EP0593277A1

EP0593277A1 - Radio paging receiver

Info

Publication number: EP0593277A1
Application number: EP93308154A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Takayuki Asai
Original assignee: NEC Corp
Current assignee: NEC Corp
Priority date: 1992-10-13
Filing date: 1993-10-13
Publication date: 1994-04-20
Also published as: JPH06125295A; AU4898793A; CA2108350A1

Abstract

A radio paging receiver for receiving and displaying a radio signal, to enable a user to grasp important information by comparing latest data and old data and, when the difference between the two data exceeds a predetermined value within a predetermined time period, generating an alert sound.

The user can set a specific numeral value and time information into the radio paging receiver. The time information defines the predetermined time period in which the alert sound may be generated. An absolute value between two numeral data is calculated by comparing the latest received data and the previously received old data which are stored in memory. During the defined time period, if the calculated value is greater than or equal to the specific numeral value set by the user, the paging receiver generates an alert sound.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a radio paging receiver for receiving a signal, containing an address signal and a data signal, and for displaying the data signal.

2. Description of the Related Art

Today, a radio paging receiver is extensively used not only for receiving an exclusive call but also for receiving common information such as stock price information and exchange rate information.
To better understand the present invention, a brief reference will be made to a prior art paging receiver, shown in Fig. 1.
A radio signal containing an address signal and a data signal from a base station (not shown) is received at an antenna 301. Then the address signal and the data signal are fed to a receiving section 302 to be demodulated thereby.
The demodulated signal is decoded by a decoder 303 and then compared with an address previously stored in a ROM 304. When the decoded address signal and the stored address are equal, the data signal following the address signal is decoded by the decoder 303 and then stored in a storage 305.
A display switch 306 is connected to the storage 305. When the display switch 305 is turned on, the data signal stored in the storage 305 is fed to a display 307 and displayed thereon.
Usually, the storage 305 stores a single data signal. On the reception of new data, the old data signal is replaced with the new data signal, so that the latest information is always stored in the storage 305. However, some of the conventional paging receivers are capable of storing a plurality of data signals.
The problem with the above-mentioned prior art paging receiver is that the user cannot see change of information unless the paging receiver is always put near the user. For example, the stock price information and exchange rate information change every hour, and how they change itself is important information. Particularly, the user cannot see abrupt changes in the content of stock and exchange in foreign countries where business hours are different.
A paging receiver which enables an user to select received data is disclosed in, for example, EP 0317230 A2 filed by the same applicant. In the paging receiver in this publication, the user can set a desired numeral condition for searching the received data. However, since the condition is restricted by the absolute numeral value (for example, stock price ≧ 150), the user of the paging receiver cannot also see how the stock price or the exchange rate changes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-discussed problem and provide a paging receiver allowing the user to be alerted to changes in information.
In accordance with the present invention, a radio paging receiver comprises:
a latest data storage for storing the received data signal;
an old data storage for storing, when a new data signal is received, the data signal stored in said latest data storage and transferred from said latest data storage;
a calculating section for calculating a difference between numerical values of numerical information contained in the two data signals stored in said latest and old data storage;
a condition setting section for inputting a specific condition relating to a difference between two numerical values;
a comparing section for comparing said difference produced by said calculating section and said specific condition and, if the difference calculated by said calculating section satisfies said specific condition, generating an alert signal; and
an alert generator responsive to said alert signal for generating an alert.
The invention also provides a method for controlling an alert in a radio paging receiver, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting a numerical value into the receiver;
(b) receiving a data signal contained in modulated radio signal;
(c) storing at least two latest data signals received in step (b);
(d) calculating an absolute value of a difference between numerically-expressible data contained in two latest data signals stored in step (c);
(e) comparing the absolute value obtained in step (d) and the numeric value inputted in step (a); and
(f) generating an alert if the result in the step (e) shows that said absolute value is greater than or equal to the numerical value in the step (a).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above object and feature of this invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings.

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a prior art paging receiver;
Fig. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the alert generator in the embodiment;
Figs. 4A to 4C show the example of display state of the embodiment;
Figs. 5A and 5B are flowcharts showing the operation of the embodiment.

