.
`United States Patent
`
`[19]
`
`IlllllllllllllIlllllllIllllIlilllllllllllllllllIllillllllllllllllllllllllll
`USOOS365227A
`[11] Patent Number:
`
`5,365,227
`
`Cannon et al.
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`
`Nov. 15, 1994
`
`[75]
`
`[54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
`TRANSMTIING STATUS INFORMATION
`FROM A SELECTIVE CALL RECEIVER To
`XTE
`CTR
`AN E
`RNAL ELE
`ONIC DEVICE
`Inventors: Gregory L. Cannon, Coconut Creek;
`William J. Macko, West Palm Beach;
`Gregory W. Fuller, BOG?! Raton; Jill
`L~ 11390113111: Boynton Beach, all Of
`Fla-
`[73] Assignee: Motorola, Inc., Schaumburg, 111.
`[211 App]. No.2 909,262
`‘
`.
`,
`Jul. 6’ 1992
`[22] Ffled’
`[51]
`Int. Cl.5 ............................................... H04Q 5/24
`[52] US. Cl. .......................... 340/825.55; 340/825.44;
`364/715.01; 364/705.01
`[58] Field of Search ........... 340/825.44, 311.1, 825.55;
`364/705.01, 705.05, 715.01
`.
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`. 364/7150]
`4,724,528 2/1988 Eaton ......
`
`. 340/825.“
`8/1989 Saunders .
`4,856,047
`8/1989 Mama ............................... 340/3111
`4,857,883
`
`[56]
`
`4,949,085
`8/1990 Frach et al,
`.................... 340/825.44
`4,972,457 11/1990 O’Sullivan ..
`379/59
`
`7/1991 Kuzuicki .
`340/825.44
`5,032,825
`. 340/82544
`5,043,721 8/1991 May ........
`5,075,684 12/1991 DeLuca ..........
`. 340/82544
`
`
`5,140,310 8/1992 Deana et al-
`340/825—44
`.
`. 340/825.44
`5,252,964 [0/1993 Tan et a1.
`
`5,309,174 5/1994 Minkus
`340/825,“
`Primary Examiner—~Donald J. Yusko
`Assistant Examiner-—Edward Merz
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Kelly A‘ Gardner
`[571
`ABSIRACT
`A selective call receiver (100) for transmitting informa-
`tion to an external electronic device (208), such as a
`personal computer, includes a memory (125) for storing
`a predetermined status menu including at least one sta-
`tus category associated with internal status information
`of the selective call receiver (108). When the selective
`call receiver (100) is interactively coupled to the exter- '
`nal electronic device (208) and receives a user-initiated
`status command therefrom, the predetermined status
`menu is retrieved from the memory (125) and transmit-
`ted 1° the “term destronic deVice (208)-
`
`20 Claims, 7 Drawing Sheets
`
`505
`
`RECEIVE STATUS SIGNAL,
`CONTAINING USER
`SELECTION, FROM DATA PORT
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`515
`
`MESSAGE STATISTIC
`SUBROUTINE
`
`
`
`ERROR
`DIRECTORY?
`
`
`
`ERROR DIRECTORY
`
`SUBFlOUTINE
`
`
`
`
`
`
`CURRENT
`OPTIONS?
`
`CURRENT OPTIONS
`SUBHOUTINE
`
`RECEIVE TERMINATlON
`SIGNAL FROM DATA
`
`
`EXHIBIT
`Petitioner - Kyocera
`
`PX 1010
`
`Kyocera PX 1 010_1
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 15, 1994
`
`Sheet 1 of 7
`
`5,365,227
`
`\ /105
`
`1
`
`,108
`
`{140
`
`(128
`
`CONTROLS
`
`REAL TIME
`CLOCK
`
`RECEIVER
`CIRCUITRY
`
`100
`
`'I
`
`/"'115
`I
`
`DECODER ...
`
`-
`-
`
`MICROCOMPUTER
`
`,,
`
`(
`
`PROCESSING
`UNIT
`
`'-110
`
`J~
`n
`
`120
`
`--
`.
