A phone appliance and method of use are provided where the phone appliance can be used to make VoIP communications calls. In a preferred embodiment, the phone appliance includes an RF connection for connecting to a computer or other computing device for facilitating the placement of the VoIP communications calls. The phone appliance further includes a display or portal for depicting advertisements provided by various advertisers. The advertisements provided can be used to defray all or part of the cost associated with making VoIP communications calls. The portal can also be used to communicate with businesses for ordering products, such as ordering a pizza, and to perform various services, such as purchasing stocks. In an exemplary system, the phone appliance is used to transmit to a control center information related to the user of the phone appliance, such as interests and buying habits, and queries for receiving additional information for various advertised products and services. The control center transmits the queries to the appropriate vendors for providing the user with additional information. Other functions and features are provided to the phone appliance, such as being able to download e-mail messages stored within or received by the computer.

A system and approach for remote reading, setting and control of devices such as thermostats. A phone, such as a smartphone, a gateway and a cloud may be incorporated relative to interaction with the device or devices. The gateway may have a hub that has bluetooth communication capabilities with the device. The hub may be connected to a router that in turn is connected to a cloud in a wireless or wired manner. The phone may communicate with the cloud to achieve interaction with the device. The hub may also handle WiFi communications. The gateway may instead be a phone that contains an app which lets operate as a gateway for communications with the cloud. There may be one or more devices that are a part of one or more home area networks that are connected to a gateway via bluetooth and WiFi, and in turn connected to the cloud.

An evaluation device includes a first evaluator configured, for each record used for transmission control of data circulating in a network, to evaluate extent of variation of an amount of the data, based on a history of the amounts of the data matching a condition of the record; a second evaluator configured, for each of the records, to evaluate a size of a space represented by the record, based on the condition of the record; and a calculator configured, for each of the records, to calculate an index value representing a possibility that a predetermined or a greater amount of the data matches the condition of the record within a fixed period of time, based on an evaluation result by the first evaluator, and an evaluation result by the second evaluator. Therefore, it is possible to evaluate a possibility of a sudden occurrence of a flow whose traffic volume is large.

A communication technology for communication between at least one application and an external device uses subscriber identification modules that correspond, respectively, to wireless communication services. In the technology, first information for determination of a transmission power value is acquired for each of the wireless communication services. In the technology, second information for determination of a delay time allowed by the at least one application is acquired. In the technology, a wireless communication service is selected from among the wireless communication services for the communication based on the first information and the second information.

A system and method for document processing includes a controller configured for digital control of multifunction peripheral operations. The controller detects a portable data device and receives configuration data through a near field communication interface. The controller selectively enables of document processing operations of the MFP as specified by received configuration data. The controller generates an active display on a touch screen control panel in accordance with the received configuration data and receives user selection data via the active display on the touch screen control panel. The controller commences a document processing operation in accordance with received user selection data.

A system is described in which, in some embodiments, a centralized service entry device may be used to coordinate communications going into and out of a home or premises. The service entry device may be physically connected to a plurality of external access networks, such as a cable television coaxial or fiber connection and a twisted-pair wire connection, and may coordinate access to those networks by a plurality of in-home devices. Within the home, the system may include a plurality of client devices to assist in the coordination of communications with devices in different rooms within the home.

A process for selecting an optimal individual user solution including an optimal rate allocation and associated price for a predetermined bandwidth of cellular network resources includes application of an iterative process and selection from multiple proposed user solutions. The inputs to the iterative process include at least an initial user bid, an initial network rate allocation, a generated user utility function and the cost data. The user utility function includes multiple application user functions. Optimal solution selection includes comparing each multiple proposed user rate allocation with the initial network rate allocation for the user and selecting the closest multiple proposed user rate allocation to the initial network rate allocation. The process may be applied to aggregated cellular carrier scenarios.

A system and method having a first software module of a server recorded on a computer-readable medium programmed to receive a request for information from a user. The user sends a text message to a short code, where the information depends on a generic assigned identification associated with real estate information, automobile information, and/or personal property information. The server communicated with a third party server to obtain the real estate information, automobile information, and/or personal property information requested by the user. The server sends the real estate information, automobile information, and/or personal property information to a mobile phone of the user through a mobile phone network.

A vehicle door locking and unlocking vehicle-mounted device is provided to lock and unlock a vehicle door for car rental and carsharing. The vehicle-mounted device can lock and unlock a vehicle door without using an ECU on the vehicle or CAN. The vehicle door locking and unlocking vehicle-mounted device includes communication means for receiving a lock command or an unlock command from a user terminal directly or through a server and at least one internal relay connected to wiring between a door key switch and a door lock actuator of the vehicle. The internal relay controls at least one external relay to drive the door lock actuator to lock or unlock the door.

Method and system of detecting traffic in a transport network comprising obtaining network usage records from a mobile network. Extracting cell information from the network usage records. Identifying the network usage records originating from moving handsets from the extracted cell information. Matching the identified network usage records with one or more transport routes. Matching each of the one or more transport routes with a transport mode using transport mode map data.