Abstract: A distributed home automation system and method for control of devices located in rooms of a home that is divided into regions includes plural devices located in the rooms, with a first device located in a first room, and a second device located in a second room. The system includes a network of regional controllers in communication with each device and with each regional controller in the network. Each regional controller is configured to control only a preselected number of devices that is less than all of the devices. The system includes plural regional controllers configured to control less than all of the devices in all of the rooms. The network is also configured to allow the regional controllers automatically to configure or reconfigure each other, automatically and remotely.

Abstract: A distributed home automation system and method for control of devices located in rooms of a home that is divided into regions includes plural devices located in the rooms, with a first device located in a first room, and a second device located in a second room. The system includes a network of regional controllers in communication with each device and with each regional controller in the network. Each regional controller is configured to control only a preselected number of devices that is less than all of the devices. The system includes plural regional controllers configured to control less than all of the devices in all of the rooms. The network is also configured to allow the regional controllers automatically to configure or reconfigure each other. The network can also configured to allow for removal or addition of one or more regional controllers and, for the existing or added regional controllers to be configured or reconfigured automatically and remotely.

Abstract: Multiple selectable dictionaries are used by a handwriting recognition system to provide accurate and prompt recognition processing. Sets of the multiple dictionaries are selectable by the user or automatically by the recognition program in response to the user handwriting in predetermined fields on a user interface.

Abstract: Multiple selectable dictionaries are used by a handwriting recognition system to provide accurate and prompt recognition processing. Sets of the multiple dictionaries are selectable by the user or automatically by the recognition program in response to the user handwriting in predetermined fields on a user interface.

Abstract: Multiple selectable dictionaries are used by a handwriting recognition system to provide accurate and prompt recognition processing. Sets of the multiple dictionaries are selectable by the user or automatically by the recognition program in response to the user handwriting in predetermined fields on a user interface.

Abstract: A cellular telephone (100) has a receiver (506) and a transmitter (508) and a detachable battery (106) retrofitted for entering handwritten information and for providing power to the cellular telephone (100). The detachable battery (106) has a digitizer (552) for accepting the handwritten information, a recognition engine (560), coupled to the digitizer (552), for generating readable characters from the handwritten information. The detachable battery also has a memory (558), coupled to the recognition engine (560), for storing the readable characters and an output port (116) for transferring readable characters from the detachable battery (106).