Abstract: A mobile wireless communications device may include a portable housing, a wireless transceiver carried by the portable housing, and a plurality of antennas also carried by the portable housing. Each antenna may have a different gain pattern at a different respective operating frequency, and the antennas may have different shapes to define different gain patterns at a given operating frequency. The mobile wireless communications device may further include a frequency/pattern diversity controller for controlling the wireless transceiver to preferentially operate with the plurality of antennas.

Abstract: A universal peripheral connector apparatus for a mobile device and in communication with the mobile device. The universal peripheral connector apparatus including: at least one universal serial bus (USB) connector providing at least one connection; at least one USB host controller configured to control the at least one USB connection; a microprocessor configured to control the at least one USB host controller, the microprocessor having an operating system; a USB device control interface on the mobile device configured to communicate and control the universal connector apparatus; and a USB driver configured to operate within the operating system of the universal peripheral connector to enable the mobile device to connect to one or more peripherals via the at least one USB connector.

Abstract: A method of ensuring that data sent to a handheld wireless communications device is written to non-volatile memory is disclosed. In a device, where data is initially written to a first volatile memory and then written to a second volatile memory before being written from the second volatile memory to a non-volatile memory, software code is implemented that causes the writing of the data to non-volatile memory concurrently with the writing of the data to the second volatile memory. The software code may incorporate operating system commands (such as Windows OS).

Abstract: A method for responding to an electronic mail (“email”) message presented to a user on a display screen of a data processing system, comprising: receiving a command from the user to generate a reply to the email message using content from one or more template replies, the reply having a subject line and a body; presenting a choice of the one or more template replies to the user; receiving a command to select a template reply from the choice, the template reply having a subject line and a body; and generating the reply by inserting content from the body of the template reply into the body of the reply.

Abstract: A portable folding electronic device has a base with a longer length dimension and a shorter width dimension and a user interface on one surface. The user interface may be oriented for use when the base has a portrait orientation. The device also has a screen unit with a longer length dimension and a shorter width dimension and a screen on one surface. A linkage connects the base to the screen unit. The linkage provides at least two degrees of freedom between the base and the screen unit such that the screen unit may be moved to a first position folded onto the base, with the length dimension of said screen unit aligned with the length dimension of the base, and to a second position tilted with respect to the base, with the length dimension of the screen unit aligned with the width dimension of the base.

Abstract: A radio control system in a wireless communication device includes a sensor operable to detect a change in a use mode of the wireless communication device during a communication session according to a pre-determined list of conditions, the use mode being one of a plurality of use modes that the communication device can operate in. The radio control system also includes a power controller connected to the sensor, that is operable to determine a power configuration according to the user mode detected. The power configuration is adjusted to balance the radio frequency coverage of a signal to be transmitted and the SAR. Of the radiation absorption. Each use mode is a different scenario in which the wireless communication device can be used.

Abstract: A system and method of pushing user-selected data items from a host system to a user's mobile data communication device upon detecting the occurrence of one or more user-defined event triggers is provided. The user may then move (or file) the data items to a particular folder within a folder hierarchy stored in the mobile data communication device, or may execute some other system operation on the data item. Software operating at the mobile device and the host system then synchronizes the folder hierarchy of the mobile device with a folder hierarchy of the host system, and any actions executed on the data items at the mobile device are then automatically replicated on the same data items stored at the host system, thus eliminating the need for the user to manually replicate actions at the host system that have been executed at the mobile data communication device.

Abstract: Apparatus, and an associated method, for identifying availability of services in a radio network of a radio communication system. A system information message is generated at the radio access network that identifies the service availability of the radio network, such as by indicating the communication services supported by the network. The system information message, once generated, is communicated upon a broadcast control channel, or other appropriate channel, and delivered to a mobile node. The mobile node detects the system information message and determines the availability of services of the radio network therefrom. Selection of whether to register with the network is made responsive to whether the network supports the communication service that the mobile node intends to initiate.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for routing of data transmitted from a mobile electronic device to a first host of a plurality of hosts in a communication network using a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is provided. It is determined that the first host has failed via receipt of BGP rerouted data at least one network element, the BGP rerouted data originally intended for the first host. A negative acknowledgement (NACK) is transmitted to the mobile electronic device from the at least one network element, the NACK enabled to trigger the mobile electronic device to transmit data that was to be transmitted to the first host to another of the plurality of hosts and wherein the NACK is identifiable by the mobile electronic device as having been transmitted by the at least one network element.

