Abstract: A wireless device includes a self-activation client that allows a user to activate a communication service for that wireless device and for one or more other wireless devices. The communication service may use a long-range type of wireless communication, such as 1×RTT CDMA, EV-DO, GSM, or IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX) communication. During the activation process, the wireless device communicates with a device management server using the long-range type of wireless communication but communicates with the one or more other wireless devices using a short-range type of wireless communication, such as IEEE 802.11 (WiFi), Bluetooth, or infrared communication. After the communication service has been activated, the wireless device may subsequently communicate with the device management server in order to manage the communication service for itself and/or for one or more other wireless devices (e.g., to receive updates or to make changes).

Abstract: In a shared communication service plan in which multiple subscribers operate under a common billing account, a method and system is provided for more equitably allocating service costs among the subscribers in the group, by allocating overage costs based on the extent to which each subscriber used base services available to the group. For instance, if the group plan includes a designated number of base minutes of service per month and defines a per-minute overage cost for minutes used beyond the base number, the method and system may allocate to a given subscriber a portion of the group's overage cost, with the portion being determined based on the portion of the group's base minutes used by the subscriber. Advantageously, an invoice may then be generated setting forth the equitable allocation among the subscribers in the group, thus allowing the group to more readily determine how much each subscriber should pay.

Abstract: A computer-operated method for dynamically laying out content in a document, so as to thereby establish a resulting document. A computer first virtually lays out primary content portions in a virtual document space within computer memory. The computer then lays out secondary content portions in spatial correlation with associated primary content portions, to the extent space permits. And the computer then lays out tertiary content portions in spatial correlation with areas of the document, such as groups of primary content portions, to the extent space permits, while giving layout preference to tertiary content portions that have higher priority than already-placed secondary content portions. The invention can be used to dynamically generate invoices for telecommunication subscribers or in other scenarios.

Abstract: A method and system for managing subscriber payments is disclosed. When a subscriber account reaches a threshold state, the subscriber may be directed to a payment platform that requests the subscriber to make a payment in order to continue using telecom service. As described, a billing system determines the subscriber's rate of usage of telecom service so far in a current billing period and then applies the determined rate of usage to predict a quantity of telecom service that the subscriber will use in the remainder of the billing period. The billing system then computes an overage charge for at least a portion of the predicted quantity of telecom service and conveys at least that overage charge to the payment platform. The payment platform then requests the subscriber to pay at least the computed overage charge, preferably as a condition to the subscriber using further telecom service.

Abstract: In a communication device, multiple instances of different applications may execute. Advantageously, at least one instance of an application records and stores a browsing history of data items accessed during its execution. This stored browsing history may be made available to later instances of applications. Furthermore, one or more such stored histories may be accessed via a global back or a global forward command, allowing the histories to be browsed according to the order in which they were recorded.

Abstract: An improved billing system for communication service is disclosed. A printed and/or online invoice will be generated for a subscriber's account and will be structured to include a visual gauge that depicts the extent of use for the billing period at issue. More particularly, the visual gauge will take the form of a table or listing that shows a continuum of possible time-increment or data-increment-ranges and that shows, for each range, the associated cost. The visual gauge will then include a visual marker that highlights or otherwise points out the increment-range into which the subscriber's use fell in the billing period at issue. Conveniently, the invention thus enables a subscriber to readily visualize where the subscriber's use fell within the continuum of possible increment-ranges.

Abstract: A method and system for mitigating the impact of latency in the initiation of a packet-based real-time media session. When an initiating station is setting up a requested session, the initiating station will generate and play out a repetitive tone pattern (e.g., ring tone) for the initiating user to hear. The tone pattern is predefined in the initiating station, rather than being received from the network during session setup. The repetitive tone pattern preferably relaxes the initiating user and reduces or prevents “dead air” during session initiation.

Abstract: A device in a wireless network may negotiate security parameters with an access point for the wireless network. The device and the access point may negotiate the security parameters using low power signals. The device and the access point may subsequently use the security parameters to implement security features, and they may communicate using normal power signals.

Abstract: A method and system for establishing software documentation is provided. Rather than being static, the set of user accessible software documentation for a particular software program could be dynamically updated. The software documentation set accessible by the user may be defined by the configuration state of one or more configuration parameters at any given time. Once the states of the configuration parameters are determined, the program will dynamically update the set of accessible software documentation based at least in part on the configuration states of the configuration parameters. Thus, for any configuration state, only software documentation deemed relevant to the state of the software application could be made accessible to the user, thereby providing a more concise, focused and easily navigable set of software documentation.