Method and apparatus for generating and communicating messages between ...

II

United States Patent im

Pinter

US005894506A [ii] Patent Number: [45] Date of Patent:

5,894,506 Apr. 13, 1999

[54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR

GENERATING AND COMMUNICATING
MESSAGES BETWEEN SUBSCRIBERS TO
AN ELECTRONIC MESSAGING NETWORK

[75] Inventor: Gregory J. Pinter, Brandon, Miss.

[73] Assignee: SkyTel Communications, Inc.

Jackson, Miss.

[21] Appl. No.: 08/708,696 [22] Filed: Sep. 5, 1996

[51] Int CI.6 H04M 1/64

[52] U.S. CI 379/88.23; 379/88.15;

379/93.24; 340/825.44; 455/412

[58] Field of Search 379/67, 88. 89.

379/93.24. 93.25. 93.26; 455/31.3. 31.2; 395/200.3. 200.31. 200.34, 200.37, 200.41

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

2,978,676 4/1961 Spencer 340/154

3,513,443 5/1970 Andersen 340/164

3,714,375 1/1973 Stover 179/2

3,818,145 6/1974 Hanway 179/41

3,846,783 U/1974 Apsell et al 340/311

3,851,251 U/1974 Wigneretal 325/55

3,944,724 3/1976 Kilby et al 178/4.1

3.976.995 8/1976 Sebestyen 340/337

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4.010.460 3/1977 DeRosa 340/311

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4,160240 7/1979 Partipilo 340/311

4,178,475 12/1979 Taylor et al 179/2

4,197,526 4/1980 Levine 340/311

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OTHER PUBLICATIONS

"New Radio Paging System," by Mitsuru Komura et al. Japan Telecommunications Review. Jul. 1977, vol. 19, No. 3. pp. 217 and 220-225.

"Paging System Broadcasts Nationwide on FM Radio Channel," Electronics International, Jan. 4, 1979, vol. 52, No. 1, pp. 67-68.

"A Development Project of a Pocketsize Receiver for a Nationwide Paging System." by Kari Kiishinen et al. IEEE. 1979, pp. 383-387.

Primary Examiner—Fan S. Tsang

Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow. Garrett & Dunner. L.L.P.

[57] ABSTRACT

An electronic messaging network comprises a network operation center and plural message terminals, all including memories for storing corresponding files of canned messages and associated message codes. To send a canned message, a calling party selects a canned message stored at one message terminal and transmits the assigned message code to a receiving party at another message terminal via the network operation center. The receiving terminal retrieves the selected canned message from its memory using the received message code for display to the receiving party. Files of canned responses and associated response codes may also be stored in the memories at the terminals and network operation center to allow the exchange of selected canned response options in conjunction with canned messages to be in response code form.

21 Claims, 7 Drawing Sheets