Abstract: A method of controlling a portable electronic device includes receiving a power-down command, determining an automatic power-up date and time based on an earliest one of a next preset power-up and a next time-dependent event reminder, entering a power-down state, monitoring a date and time, and automatically powering up at the automatic power-up date and time.

Abstract: A wireless communications device includes a location-dependent alarm which a user can set to be triggered at a target location. A GPS receiver embedded in the wireless device provides position data representative of the current location. When the current location matches the target location, the alarm is triggered. This enables the user to set the alarm to wake him upon arrival at a particular location, e.g. a specific station on a commuter train. In another example, the wireless device can wake the user at one time of morning if the user is sleeping in one location and at a second time if the user is sleeping in a second location.

Abstract: Embodiments of a system, method, and user interface for controlling the display of images to users of mobile devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, a set of options to manipulate, navigate, and/or view images, common among multiple applications executable on a mobile device, is provided to users. Images may also be saved on a memory store on the mobile device.

Abstract: A method and system of reachability indication between a wireless device and at least one push server, the method comprising the steps of: sending device status information from the wireless device to the at least one push server; and receiving the status information at the at least one push server; wherein the at least one push server is enabled to selectively start and stop serving the wireless device on the basis of the status information. The method further comprises sending status information to a packet data serving node that stores a list of push servers associated with a wireless device, and having the packet data serving node forward the status information to the push server. The system and method further includes selectively starting and stopping the serving of the wireless device by the push server during a voice call.

Abstract: Network selection methods and apparatus with home network prioritization in country border regions are disclosed. In one illustrative example, a mobile station (200) is associated with a home communication network (402) having a home mobile country code (MCC). Being outside of the home network country, however, the mobile station (200) selects and operates with a non-home communication network (406) having a visiting MCC. After expiration of a timer, the mobile station (200) scans to identify a plurality of networks in a coverage area within which the mobile station (200) is operating. If the home network (402) having the home MCC is identified as being available, the mobile station (200) selects and operates with the home network (200). Otherwise, if the non-home network (406) having the visiting MCC is identified as being available, the mobile station (200) selects and operates with the non-home network (406).

Abstract: A fault detection apparatus for surface mount packages is provided. The apparatus can include a retainer for releasably securing a circuit board such as a printed circuit board having an electrical component mounted thereon via a ball grid array surface mount package. When mounted within the apparatus, a test signal is applied to the electrical component. The apparatus includes a mechanical actuator, such as a solenoid, for applying a reciprocating force to the circuit board. The reciprocating force can disturb a defect in the ball grid array manifesting as a mechanically unreliable connection at one of the balls where an electrically intermittent connection is occurring. By disturbing the mechanically unreliable connection, the electrically intermittent connection can be caused to fail altogether and thereby reveal the defect as a test signal is carried through the printed circuit board.

Abstract: One illustrative method of reducing undeliverable server-initiated IP traffic within a wireless network (21) includes the steps of identifying that a data connection (e.g. a Packet Data Protocol or PDP Context) for communicating server-initiated IP messages from a host server (22 or 26) to a mobile station (10) has been lost or terminated; causing a notification message having a destination address corresponding to the host server (22 or 26) to be produced based on identifying that the data connection has been lost or terminated; and causing the notification message to be sent to the host server (22 or 26). The notification message may cause the host server (22 or 26) to at least temporarily refrain from communicating and/or to queue server-initiated IP messages (10) intended for the mobile station (10). The notification message may be formatted and communicated based on an existing protocol, such as Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP), or any other suitable protocol.

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: A mobile computing device, including a main body, a processor and associated memory housed within the main body, a display screen housed within the main body and responsive to signals from the processor, an optical sensor fixed to the main body for capturing successive images and providing image signals representative of the captured images to the processor, and a navigation module associated with the processor for determining, based on the image signals, a relative movement between the main body and a reference surface and moving a pointer on the display screen based on the determined relative movement.

Abstract: A mobile wireless communications device may include a housing and a common antenna carried by the housing and having a plurality of spaced apart signal feed points thereon. The device may further include a plurality of wireless radio frequency (RF) transceivers carried by the housing and coupled to respective ones of the signal feed points of the common antenna. Each wireless RF transceiver may also have a respective different operating frequency associated therewith. Furthermore, the device may also include a controller selectively operating at least some of the wireless RF transceivers to advantageously use the common antenna at a same time.

Abstract: A WLAN client device maintains a history of profile-location associations. An association links a profile stored in the client device with a location in the vicinity of which the client device was connected to a wireless local area network matching the profile. While in a vicinity of a certain location, the client device may scan for wireless local area networks in a manner that takes into account records of the history that include the certain location.

