Abstract: A disposable electronic device includes a housing, a user interface in the housing and a short range, unlicensed wireless transceiver in the housing. A controller is configured to control the user interface and the short range, unlicensed wireless transceiver. A non-replaceable, non-rechargeable battery also is provided in the housing. New forms of disposable, proximity-based communications systems, devices and methods thereby may be provided.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing an ad-hoc, autonomous communications network is provided. The method includes activating a power supply for a first article embedded with communications components. The power supply is generated by at least one of a power source of the communications components and a power generator of the communications components that is implemented via active motion of the first article. The method also includes broadcasting a transmission event via the first article for a time period less than or equal to the life of the power supply. The method further includes detecting a communications node within a proximity of the first article, the communications node receiving the transmission event.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for establishing emergency and alarm communications between devices via an interface device are provided. According to one aspect, an interface device comprises an input, an output, and logic. The input receives data in a first format from the first device. The logic detects whether the data is intended to request assistance from emergency services and if so, determining proper routing, retrieving location information and transmit the data and location information to the proper destination. If not intended to request assistance, a second device for receiving the data is identified as well as a second format, the data is translated to the second format and transmitted to the second device. A battery may selectively provide power to essential components of the interface device upon detection of a power failure. Notifications are made upon detection of a power failure, malfunction, or emergency request.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for performing differential media time calculation and display are provided. A method includes determining a time of media origination, determining a current time, and calculating a differential media time as a difference between the current time and the time of media origination. The method also includes using the differential media time to determine information update data and outputting the information update data for display.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and computer-readable medium for securely providing communications between devices and networks are provided. According to one aspect of the invention, an interface device for providing communications between a first communications network and a device associated with a second communications network comprises an input, an output, logic, and a security program to restrict access to the input or the output of the interface device, connected devices or associated communication networks. The one or more inputs of the interface device receive data in a first format from the first communications network. The logic translates the data to a second format compatible with the second communications device. The translated data is then transmitted to the device associated with the second communications network via the one or more outputs. The security program determines whether a device or user is authorized to receive data prior to granting access to the data.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing communications and connection-oriented services to devices are provided. According to one aspect, an interface device for providing communications between a first device and a second comprises an input, logic, and an output. The input of the interface device receives data in a first format from the first device. The logic performs a connection-oriented service on the data. The connection oriented service may include overriding caller identification information associated with the data, sending the data to a voicemail system, and storing a detail record associated with the data. The logic also identifies the second device for receiving the data. The logic then identifies a second format compatible with the second device and translates the data to the second format compatible with the second device. The translated data is then transmitted to the second device via the one or more outputs.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for restricting access to data are provided. According to one aspect, an interface device for providing communications between a communications network and a device comprises an input, logic, and an output. The input receives data in a first format from the communications network. The logic receives a request from the device to access the data and determines whether the interface device is authorized to access the data. If the interface device is authorized to access the data, then the logic receives the data from the communications network. The logic then identifies a second format compatible with the device, translates the data to the second format, and transmits the translated data to the device.

Abstract: Customized transactional cards are created in one of various ways. The card holder may obtain a blank transactional card already having an encoded account number, create a customized design, and then apply the customized design to the blank transaction card such as by printing the design onto a label to be applied to the blank transactional card or directly onto the card. The card holder may obtain a blank transactional card which has not yet been authorized with an account number, create a customized design, apply the customized design to the transactional card, and at some point send the transactional card to the card issuer where it can be authorized by having an account number applied to it and then returned to the card holder. The card holder may access a web site to create a customized design and then the card issuer creates the transactional card according to the customized design and sends the transactional card having an encoded account number to the card holder.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the invention include methods, systems, and storage mediums for optimizing a device. The method includes detecting a suboptimal condition associated with the device and analyzing the suboptimal condition in light of selected operator preferences and device-related data. In response to the analysis, the method includes modifying a configuration of the device, the current state of said device, a current state of a networked device associated with said device, or a configuration of a networked device associated with said device. Alternatively, in response to the analyzing, the method includes notifying the operator of the suboptimal condition. The selected operator preferences include at least one of personality settings, expert level settings, communications means settings, intrusion level settings, and reactive/predictive settings.

