Abstract: Apparatus for establishing and controlling a low pressure gas mixture in a vacuum enclosure (8) comprises at least one secondary pump (9) of the molecular, turbomolecular, or hybrid type, followed by at least one primary pump (10), with first control and adjustment means (22) such as a regulation valve (24) for controlling and adjusting the total gas pressure of the mixture of gases in the vacuum enclosure (8) as a function of a total pressure setpoint (27). The apparatus further comprises second control and adjustment means (28) such as a second regulation valve (29a) downstream from the secondary pump (9). The second regulation valve (29a) is controlled as a function of a delivery pressure setpoint (32) to modify the delivery pressure of the secondary pump (9) and thus to adapt its pumping capacity in selective manner.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for performing adaptive subcarrier allocation to a mobile terminal (T1-T4) for OFDM or FDM transmission in a multi cell network (CN), whereby transmit powers of base stations (BS1-BS8) are estimated, channel transfer functions are calculated based on measurements in the mobile terminal (T1-T4) of pilots transmitted from base stations (BS1-BS8), the transmit powers are weighted with the channel transfer functions, a signal power and an interference power received in the mobile terminal (T1-T4) are estimated based on said weighted transmit powers, a signal to interference ratio is estimated based on the estimated signal and interference power received in the mobile terminal (T1-T4), and the adaptive subcarrier allocation is based on the signal to interference ratio of the subcarriers experienced by the mobile terminal (T1-T4), a base station (BS1-BS8), a mobile terminal (T1-T4) and a multi cell network (CN) therefor.

Abstract: A fastener system with a coaxial annular flange (14) having through holes (16), each serving to pass a screw (17) for screwing into an associated tapped hole (16) in the wall (2) of a stationary structure. Each through hole (16) has a circularly cylindrical distal segment (16a) followed by an enlarged proximal segment (16b) adjacent to the wall (2) of the stationary structure, allowing the shank (19) of the screw to bend and enabling a corresponding lateral offset (D). This prevents the screw (17) rupturing under high shear forces due to accidental destruction of a vacuum pump rotor while rotating at full speed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the occupancy status of a track section, in particular following a restart of an axle counting system, in which a counting-in axle counting point is provided at the start and a counting-out axle counting point is provided at the end of the track section. The occupancy status is determined by a comparison of the counting values currently ascertained by these axle counting points. The current counting value of the counting-in axle counting point and the current counting value of the counting-out axle counting point are stored following clearing of the track section. To determine the new occupancy status later, the values thus stored are called on together with the counting values current at the time.

Abstract: A pumping system comprising at least one pump unit (2) with a vacuum pump casing in which there are multiple pumping stages that includes at least one pumped gas treatment system is provided. The pumped gas treatment system compromises at least one plasma source located inside the vacuum pump casing of the pump unit, to generate a plasma that at least partially decomposes certain gases passing through the pump unit. This reduces the size of the pumped gas treatment system and improves its efficiency so that a gas pumping and treatment system can be created that is sufficiently small as to allow it to be placed in close proximity to the process chambers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to transfer data cells having an overhead section and a payload section via a communication medium from a transmitter to a receiver. Before transfer of a data cell, the overhead section of the data cell is translated into a shortened overhead section, known both on the transmitter and the receiver sides, and upon reception of the data cell, the shortened overhead section is translated again into the overhead section.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a payment method. A user terminal sends a request for ordering a good to a vendor-terminal. The vendor-terminal sends a shipping order, to a delivery company-terminal of a deliverer. The user-terminal confirms the acceptance of the ordered goods by creating an approval for payment destined to the vendor terminal and forwards the approval towards the vendor terminal. The vendor-terminal upon reception of the approval, requests money required for paying for the goods from the bank account of the buyer by forwarding the approval towards the retailer terminal. The retailer forwards a proof of transferring the money from the bank account of the buyer to a bank account of the vendor in response to receipt of the approval. The vendor terminal, upon reception of the proof of transferring the money, notifies the delivery company terminal of acceptance of the goods and the successful payment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a marking determining method and a related device for determining a packet marking of packets of an incoming packet-flow, in order to keep the packets in conformance with a traffic policy. The determining is based on an actual value of a traffic reservation parameter, while the traffic reservation parameter is a measure of available network resources dedicated to packets of said incoming packet-flow having a pre-assigned priority. The determining further is based on the pre-assigned priority of the packets of the incoming packet flow. The marking method a first steps of holding a threshold value for the traffic reservation parameter, while the threshold value is lying between a minimum and a maximum value of the traffic reservation parameter.

Abstract: Control for admitting microflows to a data network consisting of allocating logic priority levels to these microflows making it possible to implement a microflow preemption order based on this logic priority. If the service quality required for a new microflow A cannot be ensured by the internal resources of the network, it is thus possible to free the internal resources of said network by preempting a lower logic priority microflow B.

Abstract: System and method for use in a hybrid multispot satellite broadcasting system comprising at least one satellite (S; S1; S2) for multibeam broadcasting of beams in respective frequency bandwidths (F1; F2; F3), the system further comprising a plurality of terrestrial repeater (R1; R2; R3) for receiving, processing and re-transmitting said beams in a frequency bandwidth which is different from that of the bandwidth of the beam received. Each terrestrial repeater (R1; R2; R3) re-uses for terrestrial re-transmission a combination of bandwidths corresponding to different beams broadcast from said satellite to different beams.