In the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same structural elements.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to Fig. 2, an embodiment of the present invention has an antenna 101, a receiving section 102, a decoder 103, a ROM 104, a latest data storage 105, an old data storage 106, a data comparing section 109, a numeral setting section 110 and a numeral setting switch 111, an alert generator 116, a time select section 112, a time adjusting switch 113, a start time determining switch 114, an end time determining switch 115, a display switch 107 and a display 108.
The latest data storage 105 stores the latest received data from a base station (not shown).
The display switch 107 is connected to the latest data storage 105. When the display switch 107 is operated, the data signal stored in the latest data storage 105 is delivered to the display section 108 to be displayed thereon.
The old data storage 106 stores the data received prior to the latest data.
The numeral setting section 110 stores a specific numeral NO1 which is inputted from the numeral setting switch 111 by an user of the paging receiver. The numeral NO1 denotes a threshold value of change in received data.
The data comparing section 109 compares the numeral NO1 and the absolute value NO2 (that is to say the magnitude) of a difference between the latest data stored in the latest data storage 105 and the old data stored in the old data storage 106. Then, if the absolute value NO2 is larger than or equal to the numeral NO1, the data comparing section 109 outputs an alert signal a.
The time select section 112 has clock and timer function. The timer is adjustable by the switches 113, 114 and 115 for determining the time period of alerting of the alert generator 116. The time select section 112 outputs ON signal b in the determined time period.
The alert generator 116 generates an alert sound in response to the alert signal a and the ON signal b.
Reference will be made to Fig. 3 for describing the alert generator 116 in detail. The alert generator 116 comprises an AND gate 201, a tone signal generating circuit 202 and a speaker 203. The signals a and b are inputted to the AND gate 201. The speaker 203 generates an alert sound c.
Next, the operation of the embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 2 to 5. The explanation will be made for the case in which the received data is exchange rate information between Japanese yen (¥) and U.S.dollars (US$).
First, the user of the paging receiver operates the time adjusting switch 113, the start time determining switch 114 and the end time determining switch 115 of the time select section 112 to enter a start time for turning on an alert of the alert generator 116 and an end time for turning it off.
Next, the user operates the numeral setting switch 111 to enter the desired threshold numeral NO1. For example, assume that the latest data is "JYE/US$=107.50". This denotes that US$1 is equal to ¥107.50. Also, assume that the user wants to be informed when the change in the exchange rate is ¥0.20 or more.
The user inputs "0.20" as the numeral NO1 by the numeral set switch 111 as shown in Fig. 4A. Namely, the numeral NO1 displayed in the display 18 increases "0.01" for each depression of the switch 111. The decision of the NO1 is made by two seconds or more depression of the switch 111.
Next, a data receive operation will be described with reference to Figs. 5A and 5B. Now, assume that the latest data stored in the latest data storage 105 is "JYE/US$=107.50" which denotes US$1 is ¥107.50. This latest data is displayed at the display 108 as shown in Fig. 4B.
A new signal received from a base station (not shown) and containing an address signal and a data signal (e.g., "JYE/US$=107.20" which denotes US$1 is ¥107.20) is fed to the receiving section 102 via the antenna 101 to be demodulated thereby (step S1).
The demodulated address signal is decoded by the decoder 103 and then compared with an address stored in the ROM 104 beforehand (steps S2 and S3). If they compare equal, the data signal following the address signal is decoded by the decoder 103 (step S4).
The decoded new data signal "JYE/US$=107.20" is stored in the latest data storage 105. At this instant, if data has already been stored in the latest data storage 105 (i.e., "JYE/US$=107.50"), the data is transferred to the old data storage 106 (steps S5 to S7). At this time, the latest data and the old data are displayed at the display 108 by operating the display switch 107 as shown in Fig. 4C. In this case, the latest data is displayed in a position under the old data.
Next, the data comparing section 109 calculates the absolute value NO2 of a difference between the numerical information contained in the data which are stored in the latest data storage 105 and in the old data storage 106 (step S8). In this case, since the numeral value data "107.50" is stored in the old data storage 106 and the numeral value data "107.20" is stored in the latest data storage 105, the absolute value NO2 is "107.50"-"107.20"="0.30".
Then, the data comparing section 109 compares the resulting value NO2 and the value NO1 set by the numeral setting switch 111 (step S9). If the value NO2 is greater than or equal to the value NO1, the data comparing section 109 sends the alert signal a of logical high level "H" to the alert generator 111. In this case, since the calculated value NO2 = "0.30" is greater than the value NO1 = "0.20", the alert signal a is output to the section 111.
Further, the time select section 112 has a timer function. When the start time set by the above method is reached, the select section 112 sends the signal ON b of logical "H" to the alert generator 116 (step S10).
While the alert generator 116 is receiving the ON signal b, it generates an alert sound c upon receiving the alert signal a. Namely, the alert signal a from the data comparing section 108 and the ON signal b from the time selecting section 112 are applied to the AND gate 201 which delivers an AND of the two inputs to a tone signal generator 202. As stated above, since both the alert signal a and the ON signal b are at a logical "H" level, a signal of "H" level is sent to the tone signal generator 202 only when both of the signals are input.
On receiving the "H" signal, the tone signal generator 202 generates a tone signal and amplifies the tone signal to drive a speaker 203. As a result, an alert tone or sound c is produced from the speaker 203 (step S11).
When the end time is reached, the time select 112 stops sending the ON signal b to the alert generator 116, i.e., the signal b changes from the logical high level "H" to a logical low level "L". As a result, the alert generator 116 does not generate the alert sound c even when it receives the alert signal a from the data comparing section 109.
In this manner, while the user is asleep at night, for example, an alert sound is produced when the content of the received data signal undergoes a change greater than a predetermined value, thereby allowing the user to grasp important information.
Although the present invention has been fully described by way of a preferred embodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, various changes and modifications will be apparent to those having skill in this field. Therefore, unless these changes and modifications otherwise depart from the scope of the present invention, they should be construed as included therein.

