Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080286082 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR INTERRUPTED COUNTING OF ITEMS IN COUNTAINERS - Methods and systems for counting items in storage containers in an array of at least two storage containers, the method including the steps of: providing a storage array of at least two storage containers, each of the storage containers containing an unknown amount of items; providing a receiving array of at least two receiving containers, wherein the receiving containers initially contain no items; extracting a layer of the items from the storage array; inserting the layer into corresponding locations in the receiving array; repeating the steps of extracting and inserting while at least one of the storage containers is not empty; counting, for each storage container in the storage array, a productive-extraction amount; and reporting, for at least some of the storage containers, the productive-extraction amount from each storage container. Preferably, the method further includes recovering a storage identity upon recovery from a system failure that erases the productive-extraction amount. | 11-20-2008 |
20080296980 | Method For Protecting Peripheral Devices From Surges - The present invention discloses methods for protecting a peripheral device in a computing system from electrical surge currents, the method including the steps of: providing a controller operationally connected to a host system; and reversibly conductively connecting, via the controller, wires of the device to the host system. Preferably, the device is connected to the host system via a connector. Preferably, the device is hard-wired to the host system. Preferably, at least some wires of the device are isolated from the host system via a mechanical contactor. Preferably, at least some wires of the device are isolated from the host system via an optical isolator. Preferably, the method further includes the step of: charging a switching battery when the device is disconnected from the host system. Most preferably, the method further includes the step of: powering the device using the battery when the device is connected to the host system. | 12-04-2008 |
20080301288 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MONITORING A TRANSACTION - A device for detecting a timeout event during a transaction between a user and a host includes a memory storing a set of predetermined threshold values in association with corresponding operations. A timing control unit that is operative to provide timing information. A controller is operative to detect a timeout event based on the timing information provided thereto and on the predetermined threshold vale of a corresponding operation. Activation of the device is conditional upon a signal received from a host. In another example embodiment, a device for detecting a timeout event during a transaction between a user and a host based on timing information and the predetermined threshold values includes means to access external power from the host. | 12-04-2008 |
20080301483 | Surge-Protected Peripheral Devices - A computing system including: a host system; at least one device, mechanically connected to the host system, each device having an active state and an inactive state, wherein each device is conductively disconnected from the host system when the inactive state is enabled; and a mechanism for the host system to switch each device between the active state and the inactive state Preferably, at least one device is connected to the host system via a connector. Preferably, the device is hard-wired to the host system. Preferably, some wires of at least one device are isolated from the host system via a mechanical contactor. Preferably, some wires of at least one device are isolated from the host system via an optical isolator. Preferably, the system further includes: a switching battery; and a mechanism for charging the battery when at least one device is disconnected from the host system. | 12-04-2008 |
20080305833 | SD switch box in a cellular handset - A cellular handset, including a cellular base band modem, including a UART interface, and an SD host interface, a NAND flash memory, a NAND controller coupled with the NAND flash memory, a host device including a host controller, wherein the electronic host device supports an SD connection, and a convergence controller coupled with the cellular base band modem, the host device and the NAND controller, including a UART port for transferring data to and from the cellular base band modem via the UART interface, an SD port for transferring data to and from the cellular base band modem via the SD host interface, an SD port for transferring data to and from the NAND flash memory via the NAND controller, an SD port for transferring data to and from the host device via the host controller, a first mailbox into which the base band modem writes messages and from which the host device reads messages, and a second mailbox into which the host device writes messages and from which the cellular base band modem reads messages. A method is also described and claimed. | 12-11-2008 |
20080307315 | ADAPTIVE USER INTERFACE FOR MULTI-SOURCE SYSTEMS - A method for controlling configuration display screens within a client-host multi-source system, including transferring look & feel parameters from a host device to a client device, setting parameters of a configuration program for the client device, according to the look & feel parameters transferred by the transferring, generating, by the configuration program, a graphic image of a screen, the graphic image conforming to the look & feel parameters, and displaying the graphic image on a display screen of the host device. A system and a computer-readable storage medium are also described and claimed. | 12-11-2008 |
20090041221 | CALL SHUFFLING - A method for automatically scheduling phone calls, including dynamically assigning priorities to each of a plurality of a user's contacts, selecting one of the plurality of the user's contacts based on highest priority, wherein random selection is used in case more than one contact has the highest priority, placing a phone call to the selected contact, and updating the priority of the selected contact, if the placing a phone call successfully reaches the selected contact. A telephone and a computer-readable storage medium are also described and claimed. | 02-12-2009 |
20090041224 | SPEED-DIAL AND SPEED-CONTACT WITH PREDICTIVE LOGIC - A method for predicting to whom a phone call is being made, including identifying at least one state parameter for a mobile phone, and at least one weighting factor corresponding to the at least one state parameter for each identified state parameter, predicting one or more likely contacts that a user of the mobile phone is calling, given that the user is making a phone call, based on the identified state parameter, for each likely contact, assigning a combined weight to the likely contact based on the at least one weighting factor, ranking the likely contacts according to the combined weights, and facilitating making a phone call to one or more of the likely contacts with the highest rankings. A mobile phone is also described and claimed. | 02-12-2009 |
20090045779 | Adjustable cut-off voltage for mobile device battery - A power management system for a mobile electronic device, including a microprocessor for continually monitoring a voltage of a battery within a mobile electronic device, wherein the device can operate in either a standalone mode powered by the battery, or in an externally powered mode, and wherein the battery is charged when the device is in external power mode, and a power manager coupled with said voltage meter, for controlling operation of the device according to the following logic: if the monitored voltage falls below an upper turn-on threshold, UTOT, during operation of the device in standalone mode, but is above a lower turn-on threshold, LTOT, then automatically turning the device off, and enabling the device to be turned on in an emergency mode, wherein at least one emergency action is enabled, and if the monitored voltage falls below LTOT during operation of the device in standalone mode, then automatically turning the device off, and preventing the device from being turned on. A method is also described and claimed. | 02-19-2009 |
