35 results about "Personal communicator" patented technology

The invention is a wireless communications device, such as a cellular telephone, having sensors to generate data indicative of a physiological or contextual parameters of a user. A processor on the wireless communications device is adapted derive physiological state information of the user from the contextual or physiological parameters. The apparatus may include a central monitoring unit remote from the sensors for storing data and transmitting data to a recipient.

An integrated parking meter system automates the issuance of parking citations. Each parking meter will be equipped with a sonar range finder, mercury type switch and a two way radio that communicates via N-PCS to a host computer back at the control center. When a meter runs out of money it checks to see if a vehicle is present in the parking space. If it is, the meter notifies the host computer that there is a car illegally parked in the space. The host computer correlates the information to identify the exact location of the violator. The host computer then sends this information via wireless network to the parking meter attendants' personal communicator. The parking attendant proceeds to the violator and issues the citation. Included within this technology is the capability to remotely change the rate structure of any or all electronic parking meters. A meter diagnostic feature alerts repair personnel to specific malfunctioning meters. The meter may also set the time remaining on the meter to zero whenever a car leaves the adjacent space.

A method of authentication using an electronic device (20), comprising: providing a computer (22, 24, 26, 28, 140) having a sound receiving (28) and generating sub-system including a microphone (26); providing a personal communicator (30, 144) which utilizes a communication network (148); initiating a connection by the computer (22, 24, 26, 28, 140), over the communications network (148), to the personal communicator (30, 144) and identifying the personal communicator (30, 144) responsive to an audio response of the personal communicator (30, 144) to the connection initiation. Preferably, the personal communicator (30, 144) is a cellular telephone.

A system and method for facilitating and enhancing substantially real-time interpersonal communication over a network such as the Internet, the method comprising at least the steps of facilitating data communication between at least a primary user and at least a secondary user, both the primary user and each secondary user being in communication with the network through a computing system, the data communication including at least communication of video data, audio date or text data. In one embodiment, the present invention is a computer application directed towards interpersonal communications which allows a user to access, communicate and log in to a pre-determined Internet web site. Once logged in, the application allows a user to view other users of the application, allows a user to create a new room or electronic meeting area, join an existing room or electronic meeting area created by another user, or utilize an online, real time video, audio and / or text conferencing program to communicate with one or more other users on the same web site. The present invention does not require the user to download any specialized software, platform specific software or application specific software.

Systems for connecting telecommunications infrastructure lines to telephones, handsets, computers, telecopy machines and other end user interfaces or consumer electronics devices in a residence or business. Systems according to the present invention include Network Control Units which form the center of a star topology and which communicate via RF link with Wireless Access Units and handsets. Wireless Access Units feature an interface, such as, for example, a standard telephone jack, for accommodating a telephone, a fax machine, a compute modem or other device. Computers or other devices may also be accommodated by Wireless Access Units having other physical and virtual interfaces, including, for instance, serial ports or network interfaces. The Wireless Access Units may also be digital to accommodate ISDN or any other digital standard. Wireless control / monitoring accessories may also be employed to communicate with the Network Control Unit and provide additional functionality such as entrance monitoring, baby monitoring, HVAC control and other services. Personal Communication Links provide wireless handset and speakerphone services. The Personal Communication Links include independent talk / listen paths from the unit to the Network Control Unit. In addition, each Personal Communication Link includes circuitry for automatically adjusting from high-volume / high-microphone sensitivity for speakerphone operation to low-volume / low-microphone sensitivity for conventional handset operation.

A portable personal communicator include a body portion and a flip element having a built-in display. The body portion includes either a telephone keypad or a second display. The personal communicator functions as a radiotelephone, and can also transmit and receive non-voice data messages. Input keys on the flip element are provided proximate to the flip element display so that software-definable functions performed by the keys can be indicated on the display adjacent to the respective keys.