Abstract: In one illustrative example, a method of monitoring for pages in a wireless communication network by a mobile communication device adapted to operate with a battery power source includes the steps of repeatedly monitoring a quick paging channel of the wireless network for quick pages and, if a quick page is received on the quick paging channel, subsequently monitoring a paging channel of the wireless network for an upcoming page; identifying whether an external power source is connected to the mobile device; and if the external power source is identified as being connected to the mobile device: causing an indication to terminate use of quick paging to be sent to the wireless network and, after sending the indication, repeatedly monitoring the paging channel of the wireless network for pages.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for use in scanning a radio frequency (RF) band for wireless local area networks (WLANs) while regulatory information for the RF band is deemed unknown are disclosed. A mobile communication device includes one or more processors and a wireless transceiver coupled to the one or more processors. In one illustrative embodiment, a processor of the mobile device utilizes the wireless transceiver to cause the RF band to be scanned using a passive scan operation on RF channels having a passive scan status. During the passive scan operation, the processor attempts to decode an information frame on the RF channel. In response to successfully decoding an information frame on the RF channel during the passive scan operation, the processor changes the passive scan status of the RF channel to an active scan status, and causes an active scan operation to be performed on the RF channel having the active scan status.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing manual selection of a communication network for a mobile station are described. A plurality of communication networks are identified by scanning a coverage area within which the mobile station is operating. A plurality of network identifiers corresponding to the plurality of communication networks are then retrieved from memory of a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) in accordance with an Enhanced Operator Name String (EONS) protocol. Preferably, each network identifier is retrieved based on a Mobile Country Code (MCC), a Mobile Network Code (MNC), and a Location Area Code (LAC). The plurality of network identifiers are visually displayed for user selection, and at least two of the network identifiers may be substantially the same. The user selected communication network is registered with and the network identifier associated with this network is visually displayed.

Abstract: A mobile electronic device has a thumbwheel subassembly having measurable rotatable and depressible input movements, for example, rolling the thumbwheel up, rolling the thumbwheel down and pushing the thumbwheel inwards. Pushing the thumbwheel with a measurable component of downward force may result in inadvertent rolling of the thumbwheel down. Software or hardware may be used to cancel the inadvertent rolling of the thumbwheel down when the timing of the push and the roll are too close. The thumbwheel assembly may be oriented in the device so that the direction of depressible input movement of the thumbwheel is substantially aligned with the direction of the push by a user's thumb or finger that includes a measurable component of downward force.

Abstract: Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating selection of a I-WLAN, or other network, by a wireless device. An electronic storage element is provided. A listing of specific network identifiers is stored at the electronic storage element. And, a listing indicia identifier is also stored at the electronic storage element. The listing indicia identifier is configured to identify formatting of the specific network identifiers. Formatting of the information permits compliance with 3GPP TS 31.102 [13] that requires that at least ten WSID entries to be storable at a WSID list.

Abstract: According to the present disclosure, one or more processors of a computer device (e.g. a mobile communication device) are operative to execute a garbage collection program and an application program concurrently with execution of the garbage collection program. The garbage collection program is operative to identify a root set of referenced objects of an application program, where a reference indicator in a reference indicator array is set as referenced for each one of such referenced objects, and to perform a mark and sweep process based on the root set of referenced objects. The application program has computer instructions which includes a predefined computer instruction (e.g. a GETREF instruction) adapted to retrieve a reference from a target object and to set a reference indicator in the reference indicator array as referenced for the target object when executed. Advantageously, execution of the application program need not be unreasonably suspended during garbage collection processes.

Abstract: A system and method for providing debug information in messages exchanged between two user agents in a session established in accordance with a session initiation protocol (SIP). In an exemplary embodiment, a SIP request that comprises an additional debug header is generated by a user agent client, for transmission to a user agent server. The additional debug header can be used to provide information on errors identified in a SIP response received earlier by the user agent client, for example. This information may be used by a network administrator of the user agent server in the debugging of applications or network maintenance.

Abstract: A thumbwheel input device oriented on an incline and comprising a wheel such that a first input is generated by rotation of the wheel about its axis, and a holder also having an axis of rotation and a portion thereon to receive the wheel whereby a second input is generated by rotation of the holder about the second axis.

Abstract: An improved handheld electronic device includes a case having an asymmetry provided by an outwardly protruding corner. The handheld electronic device includes an earphone disposed at the outwardly protruding corner. The positioning of the earphone allows a user to rapidly locate the with respect to the user's ear. Additionally, by positioning the earphone at a protruding corner of the handheld electronic device, the protruding corner can be positioned at an inner location of the user's outer ear, which is more comfortable to the user than positioning the handheld electronic device atop the outer ear. The earphone is offset from a main axis of the handheld electronic device in a direction generally toward the side of the handheld electronic device on which the outwardly protruding corner is disposed. In a second embodiment, a display of the handheld electronic device is offset from a main axis thereof in a second direction away from the offset earphone.