Motorola Mobility, Inc. v. Apple, Inc.

Filing 94

NOTICE by Motorola Mobility, Inc. of Filing Brief on Claim Construction (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit, # 2 Exhibit, # 3 Exhibit, # 4 Exhibit, # 5 Exhibit, # 6 Exhibit, # 7 Exhibit, # 8 Exhibit, # 9 Exhibit, # 10 Exhibit, # 11 Exhibit, # 12 Exhibit, # 13 Exhibit, # 14 Exhibit, # 15 Exhibit, # 16 Exhibit, # 17 Exhibit, # 18 Exhibit, # 19 Exhibit, # 20 Exhibit, # 21 Exhibit, # 22 Exhibit, # 23 Exhibit, # 24 Exhibit, # 25 Exhibit, # 26 Exhibit, # 27 Exhibit, # 28 Exhibit, # 29 Exhibit, # 30 Exhibit, # 31 Affidavit)(Giuliano, Douglas)

Exhibit 17
to Motorola’s Opening Claim Construction Brief
July 28, 2011

11111111111111011111111101111111111011111111111111111110111111111
US005754119A

United States Patent

[45]

Deluca et al.
[54] MULTIPLE PAGER STATUS
SYNCHRONIZATION SYSTEM AND
METHOD

Date of Patent:

May 19, 1998

5,221,838 6/1993 Gutman et al. .
5,225,826 7/1993 Deluca et al.
5,258,751 11/1993 Deluca et al.
5,365,227 11/1994 Cannon et al.
5,481,258 1/1996 Fawcett et al.
5,561,848 10/1996 Minami
5,596,318 1/1997 Mitchell

[75] Inventors: Michael J. Deluca; Joan S. Deluca,
both of Boca Raton, Fla.
[73] Assignee: Motorola, Inc., Schaumburg, Ill.

Motorola Product Family 255 Service Manual, 1995 by
Motorola, Inc., Boynton Beach, Florida, part No.
6881024B80, Aug. 1995.
Motorola Product Family 255 Controller Supplement, 1995
by Motorola, Inc., Boynton Beach, Florida, part
No.6881024B80, Aug. 1995.
Introduction to the Wireless Concert!, 1995 by Motorola,
Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, part No. 6880491601, August 1995.

Aug. 31, 1995

H04Q 7/18
340/825.21; 340/311.1;
340/825.44; 370/313; 455/426; 455131.3;
455/88; 455/70
340/825.21, 311.1,
[58] Field of Search
340/825.44, 825.47, 825.52. 825.69, 313;
455/31.1, 426, 31.2, 31.3, 88, 70; 370/310,
3 11, 312, 313, 314

References Cited
[56]

[51] Int. C1. 6
[52] U.S. Cl.

Primary Examiner—Michael Horabik
Assistant Examiner—William H Wilson, Jr.

[57]

ABSTRACT

Status changes made on first pager (130 and 530) are
wirelessly communicated to an infrastructure (110 and 510)
which communicates the status changes to other pagers (150
and 550) so that the other pagers make corresponding status
changes. Thus, a user's status changes made on one pager
are automatically made on the user's other pagers. Status
changes include changes to received messages, alarm times,
alert thresholds, and key word alerts.

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
4,412,217 10/1983 Willard et al..
4,682,148 7/1987 Ichikawa et al. .
4,851,829 7/1989 DeLuca et al. .
4,875,038 10/1989 Siwiak et al..
4,952,929 8/1990 DeLuca et al..
5,124,697 6/1992 Moore .
5,153,582 10/1992 Davis .
5,168,493 12/1992 Nelson et al..

11 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
7.-504

7-508

I
USER'S
PAGER 1

I

USER'S
PAGER N+1
550 -)

530
620

USER CHANGES
STATUS OF PAGER
IE: PROTECT,
DELETE, OR READ
MESSAGE;
CHANGE ALARM
TIME OR ALERT
THRESHOLD;
CHANGE KEY
WORK ALERT; ETC.
630

DELAY FOR
OTHER INPUTS
WHICH CHANGE
PAGER STATUS

s rs

XMIT STATUS
CHANGE OF
PAGER

(-660
RECEIVE &
IGNORE STATUS
CHANGE OF
PAGER

340/825.44
340/825.44
340/825.44 X
340/825.47
340/825.44 X
340/825.44

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

[21] Appl. No.: 522,026
[22] Filed:

5,754,119

[11] Patent Number:

