Patent Publication Number: US-2018053126-A1

Title: Platform and method for transferring business

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a platform and to a method for transferring business. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides a platform for transferring business including a processor, a data store connected to the processor, a computer readable medium connected to the processor and a set of instructions on the computer readable medium that is executable by the processor. The set of instructions includes a business registry on the data store, a business reception unit receiving a business from a first user device, the business identifying a first user, a business registering unit registering the business in the business registry, a request reception unit receiving a request for the business from a second user device, the request including a second user, a business allocation unit recording the second user in association with the business in the business registry, a benefit detection unit receiving an indication of a benefit for a benefit amount in favor of the second user for the business, a benefit registering unit registering the indication of the benefit in association with the business in the business registry and a billing unit recording, in response to the registration of the benefit, an amount owed by the second user to the first user, the amount owed being a portion of the benefit amount. 
     The platform may further include that the business includes a unique identifier, the benefit detection unit providing the unique identifier to the benefit registering unit, the benefit registering unit determining a select business with the unique identifier among a plurality of businesses with respective unique identifiers, wherein the benefit registering unit registers the indication of the benefit in association with the select business. 
     The platform may further include that the benefit detection unit enters the unique identifier into a business registration server and the business registration server returns a result for the unique identifier, the benefit being based on the result from the business registration server. 
     The platform may further include that the benefit detection unit includes a business detection unit that receives a business amount and a benefit calculation unit that calculates the benefit as a portion of the business amount. 
     The platform may further include that the benefit is a percentage of the business amount. 
     The platform may further include an agreement displayed to the second user at the second user device and an agreement recording logic that receives an acceptance of the agreement, wherein the second user is only recorded in association with the business if the acceptance of the agreement is received. 
     The platform may further include a first fractioning unit determining a transfer portion and profit remainder of the benefit, wherein the profit remainder is recorded for the benefit of the second user and a second fractioning unit determining a first portion of the transfer portion and a second portion of the transfer portion, wherein the amount owed by the second user to the first use is the first portion and the second portion is held back for the benefit of an operator of the processor. 
     The platform may further include a business presentation module presenting the business to a plurality of bidding users at a plurality of respective bidding user devices, a bidding reception unit receiving a bid from each of the bidding user devices and a winning bid determination unit determining the winning bid based at least in part on the bids, wherein the second user device is the bidding device associated with the winning bid. 
     The platform may further include that each bid includes a profit sharing factor and the winning bid based on the profit sharing factors of the bids, further including an amount calculation unit that calculates the amount owed by the second user to the first user based on the profit sharing factor of the winning bid. 
     The platform may further include that the profit sharing factor is a percentage of the benefit. 
     The invention also provides a computer-based method of transferring business including establishing, by a processor, a business registry on a data store, receiving, by the processor, a business from a first user device, the business identifying a first user, registering, by the processor, the business in the business registry, receiving, by the processor, a request for the business from a second user device, the request including a second user, recording, by the processor, the second user in association with the business in the business registry, receiving, by the processor, an indication of a benefit for a benefit amount in favor of the second user for the business, registering, by the processor, the indication of the benefit in association with the business in the business registry and recording, by the processor, in response to the registration of the benefit, an amount owed by the second user to the first user, the amount owed being a portion of the benefit amount. 
     The method may further include that the business includes a unique identifier, further including determining, by the processor, a select business with the unique identifier among a plurality of businesses with respective unique identifiers, wherein the indication of the benefit is registered in association with the select business. 
     The method may further include entering, by the processor, the unique identifier into a business registration server and the business registration server returns a result for the unique identifier, the benefit being based on the result from the business registration server. 
     The method may further include receiving, by the processor, a business amount and calculating, by the processor, the benefit as a portion of the business amount. 
     The method may further include that the benefit is a percentage of the business amount. 
     The platform method may further include displaying, by the processor, an agreement to the second user at the second user device and receiving, by the processor, an acceptance of the agreement, wherein the second user is only recorded in association with the business if the acceptance of the agreement is received. 