20090046076 | COUNTER-TACTILE KEYPAD - A touch-based user interface for an electronic device, including a housing including electronic circuitry, a plurality of buttons mounted within a first area on a first side of the housing, and a screen mounted on a second area of a second side of the housing, the second side being opposite to the first side, and the second area being opposite to at least a portion of the first area, wherein the electronic circuitry is operative (i) to display on the screen at least one user interface control element that corresponds respectively to at least one button, each such user interface control element having a command associated therewith, and (ii) to perform the command associated with a designated user interface control element when its corresponding button is pressed. A method and a computer-readable storage medium is also described and claimed. | 02-19-2009 |
20090049203 | Communication layer switching device - A switchable communicator, including a processor for running at least one communication service, up to at least communication layer 2, in conjunction with a computer to which the communicator is docked, a memory coupled with the processor for storing program code and data for the at least one communication service, a modem coupled with the processor for transmitting and receiving data for the at least one communication service, an input device coupled with the processor for inputting data to be transmitted by the at least one communication service, an output device coupled with the processor for displaying data that is received by the at least one communication service, and an interface for docking the communicator to the computer, and for synchronizing communication service data between the communicator and the computer when the communicator is docked to the computer, wherein the computer may be in an active mode or in an inactive mode, and wherein the processor switches to run the at least one communication service by itself, up to communication layer 7, when the computer is in inactive mode. A method is also described and claimed. | 02-19-2009 |
20090049343 | Method and system for remote diagnostics - A diagnostic system for computers, including a connector interface for connecting the diagnostic system to a PC, a storage medium for storing executable instructions that boot the PC when the diagnostic system is connected to the connector interface, for storing diagnostic testing program code that scans and tests the PC, and for storing a phone number for a remote online help-desk facility, a modem for communicating wirelessly with the online help-desk facility when the PC is not fully operational, and for enabling the remote online help-desk facility to remotely run the diagnostic testing program code on the PC and view the results, an audio subsystem for enabling voice communication between a user and a representative at the remote online help-desk facility, and a processor for controlling the storage medium, the modem and the audio subsystem. A method is also described and claimed. | 02-19-2009 |
20090055655 | Apparatus and Method For Securing Data on a Portable Storage Device - A portable storage device including a microprocessor and a secure user data area, the microprocessor operable to perform on-the-fly encryption/decryption of secure data stored on the storage device under a user password, the microprocessor also operable to exclude access to the secure user data area unless the user password is provided. | 02-26-2009 |
20090078760 | AUTOMATED APPLIANCE REGISTRATION - A system for automatically registering an appliance, including a storage housed within an electrical appliance for storing identifying information about the electrical appliance and its purchase, and a communication card including a controller, an interface connector for connecting the communication card to the electrical appliance, a wireless cellular modem for transmitting data, and a card memory for storing program code, wherein when the communication card is connected to the electrical appliance via the interface connector, the program code automatically instructs the controller to collect the identifying information about the electrical appliance and its purchase, to collect owner information and to transmit at least a portion of the collected information to at least one remote recipient using the cellular modem. A method is also described and claimed. | 03-26-2009 |
20090083000 | AUTOMATED APPLIANCE DIAGNOSTICS AND REPORTING - A system for maintaining an appliance, including a storage housed within an electrical appliance for storing identifying information about the electrical appliance and its purchase, and a communication card including an interface connector for connecting the communication card to the electrical appliance, and a wireless cellular modem for transmitting data, wherein when the communication card is connected to the electrical appliance via the interface connector, the communication card causes program code to perform at least one diagnostic test on the electrical appliance and to generate test results, to collect the identifying information about the electrical appliance and its purchase, and to transmit at least a portion of the collected information and the test results to at least one remote recipient using the cellular modem. A method is also described and claimed. | 03-26-2009 |
20090083060 | AUTOMATED COMPUTER ELECTRONICS DEVICE REPORTING - A system for generating and submitting reports about consumer electronics devices, including a consumer electronics device, including a host interface, for connecting a wireless communication card to a consumer electronics device, and a host memory storage unit, for storing technical information and usage information about the consumer electronics device, denoted INF-1, and a wireless communication card, including a controller, for executing programmed instructions, a power subsystem for supplying power to the communication card, a wireless modem coupled with the controller for receiving and transmitting data over the air, and a card interface for connecting the communication card to the consumer electronics device, wherein the controller is programmed to collect information INF-1, to generate a report including at least a portion of information INF-1, to collect recipient address information, denoted INF-2, and to submit the report to a recipient address as per information INF-2, via the wireless modem, over a wireless communication network that connects the communication card and the recipient. A method is also described and claimed. | 03-26-2009 |
20090119502 | Apparatus and Method for Securing Data on a Portable Storage Device - A portable storage device including a microprocessor and a secure user data area, the microprocessor operable to perform on-the-fly encryption/decryption of secure data stored on the storage device under a user password, the microprocessor also operable to exclude access to the secure user data area unless the user password is provided. | 05-07-2009 |
20090119517 | Apparatus and Method for Securing Data on a Portable Storage Device - A portable storage device including a microprocessor and a secure user data area, the microprocessor operable to perform on-the-fly encryption/decryption of secure data stored on the storage device under a user password, the microprocessor also operable to exclude access to the secure user data area unless the user password is provided. | 05-07-2009 |
20090124269 | Unsuccessful call alert - A method for a mobile phone to provide an unsuccessful call alert, including monitoring an outgoing call from a caller to a callee to determine if the callee is available, if the callee is not available, then automatically activating a message editor, automatically displaying a pre-defined call alert message, including an identifier of the caller and contact information for the caller, enabling the caller to edit the pre-defined call alert message, and sending the call alert message to the callee. A system is also described and claimed. | 05-14-2009 |
