United States Patent [19J
`Briancon et al.
`
`I 1111111111111111 11111 111111111111111 111111111111111 IIIII IIIIII Ill lllll llll
`US005905448A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`5,905,448
`May 18, 1999
`
`[54] MULTIPART ANALOG MESSAGE AND A
`RESPONSE IN A COMMUNICATION
`SYSTEM
`
`[75]
`
`Inventors: Alain Charles Briancon, McKinney;
`Leonard G. DeBarros, Azle; Mario A.
`Rivas, Southlake; Richard L. Bennett,
`Southlake; John T. Puma, Southlake,
`all of Tex.
`
`[73] Assignee: Motorola, Inc., Schaumburg, Ill.
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 08/775,900
`
`[22] Filed:
`
`Jan. 2, 1997
`
`....................................................... H04Q 7/14
`Int. Cl.6
`[51]
`[52] U.S. Cl. ................................... 340/825.44; 340/311.1;
`340/825.48; 455/31.3
`[58] Field of Search ......................... 340/825.44, 825.47,
`340/825.48, 825.54, 825.08, 311.1; 379/67;
`455/31.3, 38.2, 38.5, 458; 370/313, 314
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5,128,665
`5,153,582
`5,168,493
`5,239,306
`5,530,950
`
`7/1992 DeLuca et al. .................... 340/825.47
`10/1992 Davis ................................. 340/825.44
`12/1992 Nelson et al. .
`8/1993 Siwiak et al. ...................... 340/825.44
`6/1996 Medan et al. ............................. 379/67
`
`Primary Examiner-Edwin C. Holloway, III
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm-James A. Lamb
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A communication system in which a multipart analog mes(cid:173)
`sage ( 480) is generated by a controller (112) by including an
`analog part delimiter ( 440) between successive independent
`analog parts (420, 431, 432, 433). The multipart analog
`message ( 480) is positioned within a synchronous protocol,
`in which a digital code is included to identify the position of
`the multipart analog message ( 480). The synchronous pro(cid:173)
`tocol is transmitted by a radio transmitter (202) and received
`by a selective call receiver (122). The selective call receiver
`(122) digitally decodes the position of the multipart analog
`message ( 480) and begins recovery of the multipart analog
`message ( 480) at the position. The selective call receiver
`(122) recovers the part delimiters ( 440) and uses them to
`identify the independent analog parts ( 420, 431, 432, 433).
`One of the independent parts, which is a audible response,
`is selected by the user and used to generate a response.
`
`1/1988 Dunkerton et al. ................ 340/825.47
`4,721,955
`4,875,038 10/1989 Siwiak et al. ...................... 340/825.44
`
`19 Claims, 7 Drawing Sheets
`
`\____415
`
`\ INFORMATION PART
`
`COMPRESSED
`INFORMATION PART
`
`420
`
`480
`
`420
`
`331
`
`465
`
`465
`
`FRAME 3
`ANALOG SEG 1
`
`FRAME 4
`ANALOG SEG 2
`
`460
`
`Apple Exhibit 1004
