Intermittent use of a port in response to location data push

In a hand held computer system, a method for receiving data comprising:

• a) receiving information via a communication port of said hand held computer system;
• b) determining that said information originates from a Global Positioning System device, said information formatted in a format unique to said Global Positioning System device;
• c) responsive to b), formatting said information into a universal data format recognizable to a plurality of registered applications;
• and
• d) responsive to b), notifying said registered applications that said information from said Global Positioning System device is present.

In a hand held computer system, a method for receiving data comprising:

• a) receiving a signal to automatically activate a communication port;
• b) activating said communication port in response to said signal;
• c) receiving location information via said communication port, said location information formatted in a format unique to a Global Positioning System device;
• d) responsive to c), automatically deactivating said communication port;
• e) determining that said location information originates from said Global Positioning System device;
• f) responsive to e), formatting said location information into a universal data format recognizable to a plurality or registered applications;
• and
• g) responsive to e), notifying said registered applications that said information from said Global Positioning System device is present.

A hand held computer system comprising:

• a processor coupled to a bus;
• a memory coupled to said bus;
• a communication port coupled to said bus;
• a location determining device coupled to said communication port;
• a plurality of applications;
• a communications monitor for automatically turning on said communication port, for receiving information from said communication port, for determining if said information is location information, and for automatically turning off said communication port;
• and
• a notification manager for receiving from said communications monitor a signal that said information is said location information and for notifying said plurality of applications that said location information is available.

A system for receiving information comprising:

• communication port electronics for receiving information from a location determining device;
• a circuit for automatically activating said communication port electronics in response to the detection of location information and for automatically deactivating said communication port electronics;
• a memory for storing said location information received over said communication port;
• a plurality of applications resident in said memory and registered with a notification manager program;
• and
• wherein said notification manager program, in response to receiving said location information, is for notifying said applications that said location information is stored in said memory.