[19]

r

640

645

RECEIVE STATUS
CHANGE OF
PAGER

#r

5°

XMIT STATUS
CHANGE OF
PAGER

665

RECEIVE STATUS
CHANGE OF
PAGER

,. . -

655

675

CHANGE STATUS I
OF PAGER
L

EXHIBIT 17
PAGE 1

U.S. Patent

FIG. 1

May 19, 1998

r

Sheet 1 of 3

5,754,119
108

104

106

INFRASTRUCTURE

USER'S
PAGER 1
130

110
210

XMIT
MESSAGE 1

RECEIVE
MESSAGE 1
STATUS=UNREAD

RECEIVE
MESSAGE 1
STATUS=UNREAD

205

220

INPUT: USER
READS
MESSAGE 1
230

DELAY FOR
OTHER INPUTS
WHICH CHANGE
MESSAGE
STATUS
-235'I'I

XMIT STATUS
CHANGE OF
MESSAGE 1

240

245

RECEIVE STATUS
CHANGE OF
MESSAGE 1
(- 250

XMIT STATUS
CHANGE OF
MESSAGE 1
RECEIVE &
IGNORE STATUS
CHANGE OF
MESSAGE 1

265

RECEIVE STATUS
CHANGE OF
MESSAGE 1
255

c
"----7275

CHANGE STATUS
OF MESSAGE 1
100

EXHIBIT 17
PAGE 2

U.S. Patent

May 19, 1998

FIG. 5 1

-

5,754,119

Sheet 2 of 3

506

508
INFRASTRUCTURE
I

I
I
I

I

510

I

I
I

I
I
I
I

550 -)

r

I
I
I
I
I

I
I

USER CHANGES
STATUS OF PAGER
IE: PROTECT,
DELETE, OR READ
MESSAGE;
CHANGE ALARM
TIME OR ALERT
THRESHOLD;
CHANGE KEY
WORK ALERT; ETC.

I
I

i

620

I

I
I

r

I

I

I

I

I
I
I

I
I
I

I
I

I
I

I

I
I
I

I
I

r

I

I
I
I
I
I
I

630

I

I
I
I

I
I
I

I

I

DELAY FOR
OTHER INPUTS
WHICH CHANGE
PAGER STATUS

I
I
I
I

640

r 635

XMIT STATUS
CHANGE OF
PAGER

RECEIVE &
IGNORE STATUS
CHANGE OF
PAGER

L

645

RECEIVE STATUS
CHANGE OF
PAGER
I

I

I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I

I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I

I
I
I
I
I
I

I
I
I
I

XMIT STATUS
CHANGE OF
PAGER

I
I

I
I

I
I
I

I

I
I
I

I

I

I

I

I

I
I

I

650

I
I

I

I
I
I
I

I
I
I
I
I

r

I

I

I

655

I
L

I
I
I

I
I

I

I
I
I
I
I

I
I

I

500

EXHIBIT 17
PAGE 3

I
I
I
I
I
L

665

RECEIVE STATUS
CHANGE OF
PAGER
E 675
/
,

CHANGE STATUS
OF PAGER

U.S. Patent

May 19, 1998

207

206

I

ADDRESS

5,754,119

Sheet 3 of 3

208

MSG INFORMATION

MSG NO.
205

FIG. 2
241

I

242

ADDRESS

243

MSG NO.

244

STATUS CHANGE

ORIGIN

At(2
FIG. 3
258

256

257

ADDRESS

MSG NO.

259

STATUS CHANGE

ORIGIN

255

FIG. 4

I

641

ADDRESS

642

643

MEMORY
RECORD

RECORD CONTENT

644

ORIGIN

640

FIG. 6
656
ADDRESS

657

658

'"-\

MEMORY
RECORD

--N1

RECORD CONTENT
655

FIG. 7
EXHIBIT 17
PAGE 4

659

ORIGIN

I

5,754,119

1

2

MULTIPLE PAGER STATUS
SYNCHRONIZATION SYSTEM AND
METHOD

user's pagers automatically made on the other one or ones of
the plurality of the user's pagers.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of two-way
communication devices and, in particular, to information
managed therein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As the acceptance of selective call communication
devices, or pagers, including two-way pagers, continues to
grow, and as their affordability continues to improve, some
users are acquiring pagers which have a same selective call
address. Pagers come in different form factors or colors to
complement a user's attire. Thus, the user carries one pager
at one time with one apparel outfit and another pager at
another time with another outfit. For example, a neon
colored belt worn pager is used for a day at the beach, and
a black and gold pen pager with a business suit is used for
an evening business meeting.
Reductions in battery power consumption technology
have resulted in substantial improvement in battery life of a
pager. Thus, it is feasible for a user to leave a pager on
twenty-four hours per day to assure continuous reception of
paging messaging while also maintaining an acceptable
battery life.
However, a problem arises when the user has multiple
pagers which are left continuously on. For example, messages received by a pager carried by a user are also received
by the user's other pagers which are not carried at that time.
Disadvantageously, with known pagers, message status
changes made by the user on the carried pager are not made
on the user's other pagers. If a user reads, deletes, or protects
a message on the carried pager, the message remains as an
unread message on the user's other pagers. Thus, when the
user changes attire and corresponding pagers, the user is
faced with a different pager having messages with an unread
status, which are identical to messages previously read,
deleted or protected on another pager. Thus, the user must
again read and decide the status of each message received on
the other pager. This additional tedious task required after
each change of a pager poses an inconvenience to the user
that could deter a user from acquiring a number of pagers in
different form factors and colors. Thus, what is needed is a
way to have message status changes made on any one of the
user's pagers automatically made on the user's other pagers.
A similar problem arises when the user has multiple
pagers and the user changes configuration information
stored in one of the pagers, as, for example, when the user
changes, on the carried pager, the time of a daily alarm, or
the type of alert produced when a message from a certain
user or a message having a certain content is received. The
latter situation occurs when the user subscribes to an information service that communicates many news items. For
this kind of service, the user may desire an audio alert when
specific items of information are received. Examples include
changes in the value of a financial instrument or a key word
or phrase indicative of a popular news item. Typically, a user
wants the configuration of the interface on each of the user's
pagers to be substantially identical in order to maintain a
familiarity with the interface. However, the user of several
pagers would be inconvenienced with having to change the
configuration information stored in each of the pagers.
Thus, what is needed is a way to have status changes to
a pager configuration made on any one of a plurality of the

