Messaging devices and methods

1. An electronic messaging device, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a message at an operational frequency;

a controller operatively connected to the receiver;

a memory operatively connected to the controller and configured to store a message received by the receiver, a value of a first variable, and a value of a second variable; and

a power source configured to supply electrical power to the controller; and

wherein the controller is configured to:

operate the receiver at a first operational frequency;

determine a first filtered average received signal strength indication (RSSI) level of the first operational frequency based on a first plurality of measured RSSI levels, wherein only measured RSSI levels that are within a target RSSI range are included in the first plurality of measured RSSI levels;

when the determined first filtered average RSSI level of the first operational frequency is above a first threshold RSSI level:

increment the value of the first variable; and

when the value of the first variable is at a first threshold value, reduce the value of the second variable;

when the determined first filtered average RSSI level of the first operational frequency is below the first threshold RSSI level:

increment the value of the second variable; and

when the value of the second variable is at a second threshold value, operate the receiver at a second operational.

2. The electronic messaging device of claim 1 , wherein the first threshold RSSI level is about −110 dBm.

3. The electronic messaging device of claim 2 , wherein the target RSSI range is about −120 dBm to about −60 dBm.

4. The electronic messaging device of claim 1 , wherein the first threshold value is equal to the second threshold value.

5. The electronic messaging device of claim 1 , wherein when the value of the first variable meets or exceeds the first threshold value, the value of the second variable the count is reduced to a value of zero.

6. The electronic messaging device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

when the receiver is operating at the second operational frequency, operate the receiver at the first operational frequency when a synchronization signal is received;

determine a second filtered average RSSI level of the first operational frequency based on a second plurality of measured RSSI levels, wherein only measured RSSI levels that are within the target RSSI range are included in the second plurality of measured RSSI levels; and

when the second determined filtered average RSSI level of the first operational frequency is below a second threshold RSSI level, operate the receiver at the second operational frequency.

7. The electronic messaging device of claim 6 , wherein the second determined threshold RSSI level is greater than the first threshold RSSI level.

8. The electronic messaging device of claim 6 wherein the controller is configured to:

monitor a number of times that the second determined filtered average RSSI level of the first operational frequency is above the second threshold RSSI level; and

continue to operate the receiver at the first operational frequency when the number of times that the second determined filtered average RSSI level of the first operational operation frequency meets a third threshold.

9. The electronic messaging device of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to:

monitor a number of times that the second determined filtered average RSSI level of the first operational frequency is below the second threshold RSSI level; and

when the number of times that the second determined filtered average RSSI level of the first operational frequency is below the second threshold RSSI level and meets a fourth threshold number of times, reduce a count associated with the number of times that the second determined filtered average RSSI level of the first operational frequency is above the second threshold RSSI level.

10. The electronic messaging device of claim 9 , wherein the second threshold RSSI level is about −103 dBm.

11. The electronic messaging device of claim 9 , wherein the third threshold number of times is three times and the fourth threshold number of times is ten times.

12. The electronic messaging device of claim 1 , wherein the power source is a rechargeable power source.

13. The electronic messaging device of claim 12 , comprising a data port, wherein the rechargeable power source is configured to receive a charge via the data port.

14. The electronic messaging device of claim 13 , wherein the data port is a Universal Serial Bus (USB)interface.

15. The electronic messaging device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to decrypt messages received by the receiver using an encryption key.

16. A method, comprising:

electronically coupling a messaging device to a computing device, the messaging device locally storing a plurality of messages in a memory of the messaging device;

uploading the plurality of messages from the memory of the messaging device to the computing device through the coupling;

subsequent to the messaging device being added to a message distribution group comprising a plurality of existing messaging devices, receiving from the computing device a test communication through the coupling to test an operation of the messaging device and confirming the addition of the messaging device with regard to the message distribution group without communicating with the existing messaging devices; and

when the test communication is successfully received, indicate indicating receipt of the test communication;

operating the messaging device at a first operational frequency;

determining a first filtered average received signal strength indication (RSSI) level of the first operational frequency based on a first plurality of measured RSSI levels, wherein only measured RSSI levels that are within a target RSSI range are included in the first plurality of measured RSSI levels;

incrementing the value of a first variable when the determined first filtered average RSSI level of the first operational frequency is above a first threshold RSSI level;

reducing the value of a second variable when the value of the first variable is at a first threshold value;

incrementing the value of the second variable when the determined first filtered average RSSI level of the first operational frequency is below the first threshold RSSI level; and

operating the messaging device at a second operational frequency when the value of the second variable is at a second threshold value.