`Apple Inc. v. Rembrandt Wireless
`IPR2020-00033
`Page 00001
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 18, 1999
`
`Sheet 1 of 7
`
`5,905,448
`
`------------------------------------------------------ c= ____________ _
`
`104
`
`122
`
`122
`
`PORT
`SCBR
`UNIT
`
`122
`
`PORT
`SCBR
`UNIT
`
`122
`
`122
`
`PORT
`SCBR
`UNIT
`
`116
`
`116
`
`116
`
`BASE
`STATION
`
`BASE
`STATION
`
`BASE
`STATION
`
`CONTROLLER
`
`101
`--------------------------------------- ------------- 7---------------
`110
`102
`
`PUBLIC
`SWITCHED
`TELEPHONE
`NETWORK
`
`FIG.1
`
`111
`
`IPR2020-00033 Page 00002
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 18, 1999
`
`Sheet 2 of 7
`
`5,905,448
`
`-----------------------------------------
`
`114
`
`210
`
`202
`
`XMTR
`TRANSMITTER ~..........,--1 CTRL
`
`PROCESSING
`SECTION
`212
`
`COMPUTER
`SYSTEM
`
`204
`
`214
`
`MASS
`MEDIA
`
`218
`
`114
`
`RCVR
`RECEIVER I - -~~
`INFC
`208
`CONTROLLER
`-------------------c··------------------
`112
`
`206
`
`BASE
`~ STATION
`I ~--------------------
`116
`
`FIG. 2
`
`IPR2020-00033 Page 00003
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 18, 1999
`
`Sheet 3 of 7
`
`5,905,448
`
`c310
`
`--1
`
`CYCLE O CYCLE 1 CYCLE 2
`
`CYCLE 13 CYCLE 14
`
`32';0 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
`
`FRAME O FRAME 1
`
`FRAME 2
`
`FRAME126
`
`FRAME127
`
`I_
`~-----=::3~4~5~..::__345
`
`330\
`
`----
`
`i......1------,,,"------3-3-3------'---------------~
`
`S1 Fl S2 Bl AF
`
`IF
`
`I UNUSED I
`
`IF
`
`332
`
`335
`
`c335 3367
`
`330
`
`SYNC
`SIGNAL
`
`331
`
`BLOCK 0
`
`BLOCK 1
`
`BLOCK 9 BLOCK 10
`
`340
`
`340
`
`340
`
`WD
`1
`
`WD
`0
`350 _)
`
`WD
`
`2 • • • WD
`
`29
`
`350
`
`WD WD
`30 31
`..J
`
`FIG. 3
`
`IPR2020-00033 Page 00004
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 18, 1999
`
`Sheet 4 of 7
`
`5,905,448
`
`INFORMATION PART
`
`\._415
`
`COMPRESSED
`
`INFORMATION PART ~ IC!
`
`420
`
`480
`
`431
`
`420
`
`451
`
`433
`
`331
`
`465
`
`465
`
`465
`
`465
`
`464
`
`FRAME 3
`ANALOG SEG 1
`
`FRAME 4
`ANALOG SEG 2
`
`461
`
`FRO FR 1 FR 2 FR 3 FR 4 FR 5 FR 6 FR 7 FR 8
`D
`D DA
`A AD AD
`
`345
`
`345
`
`345
`
`330
`
`\.470
`
`FIG.4
`
`IPR2020-00033 Page 00005
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 18, 1999
`
`Sheet 5 of 7
`
`5,905,448
`
`( 510
`OBTAIN AND STORE ANALOG
`INFORMATION PORTION
`
`, ,
`IDENTIFY RESPONSES
`
`(520
`
`1 I
`
`(530
`
`COMPRESS AUDIO
`
`1 I
`
`(540
`
`SEQUENTIALLY ASSEMBLE
`THE ANALOG PARTS
`
`1 I
`
`(550
`
`INCLUDE ANALOG PART DELIMITERS
`BETWEEN ANALOG PARTS
`
`1 I
`
`(56 0
`
`INCLUDE MUL Tl PART ANALOG MESSAGE
`IN A CYCLE OF THE PROTOCOL
`
`1 I
`
`( 570
`INCLUDE DIGITAL CODE IN THE PROTOCOL
`TO IDENTIFY THE POSITION OF THE
`MULTIPART ANALOG MESSAGE
`
`, r
`
`(580
`
`TRANSMIT THE PROTOCOL WHICH
`INCLUDES THE MUL Tl PART ANALOG
`MESSAGE AND POSITION INDICATOR.
