Abstract: A mobile device for detecting user input on a display is provided. The mobile device includes a hand-held display unit. The hand-held display unit includes a display having an electromagnetic radiation detector. The electromagnetic radiation detector is configured to detect an electromagnetic radiation profile responsive to a position of a user input object when the position of the user input object is spaced apart from the display. A controller is configured to identify a user input from the electromagnetic radiation profile.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a touch-sensitive display screen including an array of electromagnetic radiation detectors. The array of electromagnetic radiation detectors is configured to generate an image signal that represents an image of a user input object that is closely spaced to the display, and to generate a touch signal in response to the display screen being touched by the user input object. The electronic device further includes a controller circuit that is configured to display a plurality of keys forming a keyboard and to display characters on the keys. The controller identifies from the image signal a size and/or an angular orientation of the user input object relative to the display screen. The controller identifies a user's selection among characters indicated on the keyboard keys in response to the identified size and/or the angular orientation of the user input object and in response to the touch signal, and outputs character data corresponding to the identified user selected character.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a touch-sensitive display screen including an array of electromagnetic radiation detectors. The array of electromagnetic radiation detectors is configured to generate an image signal that represents an image of a user input object that is closely spaced to the display, and to generate a touch signal in response to the display screen being touched by the user input object. The electronic device further includes a controller circuit that is configured to display a plurality of keys forming a keyboard and to display characters on the keys. The controller identifies from the image signal a size and/or an angular orientation of the user input object relative to the display screen. The controller identifies a user's selection among characters indicated on the keyboard keys in response to the identified size and/or the angular orientation of the user input object and in response to the touch signal, and outputs character data corresponding to the identified user selected character.

Abstract: A mobile device includes a touch-sensitive display screen including an array of electromagnetic radiation detectors. The array of electromagnetic radiation detectors is configured to generate an image of a user input object when the user input object is spaced apart from the display, and the touch-sensitive display is further configured to generate a touch signal in response to the display screen being touched by the user input object. The mobile device further includes a controller configured to identify use input gesture from a combination of the image of the user input object and the touch signal.

Abstract: A mobile device for detecting user input on a display is provided. The mobile device includes a hand-held display unit. The hand-held display unit includes a display having an electromagnetic radiation detector. The electromagnetic radiation detector is configured to detect an electromagnetic radiation profile responsive to a position of a user input object when the position of the user input object is spaced apart from the display. A controller is configured to identify a user input from the electromagnetic radiation profile.

Abstract: A checksum is calculated on a database stored in a SIM card when changes are made to a database stored therein. This checksum can be stored in a mobile phone, e.g., with the change log. When synchronization between devices is to be performed, another checksum can be calculated on the database stored in the SIM card. If the stored checksum does not match the calculated checksum, then a change has occurred in the contents of the database that is not reflected in the change log. Accordingly, a full synchronization process can be performed wherein the database records in each device can be compared. If, on the other hand, the checksums match, then the change log accurately reflects any changes made to the database stored in the SIM card and the synchronization process can proceed more expediently using the change log.

Abstract: A technique for securely storing data within a memory is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the technique is realized by encrypting the data using a non-verifiable personal identifier, and then encrypting a reminder using the same non-verifiable personal identifier. The encrypted data and the encrypted reminder are then stored in the memory. The stored encrypted data and the stored encrypted reminder can only be correctly decrypted using the non-verifiable personal identifier. Also, a correctly decrypted reminder provides an indication of correctly decrypted data. The non-verifiable personal identifier is not stored in the memory so as to insure security of the system.

Abstract: A first database is synchronized with a second database, wherein the first database is located in a mobile terminal. To avoid erroneous synchronization results that can occur if a timer associated with the mobile terminal is changed, relative to a timer associated with the second database, an indicator is set to indicate that a full synchronization should be performed whenever it is detected that the timer in the mobile terminal has been set back. Then, when synchronization is to take place, full synchronization of the first database with the second database is performed if the indicator is set. Otherwise, a fast synchronization that uses a change log may be performed. The indicator may be in the form of a change in a database identifier.

