Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A system for registering an electrical appliance, including a storage housed within an electrical appliance for storing identifying information about the electrical appliance, and for storing address information usable o obtain an address of a remote recipient corresponding o the electrical appliance, and a wireless communicator including a memory for storing identifying information about a user, and a wireless modem for ransmiWng data, wherein when the wireless communicator is first connected with the electrical appliance, the wireless communicator executes program code o register the electrical appliance with the remote recipient, wherein the program code includes insrucions that cause the wireless modem o ransmi a lease a portion of the identifying information about the electrical appliance and the identifying information about the user o the address of the remote recipient, the address obtained using the address information.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A light-based touch screen, including a housing for a display screen, a plurality of infra-red light emitting diodes (LEDs), fastened on the housing, for generating light beams, at least one LED selector, fastened on the housing and connected with the plurality of LEDs, for controllably selecting and deselecting one or more of the plurality of LEDs, a plurality of photodiode (PD) receivers, fastened on the housing, for measuring light intensity, at least one PD selector, fastened on the housing and connected with the plurality of PD receivers, for controllably selecting and deselecting one or more of the plurality of PD receivers, an optical assembly, fastened on the housing, for projecting light beams emitted by the plurality of LEDs in substantially parallel planes over the housing, and a controller, fastened on the housing and coupled with the plurality of PD receivers, (i) for controlling the at least one LED selector, (ii) for controlling the at least one PD selector, and (iii) for determining therefrom

Abstract: Managing content assets, such as images, video, and audio to facilitate filtering, searching, licensing, and editing associated attributes. Content assets are associated with multiple attributes, including licensing models, predefined value tiers, collections, and albums. Value tiers define varying ranges of price, resolution, or other qualities. Collections comprise groups of content assets within families, each specified by a license model and a value tier. Albums comprise groups of content assets that share a common topic, and albums have a predefined duration. An interface enables a user to filter by selecting any combination of the attributes, and to search the filtered content assets by keywords. Collection states and asset states determine which content assets are accessible for filtering and searching.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A media player, including a host player, including a host media playing module for playing digital media files, a host storage unit for storing digital media files, a host battery for supplying power to the host player, a host controller for storing incoming media files in the host storage unit, a host display unit, and at least one host user interface control for user command input to navigate and play the digital media files stored in the host storage unit, and a removable player which can be attached to the host player and detached from the host player, and which is operative to play digital audio files when it is attached to the host player and when it is detached from the host player, including an audio playing module, a storage unit for storing digital media files, a wireless modem for receiving digital media files from remote sources, a battery for supplying power to the removable player, which is charged by the host battery when the removable player is attached to the host player, and a controller for

Abstract: 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 message

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A method for end-to-end printing, including entering into service level agreements with each of a plurality of partner systems that enable customers to order personalized print products, wherein a service level agreement designates maximum delays for finishing customer print orders, receiving customer print orders forwarded from the plurality of partner systems, each print order specifying at least one personalized print product, serializing the print orders into a plurality of work items, each work item corresponding to a part of a personalized print product that is to be printed on printable material, dynamically assigning priorities to the work items, dynamically advancing the work items through a plurality of print processing states, wherein each processing state processes work items in order of their priorities.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A mobile phone including a number keypad for entering the symbols 0-9, # and *, the keypad including at most five keys at least one of which corresponds to a list of at least two symbols, wherein the nth symbol in the list corresponding to a key is accessed by tapping on the key n times, with cycling from the end of the list back to the beginning of the list. A portable media player with dual use as a cell phone is also described and claimed.

Abstract: A network node provides presence updates to mobile users. The node reduces the amount of network traffic by eliminating the need for explicit messaging used to inform a user of presence updates. Additionally, the node reduces network traffic by consolidating presence updates, and sending the user only changed portions of the presence information.

Abstract: A communication system including a wireless communicator including a baseband modem for connecting to the Internet via a cellular network, and a connector for physically connecting the wireless communicator to a laptop computer port, and a laptop computer including a wireless modem for communicating in a wireless mode with the wireless communicator, a port for physically connecting the wireless communicator to the laptop computer and for communicating in a wired mode with the wireless communicator, and a connection wedge, wherein the laptop computer connects to the Internet via a link between the laptop computer and the wireless communicator, and wherein the connection wedge selectively uses the wired mode or the wireless mode for the link according to whether or not the wireless communicator is physically connected to the laptop computer, respectively. A method is also described and claimed.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A method of communication between a modular wireless communicator and a jacket device that is connected to the modular wireless communicator via a connector a connector that connects a plurality of signal transmission lines, the jacket device including a keypad for operating the modular wireless communicator, including receiving a multi-bit signal over multiple signal transmission lines, one bit of which indicating whether the jacket device includes a serial NOR flash memory, if the jacket device includes a serial NOR flash memory, then reading a jacket ID from the serial NOR flash memory, if the jacket device does not include a serial NOR flash memory, then reading the jacket ID from other bits of the multi-bit signal, receiving jacket keypad signals over multiple signal transmission lines, and decoding the jacket keypad signals based on the jacket ID.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A method for interactively viewing a vector image, including indicating a request for a desired portion of a vector image, for display at a specified resolution, determining local rectangular regions of a pre-processed vector image that was generated from the vector image, from among a plurality of local rectangular regions, that are appropriate for generating the desired portion of the vector image therefrom, wherein the pre-processed vector image includes a plurality of local rectangular regions and a plurality of local vector objects, each local vector object being associated with one of the local rectangular regions, requesting at least one rectangular region of the pre-processed vector image from a server computer, receiving local vector objects associated with the requested at least one rectangular region of the pre-processed vector image from the server computer, and generating the desired portion of the vector image using the received local vector objects.

Abstract: Brokering use of media assets based on rights provided by rights holders and licensing terms requested by potential licensees. Rights include use attributes, geographic attributes, and time attributes. Use attributes include one or more parent categories of uses, such as print advertising, web promotion, etc. Each parent category includes one or more specific uses, such as magazine advertisement, newspaper advertisement, etc. Rights are obtained from rights holders and stored in a data structure that is searchable according to various rights attributes. A licensing request includes desired licensing terms, such as a specific use, time period, and geographic location. The licensing request may also reserve use for a later time and/or impose an embargo on use for a period after use. The data structure is searched for media assets whose rights encompass the desired licensing terms, such as media assets with a parent use that includes a desired specific use.