     The method may further include determining, by the processor, a transfer portion and profit remainder of the benefit, wherein the profit remainder is recorded for the benefit of the second user and determining, by the processor, a first portion of the transfer portion and a second portion of the transfer portion, wherein the amount owed by the second user to the first use is the first portion and the second portion is held back for the benefit of an operator of the processor. 
     The method may further include presenting, by the processor, the business to a plurality of bidding users at a plurality of respective bidding user devices, receiving, by the processor, a bid from each of the bidding user devices and determining, by the processor, a winning bid based at least in part on the bids, wherein the second user device is the bidding device associated with the winning bid. 
     The method may further include that each bid includes a profit sharing factor and the winning bid based on the profit sharing factors of the bids, further including calculating, by the processor, the amount owed by the second user to the first user based on the profit sharing factor of the winning bid. 
     The method may further include that the profit sharing factor is a percentage of the benefit. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention is further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a network environment illustrating a platform for transferring business according to an embodiment of the invention and first and second user devices; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram further illustrating components of the platform including a bidding engine, a benefit detection unit and a benefit registering unit; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating components of the platform including first and second fractioning units; 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  are a flow chart of a computer based method of transferring business; 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram of the user devices illustrating SmartPhone features thereof; and 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram of a machine in the form of a computer system forming part of the network environment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  of the accompanying drawings illustrates a network environment  10 , according to an embodiment of the invention, that includes a platform  12  for transferring business and first and second user devices  14 A and  14 B. 
     The platform  12  includes an account registry  16 , a business registry  18 , a registration unit  20 , an agreement recording logic  22 , a business reception unit  24  and a bidding engine  26 . 
     The first user device  14 A includes a mobile application (App)  28 A. The App  28 A includes a registration logic  30 , an agreement  32 , a business submission logic  34  and a bidding logic  36 . The second user device includes an App  28 B that includes the same component as App  28 A. 
     A first user of the first user device  14 A uses the registration logic  30  to interact with the registration unit  20  for purposes of establishing an account  40 . The registration logic  30  is used to enter a first user identifier (ID)  42 A, such as a name, email address or phone number. The registration logic  30  then transmits the first user ID  42 A to the registration unit  20 . The registration unit  20  receives the first user ID  2 A from the first user device  14 A and then establishes an account  40  in the account registry  16  that includes a first user ID  42 A. 
     The App  28 A then proceeds to display the agreement  32  on a display of the first user device  14 A. The App  28 A does not take any further action until the user accepts the agreement  32 . When the user accepts the agreement  32 , the App  28 A transmits the acceptance of the agreement to the agreement recording logic  22 . The agreement recording logic  22  receives the acceptance of the agreement and enters the acceptance of the agreement as an agreement status  44  within the account  40 . Only when the agreement status  44  indicates that the agreement  32  has been accepted by the first user, does the App  28 A allow the first user to use other features of the App  28 A including the business submission logic  34  and the bidding logic  36 . 
     Similarly, a second user, at the second user device  14 B, uses the App  28 B to establish an account (not shown) within the account registry  16 . The App  28 B includes the same components as the App  28 A. The user of the second user device  14 B has to accept the agreement  32  of the App  28 B before being permitted to use the business submission logic  34  or the bidding logic  36  of the App  28 B. 
     For purposes of discussion, the first user device  14 A is used for submitting a business using the business submission logic  34  of the App  28 A and the second user device  14 B is used for bidding on the business and receiving the business using the bidding logic  36  of the App  28 B. It should however be noted that the App  28 B includes a business submission logic  34  for submitting a business and the App  28 A includes a bidding logic  36  for bidding on a business and receiving the business. A single agreement  32  within a respective App  28 A or  28 B permits the use of the respective App  28 A or  28 B for either submission of a business or bidding on a business and receiving the business. 
       FIG. 2  shows components of the network environment  10  in more detail. The platform  12  includes a business registering unit  45 , a request reception unit  46 , a business allocation unit  48 , a benefit detection unit  50  and a benefit registering unit  52 . In addition to the first and second user devices  14 A and  14 B, a third user device  14 C is shown. Each user device  14 A to  14 C includes a respective user identifier  42 A to  42 C. Each user identifier  42 A to  42 C is used to identify the respective user and their user device within the account registry  16  shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     The network environment  10  further includes a business registration server  54  that is in communication with the benefit detection unit  50 . 