`
`FIG. 5
`
`IPR2020-00033 Page 00006
`
`

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`(614
`
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`
`IPR2020-00033 Page 00007
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 18, 1999
`
`Sheet 7 of 7
`
`5,905,448
`
`RECEIVE A SYNCHRONOUS PROTOCOL SIGNAL
`
`--------------720
`
`DIGITALLY DECODE AN ADDRESS
`OF THE SELECTIVE CALL RADIO
`
`710
`
`730
`
`DIGITALLY DECODE A POSITION IDENTIFIER
`OF A MULTIPART ANALOG MESSAGE
`
`740
`
`RECOVER THE MUL Tl PART ANALOG
`MESSAGE AT THE POSITION IDENTIFIED
`
`750
`
`DETECT AN ANALOG PART DELIMITER
`760
`
`IDENTIFY BOUNDARY BETWEEN
`INDEPENDENT ANALOG PARTS
`
`765
`
`IDENTIFY AND STORE THE PRECEEDING
`INDEPENDENT ANALOG PART
`
`GENERATE AN ALERT
`
`PRESENT RESPONSE PARTS
`
`770
`
`775
`
`DETECT ACTIVATION OF KEYS
`
`785
`
`GENERATE CORRESPONDING RESPONSE MESSAGE
`
`TRANSMIT RESPONSE MESSAGE
`
`FIG. 7
`
`790
`
`IPR2020-00033 Page 00008
`
`

`

`5,905,448
`
`1
`MULTIPART ANALOG MESSAGE AND A
`RESPONSE IN A COMMUNICATION
`SYSTEM
`
`RELATED APPLICATIONS
`
`Application Ser. No. 08/395,747 filed Feb. 28, 1995 by
`Leitch et al., entitled "VOICE COMPRESSION METHOD
`AND APPARATUS IN A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM"
`now U.S. Pat. No. 5,689,440.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`This invention relates in general to analog communication
`systems, and in particular to transmitting a message within
`a synchronous protocol to a receiving device, wherein the 15
`message includes a plurality of independent analog parts.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`5
`
`2
`digital duration information, it is fairly complex to have the
`controller handle the digital position determination while
`also decompressing and decoding the analog information.
`Another issue which arises in a pager having voice
`response capabilities is how to provide for user selection of
`one of the voice responses. In an alphanumeric pager such
`as described in Davis '582, the problem is solved by
`dedicating several keys for response selection. When there
`are at least a moderate (say, 8 to 12) number of keys,
`10 dedicating several for response selection works well.
`However, in simple analog pagers, in which there may be
`only a very few keys (i.e., less than 8, and perhaps as few as
`2), a problem arises as to how a selection of a voice response
`is conveniently made.
`What is needed is a technique for identifying a plurality
`of analog responses included in an analog message, which is
`efficient in terms of the required complexity of decoding and
`channel time used.
`
`In two way communication systems such as those
`described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,038 filed Jan. 7, 1988 by 20
`Siwiak et al., entitled "Frequency Division Multiplexed
`Acknowledge Back Paging System," hereinafter referred to
`as Siwiak '038, it is desirable to provide a pager radio user
`with several possible responses from which one response is
`selected to be transmitted back to the paging fixed network, 25
`where it is sent to the caller who initiated the call. One
`method of providing such responses in a pager is described
`in U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,582 filed Aug. 7, 1989 by Davis,
`entitled "Method and Apparatus for Acknowledging and
`Answering a Paging Signal," hereinafter referred to as Davis
`'582.
`In an analog communication system such as that
`described in application Ser. No. 08/395,747 filed Feb. 28,
`1995 by Leitch et al., entitled "Voice Compression Method
`and Apparatus in a Communication System", which is
`hereby incorporated by reference, and referred to hereinafter
`as Leitch '747, voice messages are compressed by tech(cid:173)
`niques described therein, and then transmitted on a radio
`channel or a subchannel of radio channel, using a synchro(cid:173)
`nous protocol, such as the well known InFLEXion TM
`protocol, licensed by Motorola, Inc. of Shaumburg, Ill.
