Abstract:
A method and apparatus for facilitating input of data to an electronic device using selectively illuminated chambered keys is disclosed. A determination is made as to which of a plurality of chambers is to be illuminated. An indicia assigned to a region on the surface of the key above a selected chamber is highlighted by illumination(s), that is (are) based at least upon the determination.
Abstract:
A mobile device (620) provides an opinion system (600) for receiving opinions from a user and displaying results relating to the received opinion. Opinion user interface elements (621-622) receive input relating to the item of the opinion. The opinion is aggregated with other opinions received from other mobile devices and the result is provided to the user. A probability thereon may be applied to the aggregated opinions, and may be used to generate estimates of probability for a users propensity to an item based on the user's preferences.
Abstract:
A mobile device is equipped with components to facilitate communication with another user, as well as controlling pointing on a computing device proximally disposed adjacent to the mobile device. The communication may be audio or textual. The mobile device includes a movement mechanism to generate movement signals, which are processed into pointing control signals and transmitted to the proximally disposed computing device. The movement mechanism may be an electro-mechanical mechanism, an optical-electro-mechanical mechanism, or an optical mechanism, integrated with the device, or disposed on an interchangeable cover removably mated with a core body of the mobile device. The pointing control signals may be transmitted as radio frequency signal employing a radio frequency signal transmitter, or infrared signal employing an infrared signal transmitter. Similarly, the transmitter may be disposed on an interchangeable cover removably mated with a core body of the mobile device.
Abstract:
Identification based operational modification of a portable electronic device includes detecting the presence of an employee identification badge, authenticating the identification badge as an eligible identification badge based at least in part upon data associated with the identification badge that is individualized to at least the employee and/or employer, and modifying one or more operating characteristics of the portable electronic device resulting in an identification badge authenticated mode of operation for the portable electronic device based upon successful authentication of the identification badge.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for allowing a user device to avoid undesired state transitions when the user is present but not performing activities is provided. The method provides for detection of activity in the proximity of the user device by monitoring for sounds via an audio input device connected to the user device. The method further provides for analysis of the detected audio signals on the audio input to determine if the sound detected matches a voice reference sample of the user of the user device. If the detected sound matches the existing voice reference sample of the user, the method provides for simulation of activities on the user device, thereby preventing the user device from performing an undesired state transition, and in turn pre-empting resource saving operations.
Abstract:
A wireless mobile phone is provided with the capability to visually convey audio to users, using a number of light sources, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), in accordance with one or more attributes of the audio. The attributes may include different volume, spectrum, treble, bass, and so forth. The visualization may animate dance steps. In various embodiments, the implementations may include a visualization controller to selectively activate and deactivate the LEDs. The LEDs may be disposed on a side surface or underneath an array of input keys. In various embodiments, all or selected combinations of the elements may be part of the base unit of the wireless mobile phone, while the remaining elements, if any, may be part of an interchangeable cover. The cover may be a housing cover or an accessory cover.
Abstract:
An application programming interface implements a method for transparently switching from one communication protocol to another and for restoring the state of a previous connection. The application programming interface executes on a local, client computer, as well as remote computers. It includes functions that multi-user application programs can call to communicate in a device independent manner with other applications executing on remote computers. To support communication on a variety of different computer communication protocols, the application programming interface accesses programs called service providers that implement the communication protocols and support the message passing model of the interface. The application programming interface can transparently switch the protocol on a remote computer by sending a system message to a compatible version of the interface on the remote computer that includes an identifier of the service provider for the new protocol. In response to the message, the application programming interface loads the new service provider and takes steps to set-up a new connection. The application programming interface can also restore the state of previous connection on a remote computer by sending a system message. In response to this message, the application programming interface on the remote computer retrieves the previous connection state from an MRU stack and loads the service provider for the previous connection.
Abstract:
A wireless mobile phone, is provided with an input keypad having a number of touch sensitive keys, and complementary logic to facilitate entry of alphanumeric data through stroking of the touch sensitive keys of the input keypad. Alphanumeric data or commands are entered through selected ones of down, up, right, left, and a number of other patterns of stroking of the touch sensitive keys. As a result, a user may enter alphanumeric data or commands in a much more user friendly manner.
Abstract:
An interchangeable cover is endowed with one or more I/O ports and complementary electronics to add the one or more I/O ports to a mobile device, to which the interchangeable cover is attached. In various embodiments, the I/O ports may comprise a PS/2 mouse port, a serial port, a parallel port, a serial bus port, and so forth. In various embodiments, the complementary electronics are packaged in an ASIC with output pins similar to that of a smart card, which may include a properly equipped protocol processor for de-packaging and packaging data being inputted/outputted in accordance with selected I/O protocols. In one embodiment, the cover is U-shaped. In a wireless mobile phone embodiment, the cover is attached to a rotabable sub-section of a pivotable section.
Abstract:
Various methods and apparatuses associated with the serving of data from a wireless mobile phone, including a wireless mobile phone, are described herein.