     The first user of the first user device  14 A uses the business submission logic  34  in  FIG. 1  to enter a business  56 A with a unique identifier  58  into memory of the first user device  14 A. The unique identifier  58  may for example be a physical address of a property that is being offered for sale, or the like. The business submission logic  34  transmits the business  56 A with the unique identifier  58  to the business reception unit  24 . The first user ID  42 A is stored on the first user device  14 A or is entered by the first user of the first user device  14 A. The business submission logic  34  transmits the first user ID  42 A together with the business  56 A to the business reception unit  24 . 
     The business reception unit  24  receives the business  56 A with the unique identifier  58  and the first user ID  42 A from the first user device  14 A. The business reception unit  24  then enters the data that has been received into the business registering unit  45 . The business registering unit  45  registers the business  56 A within the business registry  18  together with the unique identifier  58  and the first user ID  42 A. 
     One or more users may enter one or more businesses within the business registry  18 . The business registry  18  shows a further business  56 B that has been entered together with its own unique identifier  58  that differs from the unique identifier of the business  56 A. Further details of the business  56 B, such as a user ID and other data that is associated with the business  56 B, are similar to the business  56 A. 
     The bidding engine  26  includes a business presentation module  60 , a bidding reception unit  62  and a winning bid determination unit  64 . The business presentation module  60  extracts the business  56 A from the business registry  18  and transmits the business  56 A to the second and third user devices  14 B and  14 C. The business presentation module  60  may for example send an email to the second and third user devices  14 B and  14 C and include the unique identifier  58  of the business  56 A. 
     Each device  14 B and  14 C has a respective App with a respective bidding logic such as the bidding logic  36  shown in  FIG. 1  that can also be used to display at least the unique identifier  58  of the business  56 A on a respective screen of a respective device  14 B or  14 C. The users of the devices  14 B and  14 C may then enter a bid for the business using the bidding logic  36  and transmit the bid to the bidding reception unit  62 . For example, the second user may enter a bid for a profit sharing percentage of 40% representing the percentage of a benefit that the second user of the second user device  14 B is willing to share with the first user of the first user device  14 A. The third user of the third user device  14 C may then enter a bid with a profit sharing percentage of 45%. 
     The bidding reception unit  62  receives the bids from the second and third user devices  14 B and  14 C and enters the bids into the winding bid determination unit  64 . The winning bid determination unit  64  determines a winning bid based at least in part on the bids from the second and third user devices  14 B and  14 C. Typically, the bid having the highest profit sharing percentage is the winning bid. Other factors such as reputation, location, etc. may be additional factors that may also be considered in order to determine a winning bid. For purposes of further discussion, it is assumed that the winning bid is the final bid received from the second user device  14 B. By way of example, the winning bid from the second user device  14 B is for a profit sharing percentage of 60%. 
     The winning bid determination unit  64  provides the winning bid to the request reception unit  46 . The request reception unit  46  then enters the winning bid into the business allocation unit  48 . The business allocation unit  48  then registers the profit sharing percentage  66  and the second user ID  42 B in association with the business  56 A. 
     The first and second users may for example be real estate agents. The first user may have obtained the contract to sell a property having a physical address as represented by the unique identifier  58 . The first user has referred the business  56 A to the second user. When the business  56 A is allocated to the second user, the second user may then proceed to sell the property on behalf of its owner for purposes of receiving a benefit in the form of a commission. By way of example, the second user may sell the property for 1 million dollars for purposes of receiving a commission of 6% or $60,000 USD. When the business is sold, the sale is recorded within the business registration server  54  together with the sale price. 
     The benefit detection unit  50  includes a business detection unit  67  and a benefit calculation unit  68 . The business detection unit  67  extracts the unique identifier  58  from the business  56 A in the business registry  18  and enters the unique identifier  58  into the business registration server  54 . The platform  12  is typically connected to the business registration server  54  over the Internet. The business registration server  54  then returns the unique identifier  58  together with a business amount  70 . In the present example, the business amount  70  is the sale price of 1 million dollars. The benefit calculation unit  68  receives the unique identifier  58  and the business amount  70  from the business registration server  54 . The benefit calculation unit  68  then calculates a benefit based on the business amount  70 . In a typical real estate sale, the benefit calculation unit  68  multiplies the sale amount by a typical percentage of 6% to determine the benefit. In the present example, the benefit calculation unit  68  multiplies the sale price of 1 million dollars by 6% to determine a benefit in the form of a commission of $60,000 USD. 