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
5

One aspect of the present invention is a method of
communicating changes in a status of message information
in a pager. The method includes the steps of: receiving a first
message from a source, the first message having first inforto mation for a communication device and having a status
associated therewith; changing the status of the first information responsive to an input to the device; and transmitting
a second message having second information indicative of
the status of the first information to the source responsive to
the step of changing.
15
Another aspect of the invention is a method of synchronizing message information among a plurality of transceivers that includes the steps of: transmitting, by a messaging
infrastructure, a first message having a first status; in one
transceiver of the plurality of transceivers, changing the first
20
status of the first message to a second status responsive to an
input to the one transceiver, and transmitting a second
message indicative of the second status; in the infrastructure,
transmitting a third message indicative of the second status;
25 and, in at least one other transceiver of the plurality of
transceivers, receiving the third message, and in response to
receiving the third message, changing the first status of the
first message to the second status.
Still another aspect of the invention is a method of
30 synchronizing a status category of a plurality of transceivers.
The method includes the steps of: in a first transceiver,
changing the status of the first transceiver from a first status
to a second status, and transmitting a first message indicative
of the second status; and also including, in a messaging
35 infrastructure, the steps of: receiving the first message, and
transmitting a second message indicative of the second
status; and further including, in a second transceiver, the
steps of: receiving the second message, and changing a
status of the second transceiver to the second status in
443 response thereto. Yet another aspect of the invention is a
system for synchronizing a status category of a plurality of
devices communicating with an infrastructure, in which
each of the plurality of devices has at least one status
category, and in which each of the at least one status
45 category has a plurality of states. The system includes means
for changing a status category of the at least one of the
plurality of devices to produce a current state of the status
category; means in the at least one of the plurality of devices
to produce a synchronizing signal for signaling to the
so infrastructure the current state of the status category; means
in the infrastructure to produce a current state signal for
signaling to an other of the plurality of devices the current
state of the status category of the one of the plurality of
devices in response to the synchronizing signal; and means
55 in the other of the plurality of devices for changing the
current state of the at least one status category of the other
of the plurality of devices to the current state of the at least
one of the plurality of devices in response to the current state
signal.
60 A further aspect of the invention is a system for synchronizing messages among a multiplicity of selective call
transceivers communicating with a paging infrastructure.
The paging infrastructure has a base transmitter and a
controller. Each transceiver has a processor and a transmit65 ter. Each transceiver also has at least one status category, and
each of the at least one status category has a plurality of
states. The system includes: a user interface on at least one

EXHIBIT 17
PAGE 5

5,754,119
3

4

of the transceivers for changing a state of a status category
of the at least one of the transceivers to produce a synchronizing signal, the user interface being coupled to the processor; a software element at the processor for controlling
transmission of a synchronizing signal by the transmitter
after a change of state of a status category; and another
software element at the controller for controlling transmission of a current state signal by the base transmitter in
response to the synchronizing signal.

Ayerst et al. now U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,369; and application
Ser. No. 08/502,399 entitled "A System and Method for
Allocating Frequency Channels in a Two-way Messaging
Network" filed Jul. 14, 1995 by Wang et al. pending, which
are hereby incorporated by reference herein. It should be
appreciated that other two-way communication systems are
also contemplated.
A communication system in accordance with the preferred
embodiment of the present invention comprises a fixed
portion and a portable portion. The fixed portion comprises
a wireless messaging infrastructure, or infrastructure, 110
that provides interfacing between a pager and typically a
public switched telephone network (PSTN) for communication of information with the pager. The operation of
infrastructure 110 is well known to those skilled in the art.
Preferably, infrastructure 110 is a Motorola ReFlexTM infrastructure modified to perform the operations shown in
dotted-line box 104. The fixed portion includes at least one
base station, for communicating with the portable portion,
utilizing the ReF1exTM protocol and coupled by communication links to a controller that controls the at least one base
station. The hardware of the controller preferably includes a
Wireless Messaging Gateway (WMGTM) Administrator rim
paging terminal, a RF-Conductor!TM message distributor,
and a RF-Usher!TM multiplexer, manufactured by Motorola,
Inc. The controller has software elements and preferably
runs under a UNIX operating system. The hardware of the
base station preferably includes a Nucleus® Orchestra !TM
transmitter and a RF-Audience!TM receiver, manufactured
by Motorola, Inc. A more detailed description of the hardware of the controller and of the base station is described in
"Introduction to The Wireless Concert!", published 1995 by
Motorola, Inc., which is available for sale to the public as
part No. 6880491G01 from Motorola, Inc., Ft. Worth, Tex.,
and which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. It will
be appreciated that other similar hardware can be utilized for
the controller and base stations.
Each of the at least one base station transmits or receives
radio signals to or from the portable portion via antennas.
The radio signals comprise selective call addresses and
message transactions between the base stations and the
pagers. The controller preferably is coupled by conventional
telephone links to PSTN for receiving selective call
messages, i.e., messages intended for one or more pagers.
The selective call messages comprise voice and data
received from the PSTN using, for example, a conventional
telephonic-type device or a computer-type device coupled to
the PSTN in a manner well known in the art.
The portable portion comprises a plurality of paging
transceivers such as pager 134) and 150. Each paging transceiver includes a transmitter and a receiver. The operation of
a paging transceiver is well known in the art and is described
more fully in U.S. Pat. No. 5,124,697 entitled "Acknowledge Back Pager" issued Jun. 23, 1992 to Moore; U.S. Pat.
No. 5,153,582 entitled "Method and Apparatus for
Acknowledging and Answering a Paging Signal" issued Oct.
6, 1992 to Davis; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,038 entitled
"Frequency Division Multiplexed Acknowledge Back Paging System" issued Oct. 17, 1989 to Siwiak et al., which are
assigned to the assignee of the present invention and which
are hereby incorporated by reference herein. The paging
transceiver, pager 130, is preferably a Motorola TangoTm
pager and has a microprocessor, or processor, modified to
perform the operations shown in dotted-line box 106. The
Motorola TangoTM pager is compatible with the ReFlex
protocol. The Tango pager is described more fully in the
Motorola Product Family 255 Service Manual published

