Abstract: A method and apparatus for downloading auxiliary data to a client during idle periods and for displaying the auxiliary data while the client is fetching information from the network is disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the state of a client device is first determined, wherein the client device is in a fetching state while processing a user request and the user is waiting or in an idle state while not processing a user request and the user is not waiting for the client system. Auxiliary data is then downloaded from a server to the client device when the step of determining determines that the client device is in an idle state. Additionally, the downloaded auxiliary data is buffered in an auxiliary buffer. The auxiliary data is then processed to generate an output and the output is displayed on the client device while the client device is in a fetching state.

Abstract: Data is transferred by establishing a communication link without deciding in advance the primary and the secondary nodes in a distributed processing system which uses a connection oriented API. When an application program (AP) issues a connection request signal, a communication link A1 is brought to a condition in which it can be established (S100) and a communication link A2 is brought to a condition in which it can be accepted (S102). It is determined whether or not the communication link has been established (S104). If the link A2 is established, the communication link A2 is registered as a communication link A (S106) while it is requested to establish the communication link A1 otherwise (S108). It is determined whether or not the communication link A1 has been established (S10) and, if it is established, it is registered as a communication link A.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a system that can easily generate determination conditions and determine a plurality of similar junk electronic mail pieces based on one determination condition.

Abstract: A multimedia data distribution system comprises a distribution system adapted to distribute and deliver Asynchronous Transfer Mode signals to the level of an individual home network bus, a micro-PBX connected to the distribution system and to the home network bus; and a converter connected to the home network bus and having an outlet adapted for connecting to conventional single media and multimedia electronic devices, such as telephones, personal computers, fax machines, television sets, and the like. The micro-PBX is adapted to translate between the public network data protocol and a Local Area data protocol on the home network bus, and to manage the home network bus as a Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Detect (CSMA/CD) type bus, and the converter is adapted to convert signals on the home network bus to a form required by one of the single media and multimedia electronic devices.

Abstract: A method and system that assists medical practitioners who treat or prescribe treatment of patients having a medical condition which requires long-term profiling of medical data taken from the patient's body. Medical practitioners, their assistants, and patients take medical readings of predetermined medically important variables. These readings are stored as raw data in a data receptacle such as a smart card or in a portable medical instrument, then input into a remote computer, or the raw data is manually entered into a remote computer. The remote computer then connects with a primary computer using a communications connection and transmits the raw data to the primary computer system which maintains a database of patients and their medical readings. The communications connection can be any means of connecting two computers for communication therebetween but is preferably an Internet connection wherein the remote computer is operated as a web client and the primary computer is operated as a web server.