`In a system using such an analog protocol for signals sent
`from the paging fixed network to the pager, as described in
`Leitch '747, and having acknowledge capability, as 45
`described in Siwiak '038 and Davis '582, it is also desirable
`to be able to include, in a message that has an information
`part, a plurality of probable analog responses pertaining
`thereto, thus avoiding the problem of having either no
`responses available, or only a rigidly defined set of 50
`responses which have been predetermined for use by each
`pager user, and which may not turn out to pertain to an
`information part of a particular message. When such prob(cid:173)
`able responses are included within the message received by
`the pager, they can then be stored in the pager. The user can 55
`review the responses, select one, and transmit the response,
`or an identifier corresponding to that response back to the
`paging fixed network for delivery to the caller.
`A first issue in such a system is how to separate the
`plurality of probable analog responses carried within the
`message. One method which can be used is to utilize the
`predetermined synchronous protocol divisions for identify(cid:173)
`ing the locations of the analog parts. This method would
`work but has a significant deficiency. The deficiency is
`determining where the analog responses are located within 65
`the synchronous protocol and what their duration is. While
`this problem can be solved digitally by using pointers and
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is an electrical block diagram of a radio commu(cid:173)
`nication system, in accordance with the preferred embodi(cid:173)
`ment of the present invention.
`FIG. 2 is an electrical block diagram of a system control(cid:173)
`ler used in the radio communication system, in accordance
`with the preferred and alternative embodiments of the
`present invention.
`FIG. 3 is a timing diagram which illustrates features of the
`30 transmission format of a synchronous outbound signaling
`protocol utilized by the radio communication system, in
`accordance with the preferred and alternative embodiments
`of the present invention.
`FIGS. 4 and 5 are a timing diagram and flow chart which
`35 illustrate an example of an assembly and inclusion of a
`multipart analog message within a cycle of the synchronous
`outbound protocol transmitted in the radio communication
`system, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the
`present invention.
`FIG. 6 is an electrical block diagram of a multichannel
`selective call radio, in accordance with the preferred
`embodiment of the present invention.
`FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a method used in the selective call
`radio for receiving and responding to a multipart analog
`message, in accordance with the preferred and alternative
`embodiments of the present invention.
`
`40
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`Referring to FIG. 1, an electrical block diagram of a
`communication system in accordance with the preferred
`embodiment of the present invention comprises a fixed
`portion 102 and a portable portion 104. The fixed portion
`102 includes a plurality of base stations 116, for communi(cid:173)
`cating with the portable portion 104, utilizing conventional
`radio frequency (RF) techniques well known in the art, and
`coupled by communication links 114 to a system controller
`112 which controls the base stations 116. The hardware of
`the system controller 112 is preferably a combination of the
`60 Wireless Messaging Gateway (WMG™) Administrator!
`paging terminal, and the RF-Conductor!™ message dis(cid:173)
`tributor manufactured by Motorola, Inc. The hardware of the
`base stations 116 is preferably a combination of the
`Nucleus® Orchestra! transmitter and RF-Audience!™
`receivers manufactured by Motorola, Inc. It will be appre(cid:173)
`ciated that other similar hardware can be utilized for the
`system controller 112 and the base stations 116.
`
`IPR2020-00033 Page 00009
`
`

`

`5,905,448
`
`3
`Each of the base stations 116 transmits RF signals to the
`portable portion 104 comprising a plurality of selective call
`radios 122 via a transmitting antenna 120. The base stations
`116 each receive RF signals from the plurality of selective
`call radios 122 via a receiving antenna 118. It will be
`appreciated that, alternatively, the base stations 116 are
`utilized for RF transmissions only (i.e., one-way
`transmission). The RF signals transmitted by the base sta(cid:173)
`tions 116 to the selective call radios 122 ( outbound
`messages) comprise selective call addresses identifying the
`selective call radios 122, and data or voice messages origi(cid:173)
`nated by a caller.
