Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products are provided for remote control of a processing system by receiving a generic message from a message source and extracting from the generic message a source and instructions describing the control of the remote processing system. The remote processing system is the controlled in a manner specified by the instructions extracted from the generic message so as to provide processing results. A generic message containing the processing results may then be generated and transmitted to the source of the generic message. Preferably, the generic message is an e-mail message.

Abstract: A data-processing-aided electronic control system having a multiple control unit arrangement which implements application functions and has several control units arranged in a distributed manner, along with a data transmission network which connects the control units to each other. The application functions are implemented in a client/server architecture in the multiple control unit arrangement. This permits the implementation of application functions in real time via a flexible, standardized and open system. With this changes and/or updates of application functions can be implemented at relatively low expenditures. The system is used, for example, as a control system in a motor vehicle.

Abstract: An integrated circuit for MPEG2 has a variable length decoder; a variable length coder; a decoder; and a coder. An information bus switch passes an information bus signal to the variable length coder, and as a control to the decoder and to the coder; and a picture bus signal switch is capable of routing signals through the coder and the decoder and to the variable length coder.

Abstract: A client on a network is provided with auxiliary low power logic, at the network adaptor, that is always active and simulates network traffic (e.g., Ethernet format) normally sent under control of the main client system processor(s). This logic collects client status information and reports to the network manager, irrespective of the system's CPU power level, information and provides for interaction between the user and the administration or network manager to exercise broader control and perform repair and upgrades which would otherwise require a dialog with the user and/or limit repair and reconfiguration of the client system to off-hours activity. The auxiliary logic also can receive and interpret commands from the network that conform to a predefined format.

Abstract: When the communication control section of a provider (server) receives data from a mobile terminal through a PHS base station and a communication line, the CPU of the provider (server) determines the sender of the received data. The CPU classifies the received data by sender and stores the classified data in a storage unit. The destinations to which the stored data can be sent are also stored as pre-registered transmission destinations in the storage unit. Upon reception of a data transmission request from the mobile terminal or a PC, the CPU determines whether the requester which has sent the data transmission request is a pre-registered transmission destination. When the requester is a pre-registered transmission destination, the CPU causes the communication control section send the data stored in the storage unit to the requester.

Abstract: A system is provided for setting up what is in effect a “plug and play” local area network for small businesses comprising a server computer and a plurality of client computers. The server computer is preloaded with a network operating system, an operating system for each of the client computers and substantially all application programs to be used by the client computers. There is a programmed interactive display interface in the server computer for interactively prompting a user to make a sequence of data entries relative to the computing needs of the client computers and the users of the client computers. The server computer is then physically interconnected with the client computers. Then means in the server computer allocate the client operating systems and the application programs as needed by the user of the client computers based upon the set up resulting from the prompted data entries.

Abstract: A method to reduce the amount of Address Resolution Protocol (ARP), traffic in a LAN environment connected to the Internet via multiport gateway, 63. The gateway, 63, stores a list of terminals connected to its local LAN Paths 61, 62, and determines if the destination of the ARP request is one of the terminals, 611 . . . 622, connected to the local LAN paths. If the destination terminal is not connected to the local LAN paths, the gateway does not rebroadcast the ARP request to the local LAN paths.

Abstract: A communication device allows a user to get access from the outside via an external public line to obtain e-mail data stored in a device connected to an internal system via a computer network such as a LAN without causing a reduction in security. More specifically, the communication device is connected to a LAN via a LAN I/F and also connected to the public line via a line I/F. If the communication device receives a remote operation command via the public line, a CPU of the communication device gets access to a post office of an e-mail server so as to get e-mail data in accordance with the remote operation command. The obtained e-mail data is converted to facsimile image data and transmitted by means of facsimile to a specified destination.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and system for multicast group routing using unidirectional links. A set of uplink routers and a set of downlink routers provide a primary unidirectional distribution path from a set of sources to a set of destinations. A relatively smaller reverse communication channel is provided between the destinations and the sources. When a destination desires to add itself to, or take itself off, a multicast distribution group, one of the downlink routers acts as a proxy for that destination and so informs the relevant source. The selection of the proxy reporter for downlink routers or the querier for uplink routers does not require bi-directional communication between either of them, respectively.

Abstract: A distributed automated testing system is provided which is capable of being distributed over a network, such as the Internet, for testing hardware and software. A plurality of users operating computers interface to the automated testing system via user interfaces, which preferably are graphical user interfaces. Each user interface displays test parameter choices to the user from which the user may select test parameters relating to a test to be performed. The user interfaces generate data packets in response to selections by the users and output the data packets onto the network. The data packets output from the user interfaces comprise information relating to test parameters selected by the user, commands indicating that performance of a test is being requested, and an address of the location to which the packet is being sent. The data packets are routed to one or more dispatcher machines located on the network which are designated by the addresses contained in the data packets.

