Abstract: A sender-specified courtesy notification scheme to delay notification by a receiving device of the receipt of a data message is disclosed. A sender may specify a notification parameter defining a delay and send the parameter in association with the data message to a recipient. The recipient's receiving device evaluates the parameter and notifies in response. Local notification data defined by the recipient may also be evaluated. Received data messages subject to delayed notification may be hidden by the receiving device or quietly displayed (e.g. as per other received messages) until the expiry of the delay. Notification parameters and data can be formulated as one or more rules which may take into account the current location of the receiving device. A notification delay may be ignored in certain situations depending on recent use of the receiving device.

Abstract: A method and mobile electronic device are provided which automatically adjust settings based on the environment of the mobile electronic device. The settings of the mobile electronic device which are adjusted may be security settings, filter settings, or status for instant messaging in dependence on the determined location of the mobile electronic device.

Abstract: Distributed assembly of data packets into messages at a group of interface devices that receive data packets from within a coverage area. Each interface device in the group will take ownership of a sequence of data packets forming a message when a data packet of the message meeting predetermined criteria is received by that interface device. Once an interface device takes ownership of a sequence of data packets, it sends a request to the other interface devices for any missing data packets of the sequence that the ownership claiming interface does not have, and then assembles message upon receiving all the data packets of the sequence.

Abstract: A processor-implemented method facilitates communication over a plurality of communication mediums by identifying interlocutors in a first communication and searching contact data to determine whether the interlocutors identified have an associated communication capability over a second communication medium. A second communication between the interlocutors determined to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium may be established.

Abstract: A router, which may be a wireless gateway, for routing messages between communications networks, including a persistent storage, and a transport interface for sending outgoing messages to communications devices associated with a first communications network, and receiving incoming messages from the communications devices, and having a storage for storing pending outgoing and incoming messages for subsequent sending by the interface component, the transport interface being coupled to the persistent storage and having an associated shutdown module for serializing at least some of the pending messages to the persistent storage during shutdown of the interface component. The router may include a plurality of the transport interfaces, and a controller coupled to the transport interfaces for directing at least one of the transport interfaces to retrieve from the persistent storage for subsequent sending the pending messages serialized thereto by a further one of the transport interfaces during shutdown thereof.

Abstract: An electronic device is provided that includes a processor, an output device connected to the processor for issuing a stimulus to a user of the electronic device, and at least one input device connected to the processor and responsive to user interaction. The electronic device also includes a device lock module associated with the processor for implementing restrictions on user access to the electronic device if user interaction is not detected within a predetermined lockout-time interval, the device lock module being configured for resetting the lockout-time interval into a shorter value if a user stimulus is issued by the output device.

Abstract: A device is in communication with a server over a wireless network. Items are stored locally in the device. The device receives, from a user of the device, a request to search for items matching a search parameter. The device finds items among the locally-stored items that match the parameter. The device sends a request to the server for the server to search among items stored remotely on the server for items matching the parameter. The device receives, from the server, a list of the remotely-stored items that match the parameter without receiving the items themselves. The device displays, to the user, a composite list of both the locally-stored items and remotely-stored items matching the parameter.

Abstract: In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for searching a remote database. A server may be used to communicate with a mobile device over a wireless network. The mobile device may include a local application database for storing data items for one or more software applications. The server may include a server application database for storing copies of data items that are transmitted to the mobile device. A local search module on the mobile device may be used to identify one or more data items in the local application database that match a set of search parameters. If the one or more data items cannot be identified in the local application database, then a remote search module on the server may be used to identify a copy of the one or more data items in the server application database that match the set of search parameters.

Abstract: Distributed assembly of data packets into messages at a group of interface devices that receive data packets from within a coverage area. Each interface device in the group will take ownership of a sequence of data packets forming a message when a data packet of the message meeting predetermined criteria is received by that interface device. Once an interface device takes ownership of a sequence of data packets, it sends a request to the other interface devices for any missing data packets of the sequence that the ownership claiming interface does not have, and then assembles message upon receiving all the data packets of the sequence.

Abstract: A method of activating security functions on a computer device, for example a mobile communications device. The computer device includes a device state that may be realized by way of a first user input or a second user input. The method includes designating the first user input to realize the device state as a security rule having an associated security function, detecting realization of the device state, and activating the associated security function if the device state was realized by way of the second user input rather than the first user input. For example, the first user input may be a shortcut input, and the second user input may be a conventional or normal input.