     The benefit calculation unit  68  provides the unique identifier  58  together with a benefit  72  that has been calculated by the benefit calculation unit  68  to the benefit registering unit  52 . The benefit registering unit  52  then enters the benefit  72  in association with the business  56 A. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates further components of the platform  12 , including a first fractioning unit  80  and a second fractioning unit  82 . The first fractioning unit  80  receives the profit sharing percentage  66  and the benefit  72  from the business  56 A in the business registry  18 . The first fractioning unit  80  then calculates a transfer portion  84  and a profit remainder  86  based on the profit sharing percentage  66  and the benefit  72 . The transfer portion  84  is the benefit  72  multiplied by the profit sharing percentage  66 . 
     In the present example, the transfer portion  84  is $36,000 USD representing the benefit  72  of $60,000 USD multiplied by the profit sharing percentage  66  of 60%. The profit remainder  86  is the difference between the benefit  72  and the transfer portion  84 . In the present example, the profit remainder  86  is $24,000 USD representing the difference between the benefit  72  of $60,000 USD and the transfer portion  84  of $36,000 USD. 
     The first fractioning unit  80  enters the profit remainder  86  in association with the second user ID  42 B for the respective business  56 A. The first fractioning unit  80  enters the transfer portion  84  into the second fractioning unit  82 . 
     The second fractioning unit  82  then calculates a first portion  88  and a second portion  90 . The second fractioning unit  82  enters the first portion  88  in association with the first user ID  42 A for the respective business  56 A and enters the second portion  90  in association with respective business  56 A. The first and second portions  88  and  90  represent profit sharing between the first user and an operator of the platform  12  according to the agreement  32  of the first user device  14 A in  FIG. 1 . 
     The first portion  88  may for example be $27,000 USD representing 75% of the $36,000 USD transfer portion  84  and the second portion  90  may be $9,000 USD representing 25% of the $36,000 USD transfer portion  84 , with the first and second portions  88  and  90  adding up to 100% of the transfer portion  84 . 
     It can thus be seen that the benefit  72  of $60,000 USD is divided into the profit remainder  86  of $24,000 USD, the first portion  88  of $27,000 USD and the second portion  90  of $9,000 USD. In a real estate transaction the amounts of the benefit  72 , profit remainder  86 , first portion  88  and second portion  90  are allocated to respective parties during closing. Alternatively, a system may include functionality to transfer the amounts between stored value accounts, bank accounts or the like. 
       FIG. 4A  illustrates a computer based method of transferring business according to an embodiment of the invention. At  100 , an account registry and a business registry are established on a data store ( FIG. 1 :  16 ,  18 ). At  102 A, a first user is registered ( FIG. 1 :  40 ). At  104 A, an agreement is displayed to the first user ( FIG. 1 :  32 ). At  106 A, a determination is made whether the first user has accepted the agreement (by the agreement recording logic  32  in  FIG. 1 ). At  108 A, the first user accepts the agreement. 
     Similarly, at  102 B and C, second and third users are registered. At  104 B and C, the agreement is displayed to the second and third users, at  106 B and C, a determination is made whether the second and third users have accepted the agreement, and  108 B and C, the second and third users accept the agreement. 
     At  110 , a business is received from the first user device. The business identifies the first user and includes the unique identifier (e.g. the property address) ( FIG. 2 : 24 ). At  112 , the business is registered in the business registry ( FIG. 2 : 45 ,  42 A,  58 ). The system cannot proceed to  110  before the first user accepts the agreement at  108 A. 
     At  114 A and B, the business is presented to a plurality of bidding users at a plurality of respective bidding user devices. In the present example, the business is presented to the second and third user devices. ( FIG. 2 :  60 ). At  116 A and B, a bid is received from each of the bidding user devices. Each bid includes a profit sharing percentage ( FIG. 2 :  62 ). At  118 , a winning bid is determined based at least in part on the bids. In the present example, the second user device is the bidding device associated with the winning bid. ( FIG. 2 :  64 ). 
