Abstract: A database structure is disclosed that is particularly suited to Usenet servers. The database is thread-hot, synchronized, and highly parallel. In addition, the database structure enables high speed read/write activity with low latency search processes. The database is statically sized, self-expiring, and self-reparing. No throttling or down-time is required in the normal course of operations. The database is accompanied by several caches to provide a system capable of high perfomance Usenet operations. The invention comprises a “key-value” database, several pointers, linked lists, locks, and queues. All of these elements are arranged to operate in a synergistic manner to achieve a highly efficient history database. Under normal conditions, most of the queries from newsfeeds can be satisfied from a cache of the latest history database entries because many of the newsfeeds will offer the same articles as the other newsfeeds.

Abstract: Techniques for routing messages to addressable portions (e.g., processes) within an apparatus are disclosed. The techniques can be performed by a variety of apparatus including, for example, a gateway, a proxy server or a mobile device. After receiving the messages routed thereto, the addressable portions are able to process the messages and perhaps return a reply message. Often, the apparatus is a gateway or proxy server coupled between a network containing remote computers storing information and a wireless communication system including a plurality of mobile devices. The processing of the message will typically act to produce a message that forwards certain of the information from one or more of the remote computers on the network to a mobile device coupled to the wireless communication system.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and system for establishing an authenticated and secure communication session for transactions between a server and a client in a wireless data network that generally comprises an airnet, a landline network and a link server therebetween. The client having limited computing resources is remotely located with respect to the server and communicates to the server through the wireless data network. To authenticate each other, the client and the server conduct two rounds of authentication, the client authentication and the server authentication, independently and respectively, each of the authentication processes is based on a shared secret encrypt key and challenge/response mechanism. To reach for a mutually accepted cipher in the subsequent transactions, the server looks up for a commonly used cipher and forwards the cipher along with a session key to the client.

Abstract: Integration of telecommunication message services and other communication services is achieved by notifying a user of a communication system of successful receipt of a message (e.g., a facsimile message) by sending a confirmation message to the user, e.g., using e-mail, facsimile, voice and/or data communications. The user may be identified by a unique identifier, e.g., a telephone number. The confirmation message may comprise a facsimile message, an attachment which includes the received message or a computer network address of a location where information regarding the received message and/or the message itself may be accessed. For the latter case, the computer network address is preferably a universal resource locator (URL) associated with a web page at which the information and/or received message may be accessed. The information may allow the user to view the message (e.g.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to provide users with enhanced visual feedback after entry of data. When a user activates a key or inputs a sequence of keystrokes, a corresponding data character or characters is determined and displayed in a highlighting window. The desired character or set of characters may be determined by a predictive data entry method. The highlighting window provides greater visual feedback to the user through magnification, reverse video, or some other form of contrast enhancement method. If the user scrolls to a new character or characters because the currently displayed one(s) are not desired, then the new character or characters are displayed in the highlighting window. When the user ceases scrolling, indicating that the currently displayed character or characters are what the user desires, the highlighting window disappears and the display of the selected character or characters is restored to be the same format as previously entered characters.

Abstract: The present invention is particularly applicable to navigation of Internet by two-way interactive communication mobile devices that are capable of wireless communication via a link server with service providers or network servers on the Internet. Despite the limited computing resources in mobile devices that make it economically and technically impractical for the mobile devices to operate a local browser functioning as if it was in a desktop computer, the present invention allows the mobile devices to interact effectively with the Internet using a control engine operating in the link server and an interface engine operating in the mobile devices. The control engine, which utilizes the computing resources of the link server device, is responsible for tasks that require considerable computing power and memory, such as processing of URL requests, interpretation of markup language files, management of data cache and variable states.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for providing visual interfaces to mobile subscriber account services suitable for mobile devices with a small screen and phone keypad communicating, via a wireless data network, with a remotely located server device providing the mobile subscriber account services. Apart from the interactive voice system and other related systems providing access to subscriber account services, the present invention provides direct visual interface to the mobile subscriber account services and allows mobile subscribers to efficiently, visually and interactively, for example, access desired information and place service requests, through the limited screen and phone keypad at anytime from anywhere with limited costs to the service providers and maximum convenience to mobile subscribers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for facilitating access to a plurality of applications resident on a two-way mobile communication device. Existing keys or buttons of the two-way mobile communication device activate (or launch) resident applications. Additionally, the two-way mobile communication device presents the user with a displayed map on its display screen to specifically indicate which keys or buttons keys launch which resident applications.

Abstract: Aliasing techniques that permit flexibly linking to remotely located resources are disclosed. The aliasing techniques are used by a browser application to link to a remote resource located on a network (e.g., the Internet) when the location of the remote resource is initially unknown or likely to be changed based on events external to the browser application. For example, the external events can include: relocation of the remote resource, use of a different device, user or carrier service to access the remote resource, or selection of different service levels. In one embodiment, a browser application executes on a wireless remote computing device and couples to a network gateway via a carrier network. The aliasing techniques are provided by sending alias information from the network gateway to the browser application, and then having the browser application form an alias table and store the alias table in the wireless remote computing device.

Abstract: A two-way data communication device such as a data ready cellular telephone, a two-way pager, or a telephone communicates via a two-way data communication network with a server computer on a computer network that has an interface to the two-way data communication network, i.e, is coupled to the two-way data communication network. For example, the computer network can be a corporate wide area network, a corporate local area network, the Internet, or any combination of computer networks. The two-way data communication device utilizes a client module to transmit message including a resource selector chosen by the user to a server on a server computer on the computer network. The server processes the message and transmits a response over the two-way data communication network to the client module. The client module interprets the response and presents the response to the user via a structured user interface.

