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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. A method, in a radio receiver, for generating alerts based upon message
content, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving a common message comprising at least first and second recipient
identifications (IDs) and at least first and second alert codes, wherein
the common message is received by other system receivers having addresses
equivalent to an address associated with the radio receiver, and wherein
the at least first and second recipient IDs and the at least first and
second alert codes are separate and distinct from the address:
determining which of the at least first and second recipient IDs included
in the common message is a recipient ID associated with the radio
receiver;
selecting one of the at least first and second alert codes indicated by the
recipient ID associated with the radio receiver, wherein the one of the at
least first and second alert codes selected by the radio receiver can be
different from an alert code, included in the at least first and second
alert codes, that is selected by others of the other system receivers; and
generating an alert associated with the one of the at least first and
second alert codes.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least first and second recipient
IDs are located in a first set of predetermined locations within the
common message, and wherein the selecting step comprises the steps of:
determining a first predetermined location included within the first set of
predetermined locations of the common message in which the recipient ID
associated with the radio receiver is located; and
utilizing the first predetermined location to look up a second
predetermined location included within a second set of predetermined
locations included in the common message, wherein the one of the at least
first and second alert codes is located in the second predetermined
location.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:
utilizing the one of the at least first and second alert codes provided in
the common message to locate an alert pattern.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the generating step comprises the step
of:
driving a transducer with the alert pattern to generate the alert.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:
utilizing the one of the at least first and second alert codes provided in
the common message to locate a recorded sound.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the generating step comprises the step
of:
driving a speaker with the recorded sound to generate the alert.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the radio receiver and the other system
receivers are associated with one of opposing sports teams, the common
message includes information about a sports event in which the opposing
sports teams are participating, the at least first and second alert codes
are associated with positive and negative alerts, and the generating step
comprises the step of:
generating the positive alert when the recipient ID associated with the
radio receiver indicates that the information included in the common
message is favorable to the sports team with which the radio receiver is
associated.
8. A method for generating alerts based on message content in a
communication system comprising a terminal which transmits messages to
system receivers all having a common address with which the messages are
associated, the method comprising the steps of:
the terminal transmitting the common address along with a common message to
the system receivers that are all associated with the common address, the
common message comprising at least first and second recipient
identifications (IDs) and at least first and second alert codes, each
associated with one of the at least first and second recipient IDs,
wherein the at least first and second recipient IDs and the at least first
and second alert codes are separate and distinct from the common address;
a first radio receiver included in the system receivers receiving the
common message and determining which of the at least first and second
recipient IDs is a recipient ID associated with the first radio receiver;
the first radio receiver selecting the first alert code as that indicated
by the recipient ID associated with the first radio receiver;
the first radio receiver generating an alert associated with the first
alert code provided in the common message:
a second radio receiver included in the system receivers receiving the
common message and determining which of the at least first and second
recipient IDs is a recipient ID associated with the second radio receiver;
the second radio receiver selecting the second alert code as that indicated
by the recipient ID associated with the second radio receiver; and
the second radio receiver generating an alert associated with the second
alert code provided in the common message.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least first and second recipient
IDs are located in a first set of predetermined locations within the
common message, and wherein the selecting step comprises, in the first
radio receiver, the steps of:
determining a first predetermined location included within the first set of
predetermined locations in which the recipient ID associated with the
first radio receiver is located; and
utilizing the first predetermined location to look up a second
predetermined location included within a second set of predetermined
locations, wherein the the first alert code is located in the second
predetermined location.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein the generating step comprises, in the
first radio receiver, the steps of:
utilizing the first alert code to locate an alert pattern; and
driving a transducer with the alert pattern to generate the alert.
11. The method of claim 8, wherein the generating step comprises, in the
first radio receiver, the steps of:
utilizing the first alert code provided in the common message to locate a
recorded sound; and
driving a speaker with the recorded sound to generate the alert.