       FIG. 4B  further illustrates the computer based method of transferring business. At  120 , a request is received for the business from the second user device. The request includes the second user and the profit sharing percentage ( FIG. 2 :  46 ). At  122 , the second user and the profit sharing percentage are recorded in association with a business in the business registry ( FIG. 2 : 48 ,  42 B,  66 ). 
     At  124 , the unique identifier is entered into a business registration server. ( FIG. 2 :  66 ,  54 ). At  126 , the business registration server returns a result in the form of a business amount (e.g., 1 million dollar sale price) for the unique identifier ( FIG. 2 :  54 ,  68 ). At  128 , a benefit is calculated as a portion (e.g., 6%=$60,000 USD) of the business amount ( FIG. 2 :  68 ). At  130 , an indication of the benefit for the benefit amount in favor of the second user for the business is received ( FIG. 2 :  52 ). At  132 , a select business with the unique identifier is determined among a plurality of businesses with respective unique identifiers (in  FIG. 2 , the business registering unit  52  uses the unique identifier  58  to find the business  56 A among the businesses  56 A and  56 B). At  134 , the indication of the benefit is registered in association with the select business ( FIG. 2 :  52 ,  72 ). 
     At  136 , generally, the amount owed by the second user to the first user is calculated based on the profit sharing percentage of the winning bid. At  138 , the transfer portion and profit remainder of the benefit is determined. The profit remainder is recorded for the benefit of the second user. Block  122  is connected to block  138  to indicate that the profit sharing percentage is used to calculate the transfer portion ( FIG. 3 :  66 ,  72 ,  80 ,  84 ,  86 ). At  140 , the first portion of the transfer portion and the second portion of the transfer portion are determined ( FIG. 3 :  82 ,  88 ,  90 ). At  142 , in response to the registration of the benefit (at  134 ), an amount owed by the second user to the first user is recorded. The amount owned by the second user to the first user is the first portion and the second portion is held back for the benefit of an operator of the platform  12  and its associated data stores and processors. 
     It can thus be seen that a referral reward can be provided by the second user to the first user after the first user makes the business available to the second user. The referral reward can be calculated based on bidding for profit share percentages by the second and third users. Various components of the system allow for detection and calculation of portions that are allocated to the first and second users and the operator of the platform. 
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating the mobile devices  14 A,  14 B and  14 C, illustrating a touch-sensitive display  1120  or a “touch screen” for convenience. The mobile devices  14 A,  14 B and  14 C include a memory  1020  (which may include one or more computer readable storage mediums), a memory controller  1220 , one or more processing units (CPU&#39;s)  1200 , a peripherals interface  1180 , RF circuitry  1080 , audio circuitry  1100 , a speaker  1110 , a microphone  1130 , an input/output (I/O) subsystem  1060 , other input or control devices  1160  and an external port  1240 . These components communicate over one or more communication buses or signal lines  1030 . 
     The various components shown in  FIG. 5  may be implemented in hardware, software or a combination of hardware and software, including one or more signal processing and/or application specific integrated circuits. 
     The memory  1020  may include high-speed random access memory and may also include non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or other non-volatile solid-state memory devices. Access to the memory  1020  by other components of the mobile devices  14 A,  14 B and  14 C, such as the CPU  1200  and the peripherals interface  1180 , is controlled by the memory controller  1220 . 
     The peripherals interface  1180  connects the input and output peripherals of the device to the CPU  1200  and memory  1020 . The one or more processors  1200  run or execute various software programs and/or sets of instructions stored in the memory  1020  to perform various functions for the mobile devices  14 A,  14 B and  14 C and to process data. 
