Abstract: A method and a system for navigating a display screen to search for a desired item of information stored in an electronic device. The electronic device includes a novel fly over user interface (FOUI) capable of receiving commands from a user to provide a zoom out view of the display screen. A user may commence a navigation session by touching the display screen in a non active area or by clicking on a specifically designated icon to activate the user interface. During the navigation session, the display screen is zoomed-out and a magnifying area may appear on the display screen. The user interface enables the user to scroll the zoomed-out display screen by dragging the magnifying area towards an edge of the display screen to find a desired item of information. The display screen may be a display screen of a digital device (e.g., portable computer, personal computer, a cellular telephone, a digital watch, etc). The user may terminate a navigation session by removing the pointer from the display screen.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus manages communications port contention and power consumption for a handheld computer, particularly handheld computers with a communications protocol that boosts power consumption when active, such as an RS-232 protocol. The improved method provides communications channel management that automatically opens the communications channel in response to a wake-up signal sent to a handheld computer from a peripheral device. The computer peripheral device is explicitly and/or implicitly identified. The opened communications channel is closed in response to receiving some data from the peripheral device, and/or after a device timeout expires without the handheld computer receiving data from the computer peripheral device.

Abstract: A method and system for the delivery of updated web platform applications to a mobile electronic device upon synchronization of the mobile device with a computer. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention discloses a method and system for dynamically creating personalized and up-to-date applications whenever a mobile electronic device is synchronized with a stand-alone computer system that is coupled to remotely located content servers or computers via a communication network, such as the Internet. Conduits act as gateways for synchronization between the mobile electronic device and the plurality of content servers or computers. These conduits coordinate the loading of the personalized and up-to-date applications onto the mobile electronic device. In one example, a user can then access up-to-date information on the applications at a more convenient time and while disconnected from the content servers or computers that provide the information.

Abstract: A computer system that attempts to establish an alternative network link upon failing to establish a requested network link is described. The computer system may encounter conditions where access to numerous networks, in particular wireless networks, is not available. Rather than only providing an error message to the user upon a failed attempt to establish the requested network link, the computer system determines whether the user has designated an alternative network link in case the requested network link cannot be established, whereas the alternative network link is selected from the plurality of network links that the computer system is configured to support. If an alternative network link has been designated, the computer system attempts to establish the alternative network link. Hence, the user experience is made smooth and uneventful when the requested network link cannot be established.

Abstract: A device for providing wireless Internet access has been described. The device includes an antenna. The antenna is for receiving wireless queries and transmitting wireless responses. The device includes a program. The program is for converting the wireless queries into Internet compatible protocols. The program is for receiving the Internet protocol formatted responses. These responses are then converted in to the wireless responses.

Abstract: A method and system thereof for identifying records are described. Records on a node are distinguished from other records on the node by assigning each record a unique local identifier. When a record is moved from one node to another node, a unique global identifier is assigned to the record. A translation technique is employed to map the local identifier to the global identifier (and vice versa).

Abstract: A method and apparatus that provides adaptation in the content delivered to a palmtop computer. Connections between a palmtop computer and the Internet can vary from low speed dial-up to very high speed. Also, a palmtop computer's display, memory and processing power can vary considerably. Communication with the Internet is generally through a proxy server that can deduce these considerations from the palmtop computer's serial number and/or other information specified by user. The proxy server can then adapt the content based upon these considerations (e.g. only send two bit gray scale images to non-color palmtop computer, only send first frame of animated gif to low processing power palmtop computer, etc.).

Abstract: A method and a system for navigating a display screen to search for a desired item of information stored in an electronic device. The electronic device includes a novel fly over user interface (FOUI) capable of receiving commands from a user to provide a zoom out view of the display screen. A user may commence a navigation session by touching the display screen in a non active area or by clicking on a specifically designated icon to activate the user interface. During the navigation session, the display screen is zoomed-out and a magnifying area may appear on the display screen. The user interface enables the user to scroll the zoomed-out display screen by dragging the magnifying area towards an edge of the display screen to find a desired item of information. The display screen may be a display screen of a digital device (e.g., portable computer, personal computer, a cellular telephone, a digital watch, etc). The user may terminate a navigation session by removing the pointer from the display screen.

Abstract: A method and system for synchronization of computer databases using caching agents. In one embodiment, information is accessed from a first database. The information is stored into a persistent store, which may be a permanent media, such as a magnetic disk. The information is retrieved from the persistent store. Such retrieval may be in close time proximity to the storing, or the retrieval may be at a substantially different time from the storing. The synchronization is completed by updating a second database with the information retrieved by the caching agent from the persistent store. As an advantageous result, synchronization of computer databases is more efficient due to an optimized storage format for the information as well as maximum bandwidth access. As a further beneficial result, if a database is not present at the time of synchronization, embodiments of the present invention may enable synchronization capabilities unavailable under the prior art.

Abstract: Separate processors, a PDA processor, and a baseband processor are maintained in a PDA having an integrated telephone device. The PDA processor runs PDA related programs and a user interface for the telephone device. A link between the PDA processor and baseband processor transfers data and commands from the user interface to a phone control program executing on the baseband processor. The base band processor is connected to the telephone device, and the phone control program controls operation of the telephone device. The separation of processors reduces vulnerability of the telephone device to hacker rogue applications that invade or program crashes that occur on the PDA processor.