12. The method of claim 8, wherein the first and second radio receivers are
associated, respectively, with first and second teams participating in a
sports event, the common message includes information about the sports
event, the first and second alert codes are associated, respectively, with
positive and negative alerts, and wherein:
in the first radio receiver, the generating step comprises the step of
generating the positive alert associated with the first alert code to
indicate that the information included in the common message is favorable
to the first team associated with the first radio receiver; and
in the second radio receiver, the generating step comprises the step of
generating the negative alert associated with the second alert code to
indicate that the information included in the common message is not
favorable to the second team associated with the second radio receiver.
13. A radio receiver for generating alerts based upon content of received
messages, the radio receiver comprising:
a receiving circuit for receiving an address and a message common to all
system receivers, the address indicating that the message is intended for
reception by the system receivers, the message comprising at least first
and second alert codes that are separate and distinct from the address and
that are each indicative of an alert pattern, the message further
comprising at least first and second recipient identifications (IDs) that
are separate and distinct from the address and that direct each of the
system receivers to one of the at least first and second alert codes
within the message;
an ID locator element coupled to the receiving circuit for monitoring,
after determining from the address that the message is intended for
reception by the radio receiver the message to determine whether an ID
associated with the radio receiver is equivalent to one of the at least
first and second recipient IDs and, when the ID associated with the radio
receiver is equivalent to one of the at least first and second recipient
IDs, for determining a location of the one of the at least first and
second recipient IDs within the message;
an alert code locator element coupled to the ID locator element for
utilizing the location of the one of the at least first and second
recipient IDs to look up a location associated with one of the at least
first and second alert codes provided in the message; and
a sound locator element coupled to the alert code locator element for
utilizing the one of the at least first and second alert codes to look up
alert information associated therewith.
14. The radio receiver of claim 13, further comprising:
an alert mechanism for generating an alert based upon the alert information
looked up by the sound locator element.
15. The radio receiver of claim 14, wherein the alert mechanism comprises a
transducer and the alert information comprises an alert pattern applied to
the transducer to generate the alert.
16. The radio receiver of claim 14, wherein the alert mechanism comprises a
speaker and the alert information comprises location information
specifying a location in which a recorded sound is stored, wherein the
recorded sound is utilized to drive the speaker to generate the alert.
17. The radio receiver of claim 13, wherein the radio receiver is
associated with a team participating in a sports event, the information
common to the system receivers is about the sports event, the one of the
at least first and second alert codes selected by the radio receiver is
indicative of positive alert information when the information is favorable
to the team, and the one of the at least first an second alert codes
selected by the radio receiver is indicative of negative alert information
when the information is not favorable to the team.
18. A communication system for alerting a user of message content, the
communication system comprising:
a terminal for generating and transmitting an address common to all system
receivers and a message associated with the address and intended for
reception by the system receivers, the message comprising at least first
and second alert codes that are separate and distinct from the address and
that are each indicative of an alert pattern, the message further
comprising at least first and second recipient identifications (IDs) that
are separate and distinct from the address and that direct each of the
system receivers to one of the at least first and second alert codes
within the message;
a radio receiver for receiving the address and the message, for determining
from the address that the message is intended for reception by the radio
receiver, for determining that the first recipient ID is equivalent to an
ID associated with the radio receiver, for selecting one of the at least
first and second alert codes based upon a location of the first recipient
ID within the message, and for generating an alert associated with the one
of the at least first and second alert codes.
19. The communication system of claim 18, wherein the radio receiver
comprises:
a receiving circuit for receiving the address and the message;
a controller coupled to the receiving circuit for determining, from the
address, that the message is intended for reception by the radio receiver;
an ID locator element coupled to the receiving circuit for monitoring the
message to determine whether the ID associated with the radio receiver is
equivalent to the first recipient ID and for determining, when the ID
associated with the radio receiver is equivalent to the first recipient
ID, the location of the first recipient ID within the message;
an alert code locator element coupled to the ID locator element for
utilizing the location of the first recipient ID to look up a location
associated with the one of the at least first and second alert codes; and
a sound locator element coupled to the alert code locator element for
utilizing the one of the at least first and second alert codes to look up
alert information associated therewith, wherein the alert information is
utilized by the radio receiver to generate the alert.
20. The communication system of claim 19, wherein the radio receiver
further comprises a transducer, and wherein the alert information
comprises an alert pattern applied to the transducer to generated the
alert.
