Multiple characteristic sensitive addressing schema for a multiple receiver data processing network

Claim 1

A data transmission network for transmission of messages to selected ones of a plurality of users according to one or more multiple user classifications, each classification indicative of a characteristic of respective ones of said plurality of users, said network comprising: a transmitter operative to transmit messages via a radio wave type communications medium, a plurality of distinct radio wave type receivers, each receiver including digital memory, means for readably storing a multiple byte digital receiver address unique to each receiver, each individual byte of said receiver address designating a classification applicable to that receiver and being selected from the group consisting of a number of distinct must match characters and thereby operative to indicate a selection from said classification, said transmitter being operative to transmit a message including multiple byte message address and test portions, each individual byte of said message address portion being selected from the group consisting of a plurality of distinct must match characters, each designating a selection from the classification designated by that byte, a plurality of NON-characters each corresponding to a respective character and indicating anything else but said corresponding must match character, and a wild card character, meaning need not match, so that each individual byte of said message address portion is operative to indicate both a selection from a classification as well as whether that selection must match, must be anything else but, or need not match a receiver address, said receiver being operative to receive messages transmitted by said transmitter, to compare the receiver address assigned to that receiver with the message address portion of a transmitted message, and to store in said digital memory all messages, transmitted by said transmitter, except for those wherein a must match character byte of the message address portion differs from the corresponding byte of the receiver address and except for those wherein a NON-character byte of the message address corresponds to the compared must match byte of the receiver address, said receiver including signal means operative to indicate that a message has been received, and output means operative to communicate a received message in said digital memory to an operator.