US5826173A — Efficient paging system with sleep mode duration …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 132 words

A method for saving battery power in a portable telephone for use in a radio communication system having battery-saving sleep modes, comprising the steps of: repeating transmissions of calling messages from a base station to the portable telephone a guaranteed number of times; operating the portable telephone in a first low-power sleep mode during periods of normal expected use; waking the portable telephone in said first sleep mode at regular intervals to receive signals from the communication system; operating the portable telephone in a second lower-power sleep mode during periods of low expected use; and waking the portable telephone in said second sleep mode less frequently than in said first sleep mode and in relation to the guaranteed number of times transmissions of calling messages are repeated in said step of repeating.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 132 words

A method for saving battery power in a portable telephone for use in a radio communication system having battery-saving sleep modes, comprising the steps of: repeating transmissions of calling messages from a base station to the portable telephone a guaranteed number of times; operating the portable telephone in a first low-power sleep mode during periods of normal expected use; waking the portable telephone in said first sleep mode at regular intervals to receive signals from the communication system; operating the portable telephone in a second lower-power sleep mode during periods of low expected use; and waking the portable telephone in said second sleep mode less frequently than in said first sleep mode and in relation to the guaranteed number of times transmissions of calling messages are repeated in said step of repeating.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 31 words

A method according to claim 1, wherein said second sleep-mode is only entered after the communication system transmits a signal indicating that the portable telephone should enter the second sleep mode.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 19 words

A method according to claim 1, wherein said periods of low expected use are determined by a time-of-day clock.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 15 words

A method according to claim 3, wherein said time-of-day clock is included in said telephone.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 17 words

A method according to claim 3, wherein said time-of-day clock is broadcast by said radio communications system.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 20 words

A method according to claim 1, wherein said periods of low expected use are determined by time since last call.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 22 words

A method according to claim 6, wherein said time since last call is measured using a timer built into said portable telephone.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 63 words

A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: monitoring activity by computing a cumulative activity value; increasing said cumulative activity value whenever a call is placed or received; gradually decreasing said cumulative activity value whenever said phone is not being used for conversation; and placing said telephone in said first or second sleep mode depending on said cumulative activity value.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 91 words

A communications system for paging mobile phones comprising: means for monitoring activity of each mobile phone in the system by computing an associated cumulative activity value; means for increasing said cumulative activity value whenever a call is placed or received from the associated phone; means for gradually decreasing said cumulative activity value whenever the associated phone is not being used for conversation; and means for transmitting paging messages to mobile phones using, for each phone called, a guaranteed number of repeat transmissions depending on the mobile phone's associated cumulative activity value.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 91 words

A communications system for paging mobile phones comprising: means for monitoring activity of each mobile phone in the system by computing an associated cumulative activity value; means for increasing said cumulative activity value whenever a call is placed or received from the associated phone; means for gradually decreasing said cumulative activity value whenever the associated phone is not being used for conversation; and means for transmitting paging messages to mobile phones using, for each phone called, a guaranteed number of repeat transmissions depending on the mobile phone's associated cumulative activity value.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 26 words

A communications system according to claim 9, further comprising: means for terminating repetition of a paging call upon receipt of a reply from the called mobile.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 42 words

A communications system according to claim 10, further comprising: means for starting to page a new mobile early when the number of repeat calls to a previously paged mobile is truncated by a receipt of a reply from said previously paged mobile.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 43 words

A communications system according to claim 11, further comprising: means for extending the number of repeats used for paging said new mobile such that in the event of no reply said repeats always terminate at the same determined power in the paging transmission.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 147 words

A mobile radio telephone system comprising at least one base station transmitting information to portable telephones indicating whether a portable telephone is being called, comprising: means for dividing a repetitive frame period into a number of communication slots; means for determining the communication slot to be used for transmitting a call to a portable telephone based on the portable telephone's telephone number or ID; means for transmitting a calling message in said determined communication slot indicative of the portable telephone being called; means for repeating transmission of said calling message a number of times as determined by system loading and available capacity to transmit such calls; and means for transmitting an indication of a current guaranteed number of calling message repeats; wherein said portable telephone uses said indication of a current guaranteed number of calling message repeats to determine the length of the sleep mode to enter.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 147 words

A mobile radio telephone system comprising at least one base station transmitting information to portable telephones indicating whether a portable telephone is being called, comprising: means for dividing a repetitive frame period into a number of communication slots; means for determining the communication slot to be used for transmitting a call to a portable telephone based on the portable telephone's telephone number or ID; means for transmitting a calling message in said determined communication slot indicative of the portable telephone being called; means for repeating transmission of said calling message a number of times as determined by system loading and available capacity to transmit such calls; and means for transmitting an indication of a current guaranteed number of calling message repeats; wherein said portable telephone uses said indication of a current guaranteed number of calling message repeats to determine the length of the sleep mode to enter.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 26 words

The mobile radio telephone system according to claim 13, wherein said frame includes a frame marker for identifying slot one and subsequent slots in said frame.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 30 words