Abstract: A method and system for synchronizing a first database with a second database is disclosed. A client containing a first version of a database transmits a first synchronization message from the client to the server. The message contains MAPITEM records from a previous synchronization process, UPDATES for the present synchronization process, a current synchronization time and a last synchronization time. A second version of the database within a server is updated responsive to the first synchronization message. The server transmits a second synchronization message to the client containing UPDATES to be performed at the client, the RESULTS of the updates requested by the client, and the received current synchronization time from the first synchronization message. The client updates the first database, removes the previously transmitted MAPITEMs and stores the MAPITEM records for the present synchronization process for transmission during a next synchronization process.

Abstract: A method or protocol for synchronizing parallel processors in a mobile communication system is disclosed, whereby a sync engine associated with one processor retrieves the current value of a change counter for a database associated with the second processor, stores the current value of the change counter, retrieves all data entries from the database associated with the second processor, and performs a synchronization procedure for a database associated with the first processor based on of all of the data entries retrieved. By examining the change counter, the sync engine can determine whether a user modified a database while the synchronization was in process.

Abstract: A base device such as a mobile phone is able to support an interface updating protocol. An accessory is able to operate the same protocol. When the accessory is connected to the base device, the base device user interface can provide the user with an interface which allows him to control operating features of the accessory. For example, the interface of the base device includes a display, which lists available operating features in a menu structure, and a user input means, for example in the form of a keyboard. In preferred embodiments of the invention, all menus, relating to the accessory, are stored dynamically within the base device. Thus, there is no permanently available menu structure stored within the base device.

Abstract: Methods, systems and devices for synchronizing corresponding databases in electronic devices are described. Techniques according to the present invention perform synchronization without the need for change logs, thereby freeing valuable memory space. A checksum is calculated on the contents of the stored database and replaces the database identifier (DID). The receiving device checks the DID to determine if an update is necessary and, if so, performs a record-by-record comparison of the corresponding databases.

Abstract: An information synchronization method and apparatus stores a change log having an associated change counter at a first database, updates the change counter at the first database in response to a database update command from a second database, and returns the updated change counter to the second database in response to a processing condition resulting from the database update command at the first database. The information synchronization protocol ensures that the second database maintains the most current change counter for use in a subsequent synchronization procedure and in the event that an interruption or error occurs, thereby increasing the efficiency of information synchronization by enabling the second database to process only those changes of the first database occurring after the updated change counter.

Abstract: A database system has at least two hose databases (204, 214) in respective host processing apparatuses (200, 210). A remote database (224) is provided in a remote processing apparatus (220). The host databases and the remote database store a plurality of database items. A synchronization engine (206, 216) is provided in each host processing apparatus for synchronizing its host database with the remote database. A first log file (227) contains entries, that represent changes made to the remote database (224), including additions and modifications of items in the remote database as well as deletions of items from the remote database in order to increase its free storage space available for storing new items. A second log file (229) contains entries, that represent deletions from the remote database upon respective deletions in either of the host databases (204, 214).

Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus enables an electronic device in communication with an accessory to accurately report a remaining battery life when the accessory provides information relating to a power usage to the electronic device. In one embodiment, the accessory draws power from a battery of the electronic device, and the electronic device is able to more accurately estimate a remaining battery life by considering the power usage information provided from the accessory. The electronic device may thereafter indicate to a user the remaining battery life. In one alternative of this embodiment, the information relating to the power usage is in the form of a current consumption of the accessory. In another embodiment, the electronic device indicates a remaining battery life of a battery of an accessory.

Abstract: A mobile terminal includes transceiver circuitry for communicating with a PLMN network. A multiple PIM functionality module within the mobile terminal provides multiple versions of a PIM application enabling the mobile terminal to synchronize with a plurality of remote servers and provide multiple sets of data with respect to the PIM application.

Abstract: A database multipoint synchronization which allows multiple clients to simultaneously access and edit a database while avoiding inadvertent data corruption and ensuring the integrity of data within the database. A database manager, which may be configured as part of a database software application, keeps track of modifications saved to a database file and increments a modification change counter accordingly. When a client user accesses a database record, the database manager detects the modification change counter value. Then if that client seeks to save modifications to the database record, the database manager detects the current modification change counter value to discern whether other clients have saved modifications to the record following the access by the client presently seeking to save modifications. If the modification change counter has incremented, the client is denied authorization to save the modifications and offered a choice of alternative operations.