`
`-
`
`_r-135
`
`OUTPUT
`DEVICE
`
`MEMORY
`
`'-125
`
`DATA
`PORT
`'-145
`
`ALERT
`
`'-130
`
`FIG. I
`
`212
`
`00
`
`FIG.2
`
`Kyocera PX 1010_2
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 15, 1994
`
`Sheet 2 of 7
`
`5,365,227
`
`r-305 ~
`RECEIVE STATUS COMMAND
`FROM DATA PORT
`.....
`
`~
`
`B
`
`( PROCESSING UNIT ~
`OPERA TON
`
`-,,
`
`~
`
`~r
`OBTAIN STATUS MENU
`SELECTIONS
`
`r-310
`
`,,
`
`r-315
`RETRIEVE NUMBER OF
`UNREAD MESSAGES
`
`~,
`
`r2o
`
`CALCULATE AVAILABLE
`MEMORY
`
`~r
`
`,r--325
`
`OBTAIN CURRENT TIME
`
`,,.
`
`r3o
`
`MONITOR BATTERY
`VOLTAGE
`
`~,.
`
`r-335
`
`CALCULATE BATTERY
`REPLACEMENT TIME
`
`~ir
`FORMAT STATUS MENU
`
`r-340
`
`SCREEN +
`
`r-345
`TRANSMIT STATUS MENU
`TO DATA PORT
`
`~r
`
`(~ FIG.3
`
`~
`
`Kyocera PX 1010_3
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 15, 1994
`
`Sheet 3 of 7
`
`5,365,227
`
`r
`
`L
`
`- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --- -I
`STATUS MENU
`1. Message Statistics (Number Unread = 3)
`2. Error Directory
`3. Current Options
`4. Quit Status Menu
`
`Time: 1 :22 p.m.
`Memory Status: 38% available
`Replace Battery in Approximately 46 Hours
`
`--------------- --- .J
`
`FIG. 4
`
`I
`I
`unprotected Don•t forget the meeting at 11 am with... 1
`unprotected
`Do you want to go to lunch? Bob
`I
`protected
`Call me to arrange a time when we can •.. I
`Do you have the latest schedule? Bob
`I
`
`~.---------------------
`ADDRESS STATUS
`MESSAGE
`I
`1 11
`15
`I 02
`I 11
`I
`I 11
`I 02
`
`unprotected
`unprotected
`unprotected
`
`Call your secretary! Karen, x4113
`What time are you presenting the new ...
`
`FIG. 7
`
`Kyocera PX 1010_4
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 15, 1994
`
`Sheet 4 of 7
`
`5,365,227
`
`505
`
`RECEIVE STATUS SIGNAL,
`CONTAINING USER
`SELECTION, FROM DATA PORT
`
`FIG.S
`
`525
`
`540
`-------1 RECEIVE TERMINATION
`SIGNAL FROM DATA
`
`Kyocera PX 1010_5
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 15, 1994
`
`Sheet 5 of 7
`
`5,365,227
`
`r::
`515
`{ MESSAGE STATISTICS I
`
`SUBROUTINE
`
`r62o
`,ir
`RETRIEVE MESSAGE
`ADDRESS
`
`r-625
`-,r
`RETRIEVE MESSAGE
`PROTECTION STATUS
`
`r63 0
`u
`RETRIEVE MESSAGE
`CONTENTS
`
`u
`FORMAT MESSAGE
`STATISTICS SCREEN
`
`~3 5
`
`.,,
`
`r 640
`
`TRANSMIT MESSAGE
`STATISTICS TO DATA PORT
`
`,,
`
`t
`
`RETURN
`
`FIG. 6
`
`I
`
`,-525
`
`SUBROUTINE
`
`I ERROR DIRECTORY I
`,,.
`
`rs3o
`RETRIEVE ADDRESS OF
`EACH MESSAGE
`
`,,
`
`rB35
`RETRIEVE STATUS OF
`EACH MESSAGE
`
`,,.
`
`rB4 0
`RETRIEVE TIME AND
`DATE OF EACH MESSAGE
`
`,,
`
`r-845
`CALCULATE LENGTH OF
`EACH MESSAGE
`
`,r
`r-850
`CALCULATE ERRORS IN
`EACH MESSAGE
`.,,.
