Abstract: An Internet-enabled television system provides an electronic program guide for the radio (radio EPG) depicting radio programs available via the Internet. The radio EPG displays the programming available for a plurality of radio stations and time slots. The radio EPG is interactive in that a user may select a radio program for immediate playback or future recording. Radio programs are continuously received and cached by the Internet-enabled television system such that a user may be able to select and listen to an earlier-broadcast radio program listed in the radio EPG.

Abstract: An RFID tag includes a writable memory, and a sensor coupled to persistently affect the writable memory when one or more environmental factors define one or more events of interest.

Abstract: Authenticating/authorizing a transaction may include and/or involve detecting a location of a person, detecting a location of a transaction associated with the person, and signaling a communication device carried by the person when the location of the person and the location of the transaction are substantially different.

Abstract: Providing a map and/or directions to a visitor to a facility may include and/or involve a wireless communication device signaling its presence at a location in a facility, and communicating to the wireless communication device a map of the facility indicating the location. This may include and/or involve communicating to the wireless device directions to and/or from the location to a destination within the facility.

Abstract: Generating a map may include and/or involve detecting a location of a mobile wireless device associated with a first person, communicating information about the location of the wireless device to a network location where the information is applied to identify the location on a map, and communicating the map via the network to a second person associated with the first person.

Abstract: A transaction card may include a first biometric sensor and logic to activate a transaction session for the card upon authenticating a biometric input. The card may further include logic to deactivate the transaction card upon expiration of the transaction session.

Abstract: A method includes identifying co-location with an organization, and a mobile device assuming a role of an affinity and/or loyalty card associated with the organization. The mobile device interacts with co-located equipment of the organization to facilitate a transaction.

Abstract: A method includes a mobile device identifying one or more coupons to point of sale equipment to facilitate the sale of merchandise, and affecting the coupon's value as a result of using the coupon in the sale of merchandise.

Abstract: A hybrid communicator/remote control includes an integrated display screen configured to display a contact list. Each contact in the contact list includes an address, such as a network address, for establishing two-way communication with the contact. Moreover, each contact in the contact list includes a visual identifier, such as a name, picture, or the like, that identifies the contact. A user may select a contact from the contact list, after which a communication channel is established between the hybrid communicator/remote control and a device used by the selected contact, such as a telephone, Internet-accessible telephone, or another hybrid communicator/remote control.

Abstract: A request to establish video communication with a recipient associated with multiple communication devices is received. The recipient is identified using information contained within the request. A set of communication devices associated with the recipient is determined. A first communication device with a highest probability of being accessible to the recipient is selected from the set. The video communication request is forwarded to the first selected communication device.

Abstract: A wireless service network includes logic to receive one or more requests for temporary dialable numbers from wireless devices, and logic to determine temporary wireless numbers and to provide the temporary wireless numbers to the wireless devices in response to the requests.

Abstract: A shopping ticker can be invoked when the viewer presses a BUY button on a remote control while a television program is being shown. The television program, which can be a commercial, may not necessarily have an interactive commerce opportunity originally associated with it. However, instead of ignoring a signal sent from the remote control when the BUY button is pressed, the signal is processed to invoke the shopping ticker. The shopping ticker can include advertisements, links to e-commerce opportunities (including merchant web sites), product information, or other information that may be potentially useful to help initiate a transaction with the viewer, including context-sensitive shopping information that is related to the subject matter of the television program. A commerce opportunity is thus created in a situation where there originally would not have been such an opportunity and where the viewer's remote control action would otherwise have been ignored.

Abstract: Outgoing video communication requests are intercepted and screened by one or more unauthorized recipient lists, authorized recipient lists, caller-specific authorized/unauthorized recipient lists, and/or various combinations of these. The video communication requests may be blocked or forwarded to the recipient depending on whether the recipient is included or not included in one of the various lists.

Abstract: A wireless handheld user device or cellphone that includes the ability to transmit to a recipient digital content that is presently being presented to a user. The device includes a component that presents video or audio, a peer-to-peer activator and a processing device coupled to the component and the peer-to-peer activator. The processor includes a component that selects at least one recipient and a component that wirelessly transmits the presented at least one video or audio to the selected at least one recipient upon activation of the peer-to-peer activator. In one aspect of the invention, the transmission component includes a component that automatically selects a data protocol for the presented at least one video or audio and a component that automatically selects a transmission means from a plurality of transmission means based on cost of transmission and/or a previously defined level of urgency.

Abstract: A sequence of cards is stored that graphically represents available options within an information system. In response to a single user action, the sequence of cards is successively displayed within a focus area of the user interface. In response to a subsequent user action, the successive display is discontinued to display a particular card representing a selected option.

Abstract: A sequence of cards is stored that graphically represents available options within an information system. In response to a single user action, the sequence of cards is successively displayed within a focus area of the user interface. In response to a subsequent user action, the successive display is discontinued to display a particular card representing a selected option.

Abstract: A sequence of cards is stored that graphically represents available options within an information system. In response to a single user action, the sequence of cards is successively displayed within a focus area of the user interface. In response to a subsequent user action, the successive display is discontinued to display a particular card representing a selected option.

Abstract: An information system having a plurality of user options is provided. A graphical representation is uniquely associated with each user option. In response to a single user action, the graphical representations are successively displayed in a focus area within the display screen. When the user sees a graphical representation of a desired option, the user takes some additional action and the successive display of graphical representations is discontinued. The graphical representation of the desired user option is then displayed in the focus area within the display screen, and may be visually enhanced. Once navigation has been discontinued, the user may select the user option associated with the displayed graphical representation.

Abstract: Outgoing video communication requests are intercepted and screened by one or more unauthorized recipient lists, authorized recipient lists, caller-specific authorized/unauthorized recipient lists, and/or various combinations of these. The video communication requests may be blocked or forwarded to the recipient depending on whether the recipient is included or not included in one of the various lists. Third parties may also be prompted to accept or reject the video communication requests.

Abstract: Graphical images representing television channels are provided to a display interface, which successively displays the graphical images within a focus area of a user interface in response to a single initiating action by a user. The display interface discontinues the successive display of video frames to show a particular video frame corresponding to a selected channel when a terminating action by the user has been detected.