Abstract: Systems and methods allow users to capture an image and transmit data to a remote system. An embodiment includes a method comprising capturing, at a mobile device, an image; generating, at the mobile device, text from the image using a recognition algorithm; and transmitting, from the mobile device, the text to a remote system.

Abstract: Systems and methods of using a mobile communication device to locate a product or a vender within a shopping facility. The method comprises receiving, via an input associated with the mobile communication device, a request to locate the product or the vender within the shopping facility, transmitting the request to a remote computer system, and receiving at the mobile communication device from the remote computer system an indication of whether the product or vender is located within the shopping facility, and, if the product or the vender is located within the shopping facility, an indication of the location of the product or the vender within the shopping facility. The remote computer system is configured to determine whether the product or the vender is located within the shopping facility and determine a location of the product or the vender within the shopping facility.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for using an agent computer system to obtain information from multiple service-provider computer systems. The method comprises, in response to receiving search criteria at the agent computer system from a client computer system, determining one or more service-provider computer systems with which to communicate to obtain information satisfying the search criteria, determining, for each of said one or more service-provider computer systems, a communication protocol to use to communicate with the service-provider computer system to obtain information satisfying the search criteria, transmitting from the agent computer system to each of said one or more service-provider computer systems, using the communication protocol determined to be used with each service-provider computer system, a request to obtain information satisfying the search criteria, and receiving at the agent computer system from each of said one or more service-provider computer systems a response to the request.

Abstract: A system, method, apparatus and computer program product for providing location based functions and mobile e-commerce comprising a central processing unit including a processor, a storage device, and programming stored in the storage device, a display device, an audio input device, an audio output device, a communications module, a commerce module, an image module, and a location module.

Abstract: A device and method of providing wireless communications is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes determining that a plurality of wireless networks are concurrently available to provide wireless communication for a telephone device wherein the plurality of wireless networks include different types of networks, selecting one of the plurality of wireless networks based, at least in part, one or more rules, establishing a first wireless communication link with a remote device via the selected network, and wherein the one or more rules are configured to reduce a cost of communicating data. Other embodiments may include various other selection criteria for selecting a network such as, for example, the available bandwidth of one or more of the networks and the type of data to be communicated.

Abstract: Systems and methods of using a mobile communication device to present information related to a point of interest. A method comprises receiving, at a mobile device, an input relating to a point of interest; receiving, at the mobile device, transmission of data regarding volume of business at the point of interest; and causing the mobile device to present information based on the volume of business at the point of interest.

Abstract: A device and method of providing wireless communications is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes storing location criteria in a memory, determining a location of the device, determining whether a location of the device substantially corresponds to the location criteria, and wirelessly transmitting a notification via the wireless data network if the location of mobile communication device substantially corresponds to the location criteria. In addition, the location criteria may include information of a communication device and the determining whether a location of the device substantially corresponds to the location criteria may comprise determining that the mobile communication device is within a proximity of the communication device. The method may include monitoring one or more uses of the device and wirelessly transmitting use data via the wireless data network.

Abstract: Systems and methods identify broadcast transmissions of interest to a user by comparing a user's interest profile to characteristics, such as topic phrases, associated with available broadcast transmissions. The method comprises receiving from a viewing station via a communication network an interest profile associated with a user. The interest profile includes data representing a plurality of topics of interest to the user that relate to broadcast transmissions. After receiving the interest profile, a text-based search is performed to identify available broadcast transmissions that match at least one topic of interest included in the interest profile, and a list of one or more of the available broadcast transmissions that match at least one topic of interest included in the interest profile are transmitted to the viewing station so that one or more of the available broadcast transmissions can be selected from the list and presented via the viewing station.