`rB55
`FORMAT ERROR DIRECTOR'!'
`SCREEN
`.,,.
`rBBo
`TRANSMIT ERROR
`DIRECTORY TO DATA PORT
`
`.,,
`
`(
`
`RETURN
`
`I
`
`FIG. 8
`
`Kyocera PX 1010_6
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 15, 1994
`
`Sheet 6 of 7
`
`5,365,227
`
`r.---------------------
`
`ADDRESS
`I
`
`TIME/DATE
`
`STATUS
`
`LENGTH ERRORS I
`I
`03% I
`01% I
`02% I
`03% I
`03% I
`
`21
`13
`
`27
`05
`
`18
`15
`
`01%:
`
`11
`15
`
`02
`11
`
`11
`02
`
`10:08 am/06-07 -91
`11:22 am/06-Q7-91
`11 :46 am/06·07 -91
`
`1:14 pm/06-07-91
`5:52 pm/06-07-91
`8:28 am/06-QS-91
`
`readlunprot.
`readlunprot.
`read/prot.
`
`readlunprot.
`unread
`unread
`
`!.,_ _________ ---- ---- -- -·
`
`FIG. 9
`
`TYPE
`
`STATUS
`
`ALERT
`
`Priority
`
`r.---------------------
`ADDRESS
`I
`I
`
`11
`15
`
`02
`
`08
`05
`
`Alpha
`Alpha
`Num
`
`Num
`Tone
`
`Tone
`Melody
`Tone
`
`Silent
`Tone
`
`Urgent
`Low
`
`Urgent
`Low
`
`Urgent
`
`Prot.
`Unprot.
`
`Prot.
`Unprot.
`
`Unprot.
`
`FIG.ll
`
`I
`I
`I
`
`Kyocera PX 1010_7
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 15, 1994
`
`Sheet 7 of 7
`
`5,365,227
`
`r 535
`( CURRENT OPTIONS t
`,,.
`
`SUBROUTINE
`
`r-101 0
`RETRIEVE ADDRESS OF
`EACH MESSAGE
`
`.,,
`
`r-10 15
`RETRIEVE TYPE OF EACH
`MESSAGE
`
`,,
`
`r-1 020
`RETRIEVE ALERT TYPE
`FOR EACH MESSAGE
`
`,,
`
`_r-1 025
`RETRIEVE PRIORITY OF
`EACH MESSAGE
`
`,,
`
`r 1030
`RETRIEVE STATUS OF EACH
`MESSAGE
`
`.,,
`
`r 1035
`FORMAT CURRENT OPTIONS
`SCREEN
`
`,
`
`r 1040
`
`TRANSMIT CURRENT
`OPTIONS TO DATA PORT
`.,,
`
`RETURN
`
`I
`
`FIG.lO
`
`Kyocera PX 1010_8
`
`

`

`1
`
`5,365,227
`
`METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
`TRANSMITIING STATUS INFORMATION FROM
`A SELECTIVE CALL RECEIVER TO AN
`EXTERNAL ELECTRONIC DEVICE
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`This invention relates in general to selective call re(cid:173)
`ceivers, and more specifically to a method and appara(cid:173)
`tus for transmitting status information from a selective
`call receiver to an external electronic device.
`
`2
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`A selective call receiver having internal status param(cid:173)
`eters and is interactively coupled to an external elec-
`5 tronic device. A method for transmitting data concern(cid:173)
`ing the internal status parameters of the selective call
`receiver to the electronic device comprises the steps of
`receiving a user-initiated status command from the se(cid:173)
`lectronic device and retrieving a predetermined status
`10 menu from a memory in response to reception of the
`status command, wherein the status menu comprises at
`least one status category associated with status informa(cid:173)
`tion about the selective call receiver. The status menu is
`transmitted to the electronic device for display thereby.
`A selective call receiver for transmitting information
`to an external electronic device comprises a receiver for
`receiving selective call messages and a memory coupled
`to the receiver for storing the selective call messages
`and for storing a predetermined status menu including
`at least one status category associated with internal
`status information of the selective call receiver. A con(cid:173)
`troller coupled to the receiver and the memory controls
`the operation thereof, and communication means cou-
`pled to the controller and the memory receives, when
`interactively coupled to the external electronic device,
`a user-initiated status command from the external elec(cid:173)
`tronic device. In response thereto, the communication
`means retrieves the status menu from the memory and
`transmits the status menu to the external electronic
`device.