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a system and method for
synchronizing messages of multiple pagers operating in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
FIG. 2 is a simplified signaling diagram of fields of a first
message shown symbolically in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a simplified signaling diagram of fields of a
second message shown symbolically in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a simplified signaling diagram of fields of a third
message shown symbolically in FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a system and method for
synchronizing status of multiple pagers operating in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a simplified signaling diagram of fields of a
message, shown symbolically in FIG. 5, transmitted by a
pager, for changing status of another pager in accordance
with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a simplified signaling diagram of fields of a
message, shown symbolically in FIG. 5, transmitted by an
infrastructure, for changing status of the other pager in
accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present
invention.

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram 100 of a system and method 40
for synchronizing messages of multiple selective call
transceivers, or two-way pagers, operating in accordance
with the present invention. The invention preferably operates with a two-way paging communication system that
allows communication both to and from pagers such as the 45
system described in U.S. Patent No. 5,168,493 entitled
`Time Division Multiplexed Selective Call System" issued
Dec. 1, 1992 to Nelson et al., assigned to the assignee of the
present invention, and which is hereby incorporated by
reference herein. The invention preferably operates with the 50
Motorola ReF1eXTM two-way wireless paging system infrastructure and protocol described in detail in the following
U.S. patent applications assigned to the assignee of the
present invention: application Ser. No. 08/131,243 entitled
"Method and Apparatus for Delivering Messages to Portable 55
Communications Units in a Radio Communication System"
filed Oct. 4, 1993 by Simpson et al. now U.S. Pat. No.
5,475,863; application Ser. No. 08/398,274 entitled "Method
and Apparatus for Optimizing Receiver Synchronization in
a Radio Communication System" filed Mar. 3, 1995 by 60
Ayerst, et al. allowed and issue pending; application Ser. No.
08/404,698 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Organizing
And Recovering Information Communicated in a Radio
Communication System" filed Mar. 15, 1995 by Ayerst et al.
now U.S. Pat. No. 5,644,568; application Ser. No. 08/498, 65
212 entitled "Method and Apparatus For Inbound Channel
Selection In A Communication System" filed Jul. 5, 1995 by

