Abstract: A mobile telephone or tablet or the like (40) for viewing commercial television programmes has a display screen (41), a firewall (70), and behind the firewall a first, sealed data storage section (42) which stores personal attributes of a viewer, such as a child, supplied on a token (32) from a trusted third party (10), a second, unsealed data storage section (44) to which the personal attributes are copied, the second section having a flag (48) which is set when the data in the second section has been modified by the viewer, and a third data storage section (46) in which personal preferences can be stored by the viewer. Adverts from advertisers (50) targeted on the data in the second and third sections are sent to the device (40), headers in the adverts are checked against the data in the first section, and adverts are rejected if they are unsuitable for the viewer.

Abstract: A mobile telephone or tablet or the like (40) for viewing commercial television programmes has a display screen (41), a firewall (70), and behind the firewall a first, sealed data storage section (42) which stores personal attributes of a viewer, such as a child, supplied on a token (32) from a trusted third party (10), a second, unsealed data storage section (44) to which the personal attributes are copied, the second section having a flag (48) which is set when the data in the second section has been modified by the viewer, and a third data storage section (46) in which personal preferences can be stored by the viewer. Adverts from advertisers (50) targeted on the data in the second and third sections are sent to the device (40), headers in the adverts are checked against the data in the first section, and adverts are rejected if they are unsuitable for the viewer.

Abstract: In a system for time-shifted viewing of television broadcasts, advertisements 41, 43 are provided with headers 50, 52 containing times of day at which that advert may be viewed or not viewed. A Personal Video Recorder (PVR) 60 stores adverts in an advertisement database 70, stores broadcast program segments in a program database 80, and broadcast rules in a rules database 90. For viewing of the program when time-shifted, the PVR checks the time of day, checks the headers of the adverts, and shows only adverts which are permissibly viewed at that time of day.

Abstract: In a system for time-shifted viewing of television broadcasts, advertisements 41, 43 are provided with headers 50, 52 containing times of day at which that advert may be viewed or not viewed. A Personal Video Recorder (PVR) 60 stores adverts in an advertisement database 70, stores broadcast programme segments in a programme database 80, and broadcast rules in a rules data-base 90. For viewing of the programme when time-shifted, the PVR checks the time of day, checks the headers of the adverts, and shows only adverts which are permissibly viewed at that time of day.

Abstract: An adaptor circuit 20 for peripheral devices 14, 18 is provided with a direct memory access manager 38. This local direct memory access manager 38 is able to autonomously manage data transfers on behalf of its associated peripheral device 14, 18. A computer program tools used to generate signal interconnects 24 is used to additionally specify whether a DMA capability is to be provided for a peripheral device 14, 18, whereupon an adaptor circuit 20, 22 including a DMA manager 38 can be included within the signal interconnect. A DMA command signal is added to the interconnect signals being passed around the signal interconnect 24 and enables DMA command/configuration data to be distributed using the existing signal distribution infrastructure and addressed to the associated peripheral device 14, 18 of the target local DMA controller 38.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus and method of arbitration within such a data processing apparatus are provided for arbitrating between a plurality of transfers to be routed over a corresponding plurality of paths provided by an interconnect circuit of that data processing apparatus. The plurality of paths include a shared connection, the data processing apparatus having a plurality of initiator logic elements for initiating transfers and a plurality of recipient logic elements for receiving transfers, for each transfer the corresponding path coupling the initiator logic element responsible for initiating that transfer with the recipient logic element destined to receive that transfer. At least one of the recipient logic elements that is destined to receive one of the transfers has a storage element associated therewith which is operable to temporarily store transfer data of that transfer.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus and method of arbitration within such a data processing apparatus are provided for arbitrating between a plurality of transfers to be routed over a corresponding plurality of paths provided by an interconnect circuit of that data processing apparatus. The plurality of paths include a shared connection, the data processing apparatus having a plurality of initiator logic elements for initiating transfers and a plurality of recipient logic elements for receiving transfers, for each transfer the corresponding path coupling the initiator logic element responsible for initiating that transfer with the recipient logic element destined to receive that transfer. At least one of the recipient logic elements that is destined to receive one of the transfers has a storage element associated therewith which is operable to temporarily store transfer data of that transfer.

Abstract: A method of enhancing the bending process of a stabilizer bar by locally pre-heating the stabilizer bar immediately prior to formation. By pre-heating the stabilizer bar, the stress in the stabilizer bar is relieved at the bending areas. This allows larger bars to be formed which would otherwise be outside of machine parameters. In the disclosed embodiments, the stabilizer bar is locally heated by induction coils or resistance heating at the bend areas.

Abstract: A stabilizer bar is provided having a varying cross-section along the length of the bar. In particular, the stabilizer bar includes a first cross-sectional area and a second cross-sectional area that is different than the first cross-sectional area. A first surface at least partially defines the second cross-sectional area. The first surface has a non-circular shape with primary and secondary load bearing directions bearing different maximum loads in each of the directions. The shape of the second cross-sectional area may be arranged so that the primary load bearing direction is generally aligned with the highest load. Similarly, the shape of the second cross-sectional area may be arranged in a manner to bear the highest torsional load. The stabilizer bar may be solid or hollow. Preferred shapes may include egg-shaped or elliptical shaped surfaces. Alternatively, the stabilizer bar may have a generally uniform cross-sectional area along its length with the non-circular shape described above.