1. A method for dynamically debiting a donation amount from an account in a communications network, comprising:
providing, via a service provider, an interface associated with a network service bill of said service provider to allow a subscriber to designate said donation amount and a customer account, wherein said donation amount comprises a percentage based on said network service bill;
receiving data specifying said donation amount and said customer account from said subscriber; and
debiting said donation amount from said customer account.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said communications network comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) network.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the IP network comprises at least one of: a Voice over IP (VoIP) network or a Service over IP (SoIP) network.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
transferring said donation amount to an account associated with at least one charitable entity.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said debiting step is executed on a one-time basis.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said debiting step is executed on a periodic basis.
7. An apparatus for dynamically debiting a donation amount from an account in a communications network, comprising:
means for providing, via a service provider, an interface associated with a network service bill of said service provider to allow a subscriber to designate said donation amount and a customer account, wherein said donation amount comprises a percentage based on said network service bill;
means for receiving data specifying said donation amount and said customer account from said subscriber; and
means for debiting said donation amount from said customer account.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said communications network comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) network.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the IP network comprises at least one of: a Voice over IP (VoIP) network or a Service over IP (SoIP) network.
10. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:
means for transferring said donation amount to an account associated with at least one charitable entity.
11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said means for debiting is executed on a periodic basis.
12. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of a method for dynamically debiting a donation amount from an account in a communications network, comprising:
providing, via a service provider, an interface associated with a network service bill of said service provider to allow a subscriber to designate said donation amount and a customer account, wherein said donation amount comprises a percentage based on said network service bill;
receiving data specifying said donation amount and said customer account from said subscriber; and
debiting said donation amount from said customer account.
13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein said communications network comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) network.
14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the IP network comprises at least one of: a Voice over IP (VoIP) network or a Service over IP (SoIP) network.
15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, further comprising:
transferring said donation amount to an account associated with at least one charitable entity.
16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein said debiting step is executed on a one-time basis.
17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein said debiting step is executed on a periodic basis.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A computer system comprising:
a bus;
a processor coupled to said bus;
a display device coupled to said bus, said display device operable to provide a display; and
a user interface coupled to said bus and for controlling said display, said user interface comprising a plurality of flexible layers coupled along an edge in a stack;
wherein movement of one or more of said flexible layers causes said display to change in a prescribed manner.
2. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said movement comprises separation of at least a portion of a first flexible layer from a second flexible layer.
3. The computer system of claim 2 wherein a first conducting pad on a surface of said first flexible layer is in electrical contact with a second conducting pad on a facing surface of said second flexible layer, wherein said separation of said first and second flexible layers is detected by separation of said first and second conducting pads.
4. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said movement comprises bending of a flexible layer.
5. The computer system of claim 4 wherein said bending is detected using an instrument selected from the group consisting of: a strain gauge, an optical sensor and an accelerometer.
6. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said change to said display is according to an order in which said flexible layers are moved.
7. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said change to said display is according to an amount of deflection of a flexible layer.
8. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said change to said display is according to a rate of movement of said flexible layers.
9. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said user interface is coupled to a housing of said computer system.
10. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said user interface is coupled to a peripheral device communicatively coupled to said computer system.
11. A method for controlling a display in a computer system, said method comprising the steps of:
a) generating a display on a display device;
b) detecting movement of one or more flexible layers of a user interface, wherein said user interface comprises a plurality of flexible layers coupled along an edge in a stack; and
c) translating said movement into a prescribed change to said display.
12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said step b) comprises the step of:
detecting a separation of a portion of a first flexible layer from a second flexible layer of said user interface.
13. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein said step b) further comprises the steps of:
detecting a separation of a first conducting pad on a surface of said first flexible layer from a second conducting pad on a facing surface of said second flexible layer, wherein said separation of said first and second conducting pads indicates said separation of said first and second flexible layers.
14. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said step b) comprises the step of:
detecting a deflection of a flexible layer.
15. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein said deflection is detected using an instrument selected from the group consisting of: a strain gauge, an optical sensor and an accelerometer.
16. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said step c) comprises the step of:
changing said display according to an order in which said flexible layers are moved.
17. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said step c) comprises the step of:
changing said display according to an amount of deflection of said flexible layer.
18. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said step c) comprises the step of:
changing said display according to a rate of movement of said flexible layers.
19. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said user interface is coupled to a housing of said computer system.
20. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said user interface is coupled to a peripheral device communicatively coupled to said computer system.
21. A portable computer system comprising:
a housing;
a bus disposed within said housing;
a processor coupled to said bus;
a display device coupled to said bus, said display device operable to provide a display; and
a user interface coupled to said bus and for controlling said display, said user interface comprising a plurality of flexible layers in a stack coupled to said housing;
wherein movement of one or more of said flexible layers causes said display to change in a prescribed manner.
22. The portable computer system of claim 21 wherein said movement comprises separation of at least a portion of a first flexible layer from a second flexible layer.
23. The portable computer system of claim 22 wherein a first conducting pad on a surface of said first flexible layer is in electrical contact with a second conducting pad on a facing surface of said second flexible layer, wherein said separation of said first and second flexible layers is detected by separation of said first and second conducting pads.
24. The portable computer system of claim 21 wherein said movement comprises bending of a flexible layer.
25. The portable computer system of claim 24 wherein said bending is detected using an instrument selected from the group consisting of: a strain gauge, an optical sensor and an accelerometer.
26. The portable computer system of claim 21 wherein said change to said display is according to an order in which said flexible layers are moved.
27. The portable computer system of claim 21 wherein said change to said display is according to an amount of deflection of a flexible layer.
28. The portable computer system of claim 21 wherein said change to said display is according to a rate of movement of said flexible layers.