`
`25
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`Selective call receivers, such as pagers, receive radio 15
`frequency (RF) signals. Conventionally, the selective
`call receiver decodes message data contained in a re(cid:173)
`ceived RF signal and alerts a user that a message has
`been received, subsequent to which the message may be
`stored in a memory. The selective call receiver may 20
`present the message to a user either automatically or
`manually, upon selection by the user. The message may,
`for example, be presented visibly by a display device,
`such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), or audibly by an
`audio speaker.
`Additionally, the selective call receiver may present
`the user with internal status information. Because of the
`space constraints existing in conventional selective call
`receivers, however, the size of the LCD incorporated
`by the selective call receiver is usually kept to a mini- 30
`mum. Therefore, the status information to which the
`user has access is typically limited to an amount of
`information that can be easily displayed on a small
`LCD. Such status information may be displayed to
`inform the user when battery voltage is low, when the 35
`selective call receiver is out of range, when a received
`message duplicates a previously received message, etc.
`This status information is frequently presented to the
`user in the form of iconic indicators or alphanumeric
`abbreviations displayed on the LCD. Although, in this
`manner, the user may be informed of many different
`internal status parameters, such displays of status infor(cid:173)
`mation are often difficult to decipher without consult(cid:173)
`ing a product operation manual that describes the differ- 45
`ent icons and abbreviations.
`If the selective call receiver uses an audio speaker as
`a presentation device, the status information to which
`the user has access is even more limited. In this case, the
`status information presented to the user may consist 50
`only of critical status information relevant to the opera(cid:173)
`tion of the selective call receiver. For example, the user
`may be informed by a tone emitted by the speaker if the
`voltage of a battery providing primary power to the
`selective call receiver drops below a predetermined 55
`threshold. If the selective call receiver is capable of
`presenting information about more than one internal
`operational parameter to the user, the user might be
`forced to remember the meanings of several different
`tones used to announce the status of the corresponding 60
`operational parameters. In either case, internal status
`information presented by the selective call receiver may
`not be easily understood by the user.
`Thus, what is needed is a method and apparatus for
`transmitting status information from a selective call 65
`receiver to an external electronic device capable of
`coherently presenting large amounts of information to a
`user.
`
`40
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a selective call receiver
`in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the pres(cid:173)
`ent invention.
`FIG. 2 depicts an interactive coupling of the selective
`call receiver of FIG. 1 to an external electronic device
`in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the
`present invention.
`FIG. 3 is a flowchart depicting the operation of the
`microcomputer processing unit of FIG. 1 iil accordance
`with the preferred embodiment of the present inven(cid:173)
`tion.
`FIG. 4 is an illustration of a status menu displayed by
`the external electronic device of FIG. 2 in accordance
`with the preferred embodiment of the present inven(cid:173)
`tion.
`FIG. 5 is a flowchart depicting the further operation
`of the microcomputer processing unit of FIG. 1 in ac(cid:173)
`cordance with the preferred embodiment of the present
`invention.
`FIG. 6 is a flowchart depicting a message statistics
`subroutine performed by the microcomputer processing
`unit of FIG. 1 in accordance with the preferred embodi(cid:173)
`ment of the present invention.
`FIG. 7 is an illustration of a message statistics screen
`displayed by the external electronic device of FIG. 2 in
`accordance with the preferred embodiment of the pres(cid:173)
`ent invention.
`FIG. 8 is a flowchart depicting an error directory
`subroutine performed by the microcomputer processing
`unit of FIG. lin accordance with the preferred embodi(cid:173)
`ment of the present invention.
`FIG. 9 is an illustration of an error directory screen
`displayed by the external electronic device of FIG. 2 in
`accordance with the preferred embodiment of the pres(cid:173)
`ent invention.
