A peripheral card having a Personal Computer (“PC”) card form factor and removably coupled externally to a host system is further partitioned into a mother card portion and a daughter card portion. The daughter card is removably coupled to the mother card. In the preferred embodiment, a low cost flash “floppy” is accomplished with the daughter card containing only flash EEPROM chips and being controlled by a memory controller residing on the mother card. Other aspects of the invention includes a comprehensive controller on the mother card able to control a predefined set of peripherals on daughter cards connectable to the mother card; relocation of some host resident hardware to the mother card to allow for a minimal host system; a mother card that can accommodate multiple daughter cards; daughter cards that also operates directly with hosts having embedded controllers; daughter cards carrying encoded data and information for decoding it; and daughter cards with security features.

Removable Mother/Daughter Peripheral Card

A system and method for data communication connecting on-line networks with on-line and off-line computers. The present system provides for broadcast of up to the minute notification centric information thereby providing an instant call to action for users who are provided with the ability to instantaneously retrieve further detailed information. The notification centric portions of information is wirelessly broadcast to wireless receiving devices which are attached to computing devices. Upon receipt of the information at the personal computer, the user is notified through different multimedia alerts that there is an incoming message. Wirelessly broadcasted URL's, associated with the data, are embedded in data packets and provide an automated wired or wireless connection back to the information source for obtaining detailed data.

System and Method for Transmission of Data

A method for use in upgrading a resource of a computer from an existing version of the resource to a later version of the resource. The method includes the steps of (a) digitally storing upgrade information which identifies the later version and describes features of the later version relative to one or more earlier versions of the resource, (b) digitally storing in the computer information identifying the existing version, by computer, automatically determining which of the earlier versions is the existing version, and (c) based on the results of the comparing step, automatically determining, or displaying to a user at least some of the upgrade information to aid the user in determining, whether to perform an upgrade. The upgrade information may be stored on a portable medium along with copies of the resources and the upgrade information may include instructions, in accordance with a predefined common syntax, for installing each of the resources.

Automatic computer upgrading

A method, system and computer program product for instant message communication in a wireless and non-wireless environment. A message is sent from a mobile unit device over a wireless communication network. The message includes a destination address, information associated with the mobile unit device's user, message content and message address. If, according to information previously stored for the mobile unit device's user at the instant message system, the destination address is associated with an instant message function, the associated instant message function is executed at the instant message system using the information contained in the message content, if required as determined by the associated instant message function. If, according to information previously stored for the mobile unit device's user at the instant message system, the destination address is associated with an instant message name, an instant message is created according to the message content and is sent to the user with the associated instant message name. For instant messages sent or received by a mobile unit device with known buddies, the instant message is optimized by tagging the instant message with a routing phone number that is unique to the mobile unit device and buddy combination, whose identity is stored both in the mobile unit device address book and in the instant message routing server.

Method and system for instant messaging across cellular networks and a public data network

Disclosed is an integrated handheld computer and telephony system. Integration of the handheld computer and telephony system is at the physical and operational level. For example, the integrated handheld computer and telephony system physically integrates a handheld computer with a mobile (e.g., cellular) telephone. In addition, the handheld computer is distinct from telephony system in that they are logically separable. However, they are also operationally integrated, for example, the telephony system executes a telephone application on the processor of the handheld computer. Likewise, the handheld computer can execute applications, for example, a phone book, that can be used to launch the telephony application.

Integrated handheld computing and telephony system and services

A selective call receiver (5) comprises receiver circuitry (14) for receiving a message, a display (22) for displaying a key pad arrangement (70) and for displaying the received message in a message display area (68). A microcomputer (20) and user controls (12) interact with the key pad arrangement (70) to modify the received message. A method of displaying the received message comprises the steps of displaying the key pad arrangement (70) and interacting with the key pad arrangement (70) so as to modify the message or add a new message.

Method and apparatus for displaying a keypad arrangement on a selective call receiver

A paging receiver is operative to receive and accept a call signal including a receiver characterization portion which is decoded by the paging receiver to govern processing operations, characterized by the characterization portion, in regard to call signals corresponding to specified assigned call addresses of the paging receiver. In one embodiment, the receiver characterization portion of a call signal includes at least one characterization code and corresponding memory location code for storage of the characterization code in a memory of the paging receiver. Each memory location code corresponds to an assigned call address code of the paging receiver. In another embodiment, the receiver characterization portion of a call signal includes a specified assigned call address code and a characterization code corresponding thereto, in which case, the characterization code of the call signal is stored in a memory of the paging receiver based on the corresponding specified assigned call address code of the call signal.

Paging receiver with over-the-air characterization of call signal processing

Radio pager or similar article

A radio modem (100) having application software (128) stored therein receives upgrade information via over-the-air selective call messaging. The upgrade information comprises upgrade installation information and upgrade data. A microprocessor (108) compiles the upgrade installation information and operates to upgrade the application software (128) in accordance with the upgrade installation information and in response to the upgrade data. Likewise, application software in the computer (302) can be upgraded by over-the-air transmission of upgrade information to the radio modem (100).

Method and apparatus for over-the-air upgrading of radio modem application software

A battery powered electronic device (105) for coupling to a host computer (205 ) comprises an interface (115) for transmitting data and an annunciator (340) for generating a sensible alert. The electronic device (105) further comprises interface monitoring circuitry (320) coupled to the interface (115) for determining an interface status as being active or inactive and voltage monitoring circuitry (360) coupled to a battery (355) for monitoring the battery voltage. Threshold detection circuitry (360) coupled to the voltage monitoring circuitry (360) detects that the battery voltage has exceeded a predetermined threshold voltage and generates a low battery signal in response thereto. A controller (320) receives the low battery signal and, in response thereto, provides a low battery indication to the interface (115) when the interface (115) has an active status and provides an activation signal to the annunciator (340) when the interface (115) has an inactive status.

Robert D. Fennell

Papers

Method and apparatus for displaying a keypad arrangement on a selective call receiver

Paging receiver with over-the-air characterization of call signal processing

Radio pager or similar article

Method and apparatus for over-the-air upgrading of radio modem application software

Computer card having low battery indicator