20090133067 | Multi-media enhancement channel - A media ticker system for overlaying side channel information on a video display, including a portable media player for presenting a content media file on a video display, and for overlaying ticker display data on the video display with the content media file being presented, a ticker manager connected to the media player for receiving as input at least one attribute of the content media file being presented by the media player, and for producing as output informative data relevant to the content media file, and a ticker generator communicatively coupled with the ticker manager and with the media player, for receiving as input the informative data relevant to the content media file produced by the ticker manager, and for producing as output the ticker display data for overlay on the video display with the content media file being played. A method is also described and claimed. | 05-21-2009 |
20090135030 | Uniquely identifiable keys for electronic keyboards - An electronic keyboard including a plurality of keys arranged as a matrix, each key including a plunger, and a conductive element on the bottom of the plunger, the conductive element having a characteristic resistance, an electronic circuit having an input current source, and mounted on a surface beneath the plurality of keys such that when a key is pressed its conductive element closes a switch in the circuit, an analog-to-digital convertor for converting an output voltage of the circuit to a digital signal, and a controller for determining from the digital signal when a key is pressed, and for identifying the key that is pressed. | 05-28-2009 |
20090156188 | CONVERGED CORDLESS AND CELLULAR PHONE SYSTEM - An integrated cordless and cellular phone system, including a base station for one or more cordless phones, the base station being served by a fixed line telephone network operator, including one or more slots for attaching one or more cellular phone modules therein, the cellular phone modules being served by corresponding cellular network operators, wherein each of the one or more slots is associated with a corresponding cordless phone, and call routing circuitry (i) for identifying an incoming call to the base station as being intended for a specific one of the cellular phone modules, and (ii) for routing the incoming call to the cordless phone that is associated with the slot to which the specific cellular phone module is attached. A method is also described and claimed. | 06-18-2009 |
20090185667 | Content delivery during call idle time - A method for effective utilization of call idle time, including automatically detecting that a first person using a phone has initiated a phone call to a second person, and that the second person has not yet answered the call, wherein the phone is operative in an idle mode to present content pre-designated by the first person, and is operative in a normal mode to send and receive voice communications to and from the second person and to not present the pre-designated content, activating the idle mode of the phone in response to the automatically detecting, further automatically detecting that the second person has answered the call, and automatically activating the normal mode of the phone in response to the further automatically detecting. A cell phone is also described and claimed. | 07-23-2009 |
20090207097 | APPLICATION DISPLAY SWITCH - A bridge system for auxiliary display devices connected to a computer, including a computer running a plurality of mini-programs, each mini-program sending information of a specific nature from the computer to a corresponding auxiliary display device, for presentation to a user, a plurality of auxiliary display devices, each auxiliary display device including an auxiliary screen and each auxiliary display device having look & feel display parameters, for receiving information from the corresponding plurality of mini-programs, and for displaying the received information on the auxiliary screens according to the corresponding look & feel parameters, and at least one bridge device coupled to the computer, each bridge device coupled to at least one of the auxiliary display devices, each bridge device including a bridge screen, and each bridge device receiving information from a corresponding at least one of the mini-programs, forwarding the received information to the at least one of the auxiliary display devices, and displaying the received information on the bridge screen according to the look & feel display parameters of the at least one of the auxiliary display devices. A method is also described and claimed. | 08-20-2009 |
20090252117 | MODULAR CELL PHONE FOR FIXED MOBILE CONVERGENCE - A communication system including a communication system, including a modular cell phone, including a baseband modem for connecting to a core mobile network via a cellular network, and a connector for physically connecting the modular cell phone to a port of a mobile electronic device, and a mobile electronic device, including a modem for connecting to the core mobile network via an IP access network, a port for physically connecting the modular cell phone to the mobile electronic device, and a connection enhancer for receiving a connection of an ongoing cellular phone call, between the modular cell phone and the core mobile network via the cellular network, and seamlessly handing over the ongoing phone call to a voice over IP connection, between the mobile electronic device and the core mobile network via the IP access network, in response to the modular cell phone being connected with the mobile electronic device port. A method is also described and claimed. | 10-08-2009 |
20090295586 | JACKET LOCATOR - A locator system for electronic devices including at least one jacket for a modular wireless communicator, each jacket having a unique identifier, and a modular wireless communicator that attaches to each one of the at least one jacket, including a positioning system for identifying a location of the wireless communicator, a clock for identifying a date & time, a log manager, coupled with the positioning system and with the clock, for recording a plurality of entries in a history log, each entry including (i) a jacket identifier, (ii) a location as identified by the positioning system, and (iii) a date & time as identified by the clock, and a controller coupled with the log manager for notifying the log manager of occurrence of a log trigger event, wherein the log manager records a new entry in the history log when it receives a notification of a log trigger event from the controller. A method is also described and claimed. | 12-03-2009 |
20090311903 | PUSH-TO-INSERT, PUSH-TO-EJECT AND PULL-TO-EXTRACT CARD CONNECTOR - An assembly for a receptacle for an electrical connector plug, including a chassis for inserting an electrical connector plug therein, two slideable grooved latches mounted on two opposite sides of the chassis, that slide along the two opposite sides under applied force, two springs fastened to respective ones of the two slideable latches, mounted on the two opposite sides of the chassis, a bar mounted between the two slideable latches, and a receptacle for the connector plug, mounted on the bar and including a plurality of contact pins for electrical contact with the connector plug, wherein (i) the two slideable latches are pushed away from respective ones of the two springs, causing the two springs to stretch and to exert tensions thereon, when the connector plug is pushed into the receptacle, and (ii) the two slideable latches are pulled towards respective ones of the springs, when the connector plug is extracted from the receptacle. | 12-17-2009 |
20090318197 | PHONE LOCATOR - A method for locating a misplaced mobile phone, including receiving, by a mobile phone, a transmitted message, identifying, by the mobile phone, the transmitted message as being an alert request, and in response to the identifying, generating, by the mobile phone, an alert. A mobile phone is also described and claimed. | 12-24-2009 |
20100056210 | LOW RADIATION WIRELESS COMMUNICATOR - A wireless communicator, including a modem operable to transmit and receive voice communication phone calls, a power amplifier coupled with the modem operable to dynamically apply a variable gain factor to voice communications transmitted by the modem, to produce an appropriate power output, and a controller coupled with the modem including a radiation monitor operable to monitor the power output of the power amplifier, the controller being operable to restrict operation of the modem, based on data provided by the radiation monitor, when the cumulative power output produced by the power amplifier exceeds a pre-designated daily cumulative power limit. | 03-04-2010 |