Abstract: An electronic conference system in which a plurality of users post and read messages includes a message-deletion unit for deleting posted messages so that no access can be made to deleted messages. The electronic conference system further includes a deleted-message-information-management unit for storing identification information of the deleted messages.

Abstract: A method and system for efficiently updating container objects on remote systems. The method and system involve a server extension which determines whether the files within the container object have changed since the last time they were sent to the client. If they have changed, the server extension sends only the changed files with instructions on how to reconstruct the container object to a client extension. The client extension receives the changes and the instructions and reconstitutes the container object and transmits the container object to the client browser.

Abstract: A method for identifying a related collection of web sites using domain names on a global computer network is accomplished by selecting at least one descriptor corresponding to the content of each collection of web sites, using reflective characters surrounding each at descriptor to form a second level domain name and placing information for each collection of web sites under the second level domain containing the one descriptor corresponding to each collection of web sites. The method permits relevant collections of web sites to be accessed quickly. The method is particularly well suited for identifying collections of commercial web sites relating to a particular type of goods or services.

Abstract: When a TN3270 client (14) uses the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol ("TCP/IP")to initiate contact with a TN3270 server (18) to obtain access to an applications program running on a host (12) with which the server (18) employs the Systems Network Architecture ("SNA")protocol to communicate, the server's SNA physical-unit process sends the host's systems service control point an SNA NMVT message that includes a physical-location subfield in a product-set-attributes subvector of a product-set-ID vector. The physical-location subfield includes the client's IP address and TCP port number so that host management applications can determine individual clients' usages without interrupting communications with the server.

Abstract: A method and computer program for operating an interactive themed attraction (12) accessible by computer users (16) is disclosed. The method includes the steps of videotaping at least a portion of a themed attraction to create a video file; storing the video file in a computer-readable memory device accessible by a host computer (14); permitting computer users to access the host computer via a communication network (18) to view the video file; receiving at the host computer a request from one or more of the computer users to interact with the themed attraction; and controlling at least one controllable feature (20) of the themed attraction in response to the request so that the computer users can interact with the themed attraction via the communication network.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and process for managing and processing object transactions in a network of distributed resources operating in the client-server mode, wherein the client sends a request to at least one transaction object contained in at least one of the servers (RS1, RS2, etc.) distributed across the network, while a transaction manager dialogues with a resource manager (RM) through a predefined interface by means of a transaction validation protocol. This system is noteworthy in that it achieves the implicit integration of resource managers (RM) adapted to the predefined interface, so as to integrate the participation of existing or future resource managers (RM) into a distributed transaction managed by the transaction manager, by providing objects capable of participating in the transaction validation protocol implemented by the transaction manager, which objects address the resource managers through the predefined interface.

Abstract: A method of distributing software files resident on a network server to a network client. To effectuate the distribution, the network client issues an HTTP formatted request message to the network server which requests that certain software files resident on the network server be downloaded to the network client. The HTTP formatted request message may include information indicative of one or more of the operating system or processor architecture associated with the network client that the network server can use as an aide in determining which software files to return to the network client. The software files are bundled into a cabinet file by the network server and returned to the network client which, in turn, automatically unbundles the cabinet file, checks the authenticity of certain of the individual software files, and installs the software files in an appropriate memory location associated with the network client.

Abstract: A data processing system (10) capable of burst transfers having an external bus interface (30) which allows termination of a burst transfer prior to completion of the burst transaction. The present invention offers a method of terminating a burst transaction without the addition of wait states, and further allows termination to effectively interrupt the burst transaction rather than waiting for burst completion. In one embodiment, on the negation of a burst request signal during a burst transfer, external bus interface (30) terminates the burst transfer without waiting for the completion of the burst transaction.

Abstract: A communications apparatus is provided comprising a plurality of FIFO buffers, each with independent control and priority logic under software control for supporting different types of message traffic, both send and receive, such as comprise a multimedia server system. Processor software directs messages to specific, optimized FIFO buffers. Further, a system is provided including a plurality of nodes wherein a sending node specifies the communications path through the system, selecting specific FIFO buffers in each node for buffering its messages.

Abstract: A method of controlling remote control electronic apparatus coupled to a network and a remote control electronic apparatus to be coupled to a network are disclosed. Each remote control electronic apparatus has a CPU and a ROM including a local control program expressed by an independent language which is interpretable by the CPU, a remote control program expressed by a virtual language, a virtual language processing program for processing the virtual language to make it interpretable by the CPU. When one remote control electronic apparatus is required to control another remote control electronic apparatus coupled to the network, the remote control electronic apparatus requests to transmit the remote control program of another remote control apparatus.