Palmsource Inc.

Palm, Incorporated

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.p.

Access Company, Ltd.

Palmone, Incorporated

Access Systems Americas, Inc.

Ryan Robertson

Stephane Maes

Rich Karstens

Benoit Vialle

Tim Twerdahl

Eric N Williams

Mark Kruger

Gavin Peacock

David Kammer

Carl Bingham Stone

Timothy D Twerdahl

A system and method is described for managing phone calls initiated from a phone device of a personal digital assistant. In one example, a system for managing a phone call is described. The system comprises, among other things, a personal digital assistant. The personal digital assistant includes the following: a display device; a phone device; a call device configured to control the phone device and to display a selectable interface on the display device; a hard button configured to initiate the call device; and a selection mechanism configured to receive user selections from the selectable interface.

System and method for initiating a call using a phone hard-button and a screen dialer of a personal digital assistant

A computer system that attempts to establish an alternative network link upon failing to establish a requested network link is described. The computer system may encounter conditions where access to numerous networks, in particular wireless networks, is not available. Rather than only providing an error message to the user upon a failed attempt to establish the requested network link, the computer system determines whether the user has designated an alternative network link in case the requested network link cannot be established, whereas the alternative network link is selected from the plurality of network links that the computer system is configured to support. If an alternative network link has been designated, the computer system attempts to establish the alternative network link. Hence, the user experience is made smooth and uneventful when the requested network link cannot be established.

Handheld computer system that attempts to establish an alternative network link upon failing to establish a requested network link

A method and system for using a wireless enabled portable computer system as a wireless modem. The portable computer system may be a personal digital assistant (PDA) having an internal wireless modem. The internal wireless modem, e.g., GSM radio, contains a communication port (port) that communicates with a processor of the portable computer system. The portable computer system also contains another communication port (port) that is externally available for connection to a second computer system. A software bridge is provided that copies commands and/or data from the portover to the portand vice-versa. The software bridge allows the second computer system to directly use the internal wireless modem of the portable computer system when the portable computer system is connected to the second computer. The connection to the second computer system can be made by a wired connection (e.g., serial interface, RS) or by a wireless connection, e.g., Bluetooth or infra-red communication. The portand the portcan be serial communication ports which may be UART compliant. The PDA thus extends wireless functionality to a second computer system (e.g., a notebook) using conventional connection mechanisms for communicating with the second computer system.

System and method for using a wireless enabled portable computer system as a wireless modem

A portable electronic device includes a housing, a processor supported by the housing, a memory coupled to the processor, and a communications transceiver coupled to the processor. The transceiver is configured to support voice conference calling between more than two parties. A program stored in the memory and running on the processor is configured to provide a user interface on the display which is configured to display indicators representative of the parties on the conference call. The user interface includes the hold area configured to display indicators representative of the parties on hold and an active area configured to display indicators representative of the parties active on the conference call.

User interface technique for managing an active call

System and method for managing wireless communications utilizing a mobile device

A method and apparatus for automatic delivery of a phone call on an electronic device regardless of whether other tasks are running on the operating system. A separate background task ('thread'), independent of the operating system, enables telephony functionality without regard to the mode of a graphical user interface. The background task is always active and functions to respond to an incoming call even if the user is in a graphical user interface window that requires some input from the user (e.g. the graphical user interface is blocked).

Method and system for single-step enablement of telephony functionality for a portable computer system

A method and apparatus of managing a phone device of a personal digital assistant (PDA) is provided. In one example of the present invention, the PDA retrieves a call history list from a stored memory location, the call history list including a call history list record. The PDA then displays at least a portion of the call history list on a screen of the PDA. The call history list preferably includes phone numbers and names associated with those phone numbers. In another example, the method further includes displaying call details of a selected call history list record. The call details preferably includes a date, a timestamp, and a duration.

Making a phone call from an electronic device having an address list or a call history list

System and method of a personal computer device providing telephone capability

A handheld computing device includes a housing, a processor supported by the housing, a wireless telephony device coupled to the processor, a display having a graphical user interface coupled to the processor, and a plurality of input keys. The device is programmed to effectuate a predetermined communications connection when a user depresses two or more input keys simultaneously.

Method and apparatus for effectuating a predetermined communications connection

Making a call from an address list or a call history list

A system and method is described for managing a phone call to a phone device of a personal digital assistant, the phone call being transmitted from a device in a mobile phone network. In one example, the method involves determining a status of a radio switch of the personal digital assistant. The personal digital assistant determines a status of the network coverage of the phone device. In other words, the personal digital assistant determines the relative strength of the phone call signal that is transmitted to the phone device from the mobile phone network. If the radio switch is turned on and the network coverage is adequate, the phone device receives the phone call. A user of the personal digital assistant preferably has an option of answering or not answering the phone call. If the phone call is not answered, the phone call is preferably redirected to a voicemail application.

System and method of managing incoming calls on a mobile device having an earplug

A method and system for using a wireless enabled portable computer system as a wireless modem. The portable computer system may be a personal digital assistant (PDA) having an internal wireless modem. The internal wireless modem, e.g., GSM radio, contains a communication port (port2) that communicates with a processor of the portable computer system. The portable computer system also contains another communication port (port1) that is externally available for connection to a second computer system. A software bridge is provided that copies commands and/or data from the port1 over to the port2 and vice-versa. The software bridge allows the second computer system to directly use the internal wireless modem of the portable computer system when the portable computer system is connected to the second computer. The connection to the second computer system can be made by a wired connection (e.g., serial interface, RS232) or by a wireless connection, e.g., Bluetooth or infra-red communication. The port1 and the port2 can be serial communication ports which may be UART compliant. The PDA thus extends wireless functionality to a second computer system (e.g., a notebook) using conventional connection mechanisms for communicating with the second computer system.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Ryan Robertson