Claims

A radio paging receiver for receiving a modulated radio signal including an address signal and a data signal following the address signal, and comprising data expressible numerically, and for displaying the data signal on a display, said receiver comprising:
latest data storing means for storing the received data signal;
old data storing means for storing, when a new data signal is received, the data signal stored in said latest data storing means and transferred from said latest data storing means;
calculating means for calculating a difference between numerical values of numerical information contained in the two data signals stored in said latest and old data storing means, respectively;
condition setting means for inputting a specific condition relating to a difference between two numerical values;
comparing means for comparing said difference calculated by said calculating means and said specific condition, and, if the difference calculated by said calculating means satisfies said specific condition, generating an alert signal; and
alerting means responsive to said alert signal for generating an alert.
The radio paging receiver as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said calculating means calculates an absolute value of a difference between numerical values of numerical information contained in the two respective data signals stored in said latest and old data storing means.
The radio paging receiver as claimed in claim 2, wherein said specific condition is a numerical value.
The radio paging receiver as claimed in claim 3, wherein said comparing means compares said absolute value and said numerical value set by said condition setting means, and, if the absolute value is greater than or equal to the numeral value set by the condition setting means, generates the alert signal.
The radio paging receiver as claimed in claim 4, further comprising time setting means for activating said alerting means during a period of time of a day set beforehand and deactivating said alerting means during other periods.
The radio paging receiver as claimed in claim 5, wherein said time setting means has a timer function and sends an ON signal of high level to said alerting means when a predetermined start time is reached, said calculating means sends a logical high level signal as said alert signal to said alerting means, and when the ON signal and the alert signal are inputted to an AND gate in said alerting means.
The radio paging receiver as claimed in claim 1, further comprising time setting means for activating said alerting means during a period of time of a day set beforehand and deactivating said alerting means during other periods.
The radio paging receiver as claimed in claim 7, wherein said time setting means has a timer function and sends an ON signal of high level to said alerting means when a predetermined start time is reached, said calculating means sends a logical high level signal as said alert signal to said alerting means, and when the ON signal and the alert signal are inputted to an AND gate in said alerting means.
The radio paging receiver as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the alerting means generates a sound as said alert.
A method for controlling an alert in a radio paging receiver, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) inputting a numerical value into the receiver;

(b) receiving a data signal contained in modulated radio signal;

(c) storing at least two latest data signals received in step (b);

(d) calculating an absolute value of a difference between numerically-expressible data contained in two latest data signals stored in step (c);

(e) comparing the absolute value obtained in step (d) and the numeric value inputted in step (a); and

(f) generating an alert if the result in the step (e) shows that said absolute value is greater than or equal to the numerical value in the step (a).
The method for controlling an alert in a radio paging receiver as claimed in Claim 10, further comprising the steps of:
(g) displaying at least one latest data signal stored in step (c).
The method for controlling an alert in a radio paging receiver as claimed in Claim 10 or 11, further comprising the steps of:
(h) inputting time information defining a time period for enabling step (f); and

(i) disabling step (f) during periods other than said time period.