Abstract: A portable communication device and method of use is provided. In one embodiment, the method of using a handheld mobile telephone includes capturing a plurality of images via an image input device; storing the plurality of images in a memory, receiving a first speech input, identifying command information in said first speech input; retrieving information from memory based, at least in part, on the command information. The method may further include generating a request related to an article of commerce that includes, at least in part, the information retrieved from memory, determining a destination for transmitting the request, and wirelessly transmitting said request through a mobile telephone network to the destination.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for transmitting an advertisement to a client device. The method comprises, receiving from a client device via a communication network a profile that includes information concerning a user, selecting, via a processor, an advertisement from a plurality of available advertisements based on the information concerning the user included in the profile and also based on targeting criteria associated with each of the available advertisements, and transmitting to the client device via the communication network the advertisement selected from the plurality of available advertisements so that the advertisement can be presented via the client device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for using an agent computer system to obtain information from multiple service-provider computer systems. The method comprises, in response to receiving search criteria at the agent computer system from a client computer system, determining one or more service-provider computer systems with which to communicate to obtain information satisfying the search criteria, determining, for each of said one or more service-provider computer systems, a communication protocol to use to communicate with the service-provider computer system to obtain information satisfying the search criteria, transmitting from the agent computer system to each of said one or more service-provider computer systems, using the communication protocol determined to be used with each service-provider computer system, a request to obtain information satisfying the search criteria, and receiving at the agent computer system from each of said one or more service-provider computer systems a response to the request.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for navigating an information hierarchy using a mobile communication device. The method comprises causing a plurality of selectable items to be presented on a display associated with the mobile communication device, in response to receiving, via an audio input device associated with the mobile communication device, a first voice command indicating that one of the plurality of selectable items is to be selected, causing one of the selectable items in the plurality of selectable items to be displayed differently from the other selectable items to thereby form an accentuated selectable item, and, in response to receiving, via the audio input device, a second voice command indicating that the accentuated selectable item is to be selected, causing information associated with the accentuated selectable item to be presented on the display.

Abstract: Systems and methods of using a mobile communication device to locate a product or a vender within a shopping facility. The method comprises receiving, via an input associated with the mobile communication device, a request to locate the product or the vender within the shopping facility, transmitting the request to a remote computer system, and receiving at the mobile communication device from the remote computer system an indication of whether the product or vender is located within the shopping facility, and, if the product or the vender is located within the shopping facility, an indication of the location of the product or the vender within the shopping facility. The remote computer system is configured to determine whether the product or the vender is located within the shopping facility and determine a location of the product or the vender within the shopping facility.

Abstract: Systems and methods facilitate entry into an access-controlled location using a mobile communication device. The method comprises receiving at the mobile communication device via a communication network an entry code that facilitates access to the access-controlled location, storing the entry code in a memory associated with the mobile communication device, and, in response to determining that the mobile communication device is within the predetermined distance of the access-controlled location, transmitting the entry code from the mobile communication device to an entry-control computer system, which determines whether the entry code is valid. The method may further comprise receiving at the mobile communication device an indication that the entry code is valid, and, in order to gain entry into the access-controlled location at an entrance to the access-controlled location, providing to the entry-control computer system via the mobile communication device the indication that the entry code is valid.

Abstract: Systems and methods allow users to customize content of broadcast transmissions. A parent might, for example, wish to remove or replace profanity from an audio portion of the movie or violence from audio and video portions of the movie so that it is more suitable for younger viewers. The method comprises receiving at a viewing station a broadcast transmission, performing, via the viewing station, a search to identify specified material in the broadcast transmission, and, in response to identifying the specified material in the broadcast transmission, modifying the broadcast transmission to suppress the specified material so that the broadcast transmission can be presented via the viewing station without the specified material.

Abstract: Systems and methods identify broadcast transmissions of interest to a user by comparing a user's interest profile to characteristics, such as topic phrases, associated with available broadcast transmissions. The method comprises receiving from a viewing station via a communication network an interest profile associated with a user. The interest profile includes data representing a plurality of topics of interest to the user that relate to broadcast transmissions. After receiving the interest profile, a text-based search is performed to identify available broadcast transmissions that match at least one topic of interest included in the interest profile, and a list of one or more of the available broadcast transmissions that match at least one topic of interest included in the interest profile are transmitted to the viewing station so that one or more of the available broadcast transmissions can be selected from the list and presented via the viewing station.