Abstract: A computing device comprises an architecture 30 having a number of network connections which independently connect to different LANs and which each independently and separately allocate private IP addresses. The device includes an interface manager 32 which functions to apply a unique network ID extension (NID) to the network address for an incoming data packet to avoid ambiguities arising when any one or more of the different LANs unknowingly duplicates the private IP addresses used by one or more of the other LANs. The associations between the NIDs, the networks and the interfaces can be stored on any suitable storage means within the device, such as a hard disc drive 34. For an outgoing data packet, the applied NID is stripped from the packet by the interface manager 32 before being routed to a network connection and exiting the device onto one of the connected LANs.

Abstract: A computing device filesystem is provided with separate presorted arrays of pointers to subdirectory and file entries along with the standard unsorted and mixed flat file lists which comprise directories in filesystems such as FAT. When included in boot ROMs on mobile battery operated devices, this enables a much shorter interval between power-on and the device reaching operational state (faster boot time) because it is no longer necessary to navigate through multiple layers of the directory tree and searching every entry in each branch for a matching filename. The new presorted arrays allow for matching entries to be located more efficiently by means of a simple binary search.

Abstract: A method of scanning for viruses in the memory of a computing device in which only memory pages marked as executable need to be scanned. The trigger for the scan can be either via an API that changes a page from writeable to executable, or via a kernel notification that an executable page has been modified. This invention is efficient, in that it makes much previous scanning of file systems redundant; this saves power and causes devices to execute faster. It is also more secure, as it detects viruses that other methods cannot reach, and does so at the point of execution.

Abstract: A computing device which runs non-pageable real time and pageable non-real time processes is provided with non-pageable real time and pageable non-real time versions of operating system services where the necessity to page in memory would block a real-time thread of execution. In one embodiment, a real time operating system service has all its code and data locked, and only supports clients that similarly have their code and data locked. This ensures that such a service will not block due to a page fault caused by client memory being unavailable. A non-real time operating system service does not have its data locked and supports clients whose memory can be paged out. In a preferred embodiment servers which are required to provide real time behaviour are multithreaded and arrange for requests from real time and non-real time clients to be serviced in different threads.

Abstract: A method and computing device is provided for converting between Chinese calendar dates and Julian day numbers in any specified date range using tables stored in the memory of the computing device containing the lengths of the months and which (if any) months are leap months, together with one or more reference pairs of Julian day numbers and Chinese date.

Abstract: A component of a computing device, such as the kernel of an operating system, is arranged to identify real time processes running on the device and transparently lock the memory owned by such processes to avoid them being paged out. The kernel is also able to inspect all inter-process communications originated by the real time threads running in such processes, in order to ascertain what other processes they invoke, and, if they have the potential to block a real time operation, the kernel is arranged to lock the areas of memory these processes reference. This procedure operates recursively, and ensures that page faults which might affect the operation of any real time process do not occur.

Abstract: A remote control framework enables a plurality of target devices to be controlled by a plurality of remote control devices irrespective of bearer types. In a preferred embodiment any target device may also act as a control device and any control device may also act as a target device. The framework also enables any application running on any target device to be controlled by any controller device.

Abstract: A computing device incorporating memory such as mobile SDRAM, which is capable of conserving energy by being operated in a low-power self-refresh mode, is enabled to identify those regions of memory which are allocated but inactive. These regions are collected into specific banks of memory so as to create banks of memory containing only inactive data and which can then be placed in self-refresh. This reduces the power consumed by the computing device, and improves the energy efficiency of the device.

Abstract: A remapping component is provided for facilitating a link between an executable and a function held in a new dynamic link library (DLL) in a computing device. The remapping component is provided with a relocation instruction arranged to update, upon loading, an export data table entry for the remapping component with the address location of the function in the new dynamic link library. In this way, the executable, when calling for the function at an address location in a known DLL, will automatically jump to the address location for the function in the new DLL. The additional subroutines usually associated with remapping DLLs can therefore be avoided, providing improved operation for the computing device.