EXHIBIT 17
PAGE 6

5,754,119
6

5
1995 by Motorola, Inc., and in the Motorola Product Family
255 Series Controller Supplement, published 1995 by
Motorola, Inc.. which are available for sale to the public
from Motorola Paging Products Group, Boynton Beach, Fla.
as part No. 6881024B80 and part No. 68881104B36,
respectively, and which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. Pager 150 is alternatively a receive-only pager,
the operation of each of which are well known to those
skilled in the art. A software element, residing in memory,
preferably read-only memory (ROM), of pagers 130 and 150
is modified to operate the microprocessor, preferably a
Motorola M68HC11PH8, within the pager in accordance
with the description of FIG. 1. A person skilled in the art of
programming modifies the software using a Motorola HC11
Reference Manual, published 1991 by Motorola, Inc., and
using a Motorola MC68HC11PH8 Technical Data, published 1995 by Motorola, Inc., which are available for sale
to the public from Motorola, Inc., Phoenix, Ariz.
Referring to FIG. 1, dotted-line box 104 encloses a paging
infrastructure 110 and steps performed by the paging infrastructure 110; dotted-line box 106 encloses a pager 130 worn
by the user and steps performed by pager 130; and dottedline box 108 encloses at least one pager 150 assigned to the
user, but not worn by the user, and steps performed by pager
150. In accordance with the invention, infrastructure 110
receives information intended for the user of pagers 130 and
150. In step 200 a first message 205 having information is
wirelessly transmitted and is received by pagers 130 and 150
in steps 210 and 215, respectively. The pagers assign a status
to each message. Immediately after reception, the status of
the message in both pagers is "unread".
FIG. 2 shows an example of a first message, or message
205, which includes an address 206 assigned to pagers 130
and 150 for selectively identifying the pagers, a message
number 207 assigned by the infrastructure 110 for identifying the message, and message information 208 for communication to the user of pagers 130 and 150. Message 205 is
a forward channel message transmitted by the infrastructure
for reception by one or more pagers.
Referring again to FIG. 1, in step 220, pager 130 receives
an input from the user: typically the user interacts with a user
interface by depressing a button on the pager indicating a
desire to read the message. The message is then displayed on
a pager display so that the user is able to read the message.
The act of depressing the button causes the status of message
205 to change from "unread" to "read" in pager 130. During
a delay 230, additional changes to message status can occur.
The duration of delay 230 is a predetermined time period
such as a typical display time out interval where the pager
enters a low power mode when message displaying is ended.
Other status changes that can occur during the delay 230
include changes to protected or deleted status. After delay
230, the status of the message received by pager 130 is
transmitted in step 235 via a second message, that is,
message 240.
FIG. 3 shows an example of a second message, or
message 240, that includes an address 241, corresponding to
address 206, assigned to both pager 130 and pager 150 for
selectively identifying the pagers; a message number field
242 assigned by the infrastructure 110 for identifying the
number of the message; a status change information field
243 for indicating the status change occurring in step 220
and in delay 230; and an origin field 244 for uniquely
identifying the pager 130 which is the source of message
240. Message 240 is a synchronizing signal in a forward
channel message transmitted by a pager for reception by the
infrastructure. The status change information field 243

comprises, in this embodiment, a status change control
signal indicating that status change information (rather than
some other type of information) follows, and three bits of
status change information: a read/unread bit, a protect bit,
5 and a delete bit. These three bits indicate the corresponding
status of the identified message. Alternatively, message 240
has a plurality of message number field 242 and status
change information field 243 for communicating changes to
multiple messages made during step 220 and delay 230.
Infrastructure 110 receives message 240 at step 245. The
message is then submitted to a message queue of the
infrastructure 110 for transmission by the infrastructure. In
step 250, the infrastructure transmits the status of the first
message via a third message, or message 255. Message 255
1 5 is a forward channel message. FIG. 4 shows the content of
message 255 to be substantially identical to message 240.
Message 255 has an address field 256 and a message number
field 257. Message 255 is received by pager 130 in step 260
and ignored by pager 130 because it was the source of the
message. This determination is made by comparing the
20
origin field 259 of message 255 with that assigned to the
pager. Message 255 is also received by pager 150 in step
265. Pager 150 determines that message 255 has status
change information due to the status change control signal
25 included in status change field 258, and that, in this example,
the status change information applies to message 205 in
response to message 240. In response, pager 150 changes the
status of the first message 205 to correspond to the status set
by the user placing inputs to pager 130 at step 220 and delay
3

230.

Thus, the status of messages received by pagers 130 and
by all pagers 150 will be identical after execution of step
275. Thus if a user reads and deletes a message on pager 130,
it will also be identified as being read and deleted on pagers
35 150. Consequently, when the user changes from pager 130
to 150 in response to changing attire, or otherwise, the status
of messages in both pagers will be substantially identical.
This has the advantage of alleviating the inconvenience of
changing the status of unread messages in pager 150.
40 Furthermore, delay 230 has the advantage of reducing the
number status change transmissions. For example, when a
user receives a message, the first action taken is to read the
message. Without delay 230, message 240 and message 255
would be transmitted indicating a change from "unread
45 status" to "read status". This status change would then occur
in pager 150. A short time after having read the message the
user may either protect or delete the message, and again,
message 240 and message 255 would be transmitted indicating a change from the "read" status to the "protect" or
50 "delete" status. When delay 230 is added and if the second
status change occurs within the delay interval of delay 230,
only a single set of messages consisting of message 240 and
message 255 is transmitted indicating a change in message
status from "unread" to "protect" or "delete". Thus, in this
55 example, delay 230 reduces by 50% the amount of messages
communicated in the paging system in order to keep the
pager 130 and the pager 150 synchronized. This has the
advantage of reducing the loading of the infrastructure
caused by messages sent in accordance with this invention.
60 FIG. 5 shows a flow diagram 500 of a system for
synchronizing status of multiple pagers operating in accordance with the present invention. As in FIG. 1, the system
preferably operates with the Motorola ReFleXTM two-way
wireless paging system infrastructure that allows commu65 nication both to and from the pager. It should be appreciated
that other two-way communication systems are also contemplated. Referring to FIG. 6, dotted-line box 504 shows a