Abstract: Customized transactional cards are created in one of various ways. The card holder may obtain a blank transactional card already having an encoded account number, create a customized design, and then apply the customized design to the blank transaction card such as by printing the design onto a label to be applied to the blank transactional card or directly onto the card. The card holder may obtain a blank transactional card which has not yet been authorized with an account number, create a customized design, apply the customized design to the transactional card, and at some point send the transactional card to the card issuer where it can be authorized by having an account number applied to it and then returned to the card holder. The card holder may access a web site to create a customized design and then the card issuer creates the transactional card according to the customized design and sends the transactional card having an encoded account number to the card holder.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products are provided for matching a passenger with a driver for a trip to a destination. Characteristic information about a plurality of drivers is received and a plurality of selection criteria are received from the passenger. A request for the trip is received from the passenger. One of the drivers is automatically identified as a candidate driver for the trip based on the selection criteria and the characteristic information responsive to the received request. Contact information is provided to the passenger and/or the identified candidate driver to match the passenger with the identified candidate driver. One or more of the drivers may be associated with transportation service providing companies and the request for the trip may be a reservation request for a planned trip at a scheduled time in the future and the reservation request may include a date and/or time defining the scheduled time in the future.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing ontological domain services are provided. A method includes gathering information elements relating to an individual from trusted sources of information via secure channels of communication. The method also includes creating an ontological domain that is specific to the individual using the information elements accrued from the sources. The information elements are acquired from detectable behaviors of the individual over time. The ontological domain is automatically generated from the detectable behaviors and absent any intervention by the individual. The method also includes determining an interest that is specific to the individual based upon relevancy analyses performed with respect to the information elements and making the interest available to the individual or entity.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and storage mediums for implementing intelligent agent services are provided. A method includes generating an ontological domain for an individual based upon information elements. A set of information elements represents a behavior of the individual at a point in time. Generating the ontological domain includes creating subdomains of contextually organized collections of sets of information elements, where the subdomains include any orthogonally related data identified among behaviors. The method also includes determining relevance of relationships among the information elements in the ontological domain. The relevance is determined based upon measurable aspects, whereby a relationship determined to be relevant is identified as an interest of the individual.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for implementing ontological domain services is provided. The method includes creating an ontological domain using information elements accrued from sources and in response to detectable behaviors of an individual or entity over time. The method also includes analyzing the ontological domain to anticipate an interest.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products are provided for matching a passenger with a driver for a trip to a destination. Characteristic information about a plurality of drivers is received and a plurality of selection criteria are received from the passenger. A request for the trip is received from the passenger. One of the drivers is automatically identified as a candidate driver for the trip based on the selection criteria and the characteristic information responsive to the received request. Contact information is provided to the passenger and/or the identified candidate driver to match the passenger with the identified candidate driver. One or more of the drivers may be transportation service providing companies and the request for the trip may be a reservation request for a planned trip at a scheduled time in the future and the reservation request may include a date and/or time defining the scheduled time in the future.

Abstract: Systems and methods for interfacing plain old telephone system (POTS) devices, cellular network devices, and computer network devices with computer networks and cellular networks is presented. In a broad sense, the system includes an interface that bridges the POTS devices and the cellular devices with computer networks. The interface also bridges computer network devices with the cellular network. The interface is configured to convert signals which are compatible with POTS networks and cellular networks into signals compatible with computer networks. The signals may include content signals representing a telephone call and call attribute signals used to establish a telephone call. The interface is further configured to convert computer network compatible signals into cellular network compatible signals. The interface may also be utilized to aggregate cellular and computer network signals for communicating segmented data over multiple networks.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for passing through features from alternative network devices, such as cellular telephones, to plain old telephone system (POTS) devices. In a broad sense, the system includes an interface that bridges the alternative network devices to the POTS devices. The interface is configured to convey feature data contained within signaling data generated by the alternative network devices and pass the feature data through to the connected POTS devices. If the feature data is incompatible with the connected POTS devices, the interface is further configured to determine a compatible protocol for the connected POTS devices and translate the feature data into the compatible protocol.

Abstract: Methods for responding to a potential incident are provided in which data about the potential incident is received from a first remote sensing unit. Additional remote sensing units are identified that may have additional data about the potential incident, and additional data about the potential incident is received from at least some of these additional remote sensing units. The totality of the received data is then analyzed, and at least one remote entity is automatically notified regarding the occurrence of the potential incident.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for implementing intelligent agent services is provided. The method includes identifying sources of information topically related to an interest. The interest is specified as first information elements. The method also includes creating a search string from at least a portion of the first information elements. The method further includes gathering second information elements in response to searching the sources of information using the search string, and comparing the second information elements to the first information elements. The method further includes identifying matches between the first and second information elements, analyzing the matches, and determining a solution for satisfying the interest.

Abstract: Transactional cards such as credit and debit cards include sensory features including sounds, sights, and/or smells to increase the interest in the transactional card. A transactional card may include circuitry for producing sounds such as sound effects, songs, and catch phrases. A transactional card may include circuitry for producing light, such as illuminating the account numbers and/or producing graphical displays on the card. A transactional card may include coatings or integrated materials that provide scents or that change color when heat is applied. A transactional card may include additional sensory features such as a lenticular array with underlying image.