Abstract: A device is equipped with the ability to non-persistently display a data on its display in bar code form on demand, to enable another system to acquire the data by reading the bar code.

Abstract: A cover of a mobile electronic device is provided with data or location information for retrieving the data, to provide or customize a plurality of functionality of the mobile electronic device, including at least a first provision or customization that is semi-persistent, conditionally effective when the cover is not mated with the device after an initial mating. In various embodiments, the mobile electronic device includes a repository to store the data associated with the semi-persistent provisions or customizations, and facilities for a user to select a previously mated cover, and/or a function associated with a previously mated cover. In various embodiments, the cover may be a housing cover or an accessory cover.

Abstract: A mobile device (620) provides an opinion system (600) for receiving opinions from a user and displaying results relating to the received opinion. Opinion user interface elements (621-622) receive input relating to the item of the opinion. The opinion is aggregated with other opinions received from other mobile devices and teh result is provided to the user. A probability thereon may be applied to the aggregated opinions, and may be used to generate estimates of probability for a users propensity to an item based on the user's preferences.

Abstract: A wireless mobile phone is provided with a directory function to automatically save directory search results in at least one of a directory search result list and an address book of the wireless mobile phone. In various embodiments, a user of the wireless mobile phone may request for a party's phone number explicitly in a non-audible manner through a data interface, or audibly. A wireless telephone service, including its directory service, is equipped complementarily to offer and provide the wireless mobile phone with the directory search results in a selected one of a voice and a data form.

Abstract: An interchangeable covers having content for customizing wireless mobile phones is further provided with an indicator to denote whether the cover has been put to use. A wireless mobile phone is equipped to transmit a message to convey a detected first use of the cover. A server is equipped to store the message in detail or in aggregate. The server may also in addition or in lieu of said storing, accrue compensation for at least a selected one of a contributor of the content, a manufacturer of the wireless mobile phone, and a wireless mobile phone service provider.

Abstract: A wireless mobile phone is provided with an input-output interface and an output interface. The input-output interface may be employed singularly to facilitate removable attachment of a telephony headset to the phone to receive at least telephony audio signals from the phone, and to provide audio signals to the phone. Similarly, the output interface may be employed singularly to facilitate removable attachment of an audio output only headset to the phone to receive at least a selected one of telephony and non-telephony audio signals from the phone. However, the input-output interface and the output interface may also be used jointly to facilitate removable attachment of a two-plug headset to the phone to receive at least a selected one of telephony and non-telephony audio signals from the phone, and to provide audio signals to the phone.

Abstract: The invention is directed to associating a received command with a control such as a push button on a mobile telecommunication device, and enabling an action associated with the command to be performed when the control is later activated. The command may be received from another mobile device or remote computer. The actions that may be associated with the performance instruction include tuning to a broadcast such as a radio or television, browsing a web site or hyperlinked text, and tuning to a streamed broadcast over a network, such as the Internet. The command button can be a physical element such as the “*” key on a keypad or a virtual button on a display.

Abstract: A mobile communications device including an interchangeable covering addition for display and key reorientation is provided.

Abstract: In many computer systems, the rate of data from an input source may become significantly faster than a processor's ability to respond. This situation occurs when a faster and more modern system writes to an older and slower legacy system. The result of this interaction between disparate capacity systems may be system failure or data corruption, particularly due to overloading the slower system's input queue to the point where it can no longer catch up to its workload. The invention provides a method, system, and computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for transferring data between disparate capacity systems. The method comprises the steps of receiving transactions from a first computer system at a first rate and providing the transactions to a second computer system, wherein the second computer system receives the transactions at a second rate.

Abstract: A wireless mobile device is equipped with a menu driver that facilitates direct navigation between main menu items or activities. In one embodiment, a user may navigate from a last sub-menu item/sub-activity state of a menu item/activity to another last sub-menu item/sub-activity state of another menu item/activity. In one embodiment, sub-menu items or sub-activities are presented as in place scroll list replacing a selected sub-menu item/sub-activity.

Abstract: Identification based operational modification of a portable electronic device includes detecting the presence of an employee identification badge, authenticating the identification badge as an eligible identification badge based at least in part upon data associated with the identification badge that is individualized to at least the employee and/or employer, and modifying one or more operating characteristics of the portable electronic device resulting in an identification badge authenticated mode of operation for the portable electronic device based upon successful authentication of the identification badge.

