Abstract: An IPC protocol in one embodiment of the invention includes smart hardware ports such as SSI port (1610). The session manager (1608) includes the capability for negotiating with components such as software threads (1602-1606) in order for a port (1610) to be dedicated to a particular task. The port dedication negotiation process allows for the session manager (1608) which is part of IPC stack (1610) to check for any conflicts the port may have with other op-codes currently dedicated to the port. The session manager (1608) can forward a command block along with the data received from each software thread. The command block informs the SSI port (1610) of any co-processing it may need to perform to the data.

Abstract: A device (300) used to provide notifications based upon the location of the device (300). One or more location markers (500), which each have an associated region, are stored in the device (300). A notification, such as a visual and/or audible message, is provided by the device (300) upon entry into a region that is associated with one of the stored location markers (500). The notification can be particularized to the individual regions. The device can be assigned to a group and a set of location markers are delivered to all devices in that group so that each device of the group provides the same notification when the device enters a region associated with that set of location markers. The device can also be configured to provide the notification after the device has traversed a sequence of regions.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for automatically setting the communications mode of a wireless device based upon stored data defining the geographic coverage regions of a number or communications systems. In one method, there is received from a coverage server data describing a plurality of geographic regions and any communications modes available in each of the geographic regions. A present geographic location of the wireless communications device is determined, and the geographic region that contains the present geographic location is determined as a current region. The communications mode of the wireless communications device is set based upon the data describing the current region that is stored in the wireless communications device. Thus, the data can be centrally managed and updated at the coverage server. In preferred embodiments, the data includes many communications modes, including cellular and Wireless LAN modes.

Abstract: A wireless communication device with local call screening services receives a call via a wireless receiver. The call comprises a caller identification. A memory for storing information corresponding to the caller identification and a plurality of rules, the plurality of rules comprising instructions for call screening is made available to a processor. The processor implements a call manager operable to provide an automatic call screening of the communication in accordance to the plurality of rules as applied to the information corresponding to the caller identification. Manual call screening is supported with multiple options for disposition of the call, including the ability to store messages locally. Methods for implementing the manual and automatic call screening are also described.

Abstract: A communication device (10) having a smart phonebook (14) and a method (50) of customizing device functionality using the smart phone book includes a transceiver (38 and 44), a memory (32) having at least one phonebook data entry called a PhoneLet 24 and at least one encapsulated data entry (29) associated with the phonebook data entry, and a processor (12) coupled to the transceiver. The processor can be programmed to dynamically customize at least one program running in the communication device and to dynamically customize data associated with the at least one program based on the calling up of the at least one phonebook data entry and based on the at least one encapsulated data entry. The smart phonebook can include a smart phonebook manager (16) and a plurality (20) of PhoneLets.

Abstract: A wireless domain (602) sets a security policy for all mobile communication devices (606) within the domain by use of a system entry proxy server (604). A developer makes an application or code segment available at a developer station (600). The application is certified by a certificate defining a developer security setting. The user of the mobile communication device initiates a download of the application so that it can be installed onto the mobile communication device. The application is downloaded through the system entry proxy server which authenticates the application, then re-certifies it with a compact certificate including an operator defined security policy. In this way the operator can control which resources of the mobile communication device are accessed by all applications coming into the wireless domain.

Abstract: A signed application descriptor file (206) is used instead of X.509 certificates to authenticate a portable application code, such as a JAVA archive (JAR) file. The signed ADF includes an application descriptor file (302), file hash (304) of the JAR file (301), a developer descriptor file (308), signed time stamp (310), and a developer's certificate (312). A network client device (202) includes limited computing resources (212) and a virtual machine environment for executing the portable code (208). Furthermore the client device contains a set of cryptographic, digital keys for authenticating parts of the signed ADF, which are further used to authenticate the JAR file.

Abstract: A shared library architecture (iJDL) for sharing libraries among applications. The iJDLs can be added, removed, updated or directly retrieved from the network, and are fully configurable to maximize the usage of limited flash memory space. The iJDL model conforms to the standard sandbox security model defined by the MIDP 1.0 specification. A Java Application Manager (JAM) also may be provided to alert the user of any update to shared libraries available on the network. For security, iJDL can be authenticated such that only authorized vendors are allowed to use it.

Abstract: A mobile communication device (200) has a software architecture (302) that includes a closed operating environment (306). The closed operating environment is inaccessible to the user of the mobile communication device, and it includes software for implementing a reporting function designed to collect certain information from within the mobile communication device, and to transmit it to an entity outside the mobile communication device, such as a server (310).

Abstract: An embedded environment, such as that found in a portable communication device, has a non-volatile memory (106) for storing application files. The non-volatile memory includes sections designated as play areas (202) where applications are installed, and from which the application are executed. Upon installing an application, the physical addresses used by the application to call other portions of code, as well as the portions of code that may be called, are determined (308), and the application is written into the play area with the physical addresses, and executed from the play area.