`
`Kyocera PX 1010_9
`
`

`

`5,365,227
`
`3
`FIG. 10 is a flowchart depicting a current options
`subroutine performed by the microcomputer processing
`unit of FIG. 1 in accordance with the preferred embodi(cid:173)
`ment of the present invention.
`FIG. 11 is an illustration of a current options screen
`displayed by the external electronic device of FIG. 2 in
`accordance with the preferred embodiment of the pres(cid:173)
`ent invention.
`
`5
`
`4
`ted by the processing unit 120, the requested status
`information is transferred to the electronic device 208
`for subsequent display on the display device 212. Alter(cid:173)
`natively, the processing unit 120 may automatically
`transfer information to the electronic device 208. This
`information could be transferred, for example, when
`one or more of the monitored operational parameters
`exceeds a predetermined threshold. In this manner, the
`user, in addition to requesting desired status informa-
`10 tion, can be automatically alerted in critical situations,
`e.g., the battery voltage is too low to sustain operation
`of the selective call receiver 100.
`In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the
`present invention, the display device 212 is of sufficient
`size to display a large amount of data in a form that is
`easily read by the user. Therefore, the status informa-
`tion does not need to be presented as abbreviations or
`icons that are difficult to decipher, unlike most status
`information presented by a conventional selective call
`receiver. Furthermore, status information may be dis(cid:173)
`played in the form of a chart or spreadsheet, thereby
`allowing the user to read related blocks of status infor(cid:173)
`mation without having to scroll through the informa(cid:173)
`tion line by line on a conventional LCD.
`FIG. 3 depicts the operation of the microcomputer
`processing unit 120 (FIG. 1) in accordance with the
`preferred embodiment of the present invention. The
`initial step in the illustrated process occurs when the
`processing unit 120 receives 305 a user-initiated status
`command from the electronic device 208 (FIG. 2). In
`response to reception of the status command, the pro-
`cessing unit 120 obtains 310 information, such as status
`selections which are to be subsequently displayed on a
`status menu screen by the electronic device 208, from
`the memory 125 (FIG. 1). Preferably, additional infor(cid:173)
`mation of concern to the user is also displayed on the
`status menu screen. According to the present invention,
`the processing unit retrieves 315 the number of unread
`messages from the memory 125 and calculates 320 the
`available space in the memory 125. The processing unit
`120 further obtains 325 the current time from the real
`time clock 128 (FIG. 1) and monitors 330 the voltage of
`a battery providing primary power to the selective call
`receiver 100. Thereafter, the approximate number of
`hours before the battery should be replaced is calcu(cid:173)
`lated 335 by the processing unit 120. Mter formatting
`340 the information to be displayed on the status menu
`screen, the processing unit 120 transmits 345 the infor(cid:173)
`mation to the data port 145 (FIG. 1). The information is
`subsequently transferred across the RS-232 interface
`204 to the electronic device 208 (FIG. 2).
`The information transferred to the electronic device
`208 is displayed as a status menu, as may be better un(cid:173)
`derstood by referring to FIG. 4. Although, in accor(cid:173)
`dance with the preferred embodiment of the present
`invention, the status menu displays the current time, the
`available memory, the number of unread messages, and
`the approximate time after which the battery may need
`to be replaced, it may be appreciated that different or
`additional status information could be displayed in alter(cid:173)
`nate embodiments of the present invention. The status
`menu according to the present invention further dis(cid:173)
`plays a list of status selections from which the user may
`choose more detailed status information. Preferably, the
`user may select statistics about the messages stored in
`the memory 125 (FIG. 1), error information, or current
`option settings of the selective call receiver 100. The
`user may terminate the display of the status menu sim-
`
`35
`
`DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRING
`EMBODIMENT
`Referring to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a selective
`call receiver 100 in accordance with a preferred em(cid:173)
`bodiment of the present invention is depicted. The se(cid:173)
`lective call receiver 100, e.g., a pager, comprises an 15
`antenna 105 for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal
`and receiver circuitry 108 coupled to the antenna 105
`for demodulating the RF signal. A microcomputer 110
`coupled to the receiver circuitry 108 comprises a de(cid:173)
`coder 115 for decoding the signal to recover an address 20
`and a message contained therein and a processing unit
`120 for storing the message in a memory 125. Prefera(cid:173)
`bly, a real time clock 128 coupled to the processing unit
`120 provides real time values which are also stored in
`the memory 125 as each message is received. The pro- 25
`cessing unit 120 further processes the message and sends
`a signal to an alert mechanism 130, in response to which
`an alert is generated to announce reception of a mes(cid:173)
`sage. The processing unit 120 may send a further signal
`directing an optional output device 135, e.g., an audio 30
`speaker or a liquid crystal display (LCD), to present the
`message. The presentation of the message may be per(cid:173)
`formed automatically or, upon reception by the pro(cid:173)
`cessing unit 120 of a signal from user actuated controls
`140, manually.