     The RF (radio frequency) circuitry  1080  receives and sends RF signals, also called electromagnetic signals. The RF circuitry  1080  converts electrical signals to/from electromagnetic signals and communicates with communications networks and other communications devices via the electromagnetic signals. The RF circuitry  1080  includes well-known circuitry for performing these functions, including an antenna system, an RF transceiver, one or more amplifiers, a tuner, one or more oscillators, a digital signal processor, a CODEC chipset, a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, memory, and so forth. The RF circuitry  1080  may communicate with networks, such as the Internet, also referred to as the World Wide Web (WWW), an intranet and/or a wireless network, such as a cellular telephone network, a wireless local area network (LAN) and/or a metropolitan area network (MAN), and other devices by wireless communication. The wireless communication may use any of a plurality of communications standards, protocols and technologies that are known in the art. 
     The audio circuitry  1100 , the speaker  1110 , and the microphone  1130  provide an audio interface between a user and the mobile devices  14 A,  14 B and  14 C. The audio circuitry  1100  receives audio data from the peripherals interface  1180 , converts the audio data to an electrical signal, and transmits the electrical signal to the speaker  1110 . The speaker  1110  converts the electrical signal to human-audible sound waves. The audio circuitry  1100  also receives electrical signals converted by the microphone  1130  from sound waves. The audio circuitry  1100  converts the electrical signal to audio data and transmits the audio data to the peripherals interface  1180  for processing. The audio circuitry  1100  also includes a headset jack serving as an interface between the audio circuitry  1100  and removable audio input/output peripherals, such as output-only headphones or a headset with both output (e.g., a headphone for one or both ears) and input (e.g., a microphone). 
     The I/O subsystem  1060  connects input/output peripherals on the mobile devices  14 A,  14 B and  14 C, such as the touch screen  1120  and other input/control devices  1160 , to the peripherals interface  1180 . The I/O subsystem  1060  includes a display controller  1560  and one or more input controllers  1600  for other input or control devices. The one or more input controllers  1600  receive/send electrical signals from/to other input or control devices  1160 . The other input/control devices  1160  may include physical buttons (e.g., push buttons, rocker buttons, etc.), dials, slider switches, joysticks, click wheels, and so forth all serving as forming part of an interface. The input controllers  1600  may be connected to any of the following: a keyboard, infrared port, USB port, and a pointer device such as a mouse. The one or more buttons may include an up/down button for volume control of the speaker  1110  and/or the microphone  1130 . The one or more buttons may include a push button. A quick press of the push button may disengage a lock of the touch screen  1120  or begin a process that uses gestures on the touch screen to unlock the device. A longer press of the push button may turn power to the mobile devices  14 A,  14 B and  14 C on or off. The touch screen  1120  is used to implement virtual or soft buttons and one or more soft keyboards. 
     The touch-sensitive touch screen  1120  provides an input interface and an output interface between the device and a user. The display controller  1560  receives and/or sends electrical signals from/to the touch screen  1120 . The touch screen  1120  displays visual output to the user. The visual output may include graphics, text, icons, video, and any combination thereof (collectively termed “graphics”). In some embodiments, some or all of the visual output may correspond to user-interface objects, further details of which are described below. 
     A touch screen  1120  has a touch-sensitive surface, sensor or set of sensors that accepts input from the user based on haptic and/or tactile contact. The touch screen  1120  and the display controller  1560  (along with any associated modules and/or sets of instructions in memory  1020 ) detect contact (and any movement or breaking of the contact) on the touch screen  1120  and converts the detected contact into interaction with user-interface objects (e.g., one or more soft keys, icons, web pages or images) that are displayed on the touch screen. In an exemplary embodiment, a point of contact between a touch screen  1120  and the user corresponds to a finger of the user. 
     The touch screen  1120  may use LCD (liquid crystal display) technology, or LPD (light emitting polymer display) technology, although other display technologies may be used in other embodiments. The touch screen  1120  and the display controller  1560  may detect contact and any movement or breaking thereof using any of a plurality of touch sensing technologies now known or later developed, including but not limited to capacitive, resistive, infrared, and surface acoustic wave technologies, as well as other proximity sensor arrays or other elements for determining one or more points of contact with a touch screen  1120 . 
     The user may make contact with the touch screen  1120  using any suitable object or appendage, such as a stylus, a finger, and so forth. In some embodiments, the user interface is designed to work primarily with finger-based contacts and gestures, which are much less precise than stylus-based input due to the larger area of contact of a finger on the touch screen. In some embodiments, the device translates the rough finger-based input into a precise pointer/cursor position or command for performing the actions desired by the user. 