20100057875 | MOOD-BASED MESSAGING - A method for social interacting, including using a portable messaging device for designating, from time to time, a plurality of friends, selecting a mood, sending one or more representations of the selected mood to each of the plurality of designated friends, further selecting an updated mood, and further sending one or more representations of the updated mood to each of the plurality of designated friends, to supersede the previously sent one or more representations of the mood. A user interface is also described and claimed. | 03-04-2010 |
20100062805 | NOTEBOOK COMPUTER AND CELL PHONE ASSEMBLY - A computer and cell phone assembly, including a communicator including a modem for communicating over a wireless network, and a notebook computer, including a pouch for physically attaching the communicator to the notebook computer, and a connection indicator for indicating arrival of an incoming phone call from the wireless network when the communicator is attached to the notebook computer, wherein the communicator is operative to receive the incoming phone call whether it remains attached to the notebook computer or whether it is subsequently detached from the notebook computer. A method is also described and claimed. | 03-11-2010 |
20100071003 | CONTENT PERSONALIZATION - A method for dynamic real-time content personalization and display, including collecting data about at least one viewer in the vicinity of a content presentation device, identifying the at least one viewer from the collected data, locating content associated with the identified at least one viewer, and automatically presenting the located content. A system is also presented and claimed. | 03-18-2010 |
20100093401 | MODULAR WIRELESS COMMUNICATOR - A wireless communicator including a housing, wireless communication functionality located within the housing, native user interface functionality cooperating with the wireless communication functionality and including user interface surfaces located on at least one outer facing surface of the housing, and pouching responsive electrical interconnection functionality responsive to pouching orientation of the housing in a pouch of an enhanced function device for automatically causing the wireless communication functionality to adapt to interoperation with parenting user interface functionality forming part of the enhanced function device at least partially instead of with the native user interface functionality. A method is also described and claimed. | 04-15-2010 |
20100120468 | FOLDABLE MOBILE PHONE - A mobile phone, including a modular communicator including a modem for transmitting and receiving voice and data communications, a communicator connector for making electrical connection with a jacket for the communicator, when the jacket is pouched in the communicator, a communicator display screen for displaying information, and a communicator controller (i) for executing programmed instructions for operating the modem, (ii) for transmitting data to and receiving data from the communicator connector, and (iii) for generating the information displayed on the communicator display screen, and a jacket for the modular communicator, including a mechanical jacket housing including a top section and a bottom section connected by a hinge which enables the top section to fold over the bottom section, a pouch including a cavity into which the communicator may be pouched, and a transparent portion through which at least a portion of the communicator display shows when the communicator is pouched in the jacket and when the top section is folded over the bottom section, a jacket connector that mates with the communicator connector to make electrical connection with the communicator, when the communicator is pouched in the jacket, and a jacket controller for transmitting data to and receiving data from the communicator controller, via the jacket connector. | 05-13-2010 |
20100136948 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CIRCULATING MESSAGES - A method for circulating a message to a group of people, including sending a circulated message by a 1 | 06-03-2010 |
20100171805 | DIGITAL PHOTO FRAME WITH DIAL-A-TAG FUNCTIONALITY - A digital photo frame, including a memory for storing a plurality of digital photos, and tags associated with the digital photos, where a tag for a digital photo corresponds to an object appearing in the digital photo, a screen for displaying the digital photos, an interface for making connection with a communicator, wherein the communicator includes a storage for storing a contact list of phone numbers for objects, and a controller, coupled with the memory and the interface, for rendering one of the plurality of digital photos on the screen, and for instructing the communicator via the interface (i) to identify the phone number of a selected object, and (ii) to dial the identified phone number, in response to user activation of a tag associated with the rendered digital photo and corresponding to the selected object. | 07-08-2010 |
20100248744 | LOCATING MOBILE CONTACTS USING A GEO-CONTACT LIST - A system for locating a mobile device user, including a memory, housed within a mobile device, for storing a contact list including records for a plurality of contacts, each record including (i) a name of a contact, (ii) a phone number for the contact's mobile device, if the contact uses a mobile device, and (iii) a list of at least one location entry, each location entry comprising (iii.a) a name of a location associated with the contact, (iii.b) a phone number at the location, (iii.c) an address for the location, and (iii.d) geographic coordinates of the location, and a locator for receiving as input the name of a designated contact in the contact list, for obtaining current geographic coordinates of the designated contact's mobile device, for obtaining current geographic coordinates of at least one mobile device for at least one contact in the contact list, other than the designated contact, and for generating as output at least one proximal entity, each proximal entity including either (I) the name of a contact, other than the designated contact, whose mobile device is located currently close to the designated contact's mobile device, or (II) the name of a contact, other than the designated contact, and the name of a location associated with the contact, the location being currently close to the designated contact's mobile device. A method is also described and claimed. | 09-30-2010 |
20100262677 | DISTRIBUTED LOCAL WEB-SERVER ARCHITECTURE FOR STORAGE DEVICES - A method includes exchanging information between a local web-server of a local storage device and a remote web-server through a network. The exchange of the information is initiated autonomously by the local storage device upon a determination by the local web server that the information is not stored at the local storage device. | 10-14-2010 |
20110014951 | SD SWITCHBOX IN A CELLULAR HANDSET - A method for arbitrating between a host device and a cellular base band mode for use of a shared SD storage, including requesting, by a cellular base band modem from a host device, access to an SD storage, including writing an access request message, notifying the host device of the access request message, reading, by the host device, the access request message, granting, by the host device, the access request, including writing an access grant message, notifying the cellular base band modem of the access grant message, reading, by the cellular base band mode, the access grant message, holding an SD host bus in a busy state, thereby forcing the host device to hold and not access the bus, accessing, by the cellular base band modem, the SD storage, and upon completion of the accessing, removing the busy state from the SD host bus. | 01-20-2011 |
20110035603 | Apparatus and Method for Securing Data on a Portable Storage Device - A portable storage device including a microprocessor and a secure user data area, the microprocessor operable to perform on-the-fly encryption/decryption of secure data stored on the storage device under a user password, the microprocessor also operable to exclude access to the secure user data area unless the user password is provided. | 02-10-2011 |