`In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the
`present invention, the processing unit 120 monitors
`internal status information, for example, battery voltage
`and time. In response to reception of a user-initiated
`request for status information, the processing unit 120 40
`may retrieve the requested status information, such as
`the number of unread messages or the contents of a
`specified message, from the memory 125. Alternatively,
`the processing unit 120 may perform calculations to
`obtain the requested status information, as would be the 45
`case if the user wishes to view the amount of space in
`the memory 125 that is currently available for message
`storage. Thereafter, the processing unit 120 formats the
`status information into a desired format, e.g., a text
`format, and transmits the requested status information 50
`to a data port 145, located on the exterior of the selec(cid:173)
`tive call receiver 100, for subsequent transference to an
`external electronic device coupled to the selective call
`receiver 100.
`Referring to FIG. 2, the data port 145located on the 55
`exterior of the selective call receiver 100 is coupled, via
`an RS-232 interface 204, to a data port 206 located on
`the exterior of an external electronic device 208. The
`electronic device 208 preferably incorporates a key(cid:173)
`board 210 and a display device 212 of sufficient size to 60
`display a large amount of data. When prompted by a
`user-initiated request entered via the keyboard 210, the
`electronic device 208 sends a request for status informa(cid:173)
`tion to the selective call receiver 100 across the RS232
`interface 204. In response thereto, the processing unit 65
`120 (FIG. 1) retrieves the requested status information
`from the memory 125 or performs calculations to obtain
`the requested status information. Once properly format-
`
`Kyocera PX 1010_10
`
`

`

`5,365,227
`
`5
`ply by selecting a "quit" option from the menu selec(cid:173)
`tions. In this manner, status information which may be
`of importance is displayed such that it may be easily
`read by the user. If the user then decides that more
`detailed status information is necessary, he may select 5
`one of the available status selections.
`Referring next to FIG. 5, a flowchart illustrates the
`further operation of the microcomputer processing unit
`120 (FIG. 1) in accordance with the preferred embodi(cid:173)
`ment of the present invention. If the user is satisfied 10
`with the status information presented by the status
`menu, he may choose the "quit" selection from the
`menu. Alternatively, as described in FIG. 4, the user
`may desire to view more detailed status information
`than is normally provided by the status menu. In either 15
`case, after the user has entered his selection, a status
`signal, containing information about the user selection,
`is thereafter relayed, via the RS-232 interface 204, to the
`data port 145 (FIG. 2) of the selective call receiver 100.
`The processing unit 120 (FIG. 1) subsequently receives 20
`505 the status signal from the data port 145.
`If the processing unit 120 determines 508 that the
`status signal contains a command to quit the status
`menu, the processing unit 120 simply waits for recep(cid:173)
`tion 305 (FIG. 3) of a further status command. Alterna- 25
`tively, a request for statistics about the stored messages
`could be included 510 in the status signal, in response to
`which the processing unit 120 performs a message statis(cid:173)
`tics subroutine 515. If the processing unit determines
`520 that a request for error information is included in 30
`the status signal, an error directory subroutine 525 is
`performed. In addition to the above described status
`requests, the status signal could contain 530 a request
`for information about the option settings of the selective
`call receiver 100 (FIG. 2), in which case a current op- 35
`tions subroutine 535 is performed by the processing unit
`120. As described below, the performance of each of the
`subroutines involves the retrieval or calculation of the
`requested status information for subsequent transmis(cid:173)
`sion to the electronic device 208 (FIG. 2). The re- 40
`quested information is thereafter displayed by the dis(cid:173)
`play device 212 (FIG. 2) of the electronic device 208.