21. The communication system of claim 19, wherein the radio receiver
further comprises a speaker, and wherein the alert information comprises a
location in which is stored a recorded sound for driving the speaker.
22. The communication system of claim 18, wherein the terminal further
comprises:
a data entry device for providing the terminal with the at least first and
second alert codes to be included in the message and information
indicative of the at least first and second recipient IDs to be included
in the message;
an encoder coupled to the data entry device for encoding the at least first
and second recipient IDs and the at least first and second alert codes
into the message in locations that are separate and distinct from the
address associated with the message; and
a transmitter coupled to the encoder for transmitting the address and the
message.
23. The communication system of claim 22, wherein the terminal further
comprises:
a database for storing a plurality of recipient IDs; and
a controller coupled to the database, the data entry device, and the
encoder for using the information provided by the data entry device to
look up the at least first and second recipient IDs for transmission to
the encoder.
24. The communication system of claim 18, wherein the system receivers are
associated with teams participating in a sports event, the message
includes information about the sports event, the recipient IDs indicate to
the radio receiver whether a team associated therewith is playing in the
sports event, and the at least first and second alert codes are
indicative, respectively, of a positive alert for presentation when the
information is favorable to the team and a negative alert for presentation
when the information is not favorable to the team. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to radio receivers having alerts, and
more specifically to a radio receiver for generating an alert based upon
message content.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Portable radio receivers, such as pagers, are typically carried by users
for the purpose of receiving messages when away from a computer or
telephone. Generally, a portable receiver includes an alert mechanism for
generating an alert to announce reception of a message to the user. In
response to receiving the message, the receiver may then display the
message to the user automatically, or the message may be displayed in
response to manipulation of controls by the user. In some situations, the
user could be inconvenienced by having to read the message immediately in
order to determine its content. Therefore, some portable receivers
generate different alerts to announce reception of different types of
messages such that the user can determine the message type from hearing
the alert.
In many communication systems, common messages are often transmitted to
multiple portable receivers. Some communication systems, for instance,
transmit sports information to service subscribers who carry portable
receivers so that the subscribers can receive current information about a
sport or even a particular event. Using conventional paging technology, a
portable receiver carried by such a subscriber could, for example, be
alerted to the message type, e.g., "sports", of the received message.
Although the user could determine the message type from the alert, he
could not, however, determine message content from the alert. As a result,
the user would have to read each received message to determine whether the
current message was of interest to him.
Thus, what is needed is a method and apparatus for generating alerts based
upon message content.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method, in a radio receiver, for generating alerts based upon message
content including the step of receiving a common message comprising at
least first and second recipient identifications (IDs) and at least first
and second alert codes, wherein the common message is received by other
system receivers having addresses equivalent to an address associated with
the radio receiver, and wherein the at least first and second recipient
IDs and the at least first and second alert codes are separate and
distinct from the address. The method further includes the steps of
determining which of the at least first and second recipient IDs included
in the common message is a recipient ID associated with the radio receiver
and selecting one of the at least first and second alert codes indicated
by the recipient ID associated with the radio receiver, wherein the one of
the at least first and second alert codes selected by the radio receiver
can be different from an alert code, included in the at least first and
second alert codes, that is selected by others of the other system
receivers. An alert associated with the one of the at least first and
second alert codes is then generated.
A radio receiver for generating alerts based upon content of received
messages includes a receiving circuit for receiving an address and a
message common to all system receivers. The address indicates that the
message is intended for reception by the system receivers, and the message
includes at least first and second alert codes that are separate and
distinct from the address and that are each indicative of an alert
pattern. The message further includes at least first and second recipient
identifications (IDs) that are separate and distinct from the address and
that direct each of the system receivers to one of the at least first and
second alert codes within the message. An ID locator element is included
in the radio receiver for monitoring, after determining from the address
that the message is intended for reception by the radio receiver, the
message to determine whether an ID associated with the radio receiver is
equivalent to one of the at least first and second recipient IDs. When the
ID associated with the radio receiver is equivalent to one of the at least
first and second recipient IDs, the ID locator element determines a
location of the one of the at least first and second recipient IDs within
the message. An alert code locator element coupled to the ID locator
element utilizes the location of the one of the at least first and second
recipient IDs to look up a location associated with one of the at least
first and second alert codes provided in the message, and a sound locator
element coupled to the alert code locator element utilizes the one of the
at least first and second alert codes to look up alert information
associated therewith.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an electrical block diagram of a communication system in
accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a signal diagram of a message transmitted by a terminal included
within the communication system of FIG. 1 to a radio receiver included
within the communication system of FIG. 1 in accordance with the present
invention.
