Abstract: A device measuring the fineness and/or maturity of cotton fibers contains a measuring chamber accommodating a cotton fiber sample and a tubular plunger. The measuring chamber extends between a first end closed by a wall having one or more vent holes and a second end opposed to the first end and hermetically closed. The plunger penetrates within the measuring chamber through the second end to run at least two strokes of predetermined lengths and has an inner channel extending between a tail portion and a perforated head portion placing the inner channel in fluid communication with the measuring chamber. The device further contains a reservoir placed upstream of the inner channel and in fluid communication with the inner channel; a pump filling the reservoir with air from an environment; and a flow regulator placed downstream of the reservoir and upstream of the inner channel.

Abstract: The method comprises the following steps: connecting each client (5) to a respective one of said servers (3) and establishing a data communication between each client (5) and the respective server (3), thus forming a multi-client/multi-server network; 5 calculating a figure of merit for rejection (FoMR) for at least one client (5) con-nected to at least one of said servers (3), each figure of merit for rejection (FoMR) determining a probability of rejection of the relevant client (5) by the server (3); rejecting at least one client (5), which is connected to a server (3), and placing 10 said client in a non-connected condition; wherein the client to be rejected is selected on the basis of the figure of merit for rejection (FoMR); connecting the rejected client (5) to a server (3) again.

Abstract: A method for managing a multi-client/multi-server system or network (1) is disclosed. According to some embodiments, the method comprises the following steps: when at least one of the servers (3) receives a request for connection from one of the clients (5), the server (3) calculates a figure of merit (FoM) for the requesting client; the server (3) sends a connection-accepting response to the requesting client (5) with a probability, which depends upon the figure of merit; the requesting client (5) receiving a connection-accepting response joins the server (3) and starts communication therewith.

Abstract: The method comprises the following steps: connecting each client (5) to a respective one of said servers (3) and establishing a data communication between each client (5) and the respective server (3), thus forming a multi-client/multi-server network; 5 calculating a figure of merit for rejection (FoMR) for at least one client (5) connected to at least one of said servers (3), each figure of merit for rejection (FoMR) determining a probability of rejection of the relevant client (5) by the server (3); rejecting at least one client (5), which is connected to a server (3), and placing 10 said client in a non-connected condition; wherein the client to be rejected is selected on the basis of the figure of merit for rejection (FoMR); connecting the rejected client (5) to a server (3) again.