Abstract: A system includes a first wireless-enabled device that transparently stores confidential information and a second wireless-enabled device that stores the same confidential information. The confidential information is to be used to secure a wireless communication link between the first device and the second device. One or both of the first device and the second device is to delete the confidential information upon fulfillment of one or more conditions related to the communication link.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for use in provisioning mobile communication devices in wireless local area networks (WLANs) are described. In one illustrative example, a provisioning network identifier (“provisioning ESSID”) is derived based on both predetermined provisioning criteria (e.g. a fixed alphanumeric string) and network-specific criteria associated with a WLAN (eg a network domain name). The mobile device associates with a wireless access point of a provisioning virtual local area network (VLAN) of the network with use of the provisioning network identifier. After associating with the wireless access point with the provisioning network identifier, a primary network identifier (“primary ESSID”) associated with a primary VLAN of the network is received from the WLAN in a provisioning procedure and stored in memory of the mobile device after authentication.

Abstract: A system and method for wirelessly exchanging an encryption key between a first device and a second device. The system generally includes: a transmitter, provided to the first device, for transmitting a signal that is strong enough to transmit over a predetermined distance while having a strength that decreases exponentially with distance, for example a magnetic field signal; a receiver, for example a Hall effect switch, provided to the second device, for receiving the signal; and a controller for determining when the first device and the second device are within the predetermined distance and controlling the transmitter to transmit the encryption key based on the determination.

Abstract: A system and method for automatic key and certificate management is disclosed. In particular, a key store in a base computer contains both new and previously viewed cryptographic keys. In one embodiment, for each new key, if a corresponding certificate matches an existing certificate, the new certificate may be automatically downloaded to a mobile communications device without prompting a user.

Abstract: A cellular communications system may include at least one base station and at least one mobile cellular communications device. More particularly, the at least one mobile cellular communications device may include a controller, at least one user input device connected to the controller, and a wireless transceiver cooperating with the controller for attempting to establish a wireless communications link with at least one base station, and if the wireless communications link cannot be established, then continuing to attempt to establish the wireless communications link at a first attempt rate. Moreover, if a user provides a request to access the at least one base station via the at least one user input device, then the controller may continue to attempt to establish the wireless communications link based upon a second attempt rate greater than the first attempt rate.

Abstract: In view of the foregoing, an improved handheld electronic device having a reduced keyboard provides facilitated language entry by making available to a user certain words that a user may reasonably be expected to enter. Incoming data, such as the text of a message, can be scanned for proper nouns, for instance, since such proper nouns might not already be stored in memory and might be expected to be entered by the user when, for example, forwarding or responding to the message. A proper noun can be identified, for instance, on the basis that it begins with an upper case letter. The proper nouns can be stored, for example, in memory that may, by way of further example, be a temporary dictionary.

Abstract: In one illustrative example, methods and apparatus for use in buffering PTT voice communications are described. A mobile station sends a PTT voice communication request in a wireless communication network. Prior to receiving a floor grant in response to the PTT voice communication request, the mobile station receives voice input signals and buffers digital voice data corresponding to the voice input signals, where the digital voice data is produced by encoding and compressing the voice input signals. The mobile station receives the floor grant in response to the PTT voice communication request. Upon receipt of the floor grant, the mobile station retrieves the buffered digital voice data and continues to buffer digital voice data corresponding to the voice input signals, until all of the buffered digital voice data has been sent.

Abstract: An improved handheld electronic device and an associated method are provided in which time data regarding certain aspects of a messaging conversation on a handheld electronic device are made available to a user. Such time data is provided, for instance, in situations where an interruption has occurred during a messaging conversation. Time data can also be provided to a user on demand in certain circumstances.

Abstract: A label for a power pack, the label including: a label body comprising a first side and a second side, the second side comprising an adhesive for coupling to an underside surface of the power pack; and a pull tab coupled to the label body for extending from the underside surface of the power pack to protrude from a power pack-receiving cavity of a portable electronic device when a cover of the power pack-receiving cavity is removed.

Abstract: A method and computing device for processing data are provided. Rule data for visually coding incoming data is stored. First and second profile data are stored, independent of the rule data. Each profile data comprises a respective range of time and a respective recurrence pattern that repeats indefinitely. Each profile data is associated with a respective subset of the rule data. Respective indications are received that first profile data and second profile have been activated. In response, the respective subset is automatically applied during the respective range of time such that incoming data is visually coded at the display device according to the respective subset during the respective range of time. Automatic application of the respective subset during the respective range of time repeats indefinitely according to the respective recurrence pattern until another indication that the respective profile data has been deactivated is received.

Abstract: A mobile wireless communications device may include a portable housing, and a printed circuit board (PCB) carried by the housing and having opposing upper and lower portions. The device may also include at least one wireless transceiver carried by the portable housing, and a satellite positioning signal receiver carried by the portable housing. An antenna assembly may be carried adjacent the upper portion of the PCB. The antenna assembly may include a horizontal conductor extending along the upper portion of the PCB in spaced relation therefrom. The horizontal conductor may be coupled to the satellite positioning receiver. The antenna assembly may also include a loop conductor extending from the horizontal conductor toward the lower portion of the PCB and in spaced relation from the PCB. The loop conductor may be coupled to the wireless transceiver.