FIG. 3 is an electrical block diagram of the terminal included within the
communication system of FIG. 1 in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the operation of a processing unit included within
the terminal of FIG. 3 in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an electrical block diagram of the radio receiver included within
the communication system of FIG. 1 in accordance with the present
invention.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the operation of a controller included within the
radio receiver of FIG. 5 in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an identification
locator element included within the radio receiver of FIG. 5 in accordance
with the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart depicting the operation of an alert code locator
element included within the radio receiver of FIG. 5 in accordance with
the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the operation of a sound locator element included
within the radio receiver of FIG. 5 in accordance with the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 is an electrical block diagram of a communication system 100
comprising a terminal 105 for transmitting messages to a plurality of
radio receivers 110, such as portable pagers or transceivers, over the
air. The messages received by the radio receivers 110 preferably include
message information for display to the user in addition to alert codes
from which a receiver 110 can determine which of several predetermined
alerts should be generated to announce reception of the message.
According to the present invention, the radio receivers 110 receive common
messages about events, such as sports events, on the same paging address.
By way of example, when the radio receivers 110 are to receive information
about baseball or football, each radio receiver 110 is associated with a
particular sports team by means of a stored recipient identification (ID)
indicative of that team. A radio receiver 110 preferably receives a sports
message and scans the message to determine whether or not its "team ID" is
included in that message to indicate that the message is of interest to
the user. It will be appreciated that, when the communication system 100
provides information messages of other types, the receiver 110 would scan
a received message to locate another type of unit ID. In sports-specific
situations, when the team ID associated with the radio receiver 110 is
included in the message, the radio receiver 110 proceeds to locate an
alert code included within the message to determine which of the
predetermined alerts is to be generated. When, for instance, the message
information indicates that the sports team associated with the receiver
110 has scored a run or a touchdown, an alert code within the message can
prompt the receiver 110 to generate a "cheer" or "yea" noise to inform the
user of a favorable occurrence. As mentioned, the same message is provided
to all of the receivers 110. When the same message is received by a
receiver 110 associated with the opposing team, a different alert code
within the message can result in the generation of a "boo", "sigh", or
other unfavorable noise by that receiver 110.
In this manner, a common message can be sent to different groups of
receivers 110, and each group can conveniently extract different sets of
data from the common message based upon a subaddress, e.g., the recipient
IDs. Additionally, the common message can include common data that is
intended for reception by all of the different groups of receivers 110.
Therefore, a single transmitted message can conveniently include common
data for reception by all of the receivers 110 and at least two different
sets of data, each intended for reception by a different receiver group.
Conventionally, in order to provide different information to two different
paging groups, two different messages, each sent with a unique paging
address, are transmitted over the air. As a result, in a conventional
sports service context, each group of pagers associated with a different
sports team would have a unique address. Messages conventionally
transmitted to home team pagers would include the home team address and
message information, e.g., alert code, intended therefor, and separate
messages transmitted to visitor team pagers would include the visitor team
address and the message information intended for reception by the visitor
team pagers. According to the present invention, however, only half as
many messages are required be transmitted because the receivers 110 for
each different group can advantageously determine from the common message
which of the information is intended for reception and which is not and
can further recover common information intended for all receivers 110. As
a result, paging channels are utilized more efficiently in the
communication system 100.
FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a message that can be transmitted from the
terminal 105 to the receivers 110 to update users of the receivers 110 on
a particular sporting event, such as baseball. Preferably, the message
comprises recipient, or team, IDs 205, 210 located in predetermined
locations within the message to indicate which two baseball teams are
currently playing a baseball game that is the subject of the message. The
team IDs 205, 210 can, for example, each consume eight bits of the
message. According to the present invention, the team IDs 205, 210
indicate by their locations which of the two teams is the home team and
which of the two teams is the visitor team. In this example, the ID 205
for the visitor team is included first in the message and is followed by
the home team ID 210. The message further comprises a visitor alert code
215 and a home alert code 220, each located in different predetermined
locations. Additionally, the message can include game information 225 to
inform the user of the current game status. Such game information 225 can,
for example, include details about which team is at bat, the inning of the
game, the number of outs for the team at bat, and the score of the game.
In accordance with the present invention, a radio receiver 110 associated
with one of the team IDs 205, 210 can determine, from the location of its
ID within the message, whether its team is the home team or the visitor
team. Thereafter, the radio receiver 110 can advantageously determine the
location of the appropriate alert code within the message such that an
alert is generated to indicate whether the latest game event is favorable
or unfavorable to the team associated with the receiver 110.
It will be appreciated that the message of FIG. 2 is depicted for example
purposes only and that the placement of the team IDs 205, 210 and the
alert codes 215, 220 can vary as long as the placement is predetermined
and recognizable by the receiver 110. It will be further appreciated that
the number of team IDs and alert codes can vary depending upon the sport
with which the radio receiver 110 is associated. If, for example,
information about a horse race is to be transmitted to the receivers 110,
the number of team IDs and alert codes would be equal to the number of
entries in the race.
Referring next to FIG. 3, an electrical block diagram of the terminal 105
is depicted. The terminal 105 preferably comprises a data entry device
310, such as a keyboard, for entering the game information, the alert
codes for the different teams, and information about which teams are
involved in the sports event. Additionally, at the beginning of a sporting
event, the data entry device 310 can be utilized to enter information
indicative of which team is the home team and which team is the visitor
team. The information provided by the data entry device 310 is received by
a central processing unit (CPU) 315 coupled thereto for controlling the
operation of the terminal 105. The CPU 315 stores the information provided
by the data entry device 310 in a memory, such as a random access memory
(RAM) 320. The terminal 105 further comprises a database 325 for storing a
list of all of the teams and the team IDs associated therewith. The team
ID can be, if sufficient space is available within the message, the name
of the team. Alternatively, the team ID could be an abbreviated form of
the team name or any other information by which the team can be
identified.
The terminal 105 also includes an encoder 330 coupled to the CPU 315 for
encoding the team IDs, the alert codes, and the game information into a
message in a conventional manner. By way of example, the message could be
encoded using the POCSAG (Post Office Code Standardization Advisory Group)
signalling format or the GSC (Golay Sequential Code) signalling format.
The encoded message is provided to a transmitter 335 for transmitting the
message as a radio frequency signal.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the terminal CPU 315 in
accordance with the present invention. Preferably, the CPU 315 receives,
at step 405, the information, e.g., the game information, alert codes, and
visitor and home team information, from the data entry device 310 and
stores, at step 410, the information in the RAM 320. Thereafter, the CPU
315 references, at step 415, the team ID database 325 to determine the
team IDs for the visitor and home teams involved in the current event. The
team IDs, alert codes, and game information are then, at step 420,
provided to the encoder 330 for encoding into a message having the
appropriate signalling format. According to the present invention, the
message includes the team IDs and alert codes in the appropriate
predetermined locations. By way of example, the CPU 315 can provide the
visitor team ID to the encoder 330 as the first eight bits of the message
when the first eight bits of the message are the predetermined location
for the visitor team ID. When bits nine through sixteen are the
predetermined location for the home team ID, the CPU 315 can provide the
home team ID to the encoder 330 as the next eight bits of the message.
This procedure is preferably also followed for placement of the visitor
and home team alert codes in predetermined locations of the message. After
the message is encoded, it is provided, at step 425, to the transmitter
335 for transmission to the receivers 110.
As described above, the alert codes are entered into the terminal 105 via
the data entry device 310. It will be appreciated, however, that other
methods for determining the alert codes to be sent to the home and visitor
team receivers 110 could be utilized as well. For instance, the data entry
device 310 could simply be used for entering the game information and
information by which the teams are identified. A subroutine within the
terminal 105 could be followed to determine how the current game
information differs from previous game information and then whether the
latest event in the game is favorable or unfavorable for each of the
teams. If, for example, the current game information indicates that the
home team has scored a run since reception of the previous game
information, the terminal 105 could reference a database (not shown) to
determine which alert code should be provided in that instance for the
home team and which alert code should be provided for the visitor team. In
this alternate embodiment of the present invention, each alert code still
requires placement in a predetermined location within the message.
