Method and apparatus for remotely retrieving messages intended for an acknowledge-back pager in a selective call communication system

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing, in the controller memory, additional messages intended for the acknowledge-back pager, in response to having received the predetermined retrieval code without having later received a predetermined undo code intended for the acknowledge-back pager, and further in response to accepting additional selective call originations comprising the additional messages intended for the acknowledge-back pager.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of sending the additional messages from the controller memory to the user in response to accepting another selective call origination from the user, comprising a predetermined playback code intended for the acknowledge-back pager.

Claim 5

The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of: receiving the predetermined undo code intended for the acknowledge-back pager after having received the predetermined retrieval code; terminating the step of storing the additional messages in the controller memory, in response to the receiving step; thereafter sending future messages from the fixed portion to the acknowledge-back pager; and storing the future messages in the pager memory.

Claim 8

The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of storing, in the controller memory, additional messages intended for the acknowledge-back pager, in response to having received the predetermined retrieval code without having later received a predetermined undo code intended for the acknowledge-back pager, and further in response to accepting additional selective call originations comprising the additional messages intended for the acknowledge-back pager.

Claim 9

The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of sending the additional messages from the controller memory to the user in response to accepting another selective call origination from the user, comprising a predetermined playback code intended for the acknowledge-back pager.

Claim 10

The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of: receiving the predetermined undo code intended for the acknowledge-back pager after having received the predetermined retrieval code; terminating the step of storing the additional messages in the controller memory, in response to the receiving step; thereafter sending future messages and corresponding future message identifiers from the fixed portion to the acknowledge-back pager; and storing the future messages and the corresponding future message identifiers in the pager memory and in the controller memory.

Claim 11

A controller for providing remote retrieval of messages intended for an acknowledge-back pager in a selective call communication system including a fixed portion comprising the controller and a transmitter, and a portable portion comprising the acknowledge-back pager, the controller having provisions for interconnection with a user through a telephone system, the controller comprising: a telephone interface coupled to the telephone system for accepting a selective call origination from a caller, comprising a message intended for the acknowledge-back pager; a processor coupled to the telephone interface for processing the selective call origination; a transmitter interface coupled to the processor for controlling the transmitter to send the message to the acknowledge-back pager for storage in a pager memory therein; a retrieval command sender coupled to the processor for controlling the transmitter to send a predetermined retrieval command to the acknowledge-back pager in response to accepting a selective call origination from the user, the selective call origination comprising a predetermined retrieval code associated with the acknowledge-back pager; a receiver coupled to the processor for receiving a transmission of the message, the message retrieved from the pager memory in response to the predetermined retrieval command; a controller memory for storing the message received from the pager memory; and a message delivery element coupled to the processor for transmitting the message from the controller through the telephone system to the user.

Claim 12

A controller for providing remote retrieval of messages intended for an acknowledge-back pager in a selective call communication system including a fixed portion comprising the controller and a transmitter, and a portable portion comprising the acknowledge-back pager, the controller having provisions for interconnection with a user through a telephone system, the controller comprising: a telephone interface coupled to the telephone system for accepting a selective call origination from a caller, comprising a message intended for the acknowledge-back pager; a processor coupled to the telephone interface for processing the selective call origination; a transmitter interface coupled to the processor for controlling the transmitter to send the message to the acknowledge-back pager for storage in a pager memory therein; a retrieval command sender coupled to the processor for controlling the transmitter to send a predetermined retrieval command to the acknowledge-back pager in response to accepting a selective call origination from the user, the selective call origination comprising a predetermined retrieval code associated with the acknowledge-back pager; a receiver coupled to the processor for receiving a transmission of the message, the message retrieved from the pager memory in response to the predetermined retrieval command; a controller memory for storing the message received from the pager memory; and a message delivery element coupled to the processor for transmitting the message from the controller through the telephone system to the user.

Claim 13

The controller of claim 9, wherein the controller memory comprises additional message storage for storing additional messages intended for the acknowledge-back pager, in response to having received the predetermined retrieval code without having later received a predetermined undo code intended for the acknowledge-back pager, and further in response to accepting additional selective call originations comprising the additional messages intended for the acknowledge-back pager.

Claim 14

The controller of claim 10, wherein the message delivery element comprises a message playback element for sending the additional messages from the controller memory to the user in response to accepting another selective call origination from the user, comprising a predetermined playback code intended for the acknowledge-back pager.

Claim 15

The controller of claim 10, further comprising: an undo code detector coupled to the processor for detecting a reception of the predetermined undo code intended for the acknowledge-back pager after having received the predetermined retrieval code; a terminator coupled to the undo code detector for terminating storage of the additional messages in the controller memory, in response to the undo code detector detecting the reception of the predetermined undo code; and a reverter coupled to the undo code detector for sending future messages to the acknowledge-back pager for storage therein in response to the undo code detector detecting the reception of the predetermined undo code.