`The RF signals transmitted by the selective call radios 122
`to the base stations 116 (inbound messages) comprise posi(cid:173)
`tive acknowledgments (ACKs) which indicate that the mes(cid:173)
`sage was received reliably by the selective call radio 122, or
`negative acknowledgments (NAKs) which indicate that the
`selective call radio 122 did not receive the message reliably.
`A detailed description of inbound acknowledge-back mes(cid:173)
`saging is more fully described in Siwiak '038, which is 20
`hereby incorporated by reference. It will be appreciated that
`a portion of the selective call radios 122 are utilized for RF
`reception only (i.e., one-way receivers).
`The system controller 112 is preferably coupled by tele(cid:173)
`phone links 101 to a public switched telephone network 25
`(PSTN) 110 for receiving selective call originations there(cid:173)
`from. Selective call originations comprising voice and data
`messages from the PSTN 110 can be generated, for example,
`from a conventional telephone 111 coupled to the PSTN 110
`in a manner that is well known in the art.
`Voice messages transmitted by the base stations 116
`utilize mixed signaling techniques. A voice message pref(cid:173)
`erably includes a digital message portion and an analog
`message portion. The digital message portion includes at
`least the addressing information which is used to identify the
`selective call radio 122, and a message vector identifying the
`location of the analog message. The digital message portion
`and analog message portion are transmitted using a synchro(cid:173)
`nous protocol which is preferably similar to Motorola's
`well-known FLEX™ family of digital selective call signal(cid:173)
`ing protocols as described more fully in U.S. Pat. No.
`5,168,493 issued Dec. 1, 1992 to Nelson et al., which is
`hereby incorporated herein by reference, and hereinafter
`referred to as Nelson '493. This synchronous protocol
`utilizes well-known error detection and error correction
`techniques and is therefore tolerant to bit errors occurring
`during transmission, provided that the bit errors are not too
`numerous in any one code word.
`Outbound channel transmissions of the digital message
`portion transmitted by the base stations 116 preferably 50
`utilize two and four-level frequency shift keyed (FSK)
`modulation, operating at sixteen hundred or thirty two
`hundred symbols-per-second (sps), depending on traffic
`requirements and system transmission gain. Outbound chan(cid:173)
`nel transmissions of the analog message portion transmitted 55
`by the base stations 116 preferably utilize single side band
`(SSE) transmission. A voice message portion preferably
`comprises at least an upper side band (USE), a lower side
`band (LSE) and a pilot carrier. It will be appreciated that,
`alternatively, a voice message portion can comprise the pilot 60
`carrier and a single one of the sidebands. A detailed expla(cid:173)
`nation of the preferred analog voice messaging system can
`be found in Leitch '747, which is assigned to the assignee of
`the present invention and which is hereby incorporated by
`reference. Inbound channel transmissions from the selective 65
`call radios 122 to the base stations 116 preferably utilize
`four-level FSK modulation at a rate of eight hundred bits per
`
`4
`second (bps). Inbound channel transm1ss10ns preferably
`occur during predetermined data packet time slots synchro(cid:173)
`nized with the outbound channel transmissions. The out(cid:173)
`bound and inbound channels preferably operate on separate
`5 carrier frequencies utilizing frequency division multiplex
`(FDM) techniques well known in the art. A detailed descrip(cid:173)
`tion of FDM techniques is more fully described in U.S. Pat.
`No. Siwiak '038. It will be appreciated that, alternatively, the
`outbound and inbound channels can operate on a single
`10 carrier frequency using time division duplex (TDD) tech(cid:173)
`niques as described more fully in Nelson '493. It will be
`further appreciated that, alternatively, other synchronous
`signaling protocols can be used to transmit the digital and
`analog portions of the message, and that other digital modu-
`15 lation schemes and transmission rates can be used for either
`or both transmission directions, and that other analog com(cid:173)
`pression techniques, or no analog compression can be used
`for the analog portion of the message.
