Abstract: A source mobile telephone detects that a telephone number of the telephone has changed to a new number, and in response, sends a text or short message service (SMS) notice message to contacts identified in the mobile telephone to indicate that the source mobile telephone has a new telephone number. In response to receiving the text or SMS notice message, a contact telephony device may update its contact list to reflect the new number. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Methods and structures for limiting the write portion of a local cache memory in one or more disk drives of a storage system such that a storage controller coupled to each may mirror the content and structure of the write portion of each disk drive. The size of the write portion of the local cache memory in a disk drive controller may be controlled by the storage controller or other host device. The size of the write portion may be controlled by switch settings to select among a plurality of predefined sizes or may be programmed by the storage controller or other host device. Programming such a size value may be by setting parameter values in a configuration page of a SCSI disk drive's local memory or may be by a vendor unique command sent by a host device to the disk drive.

Abstract: A portable telephony device has a mobile phone housing. Integrated in the housing are memory to store a telephony module, an earphone type detect module, a headphone port, and a processor. The headphone port may be a wired headset jack to receive a mating wired headset plug, or it may be a communications subsystem that makes a wireless connection with a wireless headset. The earphone type detect module, when executed by the processor, is to determine what type of earphone or headset is connected to the headphone port. The telephony module when executed by the processor is to adjust a sidetone function of the device as a function of the determined type of earphone, and apply sidetone in accordance with said adjusted sidetone function. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods to operate a commute time function of a communications device are described herein. In one embodiment, the commute time function is automatically activated based on an event and is then performed by (i) determining an up-to-date commute time based on commute information and (ii) displaying or speaking the up-to-date commute time on the device. In one embodiment, triggered by and before the occurrence of a calendar event, a device obtains a current commute time (based on the commute information and based on current traffic conditions). In this embodiment, the device reschedules the calendar event based on the current commute time, by sending an update to the contacts with whom the user is to meet that indicates a change to the calendar event. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A portable handheld electronic device contains a camera lens and accelerometer to allow a user to control voicemail and call features by swiping his finger across the camera lens and/or tapping the device. Therefore, the user can comfortably input commands into the device with a single hand and without needing to move the phone away from his ear to apply these inputs. In another embodiment, the camera lens can also be used to control navigation of the display screen or a displayed document of the device. For example, if a user wishes to shift a scrollbar for a page displayed on the screen downwards to view the bottom of the page, the user should move his finger over the camera lens in an analogous downward direction.

Abstract: One or more acoustic transducers of a device may be adjusted based on automatic detection of device proximity to the user. In a mobile telephone, when the user is using the receiver and holding the telephone against his/her ear, if the telephone detects that the user has moved the telephone further from his/her ear, the telephone will raise the receiver volume. Similarly, if the user is using the speaker, the telephone will adjust the speaker volume as user distance from the telephone changes. In another embodiment the telephone may fade between the receiver and the speaker. Volume is not the only acoustic property that could be adjusted according to user proximity. Frequency response is another property that could be adjusted, such as using appropriate electronic filtering, or by turning on another transducer that is not otherwise being used.

Abstract: Two or more acoustic transducers share the same acoustic port in a device. The acoustic properties—such as acoustic impedance and frequency response—of the shared acoustic port are matched to each of the two or more acoustic transducers. To accomplish acoustic impedance matching, a separate back volume is provided for each of the acoustic transducers, matched to that transducer. Frequency response matching can be accomplished by the design of the transducer itself, but also by providing an adjacent element in the acoustic system of the transducer. One transducer may serve as an element in the acoustic system of another transducer. Frequency response adjustment of an individual element may also affect acoustic impedance of the entire port-transducer system.

Abstract: With respect to a wireless network, an out of range warning provides an estimate of an amount of time remaining until a wireless device is out of range of the wireless network. In this way, the user is presented with an opportunity to take corrective measures, if desired.

Abstract: Methods and structures for limiting the write portion of a local cache memory in one or more disk drives of a storage system such that a storage controller coupled to each may mirror the content and structure of the write portion of each disk drive. The size of the write portion of the local cache memory in a disk drive controller may be controlled by the storage controller or other host device. The size of the write portion may be controlled by switch settings to select among a plurality of predefined sizes or may be programmed by the storage controller or other host device. Programming such a size value may be by setting parameter values in a configuration page of a SCSI disk drive's local memory or may be by a vendor unique command sent by a host device to the disk drive.