20110047247 | SYNCHRONIZED PLAYBACK OF MEDIA PLAYERS - A method for synchronized playback of media players, including selecting, by each of a plurality of media players, a multimedia file to be played, monitoring, by each of the plurality of media players, the environment for an external trigger, and upon detection of the external trigger, playing, by each of the plurality of media players, the selected multimedia file. | 02-24-2011 |
20110050171 | BATTERY CHARGER WITH SENSOR-ACTIVATED LIGHT SOURCE - A battery charger for an electronic device, including a cable that connects to a source of power at one end, and to an electronic device at the other end, a light emitter connected to the cable, and a sensor connected to the cable and to the light emitter, for activating the light emitter when the sensor detects one or more vicinity light requirements indicating a need for light in the environment of the sensor. | 03-03-2011 |
20110102348 | DUAL WIRELESS COMMUNICATOR AND HUMAN INTERFACE DEVICE - A communication system, including a modular wireless communicator, including a modem for transmitting and receiving signals wirelessly, and a touch-sensitive display, and a mobile computer, including a housing with a cavity for inserting the modular wireless communicator therein such that the touch-sensitive display is exposed through the housing and accessible for user inputs, and a processor, mounted within the housing, for controlling the modem and for running an operating system that performs computer tasks in response to user inputs detected by the touch-sensitive display, when the modular wireless communicator is inserted in the housing. | 05-05-2011 |
20110103607 | LUMINESCENT HEADPHONES WITHOUT BATTERY PACKS - Audio apparatus, including an audio player, housed within a casing, for producing audio output, a port on a surface of the casing for inserting a headphone connector therein, a light emitting source, a power source, housed within the casing, for supplying power to the audio player and to the light emitting source, and a headphone for listening to audio output produced by the audio player, including a connector for insertion into the port, and a light pipe for transmitting light generated by the light emitting source | 05-05-2011 |
20110114738 | AUTOMATED CARD CUSTOMIZATION MACHINE - A memory card includes a non-volatile memory, a connector configured to enable the memory card to be operatively coupled to a host computer, and a housing enclosing the non-volatile memory. The housing has a customized physical contour that is determined according to a user-selected value. | 05-19-2011 |
20110167489 | Apparatus and Method for Securing Data on a Portable Storage Device - A portable storage device including a microprocessor and a secure user data area, the microprocessor operable to perform on-the-fly encryption/decryption of secure data stored on the storage device under a user password, the microprocessor also operable to exclude access to the secure user data area unless the user password is provided. | 07-07-2011 |
20110280142 | DECENTRALIZED SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VOICE AND VIDEO SESSIONS - A wireless communicator, including a modular communicator, including a communicator controller, a modem coupled with the communicator controller for sending and receiving data under instruction of the communicator controller, and a connector coupled with the communicator controller for transmitting signals between the modular communicator and a jacket device under instruction of the communicator controller, and a plurality of jacket devices, each jacket device including a housing comprising a cavity into which the modular communicator is inserted, a jacket controller mounted in the housing, a connector coupled with the jacket controller for transmitting signals between the jacket device and the modular communicator under instruction of the jacket controller, a user interface mounted on the housing and coupled with the jacket controller for performing on-line communication functions via the modem, and for performing at least one off-line activity via the jacket controller, and a usage monitor mounted in the housing and coupled with the jacket controller for monitoring off-line activity usage, wherein the jacket controller notifies the communicator controller when the amount of off-line usage monitored by the usage monitor exceeds a pre-designated threshold, and wherein the communicator controller instructs the modem to transmit an off-line usage report to a remote computer. | 11-17-2011 |
20110314268 | SD SWITCH BOX IN A CELLULAR HANDSET - A cellular handset, including a cellular base band modem, including a UART interface, and an SD host interface, a NAND flash memory, a NAND controller coupled with the NAND flash memory, a host device including a host controller, wherein the electronic host device supports an SD connection, and a convergence controller coupled with the cellular base band modem, the host device and the NAND controller, including a UART port for transferring data to and from the cellular base band modem via the UART interface, an SD port for transferring data to and from the cellular base band modem via the SD host interface, an SD port for transferring data to and from the NAND flash memory via the NAND controller, an SD port for transferring data to and from the host device via the host controller, a first mailbox into which the base band modem writes messages and from which the host device reads messages, and a second mailbox into which the host device writes messages and from which the cellular base band modem reads messages. A method is also described and claimed. | 12-22-2011 |
20120040549 | PUSH-TO-INSERT, PUSH-TO-EJECT AND PULL-TO_EXTRACT CARD CONNECTOR - An apparatus, including a chassis having an opening into which an electrical component is insertable, means for coupling to the electrical component, the means for coupling slidably movable, relative to the chassis, in a first direction generally away from the opening, and in a second direction generally toward the opening to a first position in response to force in the first direction exerted upon the means for coupling, and to a second position in response to force in the first direction exerted upon the means for coupling when the means for coupling is in the first position, wherein the first position is different, with respect to the chassis, than the second position. | 02-16-2012 |
20120083254 | UNSUCCESSFUL CALL ALERT - A method for a mobile phone to provide an unsuccessful call alert, including monitoring an outgoing call from a caller to a callee to determine if the callee is available; if the callee is not available, then automatically actuating a message editor, automatically displaying a pre-defined call alert message, including an identifier of the caller and contact information for the caller, enabling the caller to edit the pre-defined call alert message, and sending the call alert message to the callee. A system is also described and claimed. | 04-05-2012 |
20120089848 | Apparatus and Method for Securing Data on a Portable Storage Device - A portable storage device including a microprocessor and a secure user data area, the microprocessor operable to perform on-the-fly encryption/decryption of secure data stored on the storage device under a user password, the microprocessor also operable to exclude access to the secure user data area unless the user password is provided. | 04-12-2012 |
20120120994 | AUTOMATED APPLIANCE REGISTRATION - A system for automatically registering an appliance, including a storage housed within an electrical appliance for storing identifying information about the electrical appliance and its purchase, and a communication card including a controller, an interface connector for connecting the communication card to the electrical appliance, a wireless cellular modem for transmitting data, and a card memory for storing program code, wherein when the communication card is connected to the electrical appliance via the interface connector, the program code automatically instructs the controller to collect the identifying information about the electrical appliance and its purchase, to collect owner information and to transmit at least a portion of the collected information to at least one remote recipient using the cellular modem. A method is also described and claimed. | 05-17-2012 |