`Each of the selective call radios 122 assigned for use in
`the radio communication system has an address assigned
`thereto which is a unique selective call address. The address
`enables the transmission of a message from the system
`controller 112 only to the addressed selective call radio, and
`identifies messages and responses received at the system
`controller 112 from the selective call radio. Furthermore,
`each of one or more of the selective call radios 122 can have
`a unique telephone number or access number assigned
`thereto. A list of the assigned selective call addresses and
`correlated telephone numbers for the selective call radios is
`30 stored in the system controller 112 in the form of a sub(cid:173)
`scriber data base.
`Referring to FIG. 2, an electrical block diagram of ele(cid:173)
`ments of the fixed portion 102 in accordance with the
`preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises
`35 portions of the system controller 112 and the base stations
`116. The system controller 112 comprises a processor sec(cid:173)
`tion 210 for directing operation of the system controller 112.
`The system controller 112 schedules and queues data and
`stored voice messages for transmission to the selective call
`40 radios 122, connects telephone calls from the PSTN 110, and
`receives acknowledgments, demand responses, unsolicited
`data and stored audio messages, and telephone calls from the
`selective call radios 122.
`The processor section 210 preferably is coupled through
`45 a conventional transmitter controller 204 to a transmitter 202
`via the communication links 114. The communication links
`114 use conventional means well known in the art, such as
`a direct wire line (telephone) link, a data communication
`link, or any number of radio frequency links, such as a radio
`frequency (RF) transceiver link, a microwave transceiver
`link, or a satellite link, just to mention a few. The transmitter
`202 transmits two and four-level FSK data messages to the
`selective call radios 122 during a digital message portion,
`and at least one LSE, USE and a pilot during the analog
`message portion for voice messages. The analog message
`portion is preferably analog to digital converted to a con(cid:173)
`ventional high speed digitally sampled signal, in a manner
`well known to one of ordinary skill in the art, for transmis(cid:173)
`sion over the communication links 114, then reconverted
`back to the analog message portion by the transmitter 202.
`The processor section 210 is also coupled to at least one
`receiver 206 through a conventional receiver interface 208
`via the communication links 114. The receiver 206 demodu(cid:173)
`lates four-level FSK and is preferably collocated with the
`base stations 116, as implied in FIG. 2, but can be positioned
`remotely from the base stations 116 to avoid interference
`from the transmitter 202. The receiver 206 is for receiving
`
`IPR2020-00033 Page 00010
`
`

`

`5,905,448
`
`5
`one or more acknowledgments (ACKs or NAKs) from the
`selective call radios 122.
`The processor section 210 is also coupled to an input
`interface 218 for communicating with the PSTN 110 through
`the telephone links 101 for receiving selective call origina(cid:173)
`tions from a message originator. In order to perform the
`functions (to be described below) necessary in controlling
`the elements of the system controller 112, as well as the
`elements of the base stations 116, the processor section 210
`preferably includes a conventional computer system 212, 10
`and conventional mass storage media 214. The conventional
`mass storage media 214 includes the subscriber data base
`which has subscriber user information such as, for example,
`selective call radio 122 addressing, programming options,
`etc. The conventional computer system 212 is programmed 15
`by way of program instructions included in the conventional
`mass storage media 214. The conventional computer system
`212 preferably comprises a plurality of processors such as
`VME Spare processors manufactured by Sun Microsystems,
`Inc., and is alternatively described as the computer 212. The 20
`plurality of processors include memory such as dynamic
`random access memory (DRAM), which serves as a tem(cid:173)
`porary memory storage device for scratch pad processing
`such as, for example, storing analog and digital messages
`originated by callers using the PSTN 110, processing 25
`acknowledgments received from the selective call radios
`122, and for protocol processing of analog and digital
`messages destined for the selective call radios 122, just to
`mention a few. The conventional mass storage media 214 is
`preferably a conventional hard disk mass storage device, 30
`which can also serve as a message memory for digitally
`encoded analog signals.
