Abstract: A keyboard number lock may be automatically transitioned in response to the detection of the selection of a text entry box. In particular, when a text entry box is selected, the keyboard may automatically be transitioned to the number lock state to provide numerical entries when particular keys are operated.

Abstract: A variety of performance control mechanisms are disclosed, allowing a user of a processor-based system to adjust performance criteria such as processing speed and fan speed. A performance control apparatus includes one or more user-accessible knobs and a display. The knob(s) enable the user to select from a variety of processor and fan speed settings. Other performance-related criteria may also be controlled using the knobs. The display communicates the effect of a change in performance criteria in a manner useful to the user. A performance control application program enables the user to independently pre-select performance criteria for each application program or group of application programs. A performance control icon provides the ability to select performance criteria from within an application program.

Abstract: An environment for remote monitoring of a device, such as a child's computer, from a television or other monitor device. The monitored device has a security layer, which may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of the two, where the security layer inspects some or all accessed network data or network access activities, including real-time content such as chat rooms and the like. While the monitored device is used to access network data, alerts are displayed on the remote monitoring device to allow an adult or other responsible entity to keep track of material. Thus, for example, an adult may watch television, confident that an alert will be displayed in a corner of the television screen if necessary to alert the adult to any problems. For serious alerts, the security layer may automatically block or shutdown offending network application programs.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for a device to boot as though it were another device. The various devices have published personas describing their operation. A persona selection interface enables a user to select a remote device as which the local device should reboot. Updated personas can be retrieved from the remote devices themselves, or from a persona server. If the emulated operation requires a resource not locally available, the local device negotiates with the remote device to share the remote resource, and failing that, the local device emulates the resource.

Abstract: A system enables dynamic linking between a variety of video formats including television broadcasts, web pages, and video displays which are stored on magnetic or optical media. Each frame of the video information is identified together with a plurality of locations within that frame. The locations selected by the user for example using a pointing device is then used to access associated information either within the system itself or on an external system. Thus, in some embodiments of the present invention, any item on a given frame may be linked initially or thereafter to other information within or without the particular system containing that information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for capturing future instances of a song or a television show or the like. Responsive to a user activating a trigger, typically during the middle of the song or show, the system stores a clip and thereafter begins to monitor one or more channels or stations, attempting to locate that clip, such as by using DSP techniques. Upon finding the clip, the beginning and ending points of the song or show are identified, and the song or show is saved. Hunting may continue, to find a best available version of the song or show, such as one having the best noise characteristics.

Abstract: A residential phone system allows for local control of call features from any phone extension. The phone system may include a microcontroller that communicates along the phone lines at a non-utilized frequency to several extension phones in a residence. The microcontroller permits each phone to control call features such as call waiting, conference calling, paging, or other features. A control box may be included at any or all of the extension phones to provide a convenient user interface to access the call features.

Abstract: Non-GPS based navigation may be implemented by a cellular network service provider. The service provider may have data regarding a cellular radiotelephone's location within its coverage area. Geographic data for the cell phone's location may be obtained from a geographic database. Accordingly, navigational assistance may be provided to the user of the cellular radiotelephone through the interplay between the provider, telephone and geographic database. Additionally, the telephone may have a database storing telephone number-address pairs. Thus, when the user of the telephone inputs a telephone number as destinational information, the address corresponding to that phone number may be the destination location to which the user is traveling.

Abstract: A facility such as a retail facility may include a plurality of wireless identifier tags distributed about the facility. An article associated with a user such as a retail customer may include a detector that detects one or more of those tags when the user is proximate to a tag. For example, a plurality of detectors may be placed on a shopping cart in a retail application. Based on the detection of information associated with each tag, the real time position of the user may be determined in the facility.

Abstract: A processor-based system may include a display and a sensor which detects the orientation of the display with respect to the rest of the system. As the system is displaced, the sensor detects the orientation of the system. The system may automatically alter a characteristic of information displayed on the display in response to the detection of a change in orientation.

Abstract: A mobile computing apparatus that includes a sliding screen and a keyboard that moves from a storage position to a typing position in response to the screen being moved from a closed position to an open position.

Abstract: A wireless peripheral may include at least one keyboard and at least two key orientations. In one embodiment of the present invention, a pair of keyboards may be provided on opposite sides of the wireless peripheral. Each of said keyboards may drive a separate interface. The interfaces may be oriented on the peripheral so that when a particular key orientation is chosen for use by orienting the peripheral appropriately, its associated interface is aligned with a processor-based system which receives commands from the peripheral. Thus, the effect of the wireless peripheral may be changed depending on its orientation.

Abstract: Encryption and decryption may be tied to physical location information, e.g., GPS or other position data. Decryption keys may be defined with respect to a location at which decryption is to occur. A clock may be used to ensure decryption is occurring at a desired decryption location. For security, names may be associated with GPS position data, where encrypted data and a name associated with position data may be provided to a recipient, and the recipient is required to know or have access to the position data associated with the name in order to compute a decryption key. For additional security, encryption may also be performed with respect to position data for an encryption location, where an identifier associated with the encryption location is provided to the recipient, and the recipient is required to know or have access to the position data associated with the second name. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A communication such as a telephone call is received, bearing identification information such as caller ID. The received audio signals if any, is encoded and stored. The identification information is used to look up additional information about the sender of the communication, such as by using the caller ID information to search the internet, for example by doing a reverse telephone number lookup. The user is presented with a graphical representation of this, and prior, communications, such as via an html page, and can select individual communications for playback, deletion, and the like. If the user is at a remote location, the encoded communications may be forwarded to that location, such as in the form of email attachments.

Abstract: A system may be provided which enables pan and zoom features to be added to existing stored video. A graphical user interface may display a video sequence as a series of thumbnail size frame images. The user may then indicate on any two such thumbnail sizes images a region which may be enlarged. The software then interpolates the degree of enlargement and the position on the enlarged region between the two selected frames over any intervening frames.

Abstract: A digital video editing system uses a graphical user interface which facilitates the selection of a video sequence of interest and its representation in a conveniently visualized form. Through the graphical user interface, the user may select a starting frame, a time interval, and a number of frames within the time interval which may be represented by thumbnail depictions of selected video frames. Once the video sequence is represented by a selected sequence of video frames over a selected interval, the user can then use editing techniques to manipulate the portions of the video sequence represented by the thumbnail depictions.

Abstract: A stylus includes one or more stylus tips to initiate different mouse actions. The different mouse actions may be initiated by causing the stylus tip to generate disturbance signals on a touch sensitive device. The different mouse actions may also be initiated by using stylus tips of different characteristics with each characteristic associated with a mouse action.

Abstract: A residential phone system allows for local control of call features from any phone extension. The phone system may include a microcontroller that communicates along the phone lines at a non-utilized frequency to several extension phones in a residence. The microcontroller permits each phone to control call features such as call waiting, conference calling, paging, or other features. A control box may be included at any or all of the extension phones to provide a convenient user interface to access the call features.

Abstract: An improved method and user-input device are provided. The user-input device comprises a housing having a first end and an opposite end. The user-input device further comprises a controller to indicate a position of the first end and the opposite end and to cause one or more pixels of a display device to activate based on the indicated position of at least the first end of the housing.

Abstract: Predefined text may be repetitively entered into graphical user interfaces in response to mouse commands. This enables systems with reduced keyboard functions to more easily insert the text data. In addition, in systems with conventional keyboards, the user can automate the entry of common text.