20120243654 | Methods for Interrupted Counting of Particles in Cells - A method executed by a circuit for counting electrons in storage cells in an array of at least two storage cells is provided. The method includes providing a storage array of at least two storage cells, and each of said at least two storage cells containing an unknown amount of electrons. A receiving array of at least two receiving cells is provided, where said at least two receiving cells initially contain no electrons. Then, extracting a layer of said electrons from said storage array of cells and inserting said layer into corresponding locations in said receiving array. The method then repeats said steps of extracting and inserting while at least one of said at least two storage cells is not empty. The method counts, for each said storage cell in said storage array, a productive-extraction amount. | 09-27-2012 |
20120278434 | MEDIA PREDICTIVE CONSIGNMENT - A method and system for enhanced electronic delivery and sale of a content item. In order to speed delivery and avoid congestion of a delivery channel, a potential customer is identified and the item delivered prior to solicitation by the customer. Delivery is at a time when communication resources available prior to a critical time of peak demand. Delivery of the item may be enhanced via multicasting. Sale of the item is encouraged through one click context sensitive buying. | 11-01-2012 |
20120280951 | MOOD-BASED MESSAGING - A method for social interacting, including using a portable messaging device for designating, from time to time, a plurality of friends, selecting a mood, sending one or more representations of the selected mood to each of the plurality of designated friends, further selecting an updated mood, and further sending one or more representations of the updated mood to each of the plurality of designated friends, to supersede the previously sent one or more representations of the mood. A user interface is also described and claimed. | 11-08-2012 |
20120282912 | LOW RADIATION WIRELESS COMMUNICATOR - A wireless communicator, including a modem operable to transmit and receive voice communication phone calls, a power amplifier coupled with the modem operable to dynamically apply a variable gain factor to voice communications transmitted by the modem, to produce an appropriate power output, and a controller coupled with the modem including a radiation monitor operable to monitor the power output of the power amplifier, the controller being operable to restrict operation of the modem, based on data provided by the radiation monitor, when the cumulative power output produced by the power amplifier exceeds a pre-designated daily cumulative power limit. | 11-08-2012 |
20120289291 | MODULAR WIRELESS COMMUNICATOR - A wireless communicator including a housing, wireless communication functionality located within the housing, native user interface functionality cooperating with the wireless communication functionality and including user interface surfaces located on at least one outer facing surface of the housing, and pouching responsive electrical interconnection functionality responsive to pouching orientation of the housing in a pouch of an enhanced function device for automatically causing the wireless communication functionality to adapt to interoperation with parenting user interface functionality forming part of the enhanced function device at least partially instead of with the native user interface functionality. A method is also described and claimed. | 11-15-2012 |
20120306647 | JACKET LOCATOR - A locator system for electronic devices including at least one jacket for a modular wireless communicator, each jacket having an identifier, and a modular wireless communicator that attaches to each one of the at least one jacket, including a positioning system for identifying a location of the modular wireless communicator, a log manager for recording a plurality of entries in a log, each entry including the jacket identifier for a jacket currently attached to the modular wireless communicator, and a current location as identified by the positioning system, and a controller for notifying the log manager of occurrence of a log trigger event, wherein the log manager records a new entry in the log when it receives a notification of a log trigger event from the controller, and wherein the log trigger events enable determination of a location where a jacket was last actively used with the modular wireless communicator. | 12-06-2012 |
20130017808 | DIGITAL PHOTO FRAME WITH DIAL-A-TAG FUNCTIONALITY - A digital photo frame, including a memory for storing a plurality of digital photos, and tags associated with the digital photos, where a tag for a digital photo corresponds to an object appearing in the digital photo, a screen for displaying the digital photos, an interface for making connection with a communicator, wherein the communicator includes a storage for storing a contact list of phone numbers for objects, and a controller, coupled with the memory and the interface, for rendering one of the plurality of digital photos on the screen, and for instructing the communicator via the interface (i) to identify the phone number of a selected object, and (ii) to dial the identified phone number, in response to user activation of a tag associated with the rendered digital photo and corresponding to the selected object. | 01-17-2013 |
20130031410 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REMOTE DIAGNOSTICS - Diagnostic apparatus for computers, including a diagnoser that connects to a PC, including an SD connector for connecting the diagnoser to an SD port of a PC, a storage medium for storing diagnostic program code that automatically runs on the PC via the SD connector, in response to connecting the diagnoser to the SD port of the PC, wherein the diagnostic program code performs specific diagnostic tests on the PC in response to input instructions, and generates test results as output, a modem for receiving input instructions from a remote online help-desk facility, specifying which diagnostic tests the diagnostic program code should perform on the PC, and for transmitting the test results to the help-desk facility, and a processor for controlling the storage medium and the modem. | 01-31-2013 |
20130036366 | ADAPTIVE USER INTERFACE FOR MULTI-SOURCE SYSTEMS - A multi-source client-host system that maintains a uniform look & feel user interface, including a host device including a central processing unit, a storage memory for storing look & feel parameters for a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface employing a plurality of graphic images for user interaction, and a display for displaying the graphic images employed by the graphical user interface, a client device that can be attached to and detached from the host device, including a central processing unit, and a configuration program for generating at least one of the graphic images employed by the graphical user interface, the at least one of the graphic images conforming to the look & feel parameters, and a communication channel between the host transceiver and the client transceiver, for data transmission. | 02-07-2013 |
20130040702 | SD SWITCH BOX IN A CELLULAR HANDSET - An SD switch box embedded within a cellular handset, including circuitry for switching access to NAND storage that is embedded within the cellular handset, between a consumer electronic device that is external to and connected to the cellular handset, and between a base band modem that is embedded within the cellular handset, so as to enable shared use of the NAND memory by the consumer electronic device and by the base band modem, thereby enabling the cellular handset to be operational for cellular communication via its internal base band modem while its internal NAND memory is accessible to the external consumer electronics device. | 02-14-2013 |
20130045776 | AUTOMATED APPLIANCE REGISTRATION - A method for registering an appliance with a service provider, including receiving, by a server computer, a message from a cellular telephone, the message including a unique ID for an appliance, wherein the server computer stores billing information associated with the cellular telephone, wherein the appliance includes a modem, wherein the cellular telephone is separate from the appliance, and wherein the server computer is separate from the appliance and separate from the cellular telephone, further receiving, by the server computer, registration information from the appliance via the modem of the appliance, and associating, by the server computer, the billing information associated with the cellular telephone, with the appliance. | 02-21-2013 |
