Abstract: The invention concerns a method (200) and system (100) for flash control. The method can include the steps of—in a portable electronic device (122)—detecting (212) a request to operate a flash component (132), determining (214) whether to delay a timing of the operation of the flash component and if the timing will not be delayed, selectively disabling (224) a transmission component (114) for the portable electronic device. The selective disablement can create an operational opportunity (324) for the flash component. The method can also include the step of operating (224) the flash component during the created operational opportunity. As an example, the portable electronic device can be a mobile communications unit having a camera (136), the flash component can provide a flash for the camera and the transmission component can be a power amplifier (128).

Abstract: A mobile communication device (100) includes a camera module (102) which provides an image stream when the camera module is active. The image stream is used to display images on a display (114) to provide a viewfinder function so that a user of the mobile communication device can see to what the camera is aimed. While the mobile communication device is operating in camera mode, the mobile communication device receives a signal at a radio receiver (104) during a time slot of a time division multiple access frame (110). To prevent the camera module from interfering with the receiver operation, the camera module operation is suspended during the receiver time slot.

Abstract: A subscriber unit (107) operates in a communication system (100) with at least two servers (102, 103). The subscriber unit (107) receives a plurality of received signal samples that each include a color code value (304) identifying on cell server of a plurality of cell servers transmitting signals in a coverage area. The subscriber unit (107) then determines the best received color code value based on a quality/error metric derived from the received color codes associated with the received signal samples.

Abstract: A method (10) and system (200) for user interface enhancement using speaker directionality can include a speaker phone having a microphone array (35, 36, and 37) on a communication device (32) at a first location and a processor (202) coupled to the microphone array. The processor can be programmed to associate (12) a speaker direction with a given speaker using the microphone array and identify (14) the given speaker and provide an indication of the given speaker at a communication device (42) at a second location in communication with the communication device at the first location. The processor can be further programmed to map (18) or assign sectors to a number of speakers using the microphone array in the first location based on speaker directionality of each of the number of speakers.

Abstract: The invention equips a cellular telephone or other communications device with improved voice recognition and command capability. A cellular handset may be equipped with a digital signal processing or other hardware to enhance speech detection and command decoding, but still be relatively constrained in terms of the amount of electronic memory or other storage available on the device, or the processing power or battery life offered by the device. In embodiments, the cellular handset or other device may perform a first-stage decoding of a voice or other command, for instance to perform a voice browsing function over the Internet or a directory. The handset may perform a look-up of the detected command or service against a local memory cache of stored commands, services and models and if a match is found, proceed directly to performing the desired service.