Abstract: A wireless mobile communication device is provided with a light source arrangement configured to be able to output at least one of a steady or sweeping light pulse. The former may be used as a light pointer. The later may be used to facilitate spatial painting of illumination images. In various embodiments, the light source arrangement may include one or more collimated light sources and optionally, one or more mirrors, optically aligned and/or operated in a complementary manner. Further, the device is provided with instructions designed to selectively hold steady or operate the light source(s) and/or the mirror(s) in the complementary manner, activating/deactivating the LS to paint a line (row/column) of pixels in one direction, in accordance with the row/column of a bitmap of an illumination image to be painted, as the device is moved in another complementary direction.

Abstract: A smart accessory cover adapted for adornment by a mobile electronic device such as a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a palm sized personal computer, a media player or a game console is provided. The accessory cover includes physical design to convey a theme, and an embedded electronic component having data and/or programming instructions to personalize the functionalities of the mobile electronic device in accordance with the theme. In various embodiments, the theme may be a celebrity singer theme, a celebrity sport figure theme, or other themes.

Abstract: A device is equipped with the ability to non-persistently display a data on its display in bar code form on demand, to enable another system to acquire the data by reading the bar code.

Abstract: A mobile communications device including an interchangeable covering addition for display and key reorientation is provided. A body encases a first set of electronic components. A display screen with a default display orientation and a first plurality of input keys are disposed on the body and are coupled to the first set of electronic components. Each of the input keys has a default function and is designed to be used in a default input orientation complementary to the default display orientation. An interchangeable covering is designed to at least partially cover the body. The interchangeable covering has a second plurality of input keys and a second set of electronic components. Data and/or logic stored in the second set of electronic components is to at least facilitate redefining of the function of at least one of the first input keys and re-orienting the display and the first inputs keys to second complementary orientations.

Abstract: An interchangeable cover is endowed with one or more peripherals complementary electronics to add the one or more peripherals to a mobile device, to which the interchangeable cover is attached. In various embodiments, the peripherals may be a PCMCIA card reader, a PC Card reader, a Compact Flash card reader, a barcode reader, a camera , and so forth. In various embodiments, the complementary electronics are packaged in an ASIC with output pins similar to that of a SIM chip, which may include a properly equipped protocol processor for de-packaging and packaging data being inputted/outputted in accordance with selected protocols. In one embodiment, the cover is U-shaped. In a wireless mobile phone embodiment, the cover is attached to a rotabable sub-section of a pivotable section.

Abstract: A base portion of an electronic apparatus and a plurality of eligible smart interchangeable covers are provided with corresponding instructions for the base to authenticate an attached cover. The base operates the apparatus at a function/feature level in view of whether the base is able to authenticate the cover. In one embodiment, the authentication involves exchange of challenges and responses between the base and the cover, employment of session keys to facilitate the exchanges via encrypted communications, employment of private and public keys of the cover to facilitate provision of the session key(s) to the cover, and employment of a certificate to facilitate provision of the public key of the cover to the base. In one embodiment, the challenges/responses comprise at least a subset of the functions/features implementing instructions/data of the cover, and the certificate is signed by a common licensor of the vendors of the base and the covers.

Abstract: The present invention includes a wireless mobile communication device with a body casing having an exterior surface, and a number of light sources (LS) disposed on the exterior surface. A machine accessible medium is provided with instructions to selectively activate the number of LS in a spatial movement dependent manner to spatially paint luminescent images. Additionally, a processor is coupled to the machine accessible medium to execute the instructions. As a result, spatial painting of luminescent images utilizing a wireless mobile communication device is facilitated.

Abstract: An interchangeable cover is endowed with one or more peripherals complementary electronics to add the one or more peripherals to a mobile device, to which the interchangeable cover is attached. In various embodiments, the peripherals may be a credit card reader, add on non-volatile storage, an ASIC, and so forth. In various embodiments, the complementary electronics are packaged in an ASIC with output pins similar to that of a SIM chip, which may include a properly equipped protocol processor for de-packaging and packaging data being inputted/outputted in accordance with selected protocols. In one embodiment, the cover is U-shaped. In a wireless mobile phone embodiment, the cover is attached to a rotabable sub-section of a pivotable section.

Abstract: An interchangeable cover is endowed with one or more control keys and complementary electronics to add the control keys to an attached mobile device, which may e.g. be a wireless mobile phone. In one embodiment, the control keys are designed to be used with an alternate display orientation of the attached mobile device. In one embodiment, the control keys are control keys of a game pad. In one embodiment, the cover is U-shaped. In a wireless mobile phone embodiment, the cover is attached to a rotabable sub-section of a pivotable section.