The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 26, 1999
Filed:
Nov. 17, 1997
Robert Steven Reis, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Vikram Verma, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Raytheon Company, Lexington, MA (US);
Abstract
A pager device received paging messages. The user reads a paging message, selects one of a set of stored, predetermine reply messages, and transmits the selected reply message from the pager. The reply signal is received by one of a set of local cellular receivers, which sends the received signal to a computer for interpretation. The computer initiates an action based on interpretation of the received reply signal. The communication system communicates with large numbers of pagers in a time and energy efficient manner. The pagers are associated with items located in a communication region that is interrogated by an interrogator on a one-to-many basis using broadcast commands, on a one-to-one basis using directed commands or on a combination basis using both methods. Messaging occurs through organized transmission and reception of signals between the pagers and the interrogator. A batch collection protocol uses a combined one-to-many and one-to-one communication system that effectively resolves communication contentions. The batch collection protocol employs a plurality of collection periods which communicate with large or unknown numbers of portable pagers.