EXHIBIT 17
PAGE 7

5,754,119

7

8

paging infrastructure 510, box 506 shows a pager 530 worn
three could contain a message number and its status, record
by the user, and box 508 shows at least one pager 550
four through seven could contain the message associated
assigned to the user but not worn by the user.
with record one, record eight could contain a key word
Infrastructure 510 is a paging infrastructure that provides
search term, and record nine could contain high and low
interfacing between a pager and typically a PSTN for 5 search limits within a message. In alternate embodiments,
communication of information with the pager. The operation
other techniques may be used to indicate changes in the
of infrastructure 510 is well known to those familiar with the
status of the pager.
art. Preferably, infrastructure 510 is a Motorola ReFlexTM
FIG. 6 shows the structure of message 640, having an
infrastructure, the software of which is modified to perform
address field 641 for identifying pagers 530 and 550, a
the operations shown in dotted-line box 504. Pager 530 is a 10
memory record identifier, or virtual memory address, in field
transceiver capable of receiving and sending information
642 for indicating which memory record was affected by the
and is preferably a Motorola TangoTM pager modified to
status changes occurring during step 620 and delay 630, the
perform the operations shown in dotted-line box 506. Pager
contents of the changed memory record, 643, and an origin
550 is alternatively a receive-only pager, operation of which
is well known to those skilled in the art. The software of 15 field 644 for uniquely identifying pager 530 as the source of
message 640. Alternatively, message 640 contains a plurality
pagers 530 and 550 is modified to operate in accordance
of field 642 and a plurality of field 643 for indicating a
with the description of FIG. 3.
plurality of status changes occurring during step 620 and
In accordance with the invention, at step 620, pager 530
delay 630. Infrastructure 510 receives message 640 at step
receives an input from the user. Typically, the input occurs
645. and in step 650 transmits the change of status of pager
when the user depresses a button on the pager indicating a 20 530 via a second message, message 655.
desire to change the status of the pager. The status of the
FIG. 7 shows the structure of message 655, having an
pager is then changed in response to a sequence of button
address field 656 for identifying pagers 530 and 550, a
depressions. A status change includes a change in operating
memory record identifier 657 for indicating which memory
mode or information content of the pager. Changes in
operating mode include changes in alert mode, such as 25 record was affected by the status changes occurring at step
620 and delay 630, the contents of the changed memory
changing a time of day alarm, changing from silent to audio
record, 658, and an origin field 659 for uniquely identifying
alert mode, or selecting a different alert melody. Changes in
pager 530 as the source of the status change. The structure
operating mode also include changes in the status of a
of message 640 shown in FIG. 6 appears substantially
message, such as "unread", "read", "protect", and "delete"
status of a message. Changes in operating mode also include 30 identical to the structure of message 655 shown in FIG. 7;
however, it should be understood that only the information
changes in alert threshold information such as high or low
content conveyed by the messages 640 and 655 are substanvalues of a financial instrument information, sports scores,
tially identical, and that the encoding scheme and the
or other information received via an information paging
manner of inserting the message into the Reflex protocol is
service. Changes in operating mode also include changes in
information content such as edits to received or stored 35 preferably different for transmissions made by a pager
compared with transmissions made by the infrastructure.
information, additional information such as additions to
Message 640 is transmitted by pager 130. Message 655 is
RolodexTM type information or calendar appointments.
transmitted by the infrastructure in response to receipt by the
Changes in operating mode also include changes in key
infrastructure of message 640.
word search algorithms which search received information
for desired words and generate a response such as generating 40 Referring now to FIG. 5, message 655 is received by
pager 530 is step 660 and ignored since it was the source of
an alert or storing the message having the key word.
the message. Message 655 is also received by pager 550 in
Implementation of the aforesaid status changes is well
step 665. In this step, pager 530 checks the origin field 659,
known to those skilled in the art of portable information
and after establishing itself as the pager that originated the
managers such as pagers.
It is possible that during delay 630, additional changes to 45 message 655, ignores the message 655. Similarly, pager 550,
upon checking the origin field 659 determines that it is not
pager status will occur. The duration of delay 630 is a typical
the origin of the status change, and in response, pager 550
display time out interval where the pager enters a low power
changes its status to correspond to the status of pager 530 set
mode when displaying is ended. Any multiple pager status
by the user placing inputs to pager 530 at step 620 and delay
changes that occurred during delay 630 are transmitted in
step 635 via a first message 640. 50 630. This is done by replacing the status of virtual memory
records in the memory of pager 550 with the contents of
Status changes are stored as a reconfiguration of memory,
corresponding one or more field 658, thereby effecting the
preferably random access memory (RAM), in pager 530.
status change.
Message 640 communicates the change in status by comThus, the status of all of the user's pagers (in this
municating a reconfiguration of memory in pager 530. In a
preferred embodiment, pagers 530 and 550 have a common 55 example, pager 530 and pager 550) will be identical upon
execution of step 675. Consequently, when the user changes
virtual memory structure, the virtual memory structure
from pager 530 to pager 550 in response to changing attire,
facilitating communication of status change information by
or otherwise, the status of both pagers will be substantially
communicating changes in pre-defined records in the comidentical.
mon virtual memory structures. The virtual memory structure allows the physical memory structure to vary between 60 Furthermore, similar to delay 230, delay 630 has the
pagers while maintaining a common virtual structure. Thus,
advantage of reducing the number of status change transthe change in status of pager 530 is able to be communicated
missions. For example, when a user enters or changes a
by identifying at least one record, and its contents, in its
financial instrument alert threshold, and the user wants an
virtual memory that has been modified by the status change
alert when a certain stock reaches a certain value, it is
or changes occurring during step 620 and delay 630. For 65 possible that the user changes the threshold several times
example, record one could contain the alert mode of the
during the delay interval while deciding upon a final value.
pager, record two could contain a time of day alarm, record
Delay 630 only allows transmission of the value preferably