`In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the
`present invention, the processing unit 120 receives 540 a
`termination signal from the electronic device 208 after 45
`the requested status information has been displayed.
`This termination signal may be generated in response to
`a user-initiated keyboard entry or, alternatively, the
`termination signal may be automatically generated by
`the electronic device 208 after expiration of a predeter- 50
`mined amount of time. Upon reception 540 of the termi(cid:173)
`nation signal, the processing unit 120 again retrieves,
`formats, and sends the status menu information to the
`data port 145, as described in FIG. 3, for subsequent
`transmission to the electronic device 208. Thereafter, 55
`the user may again make a selection from the status
`menu.
`FIG. 6 illustrates the message statistics subroutine
`515, as described in FIG. 5. According to the present
`invention, the processing unit 120 retrieves 620, 625, 60
`630 the address, protection status, and contents of each
`message stored in the memory 125 (FIG. 1). It may be
`appreciated, however, that alternate embodiments of
`the present invention may involve the retrieval of addi(cid:173)
`tional or different message-related status information, 65
`such as message errors or time of message reception.
`Subsequent to retrieval of the status information, the
`processing unit 120 formats 635 the retrieved informa-
`
`6
`tion for transmission 640 to the data port 145 (FIG. 2).
`The message statistics information is thereafter trans(cid:173)
`ferred across the RS-232 interface 204 and displayed by
`the electronic device 208 (FIG. 2).
`An example of a possible presentation of the message
`statistics information is illustrated in FIG. 7. Preferably,
`the address, protection status, and contents of each
`message are displayed in a chart that is easily read by
`the user. The user can, for example, determine the type
`of message, such as personal or business, from the ad(cid:173)
`dress on which it was received by the selective call
`receiver 100 (FIG. 2). The user can also view the pro(cid:173)
`tection status of each message and thereby determine
`which messages are protected from deletion. In this
`manner, the user is able, after reading each of the mes(cid:173)
`sages, to determine whether an important message is
`unprotected and thus in danger of deletion.
`Referring next to FIG. 8, a flowchart depicts the
`error directory subroutine 525 of FIG. 5. Upon recep(cid:173)
`tion of a status signal containing a request for error
`information, the processing unit 120 (FIG. 1) retrieves
`830, 835 the address and the status of each stored mes(cid:173)
`sage. The time and date of the reception of each mes(cid:173)
`sage are further retrieved 840 from the memory 125
`(FIG. 1). Subsequent to calculating 850, 855 the length
`of each message and the errors in each message, the
`processing unit 120 formats 855 the error information
`into a desired format, e.g., an error directory, in a man(cid:173)
`ner well known to one skilled in the art. The error
`directory is thereafter transmitted 860 to the data port
`145 (FIG. 1) for subsequent display by the electronic
`device 208 (FIG. 2).
`As shown in FIG. 9, the error directory preferably
`displays the error information in a chart format that
`may be easily read by the user. The user may, by re(cid:173)
`questing presentation of the error directory, view an
`entire block of related status information. Such a dis(cid:173)
`play would be impossible on a conventional selective
`call receiver LCD, which would typically display short
`abbreviations or iconic displays to present status infor(cid:173)
`mation.
`As described in FIG. 5, a current options subroutine
`535, depicted in FIG. 10, is performed in response to the
`appropriate request by the user. The initial step per(cid:173)
`formed by the processing unit 120 (FIG. 1) is the re(cid:173)
`trieval of information about option settings from the
`memory 125. The information retrieved, in accordance
`with the preferred embodiment of the present inven(cid:173)
`tion, includes the addresses 1010 on which the selective
`call receiver 100 (FIG. 1) receives messages. The pro(cid:173)
`cessing unit 120 further retrieves the type 1015 of mes(cid:173)
`sage, such as alphanumeric or numeric, the type of alert
`1020, the priority 1025, and the protection status 1030
`associated with each address. Thereafter.!! the informa(cid:173)
`tion retrieved by the processing unit 12u is formatted
`1035 for subsequent transmission 1040 to the electronic
`device 208 (FIG. 2) via the data port 145 (FIG. 1).
