Abstract: A cellular telephone (10) incorporates the electronics for implementing both a cellular telephone function (46) and a smartcard function (45). This allows the electronics to be protected from damage by the housing associated with the cellular telephone and also decreases the likelihood that the smartcard will be lost or stolen. The cellular telephone 10 also includes an RF interface (40) for wireless communication between the smartcard and an external reader. Further, by making use of the cellular telephone function, information associated with the smartcard function may be updated or modified via existing cellular telephone infrastructure.

Abstract: A method and system simplifies and accomplishes the programming of a PED (12), such as a cellular telephone (22), via the use of a personal computer (PC). The present invention includes software (52, 54) within the PC (14) for providing a graphical user interface (GUI) to the user for ease and simplicity of selecting various programming features and settings associated with the cellular telephone to be programmed. The software further includes a translator (56) for translating these user selected features/settings into specific key depresses to be sent to the cellular telephone, via software and hardware interfaces (58, 18, 20), for accomplishing the programming of such features/settings. Additionally, the software includes the capability to monitor the data being displayed on the cellular telephone because such data may be required to accomplish various programming features.

Abstract: Working assets (26) are equipped with ID tags (56) that respond to interrogations from interrogators (50). Each interrogated tag (56) sends response codes that identify the tag (56) and working asset (26), can describe an amount of use experienced by the working asset (26), and can describe unused capacity available for holding a consumable commodity, such as fuel. Interrogators (50) are positioned at normally closed portals (40, 42, 62, 64) of staging areas (22, 24). A database (94) contains information concerning working assets (26), users (28) to whom working assets (26) have been assigned, and caretakers (38) who may be authorized to transport various working assets (26). The caretakers (38) also have ID tags (58). A portal (40, 42, 62, 64) temporarily opens or remains closed in response to the interrogation that takes place at the portal (40, 42, 62, 64) and data stored in the database (94).