20130059480 | CARD CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY - A connector assembly for a small modular device that connects to a larger host device, including a receptacle forming part of a host electronic device, the receptacle including N conducting pins, where N is at least 20, the receptacle being a portion of a host device, and a connector plug forming part of a modular electronic device, including a first connector including N conducting pins, for engagement with said receptacle when the modular electronic device is connected with the host device, and a second connector comprising at most 5 conducting pins, for engagement with a cable when the modular electronic device is not connected with the host device, wherein the second connector is completely covered when the modular electronic device is connected with the host device. | 03-07-2013 |
20130067262 | NOTEBOOK COMPUTER AND CELL PHONE ASSEMBLY - A communication system including, a computer including a controller operable to transition between a plurality of power modes, including a normal power mode and at least one power saving mode, an amplifier that may be enabled or disabled by the controller, to receive audio data from said controller, and a battery to supply power to the controller and to the amplifier, and a communicator coupled to the computer, including a modem to communicate over a wireless network, to enable the amplifier, and to transmit audio data to the amplifier, and a power supply to supply power to the modem. | 03-14-2013 |
20130162145 | BATTERY CHARGER WITH SENSOR-ACTIVATED LIGHT SOURCE - An electronic device, including a battery, a port for connecting a battery charger to charge the battery, a light emitter, and a sensor connected to the light emitter, for activating the light emitter when the sensor detects one or more vicinity light requirements indicating a need for light in the environment of the sensor, and for deactivating said light emitter when the battery charger is successfully connected to the port. | 06-27-2013 |
20130165100 | MODULAR WIRELESS COMMUNICATOR - A wireless communication system including a wireless communicator, including a housing, wireless communication functionality, a first subscriber identifier module for accessing a wireless network, native user interface functionality, and pouching responsive electrical interconnection functionality responsive to pouching orientation of the housing in a pouch of an enhanced function device for causing the wireless communication functionality to adapt to cooperating with parenting user interface functionality forming part of the enhanced function device at least partially instead of with the native user interface functionality, and an enhanced function device, including a pouch, a second subscriber identifier module for accessing the wireless network, and parenting user interface functionality, wherein the wireless communicator is able to access the wireless network using either the first subscriber identifier module or the second subscriber identifier module, when the wireless communicator is pouched with the enhanced function device. | 06-27-2013 |
20130183929 | LOW RADIATION WIRELESS COMMUNICATOR - A wireless communicator, including a modem operable to transmit and receive voice communication phone calls, and a controller coupled with the modem including a monitor operable to monitor an ongoing call, the controller being operable to restrict operation of the modem, based on data provided by the monitor, when the wireless communicator is not being used in a low radiation listening mode and the ongoing phone call exceeds a pre-designated length of time. | 07-18-2013 |
20130183955 | MOBILE PHONE LOCATOR - A mobile phone, including a protocol sniffer for capturing a beacon from a wireless access point, a beacon parser, coupled with the protocol sniffer, for identifying an alert request within the captured beacon, and at least one speaker, coupled with the beacon parser, for sounding an audible alert in response to the beacon parser identifying the alert request. | 07-18-2013 |
20130184028 | SPEED-DIAL AND SPEED-CONTACT WITH PREDICTIVE LOGIC - A method for predicting by a user's mobile phone to whom a phone call is being made, including identifying, by a user's mobile phone, at least one file being browsed by the mobile phone, wherein the mobile phone is operable to browse files, each file having one or more contacts associated therewith, when the mobile phone is currently browsing at least one specific file and the user is currently making a phone call, then predicting by the mobile phone that the user is calling a contact associated with the at least one specific file, and facilitating the user's making a phone call to one or more of the predicted contacts. | 07-18-2013 |
20130184034 | FOLDABLE MOBILE PHONE - A mobile phone, including a processor operable to perform wireless communication, a housing for the processor, including front and back surfaces, a first display screen coupled with the processor and mounted on the outer side of the front surface, a second display screen coupled with the processor, separate from the first display screen, and a transparent portion on the outer side of the back surface through which the second display screen shows through to the outside of the housing. | 07-18-2013 |
20130253678 | SYNCHRONIZED PLAYBACK OF MULTIMEDIA PLAYERS - A method for synchronized playback of media players, including selecting, by each of a plurality of media players, a multimedia file to be played, monitoring, by each of the plurality of media players, the environment for an external trigger, and upon detection of the external trigger, playing, by each of the plurality of media players, the selected multimedia file. | 09-26-2013 |
20130258038 | DECENTRALIZED SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VOICE AND VIDEO SESSIONS - A method for audio and video communication, comprising establishing, by a telephony service, a first voice over IP (VoIP) session with a handset, establishing, by the telephony service, a second VoIP session with a display device that is wirelessly but not physically connected to the handset, separating, by the telephony service, an audio portion of a communication session from a video portion of the communication session, transmitting, by the telephony service, the separated audio portion to the handset using the first VoIP connection, and transmitting, by the telephony service, the separated video portion to the display device using the second VoIP connection. | 10-03-2013 |
20130283208 | GAZE-ENHANCED VIRTUAL TOUCHSCREEN - A method, including presenting, by a computer, multiple interactive items on a display coupled to the computer, receiving an input indicating a direction of a gaze of a user of the computer. In response to the gaze direction, one of the multiple interactive items is selected, and subsequent to the one of the interactive items being selected, a sequence of three-dimensional (3D) maps is received containing at least a hand of the user. The 3D maps are analyzed to detect a gesture performed by the user, and an operation is performed on the selected interactive item in response to the gesture. | 10-24-2013 |
20130283213 | ENHANCED VIRTUAL TOUCHPAD - A method, including receiving, by a computer, a two-dimensional image (2D) containing at least a physical surface and segmenting the physical surface into one or more physical regions. A functionality is assigned to each of the one or more physical regions, each of the functionalities corresponding to a tactile input device, and a sequence of three-dimensional (3D) maps is received, the sequence of 3D maps containing at least a hand of a user of the computer, the hand positioned on one of the physical regions. The 3D maps are analyzed to detect a gesture performed by the user, and based on the gesture, an input is simulated for the tactile input device corresponding to the one of the physical regions. | 10-24-2013 |
