Abstract: An embodiment takes the form of a method carried out by a computing system comprising a processor and instructions for carrying out the method. The method includes (i) presenting via a user interface a plurality of data-input fields having an associated default order for user entry of respective values in the respective data-input fields, (ii) receiving respective values entered via the user interface in the respective data-input fields, (iii) storing a respective current counter value of an incrementing counter in association with receiving each respective entered value, (iv) establishing a respective user-confidence level for each of one or more of the respective entered values, wherein each established user-confidence level is set based at least in part on a comparison of the associated default order with a set of one or more of the stored counter values, and (v) outputting one or more of the established user-confidence levels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing user distraction is provided herein. During operation a user device will show content for limited periods of time during a context where the user is not to be distracted. So for example, a police officer driving may only be able to look at the screen of his device for a first period of time (e.g., 3 seconds). After that period of time, the device will prevent further viewing (preferably by turning off the screen). After a second period of time (e.g., 10 seconds), the device will again allow the officer to look at the screen for the first period of time. When the device has determined that user distraction does not need to be prevented, the device will allow full access to the user.

Abstract: During operation a device will determine human members of a group, and then will monitor the group members to determine if at least N members of the group are paying attention to their surroundings (i.e., not distracted). If less than N members of the group are not distracted, a number of people within the group will have their devices prevent the viewing of content. So for example, if it is determined that at least five people within a group of 20 people need to be paying attention to their surroundings, and it is also determined that 17 people within the group are running applications on their devices that require the user's attention, then at least two currently-distracted people within the group will be prevented from viewing their device(s).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing user distraction is provided herein. During operation a user device will show content for limited periods of time during a context where the user is not to be distracted. So for example, a police officer driving may only be able to look at the screen of his device for a first period of time (e.g., 3 seconds). After that period of time, the device will prevent further viewing (preferably by turning off the screen). After a second period of time (e.g., 10 seconds), the device will again allow the officer to look at the screen for the first period of time. When the device has determined that user distraction does not need to be prevented, the device will allow full access to the user.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for token-based application management. In an embodiment, requests are received from applications for tokens that can be active or inactive. A token-interaction-directive pool is maintained in data storage, each directive having a triggering token, a target token, and one or both of triggering-token actions and target-token actions. Responsive to receiving a token request from an application, any directives having their triggering token equal the requested token and having their target token active are identified. A response plan that includes the actions in the identified directives is generated. Any triggering-token actions in the response plan are communicated to the requesting application, and any target-token actions in the response plan are communicated to each application that is authorized to access the corresponding target token.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for token-based application management. In an embodiment, requests are received from applications for tokens that can be active or inactive. A token-interaction-directive pool is maintained in data storage, each directive having a triggering token, a target token, and one or both of triggering-token actions and target-token actions. Responsive to receiving a token request from an application, any directives having their triggering token equal the requested token and having their target token active are identified. A response plan that includes the actions in the identified directives is generated. Any triggering-token actions in the response plan are communicated to the requesting application, and any target-token actions in the response plan are communicated to each application that is authorized to access the corresponding target token.

Abstract: An embodiment takes the form of a method carried out by a computing system comprising a processor and instructions for carrying out the method. The method includes (i) presenting via a user interface a plurality of data-input fields having an associated default order for user entry of respective values in the respective data-input fields, (ii) receiving respective values entered via the user interface in the respective data-input fields, (iii) storing a respective current counter value of an incrementing counter in association with receiving each respective entered value, (iv) establishing a respective user-confidence level for each of one or more of the respective entered values, wherein each established user-confidence level is set based at least in part on a comparison of the associated default order with a set of one or more of the stored counter values, and (v) outputting one or more of the established user-confidence levels.

Abstract: A system and method for providing low overhead floor control in a distributed control two-way radio communications network (200) including one or more subscriber stations (201,205, 213, 215, 217) and one or more peer stations (203, 207, 211) interconnected via an Internet connection (209) using no central control. A subscriber station (201) utilizes a floor request during a timed floor request window (FRW) for requesting floor control to a given peer station (203). The system and method provide for consistent floor control decisions throughout the communications network (200) which includes a policy to block additional floor requests from local subscriber stations once an initial floor request has been received. This enables each peer to receive an identical set of floor requests as every other peer within the FRW such that every peer will grant the floor to the same subscriber.

Abstract: A method for providing enhanced floor control (500) between a dispatch communications network and a cellular telephone communications network includes transmitting a transmit delay message (517) by a network control entity (505) to a communications device (501) in the cellular telephone network when a talk reservation request (515) has first been granted to a communications device (507) in the dispatch network. A transmit grant message (521) is then transmitted from the network control entity (505) to the communications device (501) in the cellular telephone network when the communications device in the dispatch network switches from a transmit mode to receive mode (507). The transmit grant message signals the communications device (501) in the cellular telephone network enabling it to access the dispatch communications network without sending a second talk reservation request.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for associating devices in a personal area network (PAN). Device association is initiated by applying a stimulus to two devices simultaneously, the timing of the stimulus identifying devices to be paired thereby eliminating the need for PINs and passcodes in pairing devices. Upon stimulation the devices record a timestamp (404) for the stimulus and begin searching (406) for other in-range devices with which they can associate. Upon finding an in-range device an association request (408) is sent containing the elapsed time since the stimulus was applied. The in-range device compares the received elapsed time against its internal elapsed time since receiving the stimulus (412) (416) to determine if the stimuli occurred simultaneously to both devices. If the stimuli were substantially simultaneous, then the devices form a PAN association (418).

Abstract: A system and method for providing low overhead floor control in a distributed control two-way radio communications network (200) including one or more subscriber stations (201,205, 213, 215, 217) and one or more peer stations (203, 207, 211) interconnected via an Internet connection (209) using no central control. A subscriber station (201) utilizes a floor request during a timed floor request window (FRW) for requesting floor control to a given peer station (203). The system and method provide for consistent floor control decisions throughout the communications network (200) which includes a policy to block additional floor requests from local subscriber stations once an initial floor request has been received. This enables each peer to receive an identical set of floor requests as every other peer within the FRW such that every peer will grant the floor to the same subscriber.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for associating devices in a personal area network (PAN). Device association is initiated by applying a stimulus to two devices simultaneously, the timing of the stimulus identifying devices to be paired thereby eliminating the need for PINs and passcodes in pairing devices. Upon stimulation the devices record a timestamp (404) for the stimulus and begin searching (406) for other in-range devices with which they can associate. Upon finding an in-range device an association request (408) is sent containing the elapsed time since the stimulus was applied. The in-range device compares the received elapsed time against its internal elapsed time since receiving the stimulus (412) (416) to determine if the stimuli occurred simultaneously to both devices. If the stimuli were substantially simultaneous, then the devices form a PAN association (418).

Abstract: A computing device (100) has memory (180) subdivided into a first configuration of pools of fixed size memory buffers (188). In response to requests for memory specifying a particular memory size, a fixed size memory of at least the particular size is allocated from the memory area (510, 520). Metrics are collected for each memory request, the metrics including distinct memory sizes based on the particular size requested, and the peak number of concurrent requests for each distinct memory size (530). The memory area is reconfigured as needed into a second configuration of pools of fixed size memory buffers using the metrics collected (540, 550).