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5,754,119

9
after the display times out and enters a battery saving mode.
Thus, if the user changes the threshold four times, only a
signal indicative of the last threshold entered corresponding
to the financial instrument would be transmitted.
Consequently, only a single set of messages 640 and 655 is
transmitted indicating a status change. Thus, in this example,
delay 630 reduces by 75% the amount of messages communicated in the paging system in order to keep the status
of pagers 530 and 550 synchronized. Furthermore, since the
user is monitoring pager 530 during delay 630, if a financial
instrument value is received that exceeds an interim threshold value entered into pager 530, an alert will be generated
by pager 530. However, since the interim threshold value
was not transmitted to pager 550, no alert would be generated by pager 550. This of no great consequence because the
user is monitoring pager 530, and not pager 550, and
therefore the user receives the desired alert. The user is thus
able to take a desired action, such as ordering the purchase
or sale of the financial instrument, based upon the alert. In
any event, the user is able to switch from using pager 530 to
pager 550 knowing that the financial instrument threshold in
both pagers is identically set.
Similar examples of the advantages of the pause that
occurs during the delay 630 include entry of information in
a calendar or "Rolodex" information on acquaintances.
Delay 630 allows the user to change the entry of information
during the delay without transmitting a signal indicative of
each iteration of the entered information. This reduces the
information loading of the infrastructure in communicating
the changes to the status of the user's pagers. Furthermore,
since the pager's transmitter is operated less frequently,
delay 630 and delay 230 have the advantage of reducing the
power consumed by a battery powering the pagers 130 and
530, thereby improving the battery life of the pagers.
The present invention includes a method of communicating changes in a status of message information in a pager
130 including the steps of: wirelessly receiving a first
message from a base station, the first message having first
information for a user of the pager and having a status
associated therewith; changing the status of the first information responsive to an input to the pager; and wirelessly
transmitting a second message having second information
indicative of the status of the first information to the base
station responsive to the step of changing.
The invention also includes a method of synchronizing
message information among a plurality of transceivers, such
as pager 130 and pager 150, including the steps of:
transmitting, in step 200, by a wireless messaging infrastructure a first message having a first status; in one
transceiver, such as pager 130, of the plurality of
transceivers, changing, in step 220, the first status of the first
message to a second status responsive to an input to the one
transceiver, and transmitting, in step 235, a second message
indicative of the second status; in the wireless messaging
infrastructure, receiving, in step 245, the second message,
and responsive to receiving the second message,
transmitting, in step 250, a third message indicative of the
second status; and, in at least one other transceiver, such as
pager 150, of the plurality of transceivers, receiving, in step
265, the third message, and responsive to receiving the third
message, changing, in step 275, the first status of the first
message to the second status.
The invention further includes a method of synchronizing
a status a plurality of transceivers, such as pager 530 and
pager 550, including the steps, in a first transceiver, of:
changing the status, in step 620, of the first transceiver from
a first status to a second status as a result of an input from

10
a user, and transmitting, in step 635, a first message indicative of the second status; and also comprising, in a wireless
messaging infrastructure, the steps of: receiving, in step 645,
the first message, and transmitting, in step 650, a second
5 message indicative of the second status; and further
comprising, in a second transceiver, the steps of: receiving,
in step 665, the second message, and changing, in step 675,
a status of the second transceiver to the second status in
response thereto, wherein the first transceiver and the second
transceiver have a multiplicity of status categories that
10
include received message status, time of day alarm status,
message key word status, or message threshold value status,
each of the status categories having a plurality of states, and
the first message is a signal indicative of a state of a status
category which has changed in response to the input.
15
The microprocessor and the software that controls the
microprocessor in pager 530 comprise means in at least one
communication device of the plurality of communication
devices for changing a status category of the at least one
20 communication device of the plurality of communication
devices to produce a current state of the status category. The
microprocessor, the software that controls the
microprocessor, and a transmitter in pager 530 comprise
means in the at least one communication device of the
plurality of communication devices to produce a synchro25
nizing signal for signaling to the infrastructure 510 the
current state of the status category. The receiver, the
transmitter, the controller of the infrastructure 510, and the
software of the controller comprise means in the infrastruc30 tore 510 to produce a current state signal for signaling to
another communication device of the plurality of communication devices the current state of the status category of the
at least one communication device of the plurality of communication devices in response to the synchronizing signal.
35 The receiver, the microprocessor, and the software of the
microprocessor of pager 550 comprise means in the other
communication device of the plurality of communication
devices for changing the current state of the at least one
status category of the other communication device of the
40 plurality of communication devices to the current state of the
at least one communication device of the plurality of communication devices responsive to the current state signal
Thus, it should be apparent by now that the present
invention provides a method of synchronizing the state of
45 message information among a plurality of selective call
transceivers, or pagers. In particular, the method advantageously provides a method of communicating changes in
status category of message information, from among a
multiplicity of status categories, in a first transceiver to a
50 second transceiver. When a first status in a transceiver is
changed to a subsequent status as a result of a subsequent
input to the first transceiver, the invention provides a method
of automatically changing the first status in a second transceiver to the subsequent status.
55 While a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of
the invention has been given, it should be appreciated that
many variations can be made thereto without departing from
the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended
claims. Further, the invention is not limited to selective call
60 transceivers, or two-way pagers, but can be used with other
types of two-way communication devices, both fixed and
portable. both wireless and wireline.
We claim:
1. A method of synchronizing message information
65 among a plurality of transceivers comprising the steps of:
transmitting by a wireless messaging infrastructure a first
message having a first status;

