Abstract: A system includes an electronic device and an interface accessory. The electronic device includes a housing and a display disposed along a major face of the housing. A control circuit, which can be one or more circuits, is operable to present information on the display. The interface accessory attaches to the housing. The interface accessory has a cover and a charged pigment display disposed along an exterior of the cover. The cover is foldable to conceal the display. The control circuit can replicate the information on the display to the charged pigment display.

Abstract: An electronic device includes an analog connector and a digital connector. The analog connector has one or more analog signal contacts and at least one other contact. A signal detector detects signals at the other contact. A switch is coupled to the other contact to, where analog signals are at the other contact, to cause the switch to transition a connection to other contact from a common node of the device to a signal node of the device, thereby allowing a user to use either a four-wire accessory device or five-wire accessory device with a four-wire analog connector.

Abstract: A method, electronic device, and accessory for carrying out functions based on reflected electromagnetic radiation are provided. According to one implementation, an electronic device transmits electromagnetic radiation (“EMR”) to an accessory and detects a reflection of the transmitted EMR off of the accessory. A characteristic of the reflected EMR maps to a predetermined function associated with the accessory, which the electronic device performs.

Abstract: The present invention is a communication system having a plurality of forward channel communications and a plurality of corresponding reverse channel communications in a region for communications with cellular users. Each region includes a plurality of zone managers. Each zone manager includes a broadcaster having a broadcaster transmitter for broadcasting a plurality of forward channel communications using broadband broadcaster signals to form a plurality of broadcaster forward channels. Each zone manager includes an aggregator for processing reverse channel communications. Each zone manager communicates with a collector group for receiving reverse channel communications from users and forwarding reverse channel communications to the aggregator. Each of the users includes a user receiver for receiving a different forward channel from said broadcaster and includes user transmitter means for broadcasting user reverse channel communications in a different user reverse channel.

Abstract: The present invention is a communication system having a plurality of forward channel communications and a plurality of corresponding reverse channel communications in a region for communications with cellular users. Each region includes a plurality of zone managers. Each zone manager includes a broadcaster having a broadcaster transmitter for broadcasting a plurality of forward channel communications using broadband broadcaster signals to form a plurality of broadcaster forward channels. Each zone manager includes an aggregator for processing reverse channel communications. Each zone manager communicates with a collector group for receiving reverse channel communications from users and forwarding reverse channel communications to the aggregator. Each of the users includes a user receiver for receiving a different forward channel from said broadcaster and includes user transmitter means for broadcasting user reverse channel communications in a different user reverse channel.