. The message can be dialed, for example, by setting a memory bit to "zero" or another predetermined value. On the contrary, when the REACK label indicates that a REACK is to be transmitted, the message, in step 440, is marked, for example by setting a memory bit in "one", to indicate that the presentation of the message is to produce the transmission of a REACK.

Subsequently, the message state element 250 updates a message status screen, which will be better understood with reference to Figs.6 and 7. Fig.6 is an illustration of the display of message state information 460 in the upper left vertex of the transceiver 230 screen. As shown in Fig.6, the message status information 460, e.g. the message status display indicates to the user that there are two messages stored in message memory 240. Each message stored in memory 240 is represented by a "regular message" icon, e. a triangular icon, to inform the user that the messages are "regular" messages, whose presentation will not produce the transmission of a REACK. As a result, the user is notified that, if he wants the originator to know that he has read one of the regular messages, he should contact the originator.

Fig.7 illustrates the display of the message state 460 'after receipt of a "REACK message" that will produce a REACK after the display. In the upper left corner of screen 230, it has been added. another icon to the message status display 460 'to inform the user of the reception of another message. This icon, however, has a different form from the representative of regular messages. By way of example only, the different "acknowledgment" icon representative of the received REACK message is shown with the letter "R". Other icons may alternatively be presented to indicate that a REACK message has been received.

Returning to FIG. 5, the message state element 250 updates, in step 445, the message state exposure by adding a regular message icon to the status display when a regular message has been received. When, on the other hand, a REACK message has been received, a REACK icon is added to the message status display, in step 450.

Fig.8 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of display element 260 (Fig.3). According to the present invention, in step 505, a signal indicating a selected message is received from the controller 220, after which the selected message is selectively extracted, in step 510, from the message memory 240. then, it resorts to the message memory 240, in step 515, to determine whether the message is marked with a REACK tag indicating that a REACK is to be sent. When, in step 520, the message is a regular message for which a REACK is not to be sent, the message is given to the display 230, in step 525. The exposure of a regular message may be better interpreted with reference to FIG. .9. In Fig.9, the regular message is displayed on the screen 230. In addition, the icon 580 representative of a regular message has been marked, for example by underlining it, to inform the user which message is being displayed.

Returning to Fig.8, when in step 520 the selected message to be displayed is a REACK message, the message together with another "acknowledgment" icon, e.g. a REACK icon, is provided, in step 530, to screen 230, which will be better understood with reference to Fig.10. Fig. 10 is an illustration of a 230-second screen presents a REACK message to the user. When a REACK message is presented, the default REACK icon 585 is also displayed on the screen 230 para-, warning the user that a REACK transmission will originate from the exposure of the message. In addition, the representative icon 590 of the REACK message in the message status display may be underlined to indicate to the user which message is being presented. Although both icons 585,590 indicators of the REACK message are illustrated in Fig.10 with the same shape, ie with the letter "R", it will be appreciated that both icons can be different from each other and have different forms to the letter "R".

Returning to FIG. 8, the display element 260 provides, in step 535, a signal "presented" to the controller 220 after the presentation of the selected message on the display 230.

Fig.ll is a flow diagram of the operation of the transmission element 270 included in the transceiver 125. In step 600, the transmit element 270 receives the reception time from the controller 220, after which REACK data is generated, in step 605. The REACK data preferably comprises predetermined data comprised by the paging terminal. 120 (Fig. 1) to indicate that a REACK message has been presented by the transceiver 125. The reception time and the REACK data are provided, in passp 610, to the encoder 275 for coding in a signaling format such as POCSAG . The reception time is preferably used to identify the message that has been presented to terminal 120. However, it will be understood that other methods of message identification may be used to terminal 120. When, in step 615, the encoded information is received by the transmission element 270, said information is provided to the transmitter 280, in step 620, for transmission as a REACK. Then, the terminal 120 receives the REACK and can inform the originator that the message has been read.

In summary, the communication device described above receives a message that is marked to indicate whether the device has to transmit an acknowledgment back to the terminal after the message has been read. In other words, the message is marked to indicate whether the device has to transmit a read acknowledgment (REACK) after the presentation of the message. When the presentation of the message is not to produce a REACK, the message is displayed to the user in a conventional manner and a message status statement indicates to the user that a regular message has been received. Conversely, when the presentation of the message is to produce a REACK, the message state exposure includes a different icon representative of the REACK message. When the user chooses to have the REACK message presented, a REACK icon is displayed along with the message to notify the user again that a REACK will be transmitted to the terminal.

In this way, the user is better informed of which messages will be acknowledged once they are presented. In addition, after the exposure of a REACK message, the user is notified that a REACK will be transmitted. Consequently, the user does not need to waste time trying to communicate with the originator of the REACK message to inform him that the message has been read. At the same time, the lack of a REACK icon during the exposure of a regular message conveniently informs the user that REACK will not be transmitted. Consequently, the user knows that he must communicate personally with the originator if the originator is informed that the user has read the message.

It will be appreciated at this time that a method and apparatus for informing a user which messages will produce the transmission of an acknowledgment signal read in response to the presentation has been provided.

Claims (10)

1. A communication device for receiving a signal in which the messages are included, the communication device characterized in that it comprises: a decoder for recovering a message received from the signal; a message state element for determining whether the received message is of a first type or of a second type, where the transmission of an acknowledgment by the communication device occurs in response to the presentation of a message of the first type, and wherein the transmission of an acknowledgment by the communications device does not occur in response to the presentation of a message of the second type; and a screen for visually presenting information to a user of the communication device by which the user is notified if the message received is of the first or second type, where the presentation of the information does not need presentation of the message received in itself.

2. The communications device of claim 1, characterized in that the information presented to the user comprises message state information that includes icons representative of the messages received by the communications device in the signal but distinct from the messages themselves.

3. The communication device of claim 2, characterized in that the message status information includes a first icon for each message of the first type received by the communication device and includes a second icon for each message of the second type received by the communication device .

4. The communication device of claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a memory for storing the received message and an indication of whether the received message is of the first type or of the second type.

5. The communications device of claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises a transmitter for automatically transmitting an acknowledgment in response to the presentation of the received message when the message state element determines that the received message is of the first type.

6. The communication device of claim 5, characterized in that it also comprises a presentation element to provide, when the received message is of the second type, the received message and a predetermined icon to the screen, where the predetermined icon indicates that the received message is of the second type.

7. The communication device of claim 5, further characterized in that the presentation element for providing, when the received message is of the first type, the received message and a predetermined icon to the screen, where the predetermined icon indicates that the received message is of the first type.

8. A communication system for providing signal communication, the system characterized in that it comprises: a message transmission device for receiving a message and information indicating whether the presentation of the message is to produce the generation of an acknowledgment, the transmission device of messages comprises means for transmitting the message and an indicator label indicating whether the presentation of the message has to produce the acknowledgment of receipt; and a communication device for receiving the message and the label and for determining from the label if the presentation of the message is to produce the acknowledgment of receipt, the communication device comprises: a screen to present the message and, when the The label indicates that the presentation of the message must produce the acknowledgment of receipt, a predetermined icon that notifies the user of the communications device that the presentation of the message must produce the acknowledgment of receipt; and a transmission element to generate, the presentation of the message must produce the acknowledgment of receipt, the acknowledgment in response to the presentation of the message.

9. The communication system of claim 8, characterized in that the screen presents the predetermined icon before the presentation of the message and because the predetermined icon is different from other icons presented on the screen.

10. The communication system of claim 8, characterized in that the screen presents the predetermined icon substantially coincident ", with the presentation of the message and because the predetermined icon is different from other icons presented on the screen.