Abstract: A method and apparatus for obtaining overhead information by a mobile is provided herein. During operation, the mobile will be communicating with a first system on an active data channel. The mobile node will be able to measure pilot PN phase and amplitude for a second system that is a potential candidate to handoff and will have that information available. The data channel of the active service is used to query a proxy server that provides overhead information for the second base station. More particularly, when PN phase and amplitude information is provided to the proxy server, the proxy server will identify the base station and provide the overhead information needed to associate with the second base station.

Abstract: A method for facilitating a mobile station to perform a fast handoff in a wireless communication system allows a handoff procedure to be anticipated (by the mobile station, its serving base station, or both) based on historical information regarding prior successful handoff procedures. In operation, the serving base station monitors (510) current mobile station parameters and compares them with historical data. If the parameters indicate a high probability target base station (515), the serving base station requests allocation (525) of air interface resources at the high probability target base station prior to the mobile station reporting reception of signal from the high probability target base station. This facilitates fast handoff from the serving base station to the high probability target base station.

Abstract: A method and system for facilitating updating of software programming on a plurality of mobile devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving at a server, from the mobile devices, first information regarding usage of at least one feature at the mobile devices. The method further includes recognizing at the server that a software update is available, and determining an ordering of at least some of the mobile devices, the ordering taking into account the first information. Additionally, the method also includes sending the software update for receipt by each of the at least some mobile devices so that the software update can be implemented thereon, where the sending proceeds at least partly based upon the ordering.

Abstract: Disclosed are a device, system and method for multiple mobile communication devices that may be charged according to their relative priority and/or for multiple mobile communication devices that may be charged to a minimum level. The devices may be connected in any order physically, but based upon their relative charging priority the device with the highest priority may receive a charge first. The device with second highest priority may receive a charge second. Their relative priority may be communicated between the devices by wireless communication. In one embodiment, one or more devices may receive a minimum charge to allow operation, before the devices with the highest priorities are fully charged. In regions where electrical utility infrastructures are minimally developed users may share electrical facilities to recharge a plurality of mobile communication devices so that the devices with the highest priority of the grouped devices are fully charged first.

Abstract: A method for facilitating a mobile station to perform a fast handoff in a wireless communication system allows a handoff procedure to be anticipated (by the mobile station, its serving base station, or both) based on historical information regarding prior successful handoff procedures. In operation, the mobile station receives a neighbor list from a serving base station and determines whether a member base station of the neighbor list is a successful target base station based on historical data. If the member base station is not a successful target base station, the mobile station scans the member base station, measures a signal quality associated with the member base station, and sends a measurement report for the member base station when the signal quality meets a standard signal quality threshold. If the member base station is a successful target base station, the mobile station sends the measurement report for the member base station when the measured signal quality meets a lower signal quality threshold.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods are provided for transferring a user identity from one wireless communication device to another in a wireless communication system having a network system controller. A first device sends a deactivation request to the network controller, which includes information identifying the first device and a second device. The second device sends an activation request to the network system controller, which includes the information identifying the second device. The first device also sends repertoire information to the second device via the network system controller. The repertoire information is associated with the first device, and is selected from a group consisting of personal phone books, stored messages, stored recent call logs, and calendar information.

Abstract: A wireless communication device includes a receiver configured to receive an emergency alert configuration message identifying which sub-message of an emergency broadcast message comprising a collection of sub-messages to be received by the wireless communication device, wherein the wireless communication device is configured to receive only the sub-message of the emergency broadcast message identified by the emergency alert configuration message.

Abstract: A method (300) and portable electronic device (100) can be configured to delay the presentation of content (103) until a user (102) is available. The portable electronic device (100) can received, from a user interface (204), a user indication identifying content (103) to be used at a later time. One or more modules (208) or processors (201) within the device can then monitor one or more device parameters to determine an evaluative user availability state. When the evaluative user availability state is determined, the modules (208) and processors (201) can be configured to present the content (103) on the user interface (204). The content (103) can be presented audibly, visibly, or both.

Abstract: A method for receiving a broadcast message in a wireless communication device is disclosed. The device receives a broadcast message that has associated therewith a unique message grouping identifier and determines whether the unique message grouping identifier of the received message is equal to a unique message grouping identifier of a previously received message. The device ignores the received broadcast message when the unique message grouping identifier of the received message is equal to the unique message grouping identifier of the previously received message and in some implementations enters sleep mode.

Abstract: A wireless communication device includes a near-field activated circuit that transmits an output signal upon exposure to an energizing electromagnetic field, and a sensor having an output coupled to the near-field activated circuit, wherein the sensor produces an output signal in response to sensing an environmental condition other than the energizing electromagnetic field, and wherein the output signal of the near-field activated circuit changes when the sensor changes states.

Abstract: A communication device (100) and method (700) are disclosed for providing temporary communication features, temporary scheduling features, or combinations thereof associated with temporary membership in a private network (101), such as that associated with a hotel (102), resort (103), or cruise ship (105). An association module (209) can register (701) the communication device (100) with the private network (101) as a temporary member device. A private network information retriever (210) can then retrieve (702) one or both of private network directory information (109) and private network scheduling information (110). An integrator (211) can then integrate this information into an address book application (212) or a calendaring application (215) to provide additional functionality for the communication device (100).

Abstract: An electronic device is operable to determine a touch input applied to a capacitive touch panel system thereof so as to account for time-varying noise affecting the touch panel system. The electronic device includes the touch panel system, an analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) unit, and a processing unit. The processing unit is operable to: receive digital signal values from the ADC unit representing capacitances detected by sensing points of the touch panel system; adjust at least one of the digital signal values based at least on a time-varying noise to produce at least one noise-adjusted value; and determine the touch input based on the at least one noise-adjusted value. In one embodiment, the electronic device determines the time-varying noise prior to adjusting the digital signal values. In another embodiment, the time-varying noise is produced by a display panel of a touchscreen display that also includes the touch panel system.

Abstract: An electronic device is operable to display images on a display screen of the device's display. The images include at least one icon and at least one image to be used as a background setting for the display screen. The electronic device includes the display, at least one storage device, and a processing unit. The storage device(s) digitally stores the images and operating instructions for displaying the images. The processing device is operable in accordance with the operating instructions to: retrieve the images from the storage device, determine at least one portion of the background setting that is of higher importance than a remainder of the background setting to produce at least one high importance portion of the background setting, and instruct the display to display the background setting and the icons on the display screen such that the high importance portion(s) of the background setting is viewable.

Abstract: A method and a system for managing an electronic calendar. The method can include, in a calendar management system linked to a decision management system, associating a first calendar event with at least a first decision. In the calendar management system, prioritization information pertaining to the first decision can be collected. The prioritization information can indicate a decision type for the first decision and a value at risk in the first decision. A first calendar entry corresponding to the first calendar event, as well as the prioritization information pertaining to the first decision, can be presented to a user via a display of an electronic system.

Abstract: A method of managing decisions. The method can include identifying decision costs expended or projected to be expended for each of a plurality of decisions in a decision network and determining whether a sum of the decision costs expended or projected to be expended exceed at least one assigned cost threshold warning level. When the sum of the decision costs expended or projected to be expended exceed the assigned cost threshold warning level, a cost warning alert can be automatically generated and electronically communicated. The cost warning alert can indicate that the cost threshold warning level has been exceeded or is projected to be exceeded.

Abstract: A mobile device (102) employs a throttle filter to reduce a number of notifications or messages received from a server (104). The throttle filter allows content segments, such as keywords and anti-keywords, to be mapped to sources of content. The mobile device (102) then transmits throttle filter data to a data throttle manager (114) of the server (104). A processing module (115) in the server (104) can then sort and prioritize messages in accordance with the throttle filter data such that notifications of interest to a user are delivered to the mobile device (102). Other notifications of less interest to the user can be delivered to other devices (109).

Abstract: Embodiments of methods are provided for transferring a user identity from one wireless communication device to another in a wireless communication system having a network system controller. A first device sends a deactivation request to the network controller, which includes information identifying the first device and a second device. The second device sends an activation request to the network system controller, which includes the information identifying the second device. The first device also sends repertoire information to the second device via the network system controller. The repertoire information is associated with the first device, and is selected from a group consisting of personal phone books, stored messages, stored recent call logs, and calendar information.

Abstract: A wireless communication device (100) includes an obligation manager (101) that is configured to cause a processor (102) operable with a memory (103) to determine which member of a group is to be responsible for fulfillment of a group obligation. The obligation manager (101) determines which member will fulfill the obligation by comparing the current obligation to an obligation register (300) having fulfillment entries (301,302,303) indicating past obligations and members fulfilling those obligations.

Abstract: A method is provided for transferring user identities between one CDMA wireless communication device (120) and another in a wireless CDMA communication system (100) having a network system controller (140). The network controller (140) receives an activation command from a wireless communication device (120), the activation command including identification information identifying the activating wireless communication device (404). Next, the network controller determines whether the activating wireless communication device is a transferred identity wireless communication device in response to the identification information (424). The network controller then activates the activating wireless communication device with a transferred identity (436) if the activating wireless communication device is determined to be a transferred identity wireless communication device (424).

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and devices for automatically selecting which mobile communication device among two or more related mobile communication devices may establish communication or authorize a transaction for particular services or goods with an unrelated third communication device. The described method includes a first mobile communication device detecting the presence of a related second mobile communication device and authorizing a communication with a third unrelated entity, such as that of a vendor, based on the presence of the related second mobile communication device. Also described is a method of a first mobile communication device including detecting the presence of a related second mobile communication device and restricting wireless communication with a unrelated third communication device, such as that of a vendor.