Abstract: Techniques that enable wireless client devices to more efficiently utilize available transmission bandwidth in a wireless network are disclosed. In one embodiment, the techniques operates to include or incorporate return information (data) in an acknowledgement message after an incoming message has been successfully received from a sender. As a result, messages are able to be effectively sent over the wireless network with less overhead. The techniques are particularly suitable for a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network that is capable of bi-directional communications with a short message service center (SMSC).

Abstract: A secure push server is disclosed. The push server is used for sending notifications to different wireless clients on different wireless networks. The push server allows information service providers to send notifications to the wireless clients. The information service providers initiate a request to the push server that includes updated information. The request also includes a certificate from the information service provider. The push server authenticates the request from the information service provider by verifying the certificate. The push server also determines if the certificate was issued from an acceptable certificate authority by examining an acceptable certificate authority list. Finally, the push server checks the content of the notification to be sure it does not interfere with other information service providers. After performing the security checks, the push server processes the notification request.

Abstract: An improved query input technique is disclosed in which a user supplies a few character-based queries and is able to retrieve and display at least as portion of a record from a structured database. For every character the user enters, a progressively reduced list of indexes that start with the entered characters is displayed. When a desired index identifying the record is among those indexes being displayed, the user may cease the character entry and scroll a zoom window upon the desired index to explore the full record. Various visual feedback indicators can also be displayed for the benefit of the user. Consequently, the user can access and display pertinent information of a certain record from a database quickly and efficiently with a reduced number keystrokes.

Abstract: A computer system includes a plurality of interdependent processors for operating a common set of applications. Each interdependent processor executes an independent operating system image without sharing file system state information. Each interdependent processor has a network access card with a first network connection and a second network connection. The computer system includes a first active backplane coupled to each first network connection of each processor; a second active backplane coupled to each second network connection of each processor, the second active backplane operating in lieu of the first active backplane in case of a fail-over; and one or more directors coupled to the first and second active backplanes, each of the one or more directors load-balancing requests directed at a plurality of servers.

Abstract: A two-way data communication device such as a data ready cellular telephone, a two-way pager, or a telephone communicates via a two-way data communication network with a server computer on a computer network that has an interface to the two-way data communication network, i.e, is coupled to the two-way data communication network. For example, the computer network can be a corporate wide area network, a corporate local area network, the Internet, or any combination of computer networks. The two-way data communication device utilizes a client module to transmit message including a resource selector chosen by the user to a server on a server computer on the computer network. The server processes the message and transmits a response over the two-way data communication network to the client module. The client module interprets the response and presents the response to the user via a structured user interface.

Abstract: A computer system includes a plurality of interdependent processors. Each interdependent processor executes an independent operating system image without sharing file system state information, and each interdependent processor further has a network access card with a first network connection and a second network connection. The computer system has a first active backplane coupled to each first network connection of each processor; a second active backplane coupled to each second network connection of each processor, the second active backplane operating in lieu of the first active backplane in case of a fail-over; and one or more peripherals connected to each of the first and second active backplanes and responsive to data requests transmitted over the first and second active backplanes.

Abstract: A pre-paid subscriber account system for use with wireless telephone systems is disclosed. The system, which monitors a subscriber's call, deducts the cost of the call from the subscriber's pre-paid account in real-time, warns the subscriber during a call when the account is nearing depletion, and terminates the call when the account is depleted. The system can also prevent the initiation of a new call when the account is depleted. Various options can also apply different charging rates, can charge only when specified criteria are met, or can charge only for calls to/from specified areas or telephone numbers. The system and method uses signaling techniques that will allow the metering or billing of the call, along with any authorization or restrictions, to be done remotely from the actual switching of the call. Call events or chargeable events are transmitted to the pre-paid control system while the communications path of the call is held at the switching system awaiting control information.

Abstract: An improved query input technique is disclosed in which a user supplies a few character-based queries and is able to retrieve and display at least as portion of a record from a structured database. For every character the user enters, a progressively reduced list of indexes that start with the entered characters is displayed. When a desired index identifying the record is among those indexes being displayed, the user may cease the character entry and scroll a zoom window upon the desired index to explore the full record. Various visual feedback indicators can also be displayed for the benefit of the user. Consequently, the user can access and display pertinent information of a certain record from a database quickly and efficiently with a reduced number keystrokes.

Abstract: A two-way data communication device such as a data ready cellular telephone, a two-way pager, or a telephone communicates via a two-way data communication network with a server computer on a computer network that has an interface to the two-way data communication network, i.e., is coupled to the two-way data communication network. For example, the computer network can be a corporate wide area network, a corporate local area network, the Internet, or any combination of computer networks. The two-way data communication device utilizes a client module to transmit message including a resource selector chosen by the user to a server on a server computer on the computer network. The server processes the message and transmits a response over the two-way data communication network to the client module. The client module interprets the response and presents the response to the user via a structured user interface.

Abstract: A system for displaying idle content information on wireless computing devices during idle times is disclosed. The idle content information displayed on the wireless computing device might display the network operators customer support telephone number or advertisements. In one embodiment, a browser program within the wireless computing device is used to display other idle content information to the user during such time when the wireless computing device is idle. The browser program may be modified to support looping content, interaction with idle displays, automatic scrolling, and automatic updating of idle content information.