Claim 16

A controller for providing remote retrieval of messages intended for an acknowledge-back pager in a selective call communication system including a fixed portion comprising the controller and a transmitter, and a portable portion comprising the acknowledge-back pager, the controller having provisions for interconnection with a user through a telephone system, the controller comprising: a telephone interface coupled to the telephone system for accepting a selective call origination from a caller, comprising a message intended for the acknowledge-back pager; a processor coupled to the telephone interface for processing the selective call origination and for storing the message and a corresponding message identifier in a controller memory; the controller memory coupled to the processor for storing the message and the message identifier; a transmitter interface coupled to the processor for controlling the transmitter to send the message and the message identifier to the acknowledge-back pager for storage in a pager memory therein; a retrieval command sender coupled to the processor for controlling the transmitter to send a predetermined retrieval command to the acknowledge-back pager in response to accepting a selective call origination from the user, the selective call origination comprising a predetermined retrieval code associated with the acknowledge-back pager; a receiver coupled to the processor for receiving a transmission of the message identifier, the message identifier retrieved from the pager memory in response to the predetermined retrieval command; a message locator for accessing the controller memory to locate the message by matching the message identifier received by the receiver with the message identifier stored in the controller memory; and a message delivery element coupled to the processor for sending the message from the controller memory through the telephone system to the user.

Claim 17

A controller for providing remote retrieval of messages intended for an acknowledge-back pager in a selective call communication system including a fixed portion comprising the controller and a transmitter, and a portable portion comprising the acknowledge-back pager, the controller having provisions for interconnection with a user through a telephone system, the controller comprising: a telephone interface coupled to the telephone system for accepting a selective call origination from a caller, comprising a message intended for the acknowledge-back pager; a processor coupled to the telephone interface for processing the selective call origination and for storing the message and a corresponding message identifier in a controller memory; the controller memory coupled to the processor for storing the message and the message identifier; a transmitter interface coupled to the processor for controlling the transmitter to send the message and the message identifier to the acknowledge-back pager for storage in a pager memory therein; a retrieval command sender coupled to the processor for controlling the transmitter to send a predetermined retrieval command to the acknowledge-back pager in response to accepting a selective call origination from the user, the selective call origination comprising a predetermined retrieval code associated with the acknowledge-back pager; a receiver coupled to the processor for receiving a transmission of the message identifier, the message identifier retrieved from the pager memory in response to the predetermined retrieval command; a message locator for accessing the controller memory to locate the message by matching the message identifier received by the receiver with the message identifier stored in the controller memory; and a message delivery element coupled to the processor for sending the message from the controller memory through the telephone system to the user.

Claim 18

The controller of claim 13, wherein the controller memory comprises additional message storage for storing additional messages intended for the acknowledge-back pager, in response to having received the predetermined retrieval code without having later received a predetermined undo code intended for the acknowledge-back pager, and further in response to accepting additional selective call originations comprising the additional messages intended for the acknowledge-back pager.

Claim 19

The controller of claim 14, wherein the message delivery element comprises a message playback element for sending the additional messages from the controller memory to the user in response to accepting another selective call origination from the user, comprising a predetermined playback code intended for the acknowledge-back pager.

Claim 20

The controller of claim 14, further comprising: an undo code detector coupled to the processor for detecting a reception of the predetermined undo code intended for the acknowledge-back pager after having received the predetermined retrieval code; a terminator coupled to the undo code detector for terminating storage of the additional messages in the controller memory, in response to the undo code detector detecting the reception of the predetermined undo code; and a reverter coupled to the undo code detector for sending future messages and corresponding future message identifiers to the acknowledge-back pager for storage therein, and further for storing the future messages and corresponding future message identifiers in the controller memory, in response to the undo code detector detecting the reception of the predetermined undo code.

Claim 21

An acknowledge-back pager for providing remote retrieval of messages intended for the acknowledge-back pager in a selective call communication system including a fixed portion and a portable portion comprising the acknowledge-back pager, the selective call communication system having provisions for interconnection with a user through a telephone system, the acknowledge-back pager comprising: a receiver communicating by radio with the fixed portion for receiving a message therefrom in response to a selective call origination from a caller, comprising the message intended for the acknowledge-back pager; a pager memory coupled to the receiver for storing the message in the acknowledge-back pager; a microprocessor coupled to the receiver and coupled to the pager memory for controlling the acknowledge-back pager; user controls coupled to the microprocessor for providing operational control of the acknowledge-back pager; a retrieval command detector coupled to the microprocessor for detecting a predetermined retrieval command sent from the fixed portion in response to accepting a selective call origination from the user, the selective call origination comprising a predetermined retrieval code associated with the acknowledge-back pager; a message retriever coupled to the microprocessor for retrieving the message from the pager memory in response to the predetermined retrieval command; and a transmitter coupled to the message retriever for transmitting the message retrieved, from the acknowledge-back pager to the fixed portion, in further response to the predetermined retrieval command.