Abstract: An attachment server network including at least two attachment servers in communication with one another, each of the attachment servers for converting email attachments in response to view requests received from portable electronic devices, each of the attachment servers having a respective cache for storing data corresponding to previously converted attachments, the data being available to any of the attachment servers in the attachment server network.

Abstract: A calendar application for use with a first portable electronic device includes time-dependent events having a start time and an end time and proximity-dependent events having a specified device ID that corresponds to a second portable electronic device. Both the time-dependent events and the proximity-dependent events are stored in the calendar application and the proximity-dependent event is convertible into a time-dependent event. A proximity reminder is generated when the second portable electronic device is in short range radio frequency communication range of the first portable electronic device.

Abstract: Before sending an original text-based message to a receiver that is known to have a display screen of limited size, a user may indicate a desire to translate the original message, at least in part, into a visually compressed message, where the visually compressed message uses abbreviations in place of many of the strings of characters in the original message.

Abstract: An electronic device such as a mobile communication device capable of entering a locked mode of operation, comprising at least one input device for generating an input signal upon actuation thereof, at least one storage element for storing an application for executing a command in response to such actuation, and a processor connected to the storage element and input device for detecting the input signal and in response initiating execution of the command, buffering the command for a period of time, and detecting an action within the period of time, for causing the electronic device to enter a locked operating mode, and in response reverting the command.

Abstract: An electronic device that includes a processor, an output device connected to the processor for issuing a stimulus to a user of the device, at least one input device connected to the processor and responsive to user input activity, and a device lock module associated with the processor for (i) implementing restrictions on user access to the device if user input activity falls below a threshold; and (ii) redetermining the threshold if a stimulus is issued by the output device. Also, a mobile device that includes a processor, at least a first input device connected to the processor for providing input signals thereto, an output device connected to the processor for providing output to a user of the mobile device, the processor being configured for determining location information for the mobile device based on input signals received from the first input device and adjusting an operating characteristic of the electronic device based on the determined location information.

Abstract: A method is provided for creating a custom zone in order to an improve the graphical user interface for a user of a mapping application on a mobile device. The method comprising the steps of: requesting creation of the custom zone; establishing a location of the custom zone; defining a boundary for the custom zone; and associating multimedia data with the custom zone for subsequent display to the user. A further method is described for displaying the custom zone to the user. A system and computer readable medium configured to implement the method are also described.

Abstract: A method is provided for sharing data, stored on a central data store, between a first user and a secondary user. The method comprises the following steps. A share request message is received from the first user. The share request message includes a data identifier for identifying which of the data stored on the central data store is to be shared with the secondary user, and a user identifier for identifying the secondary user. The data to be shared is associated with an account of the secondary user for subsequent access by the secondary user. A system and computer readable medium configured to implement the method are also described.

Abstract: An e-mail distribution server may manage many pull e-mail accounts by periodically, as defined by an interval time, polling associated pull e-mail servers for new mail. If the e-mail distribution server receives an e-mail message destined for a recipient having a pull e-mail account managed by the e-mail distribution server, the e-mail distribution server may recognize an opportunity to poll the pull e-mail server associated with the pull e-mail account sooner than the expiration of the interval time.

Abstract: A method and system are described of providing an electronic device with a software environment having a honeypot mode of operation to which the device is capable of switching upon recognition of a message from an external device or of a pre-determined internal state. Switching to the honeypot mode of operation may include instituting an automatic sending of reports based on usage of the electronic device to an external device, modifying the non-user-observable behaviour of certain user-invokable operations, and manipulating data stored on the electronic device.

Abstract: A queuing method and system for wireless/LAN routers processes and routes an incoming data packet from a wireless mobile network to a destination server. The system uses a wireless transport module to initiate storage of the data packet in a permanent storage device while simultaneously forwarding the data packet to the destination server. A database thread is used to manage the operations being performed on the data packet and for initiating the storage of the data packet in a permanent storage device based on a permanent storage queue. A main thread is used to simultaneously forward the data packet to the destination server. The wireless transport module is adapted to determine whether the data packet has been acknowledged by the destination server and aborting the storage of the data packet in the permanent storage device once acknowledgment from by destination server has been received.