Abstract: During an ongoing wireless telephone call communication session between a pair of mobile devices, a local device responds to its user's activation of a virtual or actual button or key, or its user's verbal command, by automatically sending an over the air message (e.g., a SMS or text message or other network communication message) to the remote device. The message requests location information of the remote device. Upon obtaining location information from the remote device, a location of the remote device is automatically displayed on the local device. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A mobile electronic device has a touch sensitive screen and an accelerometer. A translator is to translate a word or phrase that is in a first human language and that is entered via a first virtual keyboard displayed on the touch sensitive screen, into a second human language. A translator is to cause the touch sensitive screen to display the translated word or phrase and a second virtual keyboard having characters in the second human language, in response to the accelerometer detecting a change in the physical orientation of the device or movement of the device. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A mobile phone has a mobile phone housing in which are integrated an actuator and a telephone module. The actuator can vibrate the housing to give a haptic or tactile alert to the user. The actuator is to vibrate in accordance with an input signal. The telephone module activates the input signal during the making of an outgoing call to a destination phone, so that the housing vibrates to alert the user while the destination phone is ringing. In another embodiment, the telephone module signals a display screen integrated in the housing, to show a graphic indicative of the outgoing call. In addition, the telephone module activates the input signal for the backlight of the display screen during the making of the outgoing call, so that the backlight flashes the display screen while the destination phone is ringing. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: With respect to a wireless network, an out of range warning provides an estimate of an amount of time remaining until a wireless device is out of range of the wireless network. In this way, the user is presented with an opportunity to take corrective measures, if desired.

Abstract: Methods are provided for allowing an organizer of an event (such as a school reunion, a wedding, etc.) to create a site for the event on a server (e.g., an Internet server), and for allowing possible participants in the event to add information to the site and to retrieve information from the site. The methods preferably include fade-in and/or fade-out of certain information associated with the event. As an example of fade-in, a user may gradually be given access to more of another participant's contact information only after that other participant has responded to an initial contact from that user. As an example of fade-out, a user's device may gradually display an icon for the event less prominently if the event information is not being used.

Abstract: A method for compensating for motion on screens is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes varying the display of a screen on a device using motion data. In this embodiment, a display adjustment amount also may be determined using screen properties and motion limits. In another embodiment, the method includes varying the location of an input region on a touch screen using touch data. In yet another embodiment, the method includes scaling selectable images and apportioning the display using motion data. Various additional methods, machine-readable media, and systems for motion compensation of a screen are also provided.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system which supports a dual-purpose aperture for an electronic device. This system includes a first component configured to perform an acoustic function through the aperture and a second component configured to perform a non-acoustic function through the aperture.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer readable media for altering an audio output are provided. In some embodiments, the system may change the original frequency content of an audio data file to a second frequency content so that a recorded audio track will sound as if a different person had recorded it when it is played back. In other embodiments, the system may receive an audio data file and a voice signature, and it may apply the voice signature to the audio data file to alter the audio output of the audio data file. In that instance, the audio data file may be a textual representation of a recorded audio data file.

Abstract: The present invention includes systems, apparatus and methods for providing message alerts to a user prior to that user communicating with a second party. The user may desire to communicate with a second party by sending a text-based message or by speaking to them through a communications device, such as a cellular phone. Prior to sending the message or speaking with the second party, the device can provide the user with message alerts, the option to review alert content, and/or to view the alert content itself. The message alerts and alert content can be notifications and/or previews of opened/unopened e-mail messages, voicemail messages, text messages, etc. Alert content can be located based on, for example, contact information of the person with whom the user desires to communicate, subject line data of a text-based message, main body data of a text based message, etc.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are provided for enabling a user to control the content of text-based messages sent to or received from an administered device. In some embodiments, a message will be blocked (incoming or outgoing) if the message includes forbidden content. In other embodiments, the objectionable content is removed from the message prior to transmission or as part of the receiving process. The content of such a message is controlled by filtering the message based on defined criteria. The criteria may be defined according to a parental control application. These techniques also may be used, in accordance with instructional embodiments, to require the administered devices to include certain text in messages. These embodiments might, for example, require that a certain number of Spanish words per day be included in e-mails for a child learning Spanish.

Abstract: Systems and methods for enabling users to listen to outgoing voice mail messages are provided. These systems and methods record an audio file corresponding to a voice message being left by a user during an outgoing telephone call to a recipient, link the audio file to contact information associated with the recipient, and provide the user access to the audio file through, for example, playback of the audio included in the file. These systems and methods may be implemented through individual communications devices, such as an iPhone, through a telephone communications provider, or a combination of the same.