`The formatted information about the option settings
`of the selective call receiver 100 is displayed by the
`electronic device 208, preferably as shown in FIG. 11.
`By viewing this screen, the user is able to see, at a
`glance, the settings, such as alert type and priority of the
`messages received · on different addresses, and make
`changes accordingly. For example, the user may, after
`viewing the screen, decide to change the settings so that
`all of the low priority messages are announced with a
`silent alert and all of the high priority messages are
`automatically protected. The option settings displayed
`
`Kyocera PX 1010_11
`
`

`

`5,365,227
`
`7
`on the electronic device 208 are, however, dependent
`on the type of selective call receiver 100. The user of a
`"tone only" selective call receiver that receives mes(cid:173)
`sages on only one address, for example, would fmd the
`above described information meaningless. In this case, 5
`the displayed option settings might simply consist of the
`type of tone employed to announce reception of ames(cid:173)
`sage.
`In summary, the transmission of status information
`from a selective call receiver to an external electronic 10
`device for subsequent display on a large display device
`allows the user to view status information to which he
`may not conventionally have had access. For example,
`in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the
`present invention, the user is presented with an approxi- 15
`mate replacement time for the battery powering the
`selective call receiver, whereas, in conventional pagers,
`the user is only presented with battery status informa(cid:173)
`tion after the voltage drops below a predetermined
`threshold. Furthermore, because the status information 20
`is displayed by a display device that is larger than a
`typical LCD, large amounts of the status information
`may be displayed, thereby preventing the user from
`having to scroll through numerous lines of information,
`such as the contents of a lengthy message, on a conven- 25
`tional LCD. Additionally, the displayed information
`may be conveniently presented in the form of charts or
`spreadsheets, thus providing for the display of large
`amounts of related information in a manner that is easily
`understood by the user. The employment of the large 30
`display device thereby prevents the user from having
`decipher icons or abbreviations that are typically pres(cid:173)
`ented by conventional selective call receivers.
`A still further feature of the present invention is the
`utilization of a status menu which offers categorized 35
`status choices to the user . This feature allows the user
`to advantageously select specific areas of status infor(cid:173)
`mation in which he is interested. Therefore, the user
`may quickly pinpoint an area of concern, such as avail(cid:173)
`able memory or time of message reception, from the 40
`status menu and choose to be presented with the se(cid:173)
`lected information. In this manner, the user may avoid
`situations in which the selective call receiver only dis(cid:173)
`plays status information after an undesirable occur(cid:173)
`rence, such as when an important message has been 45
`deleted because the memory is full.
`By now it should be appreciated that there has been
`provided a method and apparatus for transmitting status
`information from a selective call receiver to an external
`electronic device capable of coherently presenting large 50
`amounts of information to a user.
`We claim:
`1. A method, in a selective call receiver having inter(cid:173)
`nal status parameters and being interactively coupled to
`an external electronic device, for transmitting data con- 55
`ceming the internal status parameters to the electronic
`device, the method comprising the steps of:
`(a) receiving a user-iuitiated status command from the
`electronic device;
`(b) retrieving, in response to step (a), a predetermined 60
`status menu from a memory, wherein the status
`menu comprises at least one status category associ(cid:173)
`ated with status information about the selective call
`receiver; and
`(c) transmitting the status menu to the electronic 65
`device for display thereby.
`2. The method in accordance with claim 1, further
`comprising the steps of:
`
`8
`(d) receiving, subsequent to step (c), a user-iuitiated
`status selection from the electronic device, wherein
`the user-iuitiated status selection identifies a status
`category chosen from the at least one status cate(cid:173)
`gory of the status menu;
`(e) retrieving, in response to step (d), status informa(cid:173)
`tion corresponding to the chosen status category
`from the memory; and
`(f) transmitting the status information corresponding
`to the chosen status category to the electronic
`device.
`3. The method in accordance with claim 2, wherein
`the at least one status category of the status menu in(cid:173)
`cludes a message error category, an available memory
`category, and an options category, and wherein step (e)
`comprises the step of:
`(g) retriev