A mechanism is provided to build and maintain a searchable database of communication content and related indicia information of all voice and multimedia (audio and video) communications in which a person participates using a broadband communication system. A personal communication module may be coupled to a user's communication device and a broadband communication network for capturing data and performing voice recognition associated with a communication. Data may be stored in a database and searched including, for example, keywords from the communications, date, time, number, etc.

The present invention provides apparatus, systems and methods to wirelessly pay for purchases, electronically interface with financial accounting systems, and electronically record and wirelessly communicate authorization transactions using Personal Digital Assistant (“PDA”)(also referred to as Personal Intelligent Communicators (PICs), and Personal Communicators), palm computers, intelligent handheld cellular and other wireless telephones, and other personal handheld electronic devices configured with infrared or other short range data communications (for referential simplicity, such devices are referred to herein as “PDA's”). The present invention further provides apparatus, firmware, software programs and computer-implemented methods for making service and / or sale service charge payments for credit card charges, debit card charges, electronic cash transfers, ticket and other like financial transactions and for other types of transactions, such as for electronic coupons, where the amount of the transaction is for a small amount of money, such as, for example, less than $5.00.

Methods for consumers to pay at the point of sale by using a personal communicator (30) to wire transfer funds (1364) out of their bank (40) account. The communicator (30) is coupled to, and exchanges signals with a reciprocating communicator (1350) of the seller, which in turn is coupled (1356) to the seller's bank (60). This way the money is transferred as an EFT payment code (1364) directly from the buyer's bank (40) to the seller's bank (60), where it may be considered direct deposited, without processing delays. Devices also include vending machines that can receive payment this way. Bank computers are provided with systems and software for enabling the above. The bank computers are accessible by telephone lines, and work with cooperating banks by exchanging signals, for transferring the funds. The seller's bank (60) generates a payment confirmation code (1368) that is ultimately transmitted to the seller's satisfaction for releasing the goods at the point of sale.

The invention relates to the field of mobile communication and the mobile internet and provides a personal communication system with the combination of the voice function and the data function and the obtaining method of the personal communication system. Voice communication and video communication service is achieved through priority selection of an internet telephone mode, short message and multimedia message service is achieved through priority selection of a network short message mode, communication service is achieved through priority selection of internet transmission, and a private wireless local network is connected with the internet through priority selection. The system can span different network platforms, communication systems and application terminals, is suitable for different network environments, is fused with different communication service types, and provides simpler, more convenient and more rapid fusion use experience for a user, and the communication cost and expense are extremely low. An existing mobile phone and a fixed telephone user which do not belong to the communication system can be compatible with the communication system and the communication system has great advantages compared with other communication modes.

Methods and systems compiles communication fragments based on user chosen variables to create a communication. The communication, can be immediately displayed to the user for approval, may be manipulated real-time by selecting amongst a collection of variables to arrive at the final communication. An exemplary system gathers personal information and profile information from users of the communication service. This information is used when compiling a communication to allow for more customized and personalized communications. Information is used by an empirical database to gain intelligence on which communication has the highest likelihood of satisfying a receiver for a particular communication type. These communications, with the highest likelihood of success, are recommended by the communication service to potential senders of communication.

The present invention provides apparatus, systems and methods to wirelessly pay for purchases, electronically interface with financial accounting systems, and electronically record and wirelessly communicate authorization transactions using Personal Digital Assistant (“PDA”) (also referred to as Personal Intelligent Communicators (PICs), and Personal Communicators), palm computers, intelligent handheld cellular and other wireless telephones, and other personal handheld electronic devices configured with infrared or other short range data communications (for referential simplicity, such devices are referred to herein as “PDA's”). The present invention further provides apparatus, firmware, software programs and computer-implemented methods for making service and / or sale service charge payments for credit card charges, debit card charges, electronic cash transfers, ticket and other like financial transactions and for other types of transactions, such as for electronic coupons, where the amount of the transaction is for a small amount of money, such as, for example, less than $5.00.