The mobile radio telephone system according to claim 14, wherein said frame marker is another timeslot used for broadcasting information to all portable telephones in the mobile radio telephone system.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 23 words

The mobile radio telephone system according to claim 15, wherein said broadcast information includes details of surrounding base stations used for transmitting calls.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 36 words

The mobile radio telephone system according to claim 14, wherein said broadcast information includes an infrequently changed random number used in an authentication algorithm to verify authenticity of mobile phones attempting to communicate with the system.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 35 words

The mobile radio telephone system according to claim 13, wherein said base station transmission occupies one timeslot of a Time Division Multiplexed transmission and the other timeslots contain traffic signals to subscribers engaged in conversation.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 152 words

A method for paging a mobile phone in a radiotelephone system having a plurality of mobile phones wherein said mobile phones are in a reduced power sleep mode when they are idle, comprising the steps of: waking up at assigned intervals to receive data which is broadcast on an assigned first try sleep mode time slot; decoding said received data; adopting a low power sleep mode until next assigned first try sleep mode time slot when correctly decoded data is for another mobile phone; and waking up to receive data broadcast on a second try time slot when said first data is not correctly decoded, wherein data broadcast on said second try time slot are broadcasted using at least one of a) an increased amount of error correction coding, b) a higher broadcast power level and c) a wider broadcast area as compared to data broadcast on said first try time slot.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 152 words

A method for paging a mobile phone in a radiotelephone system having a plurality of mobile phones wherein said mobile phones are in a reduced power sleep mode when they are idle, comprising the steps of: waking up at assigned intervals to receive data which is broadcast on an assigned first try sleep mode time slot; decoding said received data; adopting a low power sleep mode until next assigned first try sleep mode time slot when correctly decoded data is for another mobile phone; and waking up to receive data broadcast on a second try time slot when said first data is not correctly decoded, wherein data broadcast on said second try time slot are broadcasted using at least one of a) an increased amount of error correction coding, b) a higher broadcast power level and c) a wider broadcast area as compared to data broadcast on said first try time slot.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 43 words

A method for paging a mobile phone in a radiotelephone system according to claim 19, wherein said mobile phone continues to wake up for data broadcast on said first try time slot while also listening for data broadcasts on said second time slot.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 45 words

A method for paging a mobile phone in a radiotelephone system according to claim 19, further comprising the step of: waking up for only said first try time slot when the mobile phone correctly receives a second try call which is for another mobile phone.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 47 words

A method for paging a mobile phone in a radiotelephone system according to claim 19, further comprising the step of: waking up for only said first try time slot when the mobile phone fails to receive a second try call after a third predetermined period of time.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 96 words

A portable wireless telephone having an idle mode and a reduced power idle mode to conserve power, comprising: receiver/decoder means to receive and decode paging messages broadcast using a guaranteed number of message repetitions by a mobile phone system in a repetitive paging timeslot assigned to a group of mobile phones and also to identify said guaranteed number; and control unit means connected to said receiver/decoder means responsive to said guaranteed number and to said decoded paging messages to place said receiver/decoder circuits in a low power condition according to a first or second idle-mode schedule.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 96 words

A portable wireless telephone having an idle mode and a reduced power idle mode to conserve power, comprising: receiver/decoder means to receive and decode paging messages broadcast using a guaranteed number of message repetitions by a mobile phone system in a repetitive paging timeslot assigned to a group of mobile phones and also to identify said guaranteed number; and control unit means connected to said receiver/decoder means responsive to said guaranteed number and to said decoded paging messages to place said receiver/decoder circuits in a low power condition according to a first or second idle-mode schedule.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 48 words

A portable phone according to claim 23, wherein said first or second idle mode schedule is selected by said control unit depending upon time since receipt of the last paging message addressed to said phone or to the time since said phone was used to initiate a call.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 36 words

A portable phone according to claim 23, wherein said second idle mode comprises powering up said receiver/decoder to receive every Nth message on said phone's designated paging slot where N is equal to said first number.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 46 words

A portable phone according to claim 25, wherein said receiver/decoder means after walking up to receive a paging message is in said second idle mode also powered up to receive following message repeats if said message was not decoded correctly on a first or previous repeat.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 31 words

A portable phone according to claim 23, wherein said control unit means in said first idle mode powers up said receiver/decoder to receive every message repeat on its assigned paging timeslot.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 66 words

A portable telephone according to claim 23, wherein said control unit causes said receiver/decoder means to wake up to receive all paging message repeats during the first idle-mode schedule and wherein said control unit causes said receiver/decoder means to wake up to receive every Nth message transmitted on a designated sleep mode slot during the second idle-mode schedule, wherein N is equal to the guaranteed number.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2001-10-19	2002-04-20	2002-10-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2005-10-19	2006-04-20	2006-10-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2009-10-19	2010-04-20	2010-10-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Efficient paging system with sleep mode duration determined by the guaranteed number of repeats

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