Method and apparatus for remote memory management in an acknowledge-back selective call communication system

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling step comprises the steps of: sending the pending message to the selective call receiver in response to determining in the comparing step that sufficient memory space is available; and storing the pending message in the infrastructure for later transmission in response to determining in the comparing step that insufficient memory space is available.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling step comprises the step of informing the selective call receiver that the pending message will be delayed because of insufficient memory space available in the selective call receiver, in response to determining in the comparing step that insufficient memory space is available.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of indicating by the selective call receiver to a user thereof that the memory space of the selective call receiver is insufficient to receive the pending message, in response to being so informed by the infrastructure.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling step comprises the step of retransmitting the notification of the pending message after a predetermined delay, in response to having determined subsequent to a most recent prior transmission of the notification that insufficient memory space was available in the selective call receiver.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of reporting a new memory value from the selective call receiver to the infrastructure, in response to an increase in the amount of space available in the memory for storing the pending message, the increase occurring after the selective call receiver has been informed by the infrastructure that the pending message is delayed because of insufficient memory space available in the selective call receiver.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling step comprises the steps of: storing the pending message for the selective call receiver for later transmission in response to determining in the comparing step that insufficient memory space is available; and transmitting to the selective call receiver the pending message stored, in response to receiving a new memory value from the selective call receiver that indicates that sufficient memory space has become available to store the pending message in the selective call receiver.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling step comprises the step of advising the source of the pending message that the pending message will not be sent to the selective call receiver until additional memory space becomes available therein, in response to determining in the comparing step that insufficient memory space is available.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing by the infrastructure a history of remote memory management transactions for the selective call receiver, the history providing a quantitative record of messages delayed because of insufficient space available in the memory of the selective call receiver.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1, wherein the notification of the pending message comprises a transmission of a first packet of the pending message, and wherein the controlling step comprises aborting transmission of additional packets of the pending message, in response to determining in the comparing step that insufficient memory space is available.

Claim 12

The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: enabling the source of the pending message, in response to determining in the comparing step that insufficient memory space is available, to choose a further message processing step selected from: canceling the pending message, delivering the pending message after sufficient memory becomes available in the selective call receiver, and delivering the pending message by overwriting other messages stored in the selective call receiver; and further processing the pending message by the communication system in accordance with the further message processing step chosen by the source of the pending message.

Claim 13

The method of claim 11, wherein the enabling step requires entry of a password before enabling the source of the pending message to choose to deliver the pending message by overwriting other messages stored in the selective call receiver.

Claim 14

An acknowledge-back selective call communication system that performs remote memory management, the system comprising: an infrastructure that transmits a plurality of messages having a length that is variable; and a selective call receiver coupled to the infrastructure for receiving and storing selected ones of the plurality of messages, wherein the infrastructure comprises: a controller for controlling the infrastructure to process a pending message originated by a source, the controller comprising an input element coupled to the source for receiving the pending message; and a message transmitter coupled to the controller for transmitting to the selective call receiver a notification of the pending message, and wherein the selective call receiver comprises: a message receiver coupled to the message transmitter for receiving the notification and the selected ones of the plurality of messages; a memory coupled to the message receiver for storing the selected ones of the plurality of messages; a processor coupled to the memory for controlling the selective call receiver; a selective call address element coupled to the processor for selecting messages intended for the selective call receiver; and an acknowledge transmitter coupled to the processor for transmitting to the infrastructure in response to the notification a memory value specifying an amount of space available in the memory for storing the pending message, and wherein the infrastructure further comprises an acknowledge receiver coupled to the acknowledge transmitter for receiving the memory value, and wherein the controller comprises a comparator element coupled to the acknowledge receiver for comparing the memory value with the length of the pending message to make a determination of whether sufficient memory space is available to store the pending message in the selective call receiver, and for controlling the processing of the pending message in accordance with the determination made.

