Abstract: Disclosed is an enhanced system and method for bridging calls across telecommunications networks, including an illustrative application of the invention as it relates to international roaming among prepaid wireless subscribers. For instance, whenever wireless subscribers roam internationally they may invoke the system by keying in an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) short code followed by the number to be dialed. Said subscriber's prepaid account is then decremented in real-time (until such account is fully depleted). A key feature of the disclosure generally is the bridging of the call legs between the wireless subscriber initiating the telephone communication and that of the receiving party through a series of general purpose databases and computers without requiring modifications to existing core network or handset infrastructure.

Abstract: A system and method to automatically park a voice call on a mobile electronic device so that the device can receive data, comprising a switch for establishing a voice call at the at least one caller device, a database for storing at least one call processing rule, and an enterprise data server for receiving a data message, comparing contents of the data message with at least one rule in the database, and in the event that the contents match the rule then parking the call, switching the mobile electronic device to a data mode of operation, downloading the data message to the device and un-parking the call.

Abstract: A system for navigating around healthy organs to reach a desired site of surgery is provided. The system includes an articulating shaft capable of navigating around healthy organs in a body. The articulating shaft includes a plurality of shaft sections and one or more movable joints. Further, the one or more movable joints have a two-degree of freedom motion. The two-degree of freedom joints operatively connect the plurality of shaft sections. Moreover, the system includes one or more cables which aid in controlling the movements of the movable joints. Additionally, the system can include a variety of medical tools located at the tip of a shaft section of the articulating shaft, wherein the medical tool aids in performing the medical activity.

Abstract: A system and method of saving and delivering a voice memo or text memo to identify incoming calls is provided. A user of the system of the invention is given the option of recording a memo on the calls he or she has received through a prompt on a telecommunication device. The user can choose to record a voice memo or text memo after each call. The memos are saved in connection with caller id information pertaining to the number from which the call was placed. When a user of the system receives a call from a number that has a memo saved in relation thereto, the user will be prompted to hear, and may listen to, the voice memo before answering the call. If the memo is in text form, the user can configure the system to provide various processing options. In one processing option, a text to speech audio presentation of the text of the memo is made available to permit the message to be heard over a telephone or networked audio capable PDA device.

Abstract: In a network having a plurality of subscriber devices, a plurality of base stations and a server, a system and method of modifying policy settings are provided. Each base station transmits wirelessly across a geographic region. A subscriber device, capable of roaming between regions, establishes a wireless link with the server via the base stations. The network contains a communication policy determining from which other communication devices a subscriber device can receive voice calls. The server updates the policy based on requests from subscriber devices. The determination of whether to update the policy can be based on a record of rejections respective to the caller requested to be blocked. Alternatively, the policy can be updated according to a trust policy maintained on the server respective to the subscriber device making the request; the trust policy represents the procedure to follow when a request is received from that subscriber device.

Abstract: A robotic hand controller, having 8 Degrees of Freedom, with force feedback mechanisms in one or more and preferably all available degrees of freedom is provided. The hand controller is used with a plurality of end effectors such as forceps and scissors. The plurality of robotic arms and the plurality of end effectors are controlled by a surgeon working on a robotic console. The robotic console includes the robotic hand controller which allows the surgeon to perform motion in 8 Degrees of Freedom using the end effectors.

Abstract: According to embodiments described in the specification, a method, system and apparatus for delivering web content are provided. The method comprises maintaining a web page in a memory of a web server identifiable by a network address, the web page including at least one reference to a foreign element maintained at a second web server identifiable by a second network address; identifying the at least one reference; transmitting a request from an interface of the web server for obtaining the second network address; receiving the second network address of the second web server and storing the second network address in the memory in association with an identifier of the web page.

Abstract: According to embodiments described in the specification, a method, system and apparatus for managing notification profiles is provided. The method comprises acquiring, at an image acquisition module of a portable electronic device, an image of a graphical indicator. The graphical indicator comprises a machine readable representation of data identifying one of the plurality of notification profiles. The method further comprises extracting from the image the data identifying one of a plurality of notification profiles maintained in a memory of the portable electronic device. The method further comprises selecting the one of the plurality of notification profiles corresponding to the extracted identifying data as an active notification profile.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are set forth for creating a Document Object Model of an XML document of predetermined type, comprising a first process for receiving and opening a compressed input file containing the XML document; a second process for opening and parsing the contents of a relationships file to create a map of name-value pairs and detecting a value for identifying the predetermined type from among a plurality of types of XML documents; and a further process for parsing data in the XML document according to the predetermined type, and building the Document Object Model.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for barcode scanning for a target barcode comprising: receiving color image values for a captured image of the target barcode from at least one color image sensor; and extracting luminosity values for each pixel of the captured image from the color image values to define greyscale image values corresponding to the color image values. Once the luminosity values are defined, they are provided as greyscale image values to a greyscale barcode decoder for subsequent processing thereof.