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5,754,119
12

11

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the multiin one transceiver of the plurality of transceivers, changplicity of status categories include received message status,
ing the first status of the first message to a second status
time of day alarm status, message key word status, or
responsive to an input to the one transceiver, and
message threshold value status.
transmitting a second message indicative of the second
5
9. The method according to claim 5 wherein said step
status;
transmitting the first message indicative of the second status
in the wireless messaging infrastructure, receiving the
in the first transceiver further comprises the steps of:
second message, and responsive to receiving the secdelaying transmission of the first message by a predeterond message, transmitting a third message indicative of
mined time after changing the status of the first transthe second status; and
10
ceiver;
in at least one other transceiver of the plurality of
changing the status of the first transceiver to a subsequent
transceivers, receiving the third message, and responstatus responsive to a subsequent input to the first
sive to receiving the third message, changing the first
transceiver; and
status of the first message to the second status.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first status
transmitting the subsequent status as the second status if
is an unread status and the second status is includes read, 15
the changing of the status to the subsequent status
deleted or protected status.
occurs within the predetermined time.
3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the
10. A system for synchronizing a status category of a
steps of: in the at least one other transceiver,
plurality of wireless communication devices communicating
changing the first status of the first message to a third
with a wireless paging infrastructure, each of the plurality of
communication devices having at least one status category,
status responsive to an input to the at least one other
each of the at least one status category having a plurality of
transceiver, and
states, comprising:
transmitting a fourth message indicative of the third
means in at least one communication device of the
status; in the wireless messaging infrastructure,
plurality of communication devices for changing a
receiving the fourth message, and
25
status category of the at least one communication
transmitting a fifth message indicative of the third status;
device of the plurality of communication devices to
and
produce a current state of the status category;
in the one transceiver, receiving the fifth message, and
means in the at least one communication device of the
changing the first status of the first message to the third 30
plurality of communication devices to produce a synstatus responsive to receiving the fifth message.
chronizing signal for signaling to the infrastructure the
4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of
current state of the status category;
transmitting the second message indicative of the second
means in the infrastructure to produce a current state
status in the one transceiver further comprises the steps of:
signal for signaling to an other communication device
delaying transmission of the second message by a prede- 35
of the plurality of communication devices the current
termined time period after changing the first status of
state of the status category of the at least one commuthe first message;
nication device of the plurality of communication
changing the first status of the first message to a subsedevices in response to the synchronizing signal; and
quent status in response to a subsequent input to the one
means in the other communication device of the plurality
transceiver; and 40
of communication devices for changing the current
transmitting the subsequent status as the second status if
state of the at least one status category of the other
changing of the first status to the subsequent status
communication device of the plurality of communicaoccurs within the predetermined time period.
tion devices to the current state of the at least one
5. A method of synchronizing a status of a plurality of
communication device of the plurality of communicatransceivers comprising the steps of: 45
tion devices responsive to the current state signal.
in a first transceiver, changing the status of the first
11. A system for synchronizing messages among a multiplicity of selective call transceivers communicating with a
transceiver from a first status to a second status as a
wireless paging infrastructure, the wireless paging infraresult of an input from a user, and transmitting a first
structure having a base transmitter and a controller, each of
message indicative of the second status;
s o the multiplicity of selective call transceivers having a proin a wireless messaging infrastructure, receiving the first
cessor and a transmitter, and at least one status category,
message, and transmitting a second message indicative
each of the at least one status category having a plurality of
of the second status; and
states, the system comprising:
in a second transceiver, receiving the second message, and
changing a status of the second transceiver to the 55 a user interface on at least one of the multiplicity of
selective call transceivers for changing a state of a
second status in response thereto.
status category of the at least one of the multiplicity of
6.The method according to claim 5 further comprising the
selective call transceivers to produce a synchronizing
steps of: in the first transceiver,
signal and coupled to the processor;
receiving the second message; and
a software element at the processor for controlling transdecoding the second message without further changing 60
mission of a synchronizing signal by the transmitter
the status of the first transceiver.
after a change of state of a status category; and
7. The method according to claim 5 wherein the first
another software element at the controller for controlling
transceiver and the second transceiver have a multiplicity of
transmission of a current state signal by the base
status categories, each of the multiplicity of status categories
transmitter responsive to the synchronizing signal.
having a state, and the first message is a signal indicative of 65
state of status category which has changed in response to the
input.

EXHIBIT 17
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