17. The method of claim 16 , comprising:

receiving an update to programming of the messaging device from the computing device via the coupling.

18. The method of claim 16 , comprising:

charging a power source of the messaging device through an electrical charge received through the coupling.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein indicating receipt of the test communication comprises providing at least one of a visual alert and an audible alert.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the computing device is in communication with a host through a network connection and the update to the programming is received from the host by the computing device.

21. A messaging device, comprising:

a data communication interface;

a rechargeable power source;

a charging system operatively coupled to the data communication interface and the rechargeable power source;

a processor operatively coupled to the rechargeable power source; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the processor cause the processor to:

receive messages on one of a local operational frequency and a wide-area operational frequency, wherein the local operational frequency is associated with a private network and the wide-area operational frequency is associated with a public carrier network using a synchronous paging protocol;

receive programming commands through the data communication interface;

receive an electrical charge through the data communication interface;

subsequent to the messaging device being added to a message distribution group comprising a plurality of existing messaging devices, receive from a computing device a test communication through the data communication interface to test an operation of the messaging device and confirm the addition of the messaging device to the message distribution group without communicating with the existing messaging devices; and

when the test communication is successfully received, indicate receipt of the test communication;

operate the messaging device at a first operational frequency;

determine a first filtered average received signal strength indication (RSSI) level of the first operational frequency based on a first plurality of measured RSSI levels, wherein only measured RSSI levels that are within a target RSSI range are included in the first plurality of measured RSSI levels;

increment the value of a first variable when the determined first filtered average RSSI level of the first operational frequency is above a first threshold RSSI level;

reduce the value of a second variable when the value of the first variable is at a first threshold value;

increment the value of the second variable when the determined first filtered average RSSI level of the first operational frequency is below the first threshold RSSI level; and

operate the messaging device at a second operational frequency when the value of the second variable is at a second threshold value.

22. The messaging device of claim 21 , comprising a wireless communication interface.

23. The messaging device of claim 22 , wherein the wireless communication interface supports a Bluetooth wireless communication protocol.

24. The messaging device of claim 22 , wherein the instructions, which when executed by the processor cause the processor to:

transfer a message using the wireless communication interface to the computing device.

25. An apparatus, comprising:

a dual frequency messaging device, comprising:

means for wirelessly receiving a message sent at a first operational frequency;

means for wirelessly receiving a message sent at a second operational frequency;

means for operating the messaging device at a first operational frequency;

means for determining a first filtered average received signal strength indication (RSSI) level of the first operational frequency based on a first plurality of measured RSSI levels, wherein only measured RSSI levels that are within a target RSSI range are included in the first plurality of measured RSSI levels;

means for incrementing the value of a first variable when the determined first filtered average RSSI level of the first operational frequency is above a first threshold RSSI level;

means for reducing the value of a second variable when the value of the first variable is at a first threshold value;

means for incrementing the value of the second variable when the determined first filtered average RSSI level of the first operational frequency is below the first threshold RSSI level; and

means for operating the messaging device at a second operational frequency when the value of the second variable is at a second threshold value;

means for coupling the messaging device to a computing device;

means for receiving programming commands from the computing device;

means for receiving test commands from the computing device, wherein the test commands test an operation of the dual frequency messaging device to confirm the addition of the dual-frequency messaging device to a message distribution group without communicating with other messaging devices that are members of the message distribution group; and

means for transferring data from the messaging device to the computing device.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 , comprising:

a rechargeable power source; and

means for supplying an electrical charge to the rechargeable power source.

27. The electronic messaging device of claim 4 , wherein the first threshold value is three and the second threshold value is three.