`It will be appreciated that other types of conventional
`computer systems 212 can be utilized, and that additional
`computer systems 212 and mass storage media 214 of the 35
`same or alternative type can be added as required to handle
`the processing requirements of the processor section 210.
`The processor section 210 provides message handling
`functions which schedule outbound messages having selec(cid:173)
`tive call addresses associated therewith, for transmission 40
`within a transmission cycle of the synchronous protocol.
`This is accomplished by scheduling, as necessary, portions
`of messages within different frames of a transmission cycle.
`As described above, messages may have either digital
`information, such as a alphanumeric message, or analog 45
`information, such as voice. An analog message is included
`within one or more analog frames. Inasmuch as the analog
`information is typically a voice signal, the analog frame is
`alternatively called a voice frame.
`The processor section 210, while performing the message 50
`handling functions, also identifies inbound messages as
`being associated with one of the selective call radios in the
`subscriber data base 220 and identifies response messages as
`being associated with one of the outbound messages in an
`outbound message memory, which is a portion of the mass 55
`media 214. As one example of an operation of the system
`controller 112, the delivery of an outbound message stored
`in the mass memory 214 is completed when: the outbound
`message has been communicated to the intended selective
`call radio 122; the outbound message is acknowledged by an 60
`inbound acknowledgment generated by the selective call
`radio 122; the outbound message and some possible
`responses are presented either on a display or by a speaker
`of the selective call radio 122 in response to a user manipu(cid:173)
`lation of controls; one of the possible responses is selected 65
`by the user and identified within an inbound response
`transmitted back to the system controller 112 from the
`
`6
`selective call radio 122; and the user inbound response is
`identified by the message handler function as having been
`generated by the user specifically in response to the out(cid:173)
`bound message. In this example, the processor section 210
`5 generates another message which is sent to the originator of
`the outbound message to notify the originator that the
`outbound message has been acknowledged by the selective
`call radio 122 and responded to by the user of the selective
`call radio 122.
`The processor section 210 performs functions including
`the message handing functions described above, which are
`conventional, and functions described below with reference
`to FIG. 4, which are unique. The conventional and unique
`functions are executed by the conventional computer system
`212 and controlled by program instructions stored in the
`mass storage media 214. The unique functions are controlled
`by a unique set of program instructions generated using
`conventional programming tools.
`Referring to FIG. 3 a timing diagram which illustrates
`features of the transmission format of a synchronous out(cid:173)
`bound signaling protocol utilized by the radio communica(cid:173)
`tion system of FIG. 1, and which includes details of a control
`frame 330 ( alternatively described as a data frame 330), in
`accordance with the preferred and alternative embodiments
`of the present invention. Control frames 330 are also clas(cid:173)
`sified as data frames 330. The outbound signaling protocol
`is subdivided into protocol divisions, which are an hour 310,
`a cycle 320, a frame 330, 345, a block 340, a word 350, and
`bits (not shown in FIG. 3). All protocol divisions are defined
`with reference to a synchronous period of a synchronous
`clock; the protocol division boundaries are coincident with
`edges of the synchronous clock. Up to fifteen 4 minute
`uniquely identified cycles are transmitted in each hour 310.
`Normally, all fifteen cycles 320 are transmitted each hour.
`Up to one hundred twenty eight 1.875 second uniquely
`identified frames including control frames 330 and analog
`frames 345 are transmitted in each of the cycles 320.