Abstract: An intermediate software layer, which is preferably provided by a device manufacturer, processes a list of commands and actions provided by a generic application, and assigns them to various input mechanisms, and constructs appropriate menus to display on the screen of the device. Where the application supports multiple windows, views or panes the intermediate layer is able to distinguish which part of the application has the focus and adjust the actions resulting from user inputs accordingly. Hence, the computing device is operated in such a way that a generic application, not specifically designed for the device, is able to take advantage of those unique input methods that the particular device possesses. A preferred implementation is on devices such as mobile telephones, which have no fixed paradigm for providing input and whose keyboards (where they exist) have no fixed number of input buttons.

Abstract: Installable files installed on a first computing device are backed up to a second computing device and restored from the second device to the first device and/or a further device using the same means to verify the integrity of the files as used for the original installation of the files on the first device.

Abstract: A method of implementing USB Host functionality specifically designed to ensure a secure and resilient USB-On-The-Go implementation. A USB Hub Driver is configured so that it is able to nominate a portion of the USB topology to be transferred to the control of a peripheral driver or function driver. This nomination process generates a token that is associated with the nominated portion. The token is passed by the Hub Driver to the peripheral driver or function driver. The peripheral driver or function driver then uses the token to claim control over the nominated portion of the USB topology. The token can subsequently be transferred to other software entities as appropriate.

Abstract: An operating system for a computing device includes a scheduler incorporating an algorithm for ordering the running of threads of execution having different priorities. The operating system is also arranged to provide a list of threads which are scheduled to run on the device, ordered by priority. At least one locking mechanism for docking access to a resource of the device from all threads except for a thread that holds the locking mechanism is also provided, and the operating system arranges for a scheduled thread which is docked from running because the resource it requires is locked to cause the thread which holds the locking mechanism to run.

Abstract: A mobile telephone which can supply or post ‘pre-answer’ information which the device owner considers of relevance to a potential call recipient. This information enables a potential call recipient to be given useful information about a potential call before actually answering that call. The information is dynamic, unlike Caller ID information. Examples include: information about the subject of an intended voice call, a mood, a current activity, part or whole of a schedule of meetings or events, information about the urgency of an intended voice call, personal information, expected call duration, commercial inducements to a consumer to answer a call (special offers, loyalty points etc.), location information.

Abstract: When reading a directory on a computing device, the file server adds unique tags to the listing when passing the listing to a client application. The file server keeps a list of the unique tags together with the physical addresses of the files to which they correspond. When a client wishes to open a file, it can do so by passing the tag to the file server. This enables the file server to load the file directly without having to undertake a second directory search to discover the physical location of the file from its filename.

Abstract: A computing device is provided with a multiple process architecture for running plug-in code modules in their own dedicated processes for increasing both the security and reliability of software systems using plug-in design patterns.

Abstract: In operation of a computing device, a secure handle is allocated to a process to enable the process to use a resource allocated to another process. The secure handle ensures that the process is not able to identify the resource and that further access to the resource is inhibited after the process has terminated any use of the resource enabled by the allocation of the secure handle.

Abstract: In a computing device, when a user requests to carry out an operation, the device determines the type of operation requested and the time period since the user was last authenticated. The operation is enabled only if the determined time period does not exceed a threshold for the requested operation.

Abstract: An operating system for a computing device comprises a kernel portion having a punish and subscribe facility for retrieving a property published by a first process and notifying the retrieved property to one or more further processes requesting to subscribe to that property. By providing the publish and subscribe mechanism within the operating system kernel, changes to properties can be notified to subscribers in real time and without the need for dedicated client server mechanisms. The publish and subscribe mechanism may be provided with access control properties established when a property is defined. The mechanism may also be used for a message and message queue facility in the computing device.

Abstract: A plug-in for execution by an application on a computing device is selected by arranging for a server to iterate through available plug-ins, asking each plug-in in succession if it can better match the criteria required by the application than the previous plug-in. The plug-in having the closest match to the criteria is then executed by the application.