US 5,293,484 A · Method and apparatus for controlling electronics signs using radiopaging signals

Abstract

An advanced telecommunication system is provided for central control of electronic signs. A display development kit is provided to create binary display programs which create visual activity on one or more electronic signs. These display programs are stored on the disk drive of a system control computer which periodically runs a system control program to upload display programs to the electronic signs using radiopaging signals. The system control program employs a telephone modem to connect through a public switched telephone network (PSTN) to a paging terminal. In accordance with the system control program, the system control computer divides each display program into multiple packets which are transmitted to the paging terminal as alphanumeric radiopages. The paging terminal encodes the packets into radiopaging format, frequency shift key modulates the data, and transmits the pages on a radio frequency channel. Electronic signs decode the radiopages into data packets. A receiver subsystem in the electronic sign reconstructs the original display programs using the data packets. Data provided in a display program can span across more than one page. The system control program creates packets containing display program data such that blocks of display program data that are greater than one page are transmitted transparently to a paging terminal from the central computer, and from the paging terminal to a paging receiver without requiring hardware or software modification of existing paging terminals and paging central offices.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A method for formatting display programs as radiopaging signals to control electronic signs, comprising the steps of:

writing said display programs to digital memory;
creating a packet buffer in said digital memory;
generating a first data byte comprising a message identification number uniquely identifying at least one of said display programs and storing said message identification number in said packet buffer;
generating a second data byte comprising a packet sequence number uniquely identifying each of said packets created to transmit said display program to at least one electronic sign and storing said packet sequence number in said packet buffer;
reading a predetermined number of bytes of said display program into said packet buffer, said predetermined number corresponding to the maximum number of bytes permitted per page in accordance with a selected radio paging format;
examining said display program stored in said digital memory to determine whether additional bytes of said display program remain;
transmitting the contents of said packet buffer to a paging terminal;
reading said predetermined number of said remaining bytes into said packet buffer;
and
incrementing said packet sequence number by one.

7 more elements

A method for processing radiopaging signals at a paging receiver to retrieve packetized data messages transmitted to said receiver by a paging terminal, comprising the steps of:

receiving a first packet from said paging terminal and processing said first packet for storage in a sort queue configured to store a plurality of packets;
receiving a second packet from said paging terminal;
setting a variable NEXT--SEQ to a predetermined value to indicate that no new packets have been received during a specified time period;
determining whether a packet sequence number provided in said second packet is less than said NEXT--SEQ, and discarding said second packet when said packet sequence number is less than said NEXT SEQ;
comparing said second packet with said first packet stored in said sort queue to determine if said second packet matches said stored packet;
writing said second packet into said sort queue if said second packet is different from said previously stored packet;
and
sorting said first and second packets stored in said sort queue in accordance with packet sequence numbers associated with each of said stored packets.

5 more elements

A system for providing data messages to a paging terminal for transmission to an electronic sign comprising:

a digital memory for storing display programs used for generating data messages comprising alphanumeric characters and animated graphics on said electronic sign;
a processor for packetizing at least one of said display programs to generate a radiopage comprising a pager identification number and a data block of display program packets;
a modem coupled to said processor and to at least one telephone line, said processor being operable to provide said radiopage to said modem;
and
a paging terminal coupled to said telephone line for receiving and processing said radiopage transmitted by said modem, said paging terminal comprising a database of subscriber records for converting said pager identification number (PIN) to a receiver identification code (RIC) corresponding to said sign, said paging terminal being operable to broadcast said radiopage to said sign.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for controlling electronics signs using radiopaging signals

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for controlling electronics signs using radiopaging signals

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24