Abstract: An embodiment relates to a novel apparatus and method for changing modes of notification in an electronic device. An electronic device includes a calendar application and a variety of other applications such as the message reader application or the daily alarm application. The device is configured to use the calendar application to track whether and how the user is notified of the receipt of an electronic message. In one embodiment, the user specifically associates a profile behavior to the calendar entry when the calendar entry is first created.

Abstract: The present application describes a method and system for performing medical procedures. The system includes a robotic arm assembly, an end effector assembly and a set of transducers. The system further includes a cable element that is used to control the movement of the robotic arm assembly and the end effector assembly. The cable element is also connected to the set of transducers, which measure the force imparted on the robotic arm assembly and the end effector assembly during the medical procedures.

Abstract: For use in a communication system, a method of testing communications between at least one enterprise server and at least one handheld mobile communication device, the method comprising automatically sending a plurality of test messages from the enterprise server to the handheld mobile communication device. Also set forth is a method for verifying correct receipt of the test messages and reporting the verification results.

Abstract: A variable form handheld computer may be configurable either as a short form handheld computer or as long form handheld computer. The variable form handheld computer comprises a variable form housing frame configurable as either a short form housing frame or a long form housing frame. The variable form housing frame comprises a plurality of handheld computing modules comprising a display module, a circuitry module, a battery module and a variable form keyboard, the variable form keyboard configurable either as a short form keyboard or a long form keyboard. The long form housing frame securely frames the handheld computing modules when the variable form keyboard is configured as the long form keyboard, and the short form housing frame securely frames the plurality of computing modules when the variable form keyboard is configured as the short form keyboard.

Abstract: A displayed string of emails is effectively compressed for improved readability by deleting some or all headers and/or by skipping the cursor from one message body to another in response to “hot” key actuation(s) by a user.

Abstract: A method of memory management in an electronic device, includes receiving at the electronic device, representative viewable or audible samples of data records, and storing the representative viewable or audible samples of data records in a memory of the electronic device. Each of the representative viewable or audible samples of data records includes one of a compressed version of a corresponding one of the backup data records, and a viewable or audible portion of the corresponding one of the backup data records.

Abstract: An electronic device and wireless base station for maintaining a persistent connection are provided. In an embodiment, a system includes an electronic device that connects to a web-server via a physical link that is bandwidth-constrained. The physical link also includes a wireless base station and at least one network address translation (“NAT”) router that is configured to terminate idle connections between the client and the web-server. One of the electronic device and the wireless base station is configured to send keep-alive packets to the web-server in order to reduce the likelihood of the NAT router terminating the connection. The keep-alive packets are sent on a variable basis that is intended to reduce bandwidth consumption while ensuring that the NAT router does not deem the connection idle and terminate the connection.

Abstract: A method of storage of an e-mail includes either receiving the e-mail at a portable electronic device or sending the e-mail from the portable electronic device. The e-mail is marked for saving at the portable electronic device and transmitted by radio communication for receipt by a server and for storage of the e-mail in a backup database.

Abstract: Presented is a method and apparatus comprising one or more robotic members which are curvaceous or snake-like; having movable shapers through which may pass an articulable column having successive joints formed of alternating ball and socket members. The shapers can be directed up and down the articulable column, to create virtually any radius of curvature, in any direction. The robotic member may also include discrete microelectronic mechanical devices (MEMS) shapers with embedded addressable controllers. Thus the device, with computerized control is capable of negotiating a tortuous path to access the site of a given operation and to retreat along the same path, without injury to the body in which the arm is directed. Once at the work site, the articulating columns, or parts of them, may be put in compression, causing them to become rigid.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for navigating between different focus points displayed on an electronic device, comprising, for each of said different focus points, maintaining a list of any adjacent ones of said focus points to which focus can move in each direction responsive to a navigation event in said direction, for each said list having only one adjacent focus point moving focus to said one adjacent focus point responsive to said navigation event, and for each said list having more than one adjacent focus point accessing a memory setting and moving focus to a predetermined one of said adjacent focus points responsive to said navigation event in accordance with said memory setting.