Abstract: A method and system for the delivery of updated web platform applications to a mobile electronic device upon synchronization of the mobile device with a computer. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention discloses a method and system for dynamically creating personalized and up-to-date applications whenever a mobile electronic device is synchronized with a stand-alone computer system that is coupled to remotely located content servers or computers via a communication network, such as the Internet. Conduits act as gateways for synchronization between the mobile electronic device and the plurality of content servers or computers. These conduits coordinate the loading of the personalized and up-to-date applications onto the mobile electronic device. In one example, a user can then access up-to-date information on the applications at a more convenient time and while disconnected from the content servers or computers that provide the information.

Abstract: A computer system that attempts to establish an alternative network link upon failing to establish a requested network link is described. The computer system may encounter conditions where access to numerous networks, in particular wireless networks, is not available. Rather than only providing an error message to the user upon a failed attempt to establish the requested network link, the computer system determines whether the user has designated an alternative network link in case the requested network link cannot be established, whereas the alternative network link is selected from the plurality of network links that the computer system is configured to support. If an alternative network link has been designated, the computer system attempts to establish the alternative network link. Hence, the user experience is made smooth and uneventful when the requested network link cannot be established.

Abstract: A method and system for N-way synchronization of computer databases. Synchronization of computer databases is structured into three rounds, namely an agenda round, a query round and a report round. In the agenda round, a synchronization agent software module inquires of a common synchronization engine for updates to the agent's database and provides information as to the level of information in the agent's database. During a query round, a common synchronization engine may request information from databases with new information and distribute that database information to databases needing the new information during a report round. Multiple agents, each representing an associated database may participate a synchronization. In addition, various special purpose agents may also receive, provide and otherwise operate on synchronization information.

Abstract: A method for transferring Web-based information over a network to a personal information management system includes selecting a set of Web-based information and creating a transfer request. The transfer request includes the set of Web-based information and an address for a server associated with the personal information management system. The server is in communication with the network and has access to calendar and contact data for a set of users. The transfer request is sent to the server and the set of Web-based information is stored at the server and associated with at least one user from the set of users.

Abstract: A browser-enabled device includes a browser-based user interface and control architecture, which has a browser core, a browser framework, and a user interface. The user interface is written using a markup language. In processing event registrations, the browser framework receives an event registration. The received event registration having a response unique resource identifier (URI) content and a priority field. The priority field of the received event registration is examined to determine priority of the received event registration. If the browser core is loading the response URI content of a prior event registration and if the priority of the received event registration is higher than the priority of the prior event registration, then the loading of the response URI content of the prior event registration is halted, and loading of the response URI content of the received event registration is begun.

Abstract: A synchronization device checks the revocation status of a digital certificate used by a portable computing device, such as a personal digital assistant or mobile phone. The synchronization device typically sends the revocation status to the portable device during a periodic synchronization operation. Revocation status checking can occur using minimal processing, memory or network access resources of the portable device. In some embodiments, the synchronization device is a desktop personal computer, or a server within a mobile communication network. In other embodiments, the portable device uses a certificate and sends the certificate to the synchronization device during a subsequent synchronization operation. In yet other embodiments, the synchronization device checks the status of a certificate, generates a summary for the certificate and transmits the summary to the portable device prior to its use of the certificate.

Abstract: A method and system for fast synchronization of computer databases using coverage status. First coverage information of a first database and second coverage information of a second database are accessed. Using the coverage information from the two databases, it may be determined which data elements from the second database are more recent than corresponding data elements from the first database. Data elements from the second database that are more recent than corresponding data elements of the first database may be transferred to the first database. In this novel manner, synchronization of two databases may take place without comparing corresponding data elements between the two databases in order to determine if a data element has been modified. By this exchange of coverage information, it is possible to transfer only changed records, in one direction, allowing for a consistent synchronization method that is typically faster than prior art methods.

Abstract: Separate processors, a PDA processor, and a baseband processor are maintained in a PDA having an integrated telephone device. The PDA processor runs PDA related programs and a user interface for the telephone device. A link between the PDA processor and baseband processor transfers data and commands from the user interface to a phone control program executing on the baseband processor. The base band processor is connected to the telephone device, and the phone control program controls operation of the telephone device. The separation of processors reduces vulnerability of the telephone device to hacker rogue applications that invade or program crashes that occur on the PDA processor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for enhancing the use of a computer network which is accessed by use of wireless device. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention pertains to a method of using server-resident software assistants, programs to assist the wireless device user, to perform a significant amount of the tedious input tasks required when wireless devices such as PDAs attempt to exploit the services available on the Internet. The method provides a mechanism by which software assistants can be programmed to a users' own specific information and ways of performing tasks that exploit Internet services such as purchasing, information searches, event planning and complex scheduling. The task can be organized in structural task lists that interface with a user's stored preferences and PIM information on the portable electronic device.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus manages communications port contention and power consumption for a handheld computer, particularly handheld computers with a communications protocol that boosts power consumption when active, such as an RS-232 protocol. The improved method provides communications channel management that automatically opens the communications channel in response to a wake-up signal sent to a handheld computer from a peripheral device. The computer peripheral device is explicitly and/or implicitly identified. The opened communications channel is closed in response to receiving some data from the peripheral device, and/or after a device timeout expires without the handheld computer receiving data from the computer peripheral device.