20130303115 | AUTOMATED APPLIANCE REGISTRATION - A method for registering an appliance with a service provider, including receiving, by a server computer, a message from a cellular telephone, the message including a unique ID for an appliance, wherein the server computer stores billing information for the cellular telephone, wherein the appliance includes a modem, wherein the cellular telephone is separate from the appliance, and wherein the server computer is separate from the appliance and separate from the cellular telephone, further receiving, by the server computer, registration information from the appliance via the modem of the appliance, and associating, by the server computer, the billing information for the cellular telephone, with the appliance registration information. | 11-14-2013 |
20130316747 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CIRCULATING MESSAGES - A method for circulating a message to a group of people, including sending a circulated message and a distribution list comprising identifiers for a plurality of mobile communicators, by a first mobile communicator, and sequentially receiving the circulated message and a distribution list, by a next mobile communicator, and, if the received distribution list is non-empty, then (i) selecting one of the mobile communicators identified in the distribution list, (ii) modifying the distribution list by removing the identifier of the selected mobile communicator therefrom, and (iii) sending the circulated message and the modified distribution list to the selected mobile communicator. | 11-28-2013 |
20130321265 | Gaze-Based Display Control - A method includes receiving an image including an eye of a user of a computerized system and identifying, based the image of the eye, a direction of a gaze performed by the user. Based on the direction of the gaze, a region on a display coupled to the computerized system is identified, an operation is performed on content presented in the region. | 12-05-2013 |
20130321271 | POINTING-BASED DISPLAY INTERACTION - A method includes receiving and segmenting a first sequence of three-dimensional (3D) maps over time of at least a part of a body of a user of a computerized system in order to extract 3D coordinates of a first point and a second point of the user, the 3D maps indicating a motion of the second point with respect to a display coupled to the computerized system. A line segment that intersects the first point and the second point is calculated, and a target point is identified where the line segment intersects the display. An interactive item presented on the display in proximity to the target point is engaged. | 12-05-2013 |
20140011545 | DIGITAL PHOTO FRAME WITH DIAL-A-TAG FUNCTIONALITY - A digital photo frame, including a memory for storing a plurality of digital photos, and tags associated with the digital photos, where a tag for a digital photo corresponds to an object appearing in the digital photo, a screen for displaying the digital photos, an interface for making connection with a communicator, wherein the communicator includes a storage for storing a contact list of phone numbers for objects, and a controller, coupled with the memory and the interface, for rendering one of the plurality of digital photos on the screen, and for instructing the communicator via the interface (i) to identify the phone number of a selected object, and (ii) to dial the identified phone number, in response to user activation of a tag associated with the rendered digital photo and corresponding to the selected object. | 01-09-2014 |
20140028548 | GAZE DETECTION IN A 3D MAPPING ENVIRONMENT - A method, including receiving a three-dimensional (3D) map of at least a part of a body of a user ( | 01-30-2014 |
20140135063 | NOTEBOOK COMPUTER AND CELL PHONE ASSEMBLY - A notebook computer including a controller for controlling operation of the notebook computer, a pouch in which to insert a cellular communicator, an amplifier connected to the controller, a speaker connected to the amplifier, a power supply connected to the controller, and circuitry, connected to the pouch and to the amplifier, for enabling the amplifier when the controller is powered off, in response to the cellular communicator being inserted in the pouch, and for causing the amplifier to generate a call alert when an incoming call arrives at the cellular communicator while the cellular communicator is inserted in the pouch. | 05-15-2014 |
20140179299 | CONTENT DELIVERY DURING CALL IDLE TIME - A method for effective utilization of call idle time, including detecting by the processor of a phone, that a first person using the phone has initiated a phone call to a second person, and that the second person has not yet answered the call, wherein the phone is operative in an idle mode to present content pre-designated by the first person, and is operative in a normal mode to send and receive voice communications to and from the second person and to not present the pre-designated content, activating the idle mode of the phone in response to the detecting, subsequently detecting, by the processor of the phone, that the second person has answered the call, and subsequently activating the normal mode of the phone in response to the subsequently detecting. | 06-26-2014 |
20140187271 | FINDING FRIENDS NEAR A FRIEND - A system for finding friends near a friend, including a memory, housed within a mobile device, for storing a contact list including records for a plurality of friends, each record comprising a name of a friend and geographic coordinates of a location of the friend, and a locator for receiving as input the name of a designated friend in the contact list, and for generating as output a list of at least one proximal friend, each proximal friend including the name of a friend, other than the designated friend, whose location is located close to the designated friend's location. | 07-03-2014 |
20140287716 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CIRCULATING MESSAGES - A method for circulating a message to a group of people, including sending a circulated message by a 1 | 09-25-2014 |
20140289522 | MODULAR WIRELESS COMMUNICATOR - A wireless communicator including a housing, wireless communication functionality located within the housing, native user interface functionality cooperating with the wireless communication functionality and including user interface surfaces located on at least one outer facing surface of the housing, and pouching responsive electrical interconnection functionality responsive to pouching orientation of the housing in a pouch of an enhanced function device for automatically causing the wireless communication functionality to adapt to interoperation with parenting user interface functionality forming part of the enhanced function device at least partially instead of with the native user interface functionality. A method is also described and claimed. | 09-25-2014 |
20140295911 | LOW RADIATION WIRELESS COMMUNICATOR - A wireless communicator, including a modem operable to transmit and receive voice communication phone calls, a power amplifier coupled with the modem operable to dynamically apply a variable gain factor to voice communications transmitted by the modem, to produce an appropriate power output, and a controller coupled with the modem including a radiation monitor operable to monitor the power output of the power amplifier, the controller being operable to restrict operation of the modem, based on data provided by the radiation monitor, when the cumulative power output produced by the power amplifier exceeds a pre-designated daily cumulative power limit. | 10-02-2014 |
20150050959 | SD SWITCH BOX IN A CELLULAR HANDSET - A cellular handset, including a base band modem that transitions between a normal mode, a sleep mode and a shutdown mode, flash memory, coupled with the base band modem, for storing code and data used for operation of the base band modem in normal mode, a memory controller, coupled with the flash memory, for accessing the flash memory, and a convergence controller, connected to the base band modem and to the memory controller, comprising a host port for connecting an external host device to the cellular handset, wherein the convergence controller enables the external host device to access the flash memory while the base band modem is in sleep or shutdown mode. | 02-19-2015 |