Claim 22

An acknowledge-back pager for providing remote retrieval of messages intended for the acknowledge-back pager in a selective call communication system including a fixed portion and a portable portion comprising the acknowledge-back pager, the selective call communication system having provisions for interconnection with a user through a telephone system, the acknowledge-back pager comprising: a receiver communicating by radio with the fixed portion for receiving a message therefrom in response to a selective call origination from a caller, comprising the message intended for the acknowledge-back pager; a pager memory coupled to the receiver for storing the message in the acknowledge-back pager; a microprocessor coupled to the receiver and coupled to the pager memory for controlling the acknowledge-back pager; user controls coupled to the microprocessor for providing operational control of the acknowledge-back pager; a retrieval command detector coupled to the microprocessor for detecting a predetermined retrieval command sent from the fixed portion in response to accepting a selective call origination from the user, the selective call origination comprising a predetermined retrieval code associated with the acknowledge-back pager; a message retriever coupled to the microprocessor for retrieving the message from the pager memory in response to the predetermined retrieval command; and a transmitter coupled to the message retriever for transmitting the message retrieved, from the acknowledge-back pager to the fixed portion, in further response to the predetermined retrieval command.

Claim 23

The acknowledge-back pager of claim 17, further comprising an undo code sender coupled to the microprocessor for controlling the transmitter to send a predetermined undo code in a radio transmission from the acknowledge-back pager to the fixed portion.

Claim 24

The acknowledge-back pager of claim 18, further comprising a control interface coupled to the microprocessor for activating the undo code sender to send the predetermined undo code in response to a predetermined user control sequence.

Claim 25

An acknowledge-back pager for providing remote retrieval of messages intended for the acknowledge-back pager in a selective call communication system including a fixed portion and a portable portion comprising the acknowledge-back pager, the selective call communication system having provisions for interconnection with a user through a telephone system, the acknowledge-back pager comprising: a receiver communicating by radio with the fixed portion for receiving a message and a corresponding message identifier therefrom in response to a selective call origination from a caller, comprising the message intended for the acknowledge-back pager; a pager memory coupled to the receiver for storing the message and the message identifier in the acknowledge-back pager; a microprocessor coupled to the receiver and coupled to the pager memory for controlling the acknowledge-back pager; user controls coupled to the microprocessor for providing operational control of the acknowledge-back pager; a retrieval command detector coupled to the microprocessor for detecting a predetermined retrieval command sent from the fixed portion in response to accepting a selective call origination from the user, the selective call origination comprising a predetermined retrieval code associated with the acknowledge-back pager; a message identifier retriever coupled to the microprocessor for retrieving the message identifier from the pager memory in response to the predetermined retrieval command; and a transmitter coupled to the message identifier retriever for transmitting the message identifier retrieved, from the acknowledge-back pager to the fixed portion, in further response to the predetermined retrieval command.

Claim 26

An acknowledge-back pager for providing remote retrieval of messages intended for the acknowledge-back pager in a selective call communication system including a fixed portion and a portable portion comprising the acknowledge-back pager, the selective call communication system having provisions for interconnection with a user through a telephone system, the acknowledge-back pager comprising: a receiver communicating by radio with the fixed portion for receiving a message and a corresponding message identifier therefrom in response to a selective call origination from a caller, comprising the message intended for the acknowledge-back pager; a pager memory coupled to the receiver for storing the message and the message identifier in the acknowledge-back pager; a microprocessor coupled to the receiver and coupled to the pager memory for controlling the acknowledge-back pager; user controls coupled to the microprocessor for providing operational control of the acknowledge-back pager; a retrieval command detector coupled to the microprocessor for detecting a predetermined retrieval command sent from the fixed portion in response to accepting a selective call origination from the user, the selective call origination comprising a predetermined retrieval code associated with the acknowledge-back pager; a message identifier retriever coupled to the microprocessor for retrieving the message identifier from the pager memory in response to the predetermined retrieval command; and a transmitter coupled to the message identifier retriever for transmitting the message identifier retrieved, from the acknowledge-back pager to the fixed portion, in further response to the predetermined retrieval command.

Claim 27

The acknowledge-back pager of claim 20, further comprising an undo code sender coupled to the microprocessor for controlling the transmitter to send a predetermined undo code in a radio transmission from the acknowledge-back pager to the fixed portion.

Claim 28

The acknowledge-back pager of claim 21, further comprising a control interface coupled to the microprocessor for activating the undo code sender to send the predetermined undo code in response to a predetermined user control sequence.