Disclosed is a method and a device, that includes a programmed data processor, to process image data. The method includes, for a plurality n of files each containing image data representing one of n images, selecting one file as a base file; selecting as a target file an image data file that is contextually-related file to the base file; comparing the target file and the base file to determine differences therebetween; and storing the target file as a reduced file that is a representation of differences between the image data of the target file and the image data of the base file. An image data file is selected as being contextually-related to the base file based on at least an image capture location, and / or on an image capture time, or based on a user input. Storing can be performed in a memory device that is a part of a wireless communications device, such as a cellular telephone or a personal communicator that includes a digital camera, such as a camera phone.

In a personal Internet communication device, a system for directing the storage of files uses a file navigation program to control the location of where files may be stored by the user. With the system, attempts to save files by the file navigation program are directed to a predefined or default storage location in a fixed directory structure. All other applications on the person Internet communicator may also be modified to control file save operations. The person Internet communicator is further configured to maintain the file save associations with the predefined or default storage location, even when the user has previously saved files to another location.

There is provided a communication device for mixing effects data with real communication data. The communication device comprises a receiving element configured to receive real communication data, a first analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to convert real communication data to digitized real communication data, an effects data storage containing the effects data, a first mixer configured to mix the digitized real communication data with the effects data and generate first enhanced data, and a coder configured to packetize the first enhanced data to generate packetized data, and transmit the packetized data over a communication line. The communication device may be a phone, and the real communication data may be audio or video data, and the effects data maybe background effects audio or video data.

A method compiles communication fragments whereby the user is required to choose among variables to create a communication. The communication, can be immediately displayed to the user for approval, may be manipulated real-time by selecting amongst a collection of variables to arrive at the final communication. An exemplary system gathers personal information and profile information from users of the communication service. This information is used when compiling a communication to allow for more customized and personalized communications. Information is used by an empirical database to gain intelligence on which communication has the highest likelihood of satisfying a receiver for a particular communication type. These communications, with the highest likelihood of success, are recommended by the communication service to potential senders of communication.

The invention proposes a portable intelligent wireless hand disk (pwsHDD) capable of directly switching data with a portable wireless multimedia device (without intervention of a computer or a user) by a wireless communication method, preferably by a short range wireless communication method. The pwsHDD provides big convenience for the user, and reduces a system cost, the pwsHDD will be an ideal common storage platform of the multimedia device. A pwsHDD handset combines the pwsHDD and the handset, becomes a personal communication, computing and storing centre.

A system, method and business method to provide a persistent announcement channel for the verified conveyance of predetermined digital content over a communications network, such as the Internet. Predetermined digital content is retrieved from a plurality of digital content providers. Once retrieved, the digital content is conveyed to a secure computing environment implemented on a personal Internet communicator (PIC) provided by an Internet service provider (ISP) or other entity. Commonly-used graphic file formats are implemented to persistently present predetermined digital content within a dedicated area of the PIC display screen. The frequency and duration of the displayed digital content is a result of predetermined content file attributes. A feedback channel provides content providers verification that a predetermined user has interacted with the conveyed digital content.

A security control system for personal communication terminals includes: a terminal registration agent for registering information on a personal communication terminal of a worker or visitor present within a security area into a terminal security control server and a zone notification node for providing the information of the personal communication terminal that has entered a control zone covered by the zone notification node in the security area when the personal communication terminal moves to the control zone. The system further includes the terminal security control server for installing a security control software module in the personal communication terminal, configuring computing resources and components permitted within the control zone based on a security control policy and zone information, and providing the configured computing resources and components to the personal communication terminal.

The invention comprises a method and apparatus used to establish a communication link via selection of a graphic of a person or group overlaid on a map, such as via use of a communication aircraft or satellite without timely knowledge by a caller, without lookup, of the called person's or group's identity and / or phone number. Communication is aided by personal communicators worn and / or carried by the caller and person or group called. The established communication is optionally and preferably supplemented with a local representation of the environment, such as terrain, natural resources, available man-made resources, identification of teams, weather, visibility, and / or competing elements. The communication link is optionally integrated into a firefighting command and control system, a friend network, a company group, and / or for a team so time is not spent looking up a phone number.