`Normally, all one hundred twenty eight frames are trans(cid:173)
`mitted. One synchronization signal 331 lasting one hundred
`fifteen milliseconds and 11 one hundred sixty millisecond
`uniquely identified blocks 340 are transmitted in each of the
`control frames 330. The synchronization signal 331 includes
`a first sync portion 337, a frame information word 338, and
`a second sync portion 339. A bit rate of 1600 bits per second
`(bps), 3200 bps, or 6400 bps is usable during the blocks 340
`of each control frame 330. The bit rate of the blocks 340 of
`each control frame 330 is communicated to the selective call
`radios 122 during the synchronization signal 331. Depend(cid:173)
`ing on the bit rate used, 8 to 32 thirty two bit uniquely
`identified words 350 are transmitted in each block 340. The
`bits and words 350 in each block 340 are transmitted in an
`interleaved fashion using techniques well known to one of
`ordinary skill in the art to improve the burst error correction
`capability of the protocol.
`Information is included in each control frame 330 in
`information fields, comprising system information in the
`frame information word 338 and a block information field
`(BI) 332, one or more selective call addresses in an address
`field (AF) 333, one or more of a set of vector packets, short
`message packets, and long messages in the information field
`(IF) 335, and an unused field 336 having no useful infor(cid:173)
`mation therein. One aspect of system information included
`in the frame information word 338 is the frame number and
`the cycle number. The cycle number is a number from zero
`to 15 which identifies each cycle 320. The frame number is
`a number from zero to one hundred twenty seven which
`identifies each frame 330, 345 of a cycle 320. Each vector
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`7
`packet and short message packet in the information field 335
`of a control frame 330 corresponds to at least one of the
`addresses in the address field 333 of the same control frame
`330. Each long message in the information field 335 corre(cid:173)
`sponds to at least one vector packet in the information field
`335 of at least one or more control frames 330. The length
`of each of the fields 332, 333, 335, 336 can be shorter or
`longer than a block 340. The unused field 336 can be zero
`length when the total of the lengths of the other fields 332,
`333, 335 equals eleven blocks 340. The block information
`field 332 in frame zero includes the following real time
`information: year, month, day, date, hour, minute, and one(cid:173)
`eighth minute.
`The vectors contain information which specifies the start(cid:173)
`ing word of a long message in terms of the protocol divisions
`described above, and additionally, radio channel information
`such as radio channel frequency, and subchannel offset from
`the radio channel frequency. The starting position and length
`of a long message, a short message, or a vector packet define
`the protocol position of the long message, short message, or
`vector packet.
`When a selective call radio 122 detects its own address
`within a control frame 330, the selective call radio 122
`processes the associated vector packet or short message
`packet within the control frame 330. When a selective call
`radio 122 decodes a vector packet in a control frame 330
`which corresponds with its selective call address, the selec(cid:173)
`tive call radio 122 is directed to receive and decode a long
`message or an analog message in either the same control
`frame 330, or another control frame 330 or an analog frame
`345.
`Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a timing diagram and a flow
`chart illustrate an example of an assembly and inclusion of
`a multipart analog message in analog form within a cycle
`320 of the synchronous outbound protocol transmitted in the
`radio communication system, in accordance with the pre(cid:173)
`ferred embodiment of the present invention. The processor
`section 210 obtains and stores in the mass memory 214, at
`step 510 (FIG. 5), an information portion 415 (FIG. 4) of an
`analog message which is to be transmitted to a selective call
`radio 122. For example, the information portion is an analog
`signal generated by a voice message received from an
`originating caller by means of the telephone 111, in which
`the originating caller says "Can you go to lunch with me at
`12:30?" The information portion 415 is preferably stored as 45
`a digitally sampled analog signal in the mass media 214.
`At step 520 (FIG. 5), the originating caller further
`identifies, at the time of the call, several responses from
`which the user of the selective call radio 122 can select to
`respond to the question posed. For example, a first response
`is "Yes," a second is "No," and a third is "Maybe." These
`responses are preferably obtained from the originating caller
`by the use of an interactive session which is controlled by
`the processor section 210, using stored voice prompts pre(cid:173)
`sented to the caller and a combination of voice and keypad
`responses on the part of