Abstract: A method of conducting transactions in a wireless electronic commerce system, where the system comprises a wireless network operator certification authority (400) having a root public key certificate and at least one attribute authority (404, 405, 406) having a digital certificate that is dependent from the root public key certificate. The attribute authority is accessible by a wireless client device (450, 452) via a wireless network. The digital certificate is delivered from the attribute authority to the wireless device, the attribute authority is verified to the wireless client device using the digital certificate and the root public key certificate pre-loaded in the wireless client device under authority of the wireless network operator. An attribute (software, service, right/permission or other content item) is delivered to the wireless client device over the wireless network and ultimately enabled at the wireless client device.

Abstract: A developer (102) develops a software application (204) which needs to be tested or debugged, or both. To eliminate the need to either intentionally compromise the security environment of the target portable device, or having to request a certificate for each version of the software under development, the developer obtains a development certificate (208). The development certificate includes a device identifier unique to the particular portable device on which the software is to be tested, and some development parameter. The target device uses these two pieces of data to determine if the software is valid, and executable. If either of these pieces of data are not valid, the security mechanism of the target device will disable the software, or otherwise refuse to permit it to execute. The developer signs the software with the development certificate, and then loads the signed software onto the target device, which then authenticates the developer's signature and development certificate.

Abstract: A mobile communication device (102) communicates over a wireless bearer network which includes a base station (104) and a wireless communication system (108). To provision wireless application services the mobile communication device contacts a provisioning proxy (110) over the wireless bearer network, which in turns contacts a provisioning center (116) over a public network (114). A provisioning tunnel is then established between the provisioning center and the mobile communication device. Once the provisioning tunnel is set up, the user of the mobile communication device can subscribe to, or unsubscribe from wireless application services.

Abstract: A communication session is established between a client (102) and a server (104) over a first bearer network (106). A session identifier is produced (304), which is compressed (306). Messages or packets sent between the client and server during a first connection include the compressed session identifier and a first envelope identifier. At some time the first connection is terminated, and a second connection is initiated on a second bearer network. At the occurrence of the break, at both the client and server, a session transition control block is set up and includes the first envelope identifier. The session transition control block is used to map messages or packets received after the break to the correct session after resuming the session over a second connection with a second envelope identifier.

Abstract: A battery saving interval utilized for communicating with a portable subscriber unit (122) in a radio communication system is dynamically adjusted. An occurrence of a predetermined triggering event associated with the portable subscriber unit is observed (504), and the battery saving interval utilized for communicating with the portable subscriber unit is adjusted (506) in response to the predetermined triggering event, while battery saving intervals of other portable subscriber units in the system are left unchanged.

Abstract: A method of wireless communication using a hybrid of a transaction protocol and a connection oriented protocol includes the steps of initiating a wireless request from a portable subscriber to a server using the transaction protocol (106) and continuing communications using the transaction protocol (110) if a response from the server is less than a maximum transfer unit size. If the response from the server is greater than a maximum transfer unit size, then the server segments the response into data packets, wherein the portable subscriber unit and server subsequently communicate using the connection oriented protocol (114) until a subsequent wireless request is made from the portable subscriber.

Abstract: A selective call receiving device (10) such as a pager is controlled to dynamically change a base frame assigned to the device and subsequent control frames derived therefrom. The time that the device is operative to look for its address in a received signal can thus be dynamically changed to improve the efficiencies of a mixed systems environment without substantially reducing the battery life of the selective call receiving device (10). In two embodiments of the invention a new base frame for the device is derived from an originally assigned base frame that is stored in the selective call receiving device. In another embodiment, a new base frame for the device is derived from the device's address along with frame management information that is received by the selective call receiving device.

Abstract: Traffic in a radio communication system (FIG. 1) is adaptively balanced (300) to control congestion. A congestion model is maintained (302) with congestion dependencies including first and second types of congestion along with corresponding likelihood functions that indicate a likelihood that the first type of congestion will lead to the second type of congestion. An early warning of an impending congestion is detected (304) from an incoming traffic mix which exceeds an output traffic capability, given a current output allocation and configuration. The congestion model is accessed (306), in response to detecting the impending congestion, to identify and determine a priority for possible sources of the impending congestion. Action is then taken (308, 314, 318) to relieve the impending congestion by doing at least one of (a) increasing output resources and (b) decreasing traffic rates from the possible sources, prioritized in accordance with the congestion model.

Abstract: A communication system (100) includes a shared communication medium, such as a communication channel or a base station, for providing messages and transmission devices (110) for transmitting the messages over the shared communication medium during sharing periods defined by a sharing pattern (114). A trading center (105) coupled to the transmission devices (110) modifies the sharing pattern (114) in response to traffic handled by the transmission devices (110).

Abstract: A communication system (100) provides inbound communications from messaging units (120) to a controller (105) and outbound communications from the controller (105) to the messaging units (120). The inbound communications include scheduled packets and unscheduled packets that are transmitted over a reverse channel signal 250 divided into time slots. The controller (105) receives the scheduled and unscheduled packets and provides boundary information to the messaging units (120) to allocate the time slots between the scheduled packets and the unscheduled packets. The boundary information is computed based on previous boundary information for a time period and an average throughput of the unscheduled packets for the time period.