Claim 15

An acknowledge-back selective call communication system that performs remote memory management, the system comprising: an infrastructure that transmits a plurality of messages having a length that is variable; and a selective call receiver coupled to the infrastructure for receiving and storing selected ones of the plurality of messages, wherein the infrastructure comprises: a controller for controlling the infrastructure to process a pending message originated by a source, the controller comprising an input element coupled to the source for receiving the pending message; and a message transmitter coupled to the controller for transmitting to the selective call receiver a notification of the pending message, and wherein the selective call receiver comprises: a message receiver coupled to the message transmitter for receiving the notification and the selected ones of the plurality of messages; a memory coupled to the message receiver for storing the selected ones of the plurality of messages; a processor coupled to the memory for controlling the selective call receiver; a selective call address element coupled to the processor for selecting messages intended for the selective call receiver; and an acknowledge transmitter coupled to the processor for transmitting to the infrastructure in response to the notification a memory value specifying an amount of space available in the memory for storing the pending message, and wherein the infrastructure further comprises an acknowledge receiver coupled to the acknowledge transmitter for receiving the memory value, and wherein the controller comprises a comparator element coupled to the acknowledge receiver for comparing the memory value with the length of the pending message to make a determination of whether sufficient memory space is available to store the pending message in the selective call receiver, and for controlling the processing of the pending message in accordance with the determination made.

Claim 16

The system of claim 13, wherein the controller comprises: a sender element coupled to the comparator element for sending the pending message to the selective call receiver in response to determining by the comparator element that sufficient memory space is available; and a message storer element coupled to the comparator element for retaining the pending message in storage in the infrastructure for later transmission in response to determining by the comparator element that insufficient memory space is available.

Claim 17

The system of claim 13, wherein the controller comprises an informer element coupled to the comparator element for informing the selective call receiver that the pending message will be delayed because of insufficient memory space available in the selective call receiver, in response to determining by the comparator element that insufficient memory space is available.

Claim 18

The system of claim 13, wherein the selective call receiver further comprises an indicator element coupled to the processor for indicating to a user thereof that the memory space of the selective call receiver is insufficient to receive the pending message.

Claim 19

The system of claim 13, wherein the controller comprises: a message storage element coupled to the comparator element for storing the pending message for the selective call receiver for later transmission; and a repeater element coupled to the message transmitter and coupled to the message storage element for retransmitting the notification of the pending message after a predetermined delay, in response to having determined subsequent to a most recent prior transmission of the notification that insufficient memory space was available in the selective call receiver.

Claim 20

The system of claim 13, wherein the selective call receiver further comprises a reporter element coupled to the processor for reporting a new memory value to the infrastructure, in response to an increase in space available in the memory for storing the pending message, the increase occurring after the selective call receiver has been informed by the infrastructure that the pending message is delayed because of insufficient memory space available in the selective call receiver.

Claim 21

The system of claim 13, wherein the controller comprises: a message storage element coupled to the comparator element for storing the pending message for the selective call receiver for later transmission, in response to determining by the comparator element that insufficient memory space is available; and a delayed transmission element coupled to the message transmitter and coupled to the message storage element for transmitting to the selective call receiver the pending message stored, in response to receiving a new memory value from the selective call receiver that indicates that sufficient memory space has become available to store the pending message in the selective call receiver.

Claim 22

The system of claim 13, wherein the controller comprises an advisor element coupled to the input element for advising the source of the pending message that the pending message will not be sent to the selective call receiver until additional memory space becomes available therein, in response to determining by the comparator element that insufficient memory space is available.

Claim 23

The system of claim 13, wherein the controller comprises a history storage element coupled to the comparator element for storing by the infrastructure a history of remote memory management transactions for the selective call receiver, the history providing a quantitative record of messages delayed because of insufficient space available in the memory of the selective call receiver.

Claim 24

The system of claim 13, wherein the notification of the pending message comprises a transmission of a first packet of the pending message, and wherein the controller comprises an abort element coupled to the comparator element for aborting transmission of additional packets of the pending message, in response to determining by the comparator element that insufficient memory space is available.

Claim 25

The system of claim 13, wherein the controller further comprises: a choice enabler element coupled to the comparator element for enabling the source of the pending message, in response to determining by the comparator element that insufficient memory space is available, to choose a further message processing step selected from: canceling the pending message, delivering the pending message after sufficient memory becomes available in the selective call receiver, and delivering the pending message by overwriting other messages stored in the memory of the selective call receiver; and a further processing element coupled to the input element for further processing the pending message by the communication system in accordance with the further message processing step chosen by the source of the pending message.

Claim 26

The system of claim 23, wherein the choice enabler element comprises a security element coupled to the input element for requiring entry of a password before enabling the source of the pending message to choose to deliver the pending message by overwriting other messages stored in the memory of the selective call receiver.