Referring next to FIG. 5, an electrical block diagram of the radio receiver
110 is shown. The radio receiver 110 preferably includes an antenna 505
for receiving a radio frequency signal transmitted by the terminal 105
(FIG. 1). A receiving circuit 510 coupled to the antenna 505 recovers the
message from the radio frequency signal in a manner well known to one of
ordinary skill in the art and provides the message to a controller 515,
which controls the operation of the radio receiver 110. The radio receiver
110 further comprises a memory, such as a RAM 520, for storing the message
and a location memory 525 for storing parameters including the
predetermined locations within each message for the visitor team ID, home
team ID, visitor alert code, and home alert code. An alert database 530
preferably stores a listing of alert codes that can be received in the
messages transmitted by the terminal 105 and a listing of alert
information corresponding thereto.
The radio receiver 110 further comprises an alert mechanism 535 for
generating an alert based upon the alert information stored in the alert
database 530 and a display 540 for displaying the game information
included in the message to the user. A memory, such as a read only memory
(ROM) 545, stores firmware elements used in processing a received message.
According to the present invention, such firmware elements include an ID
locator element 550 for monitoring the message to find a team ID
associated with the receiver 110 and determining the location thereof
within the message. An alert code locator element 555 utilizes the team ID
location to locate the appropriate alert code in the message, and a sound
locator element 560 looks up the alert code in the alert database 530 to
find alert information used in generating an alert to be heard by the
user.
The alert information can be, for example, an alert pattern used to drive
the alert mechanism 535 when the alert mechanism 535 comprises a
transducer. Alternatively, the alert information can comprise location
information indicating where a recorded sound is located in a sound memory
570. This recorded sound can be used to drive the alert mechanism 535 when
the alert mechanism 535 comprises a speaker. In some embodiments of the
present invention, both a transducer and a speaker could be included to
provide for the generation of a large variety of sounds and recorded
messages. For instance, the recorded sounds could include messages such as
"way to go " or "oops". In embodiments that include recorded sounds, it is
envisioned that such sounds could be customized by the user to provide for
greater personalization of alerts.
According to the present invention, the radio receiver 110 can
advantageously determine which of several alert codes within a message is
an alert code intended for use by that receiver 110. Therefore, different
receivers 110 can receive an identical message and select different alert
codes from the identical message to generate different sounds. Air space
is more efficiently utilized, as a result, because the terminal 105 can
send out the same message for transmission to receivers 110 associated
with both the home team and the visitor team. In prior art communication
systems, on the other hand, different messages must be transmitted to each
receiver 110 according to the alert code to be provided thereto. As a
result, a different message would have to be provided to the home team
receivers 110 than that provided to the visitor team receivers 110, and
twice as many messages would have to be transmitted over the air, thereby
clogging the airwaves.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart depicting the operation of the radio receiver
controller 515 (FIG. 5) in accordance with the present invention. At steps
605, 610, the controller 515 receives the message from the receiving
circuit 510 and stores the message in the RAM 520. Thereafter, the
controller 515 provides, at step 615, the message to the ID locator
element 550. When, at step 620, the team ID associated with the receiver
110 is included within the message, the location of the ID is provided by
the ID locator element 550 to the controller 515, at step 625. Next, at
step 630, the ID location is provided to the alert code locator element
555, which determines which of the alert codes included in the message is
the alert code to be used by the receiver 110. When, at step 635, the
controller 515 receives the alert code from the alert code locator element
555, the alert code is provided, at step 640, to the sound locator element
560 for looking up alert information associated with the alert code. The
alert information is received, at step 645, by the controller 515.
As mentioned above, the alert information can comprise an alert pattern or
a location of a recorded sound, depending upon the type of alert mechanism
535 (FIG. 5), e.g., transducer or speaker, utilized by t | | |