Abstract: The invention proposes a transaction process for the provisioning of rules in a network which includes at least one rule server and one rule server client. The process includes a first stage of transmission from the server to the client of a request for acceptance of the provisioning of a set of rules. The process also includes a second stage of reservation by the client of the resources necessary for the reception and the putting into application of the rules if the request is accepted by the client. The process includes a third stage of response to the request, from the client to the server, and a fourth stage for provisioning the set of rules to the client if the response to the request is favorable. When the network has several clients, each of the clients responds to the request from the server, and the provisioning stage is executed only if each response is favorable.

Abstract: Apparatus (D1) is dedicated to processing STM-n/STS-m type data frames in a communications network. It comprises at least one STM-n/STS-m interface unit (LIU1) adapted to receive STM-n/STS-m type data frames from a communications network and processor means (MTj) adapted, on receiving data from an STM-n/STS-m frame coming from said line interface unit (LIU1): i) to segment the whole of said received frame into m groups of p successive bytes; ii) then to associate with each group a control header containing data representing its position within the STM-n/STS-m frame; and iii) to encapsulate each group and the associated control header in a payload data field of an Ethernet frame.

Abstract: A device for fabricating a mask by plasma etching a semiconductor substrate comprises a semiconductor substrate part of the area whereof is partially covered by a mask for protecting at least one area that must not be etched and for exposing at least one area including a pattern to be etched, a support for the substrate and means for generating a plasma in the form of a flow of ions toward the substrate. According to the invention the device further comprises means for confining the ions, including a conductive material screen disposed over the substrate and along the limit between the pattern area to be etched and the area not to be etched.

Abstract: A system and method for routing calls in a distributed mobile switching center environment involves receiving a call at a first node (115(1)) in a telecommunication network (100). The first node is associated with multiple trunks (430, 445). A constraint relating to selection of a circuit for routing the call is identified (320). The circuit is associated with one of the trunks that is associated with the first node. The call is routed (350) to a trunk in accordance with the constraint.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a first transceiver unit, acting as a receiver unit, and to a second transceiver unit, acting as a transmitter unit. The first transceiver unit measures the signal to noise ratio for each tone, and determine whether a tone shall be shut off, thereby reducing interference on neighboring lines and power consumption. If so, the first transceiver unit keeps on measuring the noise level over that tone. If the ratio of the initially measured signal level to the newly measured noise level exceeds a pre-determined threshold, then the first transceiver unit requests the second transceiver unit to re-activate that tone. A new initialization sequence is transmitted over that tone for initializing the frequency domain equalizer, for measuring the signal to noise ratio, and finally for agreeing on a bit loading.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for selecting an Application Server in an Internet Protocol multimedia network upon reception of an Internet Protocol Multimedia call destined to a called party terminal. This method at first comprises the step of a call session control network element intercepting the incoming IP multimedia call. Subsequently, the call session control Network element upon intercepting of the incoming IP multimedia call activates a dedicated primary application server. The primary application server, upon analysis of the incoming IP multimedia call presents the incoming IP multimedia call to the called party terminal together with a set of service applications for answering said incoming call. This set of service applications is determined in the analysis. The call session control Network element receives a selection of at least one service application from the set of service applications forwarded by said called party terminal.

Abstract: A method of configuring at least one user-specific connection between access points of a transmission network, particularly of a highly available network, which are connectable to user-located network devices, and a server of a network management system, a management module for the server, a configuration tool, and a configuration module for the configuration tool are presented. Network data about the network devices and links between these network devices via which the user-specific connection can be established is determined, and planning data for a representation of the network is generated on the basis of which at least one availability criterion of the network devices or of the links is determinable. Planning data for a representation of the transmission network is then generated, on the basis of which at least one availability criterion of the network devices or of the links is determinable.

Abstract: A mobile communications terminal (T) for a cellular communications network comprises an assisted satellite positioning device (D) connected to a satellite positioning installation connected to an assistance data server, a USSD management module (MGT) for setting up USSD transport channels, and a processor (MT) for coupling the management module (MGT) to the device (D) on request in order for a USSD transport channel to be set up between the device (D) and a location management equipment of the cellular network connected to the assistance data server. The USSD channel is then used to send the device (D) assistance data representative of identifiers of at least three satellites visible in the cell in which the terminal (T) is situated so that it can lock onto said satellites to estimate at least the distances between the satellites and its terminal (T).

Abstract: An access multiplexer system for performing stateless auto-configuration processes for use in networks comprising access multiplexers for receiving discovery messages from sources, which discovery messages comprise multicast destination addresses defining numbers of destinations. In order to increase the security of the networks, the system is provided with agents for replacing the original number of multicast destination addresses in the discovery messages with a further number destination addresses defining further destinations, wherein the further number of destinations is smaller than the original number of destinations. Discovery messages are defined in RFC 2461 and 2462 and comprise solicitation messages, with the sources comprising hosts and with the destinations comprising network-units, or comprise advertisement messages, with the sources comprising network-units and with the destinations comprising hosts.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of synchronizing a distributed system comprising a server (2) having a master data base (21) and a set of clients (31 to 35) having respective client data bases (41 to 45), as well as a server and a computer program product for executing this method. The client data bases (41 to 45) are incrementally updated from the master-data base (21) of the server (2). A trace of transaction (22) is maintained at the server (2) for recovery. The server (2) synchronizes the client data bases (41 to 45) in case of a failure by coordinated rollback transactions from the trace (22).