Abstract: It is desirable to be able to recognize data calls so that different charges can be applied to such calls and that vertical services, such as the use of special transmission facilities, may be offered to data callers. This recognition is accomplished by attaching a tone detector to a call in order to detect the special tones characteristic of a data call. Advantageously, this permits different charges to be imposed on data calls.

Abstract: A battery charging system for cellular telephones or other portable devices is incorporated into a clock radio. A user is enabled to specify a time-of-day at which s/he wants to be reminded to insert the rechargeable battery into the charging system if re-charging is needed. No alarm is generated if the battery is already in the charging system at the appointed time. A low power radio frequency signal attempts to interrogate the portable device on the assumption that it is within radio range at that time so as to determine the current battery charge status at about the time that the alarm would be generated. If the charging system receives a return signal from the portable device which indicates, or from which it can be determined, that charging is not needed, then the alarm is not generated after all. Otherwise, the alarm is, in fact generated.

Abstract: A global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver is used in an electronic lap counter which maintains a lap count and which increments the lap count upon "observing" via the GPS receiver that the user, having gone away from an initial "start" location (e.g., an end of a pool or the start line of a closed loop running track), has returned to that location. A user-supplied indication, such as the pressing of a push button, serves as an indication to the lap counter that the lap counter's then current location is to be used as the start location.