     The mobile devices  14 A,  14 B and  14 C also include a power system  1620  for powering the various components. The power system  1620  may include a power management system, one or more power sources (e.g., battery, alternating current (AC)), a recharging system, a power failure detection circuit, a power converter or inverter, a power status indicator (e.g., a light-emitting diode (LED)) and any other components associated with the generation, management and distribution of power in portable devices. 
     The software components stored in memory  1020  include an operating system  1260 , a communication module (or set of instructions)  1280 , a contact/motion module (or set of instructions)  1300 , a graphics module (or set of instructions)  1320 , a text input module (or set of instructions)  1340 , and applications (or set of instructions)  1360 . 
     The operating system  1260  (e.g., iOS, Android or Windows) includes various software components and/or drivers for controlling and managing general system tasks (e.g., memory management, storage device control, power management, etc.) and facilitates communication between various hardware and software components. 
     The communication module  1280  facilitates communication with other devices over one or more external ports  1240  and also includes various software components for handling data received by the RF circuitry  1080  and/or the external port  1240 . The external port  1240  (e.g., Universal Serial Bus (USB), LIGHTNING, etc.) is adapted for coupling directly to other devices or indirectly over a network (e.g., the Internet, wireless LAN, etc.). 
     The contact/motion module  1300  may detect contact with the touch screen  1120  (in conjunction with the display controller  1560 ) and other touch sensitive devices (e.g., a touchpad or physical click wheel). The contact/motion module  1300  includes various software components for performing various operations related to detection of contact, such as determining if contact has occurred, determining if there is movement of the contact and tracking the movement across the touch screen  1120 , and determining if the contact has been broken (i.e., if the contact has ceased). Determining movement of the point of contact may include determining speed (magnitude), velocity (magnitude and direction), and/or an acceleration (a change in magnitude and/or direction) of the point of contact. These operations may be applied to single contacts (e.g., one finger contacts) or to multiple simultaneous contacts (e.g., “multitouch”/multiple finger contacts). The contact/motion module  1300  and the display controller  1560  also detects contact on a touchpad. 
     The graphics module  1320  includes various known software components for rendering and displaying graphics on the touch screen  1120 , including components for changing the intensity of graphics that are displayed. As used herein, the term “graphics” includes any object that can be displayed to a user, including text, web pages, icons (such as user-interface objects including soft keys), digital images, videos, animations and the like. 
     The text input module  1340 , which may be a component of graphics module  1320 , provides soft keyboards for entering text in various applications (e.g., contacts, e-mail, IM, blogging, browser, and any other application that needs text input). The applications  1360  may include the mobile applications  28 A and  28 B. 
       FIG. 6  shows a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the exemplary form of a computer system  900  within which a set of instructions, for causing the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein, may be executed. In alternative embodiments, the machine operates as a standalone device or may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines. In a network deployment, the machine may operate in the capacity of a server or a client machine in a server-client network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The machine may be a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a web appliance, a network router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. Further, while only a single machine is illustrated, the term “machine” shall also be taken to include any collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein. 
     The exemplary computer system  900  includes a processor  930  (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or both), a main memory  932  (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) such as synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) or Rambus DRAM (RDRAM), etc.), and a static memory  934  (e.g., flash memory, static random access memory (SRAM, etc.), which communicate with each other via a bus  936 . 
     The computer system  900  may further include a video display  938  (e.g., a liquid crystal displays (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT)). The computer system  900  also includes an alpha-numeric input device  940  (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device  942  (e.g., a mouse), a disk drive unit  944 , a signal generation device  946  (e.g., a speaker), and a network interface device  948 . 
     The disk drive unit  944  includes a machine-readable medium  950  on which is stored one or more sets of instructions  952  (e.g., software) embodying any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein. The software may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory  932  and/or within the processor  930  during execution thereof by the computer system  900 , the memory  932  and the processor  930  also constituting machine readable media. The software may further be transmitted or received over a network  954  via the network interface device  948 . 
     While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative and not restrictive of the current invention, and that this invention is not restricted to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described since modifications may occur to those ordinarily skilled in the art.