The invention comprises a method and apparatus used to establish a communication link via selection of a graphic of a person or group overlaid on a map, such as via use of a communication aircraft or satellite without timely knowledge by a caller, without lookup, of the called person's or group's identity and / or phone number. Communication is aided by personal communicators worn and / or carried by the caller and person or group called. The established communication is optionally and preferably supplemented with a local representation of the environment, such as terrain, natural resources, available man-made resources, identification of teams, weather, visibility, and / or competing elements. The communication link is optionally integrated into a firefighting command and control system, a friend network, a company group, and / or for a team so time is not spent looking up a phone number.

The invention provides a stranger communication system which comprises at least two pieces of communication terminal equipment, a background management system, a database server and a network server, wherein any two pieces of communication terminal equipment communicate with each other by using user IDs allocated to the communication terminal equipment; one piece of communication terminal equipment is used for transmitting a user ID, an opposite user ID and communication information to the background management system; the communication information is transmitted to the database server for backup by the background management system; the opposite user ID, the communication information and communication limiting conditions are compared, and if the communication limiting conditions of transmitting the communication information to the opposite user ID are not met, the communication information is transmitted to the communication terminal equipment corresponding to the opposite user ID through the network server, and thus communication can be achieved, otherwise, a failure instruction is fed back to the communication terminal equipment. By adopting the stranger communication system, even if communication parties do not know any existing communication mode of each other, communication can be achieved through ID accounts, and meanwhile, privacy of personal communication modes can be not exposed.

Methods for consumers to pay at the point of sale by using a personal communicator to wire transfer funds out of their bank account. The communicator is coupled to, and exchanges signals with a reciprocating communicator of the seller, which in turn is coupled to the seller's bank. This way the money is transferred as an EFT payment code directly from the buyer's bank to the seller's bank, where it may be considered direct deposited, without processing delays. Devices also include vending machines that can receive payment this way. Bank computers are provided with systems and software for enabling the above. The bank computers are accessible by telephone lines, and work with cooperating banks by exchanging signals, for transferring the funds. The seller's bank generates a payment confirmation code that is ultimately transmitted to the seller's satisfaction for releasing the goods at the point of sale.

A portable hand-held system for identification of a radiation source includes a portable detection unit that detects gamma radiation, X-ray radiation and neutron radiation emitted due to nuclear decay in the radiation source being inspected and provides a corresponding detection signal based on the radiation. A radioisotope analysis unit analyzes radiation detected by the detection unit for determining radioisotope information. A display unit for displaying results of the analysis to a user, including radiation spectrum and the radioisotope information. A GPS receiver provides a current position information. A connecting unit communicates the results of the analysis and the current location to a remote computer. The detection unit, the radioisotope analysis unit, the display unit, the GPS receiver and the connecting unit form an integral device. The common housing includes a personal communicator with a microprocessor for the analyzing of the radiation spectra.

A method and apparatus for detecting whether an object is in the vicinity of a device, the method comprising: generating a measurement signal; driving an output acoustic transducer of the device with the measurement signal; monitoring the input acoustic transducer to detect the measurement signal; The change determines that an object is near the device. The device may include a cellular telephone, a mobile telephone such as a personal communication device. When the device comprises a mobile phone, the determining step can be used to verify that hands-free operation can be entered, and / or can be used to set the volume of a signal driving a loudspeaker, and / or can be used to select, modify or adjust audio processing techniques. The determination step can also be used to automatically switch from the hands-free operating mode to the handheld operating mode. The monitoring and determining step includes the steps of operating a plurality of adaptive filters in parallel at different step sizes on the same input data to produce first and second impulse response estimates, respectively, and calculating the difference between the first and second impulse response estimates The value is compared with a threshold value.