Message communication system with message storage

A message communication system with message storage comprising:

• transmitting means for developing and transmitting a binary encoded data train which has a message portion and a header preceding said message portion, said message portion including a plurality of characters, said header including, in the order stated, a plurality of synch signals, a first control signal following said synch signals to mark the end of said plurality of synch signals, a selected number of address signals immediately following said first control signal, said first control signal being further interposed between each of said selected number of address signals in the event said header includes more than one of said selected number of address signals, a second control signal to mark the end of said selected number of address signals, and a message length signal having information of a total character count of said plurality of characters;
• and
• a plurality of personal receivers, each of said personal receivers including reception duty cycle means for sequentially activating each of said personal receivers for a first time period and deactivating each of said personal receivers for a second time period defining a duty cycle, said plurality of synch signals extending for a time period which is in excess of said second time period, synch means responsive to said synch signals and operative to prepare said personal receiver for reception of said data train, address means responsive to said address signals for addressing one or more of said personal receivers for which said message portion is intended defining an addressed personal receiver, said address means having first addressable means responsive to a particular one of said personal receivers and second addressable means responsive to other of said address signals for commonly identifying selected ones of said personal receivers and being programmable by said message portion, and message means for receiving and storing in said addressed personal receiver said message portion and selectively displaying said message portion in alphanumeric characters, said message means in response to said message length signal further being for reserving a selected number of characters storage locations in said addressed personal receiver commensurate with said total character count.

In a message communication system with message storage, a method comprising steps of:

• developing a binary encoded data train having a header preceeding a message portion, said header including, in the order stated, a plurality of synch signals, a first control signal following said synch signals to mark the end of said plurality of synch signals, a selected number of address signals immediately following said first control signal, said first control signal being further interposed between each of said selected number of address signals in the event that header includes more than one of said selected number of address signals, a second control signal to mark the end of said selected number of address signals, and a message length signal having information of a total character count of a plurality of characters in said message portion;
• transmitting said data train;
• receiving in a plurality of personal receivers said synch signals to prepare each of said personal receivers for reception of said data train;
• receiving in said plurality of personal receivers said first control signal, said selected number of address signals and said second control signal, and comparing said address signals to address codes in each of said personal receivers to determine which of one or more of said personal receivers said message portion is intended defining an addressed personal receiver said address codes having a first address code uniquely identifying a different one of said personal receivers and second address codes commonly identifying selected ones of said personal receivers and being programmable by said message portion;
• receiving said message length signal in said addressed personal receiver and reserving character storage locations in said addressed personal receiver commensurate with said character count;
• receiving said message portion in said addressed personal receiver and storing said message portion in said reserved character storage locations;
• and
• selectively displaying said message portion in alphanumeric characterics.

In a message communication system with message storage, a method comprising steps of:

• developing a binary encoded data train having a header preceeding a message portion, said header including, in the order stated, a plurality of synch signals, a first control signal to mark the end of said plurality of synch signals, a selected number of address signals immediately following said first control signal, said first control signal being further interposed between each of said selected number of address signals in the event said header includes more than one of said selected number of address signals, a second control signal to mark the end of said selected number of address signals, and a message length signal having information of a total character count of a plurality of characters in said message portion;
• transmitting said data train;
• sequentially activating a plurality of personal receivers for a first time period and deactivating said personal receivers for a second time period defining a duty cycle, said plurality of synch signals extending for a time period which is in excess of second time period;
• receiving in those personal receivers which are activated synch signals to prepare each of said activated receivers for a reception of said data train;
• receiving in said prepared personal receivers said first control signal, said selected number of address signals and said second control signal and comparing said address signals to address codes in each of said personal receivers to determine which of one or more of said personal receivers said message portion is intended defining an addressed personal receiver, said address codes having a first address code uniquely identifying a different one of said personal receivers and second address codes commonly identifying selected ones of said personal receivers and being programmable by said message portion;
• receiving said message length signal in said addressed personal receiver and reserving character storage locations in said addressed personal receiver commensurate with said character count;
• receiving said message portion in said addressed personal receiver and storing said message portion in said reserved character storage locations;
• and
• selectively displaying said message portion in alphanumeric characterics.