[54] MESSAGE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM WITH MESSAGE STORAGE
[75] Inventors: Frank V. Giallanza, San Jose; Don M.
Tracey, Mountain View; Wayne T.
Holcombe, Palo Alto, all of Calif.
[73] Assignee: Millicom Incorporated, Melville,
N.Y.
[21] Appl. No.: 215,921
[22] Filed: Dec. 12,1980
Related U.S. Application Data
[63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 106,713, Dec. 26, 1979.
[51] Int. C1.3 G08B5/22
[52] U.S. CI 340/825.47; 340/825.44;
455/31; 455/38
[58] Field of Search 340/825.44, 825.45,
340/825.47, 825.71, 825.72, 825.48; 371/49-51, 371/58; 455/31, 32, 38, 68,70; 179/2 EC
[56] References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
3,772,596 11/1973 Edwards 455/38
4,069,477 1/1978 Maben 340/825.48
4,110,743 8/1978 Zahnd 340/825.47
4,181,893 1/1980 Ehmke 340/825.44
Primary Examiner—James J. Groody
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Fitch, Even, Tabin &
Flannery
[57] ABSTRACT
A transmission system develops a binary encoded data train having a message and a header preceding the message. The data train is applied to a carrier frequency to modulate the carrier using FSK techniques. The header includes synch signals, one or more address signals, a message length signal and control signals separating the above signals. One or more personal receivers receive the message if responsive to one of the address signals in the header. An address signal may address a unique personal receiver, a selected group of or all such personal receivers. Each receiver is sequentially activated and deactivated, being activated to detect a synch signal. If synch signals are detected, the receiver remains activated to determine if an address signal identifies such receiver to receive the message. A received message is stored digitally in a number of storage locations determined by the message length signal and may be selectively displayed in alphanumeric characters when convenient for the recipient.
65 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures
