Abstract: In a rotation input device, a planetary carrier, connected to an operation knob, rotatably supports a planetary gear which meshes with an outer teeth row provided for a sun gear, to which an output shaft is secured, and also meshes with an inner teeth row provided for an outer gear. A plunger provided for the sun gear is in elastic contact with a recess cam provided for the outer gear. A solenoid unit prevents rotation of the outer gear in accordance with an output of a magnetic sensor which faces a magnet provided for the output shaft.

Abstract: A pager allows the input and transmission of a virtual unlimited range of messages. The pager comprises a character display control knob which controls the sequential display of alphabetic and numeric characters on a display. By rotating the knob, the displayed character advances or retreats through the appropriate alphabetic or numeric sequence. When the character is displayed that the pager user wishes to include in a message to be transmitted, the pager user presses a selection key. The process is repeated until the message is completed. The pager may then transmit the message to a paging system by radio transmission to a base station or by emitting a series of sounds in which the message is encoded. In the case of emitted sounds, the sounds are conveyed along an open phone line to the paging system where they are decoded.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for programming a cellular telephone with activation parameters. A cellular telephone to be programmed is connected to a computer via a communications interface. A user input device is provided to allow a user to provide programming information, including a cellular telephone type, to the computer. A visual representation of the cellular telephone type is displayed on a display monitor to allow the user to interactively verify the inputted programming information. Upon such user verification, the computer determines activation parameters and transmits the activation parameters to the cellular telephone. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, certain activation parameters are dynamically computed based on the user provided programming information. In one embodiment, the user enters a cellular telephone number to be assigned to the cellular telephone. The computer looks up a system identification associated with the cellular telephone number in a memory unit.

Abstract: Communications across a network (16) between a calling multimedia terminal (10) and at least one called multimedia terminal (12) is readily facilitated by assigning each terminal an endpoint identifier that establishes its communications path requirements. Upon entry by a calling terminal of its end-point identifier and the end-point identifier of each called terminal, a service hub (20) associated with the network automatically configures the network to provide a communications path having the appropriate attributes to connect the terminals together.

Abstract: The method and apparatus of the present invention permits data entry in an electronic apparatus without using a keypad. By rotating a moveable element (104), a function, letter, or number is selected. The moveable element (104) is then moved in another direction to enter the selected item. The function, letter, or number can be displayed on a display (106), announced with a synthesized voice, or displayed and announced.

Abstract: A networking protocol for wireless point (base station) to multipoint (user) networks where the users are stationary which utilized time-division multiplexing the in the direction of the base station to the user, heretofore called the downstream direction, and time-division multiple access in the direction of the user to the base station, heretofore called the upstream direction, where medium access control actively assigns time slots in the upstream direction to accommodate varying demands for bandwidth by multiple users, where upstream frame timing is synchronized to the downstream frame timing, where time slots carry individual ATM cells, where the first time slot of the downstream frame carries a frame start ATM cell, where upstream time slot synchronization is maintained to within .+-.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an automated programmer for actuating a sequence of keys on a handset of a cellular telephone, as required by manufacturer instructions, to initialize the telephone for operation in a cellular system. The programmer comprises a pair of pusher members for actuating the keys on the keypad, and a holder for securing the handset above the pusher members. The holder is adjustable in three dimensions to allow securing of handsets of various shapes and sizes. Also, each pusher member is controlled by a driver, which can move the pusher member to any location within a three dimensional space. This allows the programmer to actuate the keys on different cellular telephones having a variety of handset shapes and sizes, and a variety of keypad configurations. Two pushers are provided to allow the programmer to depress two keys simultaneously, as required by some cellular telephones.