Abstract: A method for generating text explanations for the results of linearly constrained optimizations of a linear program includes determining, based on one or more constraints, bounds, and variable values of the linear program, if optimization based on the one or more constraints is feasible. The method further includes if optimization based on the one or more constraints is feasible, analyzing, the one or more constraints, bounds, and variable values of the linear program, in relation to one another, to determine one or more pairs of solutions to the linear program and associated shadow prices. The method further includes determining textual explanations for each of the pairs of solutions to the linear program and the associated shadow prices and presenting, via an output display, the user with at least one of the textual explanations for each of the pairs of solutions to the linear program and the associated shadow prices.

Abstract: A configuration of an electronic device (400) is managed by obtaining (1005) stakeholder attributes of a component resident in the electronic device from stakeholder requirements (FIGS. 7, 8) of one or more stakeholders and correlating (1020) the respective stakeholder attributes as well as available sets of values of attributes of the component to determine (1025) a set of selected values of the attributes, and establishing (1030) at least a portion of a new configuration of the electronic device using the set of selected values of the attributes of the component. When the stakeholder requirements cannot be met with an existing application in the electronic device, the application may be formed (1200) from components of existing applications.

Abstract: A configuration of an electronic device (400) is managed by obtaining (1005) stakeholder attributes of a component resident in the electronic device from stakeholder requirements (FIGS. 7, 8) of one or more stakeholders and correlating (1020) the respective stakeholder attributes as well as available sets of values of attributes of the component to determine (1025) a set of selected values of the attributes, and establishing (1030) at least a portion of a new configuration of the electronic device using the set of selected values of the attributes of the component. When the stakeholder requirements cannot be met with an existing application in the electronic device, the application may be formed (1200) from components of existing applications.

Abstract: An electronic device (130) uses a theme record (120) which defines themes desired for the electronic device. An example patriotic theme might call for red, white and blue screen colors. A processor compares the theme record (120) against at least components (140) of the electronic device to determine operation characteristics of the electronic device (130). The processor can execute a correlation process (133) to resolve conflicts among configurations. The theme records (120) can be shared among users of the portable devices.

Abstract: An electronic device (130) uses a record (122) which defines capabilities desired for the electronic device. The requirements of one or more stakeholders are entrusted using stakeholder priority certificates (136). Signatures in the stakeholder priority certificates are authenticated by a device (130). A processor compares components (140) of the electronic device against the received record (122) and the trusted stakeholder requirements to determine operation characteristics of the electronic device (130). The processor can execute a conflict resolution process (133) to resolve conflicts among stakeholder requirements such as arbitrating among at least two of the stakeholders. The processor can resolve conflicts among the stakeholder requirements using a predetermined priority sequence (135).

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reproducing a speech sequence of a user through a communication device of the user. The method includes the steps of detecting a speech sequence from the user through the communication device, recognizing a phoneme sequence within the detected speech sequence and forming a confidence level of each phoneme within the recognized phoneme sequence. The method further includes the steps of audibly reproducing the recognized phoneme sequence for the user through the communication device and gradually highlighting or degrading a voice quality of at least some phonemes of the recognized phoneme sequence based upon the formed confidence level of the at least some phonemes.

Abstract: An electronic device (300) for speech dialog includes functions that receive (305, 105) a speech phrase that comprises a request phrase that includes an instantiated variable (215), generate (335, 115) pitch and voicing characteristics (315) of the instantiated variable, and performs voice recognition (319, 125) of the instantiated variable to determine a most likely set of acoustic states (235). The electronic device may generate (335, 140) a synthesized value of the instantiated variable using the most likely set of acoustic states and the pitch and voicing characteristics of the instantiated variable. The electronic device may use a table of previously entered values of variables that have been determined to be unique, and in which the values are associated with a most likely set of acoustic states and the pitch and voicing characteristics determined at the receipt of each value to disambiguate (425, 430) a newly received instantiated variable.

Abstract: A system and method to provide location signaling for service, such as a request for transport from a child to his or her parent(s) to be picked up from school, for example. A dedicated communication device has location capabilities and a control to request service for the bearer. At least one monitoring communication device, such as one for each parent, is operable to receive a location with a request for service and acknowledge same. A secure domain manager can be used to; receive the location and request service instruction, deliver the location and request service instruction to the monitoring device(s), obtain an acknowledgment from one monitoring device, and send the acknowledgment to the other monitoring devices and the bearer's communication device. Communication is only allowed between the bearer's device and monitoring devices. The location of the communication device can be tracked, and navigation can be provided thereto.

Abstract: A text messaging device and methods including receiving a text message (510), determining whether text in the text message corresponds to reference text associated with audio information stored on the text messaging device (520), playing audio on the text messaging device corresponding to the audio information associated with the reference text if any text in the text message corresponds to the reference text associated with the audio information stored on the text messaging device (530), and displaying any text in the incoming text message that corresponds to the reference text associated with the audio information (540).

Abstract: A text messaging device and methods including receiving a text message (510), determining whether text in the text message corresponds to reference text associated with audio information stored on the text messaging device (520), playing audio on the text messaging device corresponding to the audio information associated with the reference text if any text in the text message corresponds to the reference text associated with the audio information stored on the text messaging device (530), and displaying any text in the incoming text message that corresponds to the reference text associated with the audio information (540).

Abstract: A touch screen device and method for co-extensively and contrastingly presenting text characters (34) and rendering ink (36) in a common area of a user interface. The text characters (34) and the rendering ink (36) are presented in relative contrast such that co-extensive text characters (34) and rendering ink (36) are independently legible.

Abstract: A touch screen device and method for co-extensively and contrastingly presenting text characters (34) and rendering ink (36) in a common area of a user interface. The text characters (34) and the rendering ink (36) are presented in relative contrast such that coextensive text characters (34) and rendering ink (36) are independently legible.

Abstract: A data entry apparatus (10) receives a first character key from a keypad (12). A set of characters associated with the first character key is displayed. A second character key from the keypad (12) is received, wherein a second set of characters is associated with the second character key. A character from the first set of characters is combined with a character from the second set of characters. A set of alternative n-grams is displayed, derived from the step of combining, in descending order based on a probability of frequency of use in a given language. When an alternative n-gram is detected as being actively highlighted, the n-gram is locked to create a locked n-gram and characters associated with subsequent character keys vary in their combinations with respect to the locked n-gram.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for implementing a graphical user interface keyboard (10) and a text buffer (12) on an electronic device. A character that is active upon pointer-up is accepted as a text character, even though the character that is active upon pointer-up is different from a character that was active and inserted in the text buffer (12) upon pointer-down.

Abstract: A system for recognizing handwritten characters, including pre-processing apparatus for generating a set of features for each handwritten character, a neural network disposed for operating on sparse data structures of those features and generating a set of confidence values for each possible character symbol which might correspond to the handwritten character, and post-processing apparatus for adjusting those confidence values and for selecting a character symbol consistent with external knowledge about handwritten characters and the language they are written in. The pre-processing apparatus scales and re-parameterizes the handwritten strokes, encodes the scaled and re-parameterizd strokes into fuzzy membership vectors and binary pointwise data, and combines the vectors and data into a sparse data structure of features.