Abstract: The present invention relates to a mixer apparatus (30) for mixing audio signals from a musical instrument (10). The mixer apparatus (30) comprises plural input circuits (34) and an audio signal mixer (36). Each of the plural input circuits (34) has an audio signal input which, in use, is coupled electrically with and thereby receives an audio signal from a different one of plural musical instrument pickups (32) comprised in the musical instrument. The audio signal mixer (36) receives audio signals from the plural input circuits (34) and mixes the received audio signals with one another. Each of the plural input circuits (34) comprises a linear active circuit in an audio signal path between the audio signal input and the audio signal mixer (36).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a mixer apparatus (30) for mixing audio signals from a musical instrument (10). The mixer apparatus (30) comprises plural input circuits (34) and an audio signal mixer (36). Each of the plural input circuits (34) has an audio signal input which, in use, is coupled electrically with and thereby receives an audio signal from a different one of plural musical instrument pickups (32) comprised in the musical instrument. The audio signal mixer (36) receives audio signals from the plural input circuits (34) and mixes the received audio signals with one another. Each of the plural input circuits (34) comprises a linear active circuit in an audio signal path between the audio signal input and the audio signal mixer (36).

Abstract: The present invention relates to apparatus for topical application of material for cosmetic purposes (10). The apparatus for topical application of material (10) comprises measurement apparatus configured to measure a property of skin of a human or animal subject and actuating apparatus configured to change a permeability of the skin of the human or animal subject in dependence on the measured property of the skin. The apparatus for topical application of material (10) further comprises application apparatus configured to apply material for cosmetic purposes to the skin whilst substantially no iontophoretic current flows through the skin and after the permeability of the skin has been changed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to apparatus for topical application of material for cosmetic or medical purposes. The apparatus comprises measurement apparatus (154), (156), (158), (152) configured to measure a property of skin of a human or animal 5 subject,actuating apparatus (146), (148), (152) configured to change a property of the skin of the human or animal subject and application apparatus (162) configured to apply material for cosmetic or medical purposes to the skin. The apparatus further comprises a processor (132) which is configured: to receive operational data based on data received from each of plural other apparatus for topical application of material, (10) said received operational data pertaining to operation of the other apparatus for topical application of material; and to control the apparatus for topical application of material in dependence on the property measured by the measurement apparatus and the operational data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to apparatus for topical application of material for cosmetic purposes (10). The apparatus for topical application of material (10) comprises measurement apparatus configured to measure a property of skin of a human or animal subject and actuating apparatus configured to change a permeability of the skin of the human or animal subject in dependence on the measured property of the skin. The apparatus for topical application of material (10) further comprises application apparatus configured to apply material for cosmetic purposes to the skin whilst substantially no iontophoretic current flows through the skin and after the permeability of the skin has been changed.

Abstract: A brand protection feature reader and/or writer instrument (6) that is adapted to perform a pre-determined number of operations, for example authentication of a brand protection feature, and prevent subsequent operations from being performed if the pre-determined number of operations is exceeded. A counter (70) may be provided for counting the number of operations performed, thereby to determine if the pre-determined number of operations is exceeded.

Abstract: A system for authenticating articles comprising: an authentication manager for managing authentication information associated with the articles; a plurality of secure taggant reader instruments for reading machine readable taggants associated with the articles, the taggants including the authentication or related information, and an instrument configuration manager for secure on-line configuration of the instruments. Each taggant reader instrument is operable to securely process and send authentication information derived from a taggant to the authentication manager. The authentication manager uses the received authentication information to identify suspicious events. When suspicious events are detected, the instrument configuration manager is able to reconfigure at least some of the taggant reader instruments. Reconfiguration may also happen in the event of a product recall and/or taggant security compromise.

Abstract: A programmable device, for example, a smartcard carries a file system and operating software enabling the on-device file system to interface with at least one off-device file and/or application at a terminal or interface device. The smartcard includes means such as a script engine for running a script command to modify the structure and content of the file system, or the commands to be used for accessing the file system, or any security conditions associated therewith. In the improved smartcard of the invention the script engine is operable to run a plurality of script commands in succession and to use an input/output buffer of the device as an accumulator to allow arithmetic operations. on values held in data files or in the accumulator itself under the control of one or more of said script commands. This allows the system to provide for arithmetic operations, such as ADD, SUBTRACT or COMPARE, or other similar customised operations.

Abstract: In a value transfer scheme, users are provided with programmable devices, for example, smart cards, capable of carrying data representing at least one available commodity value. Data representing user accounts is held at a remote processing station. Transactions between users are effected by the off-line exchange of data between users'respective smartcards, the exchanged data containing a record of each transaction entered into. The user account data for each user's account held at the remote processing station is updated only subsequently when the user's smartcard is on-line to the remote processing station and data therefrom is uploaded to the remote processing station. The scheme of the invention can, conveniently, be based around the ITSO scheme which is used to govern the secure transfer of data The scheme is capable of providing a secure multi-commodity value transfer system.

Abstract: A smartcard comprises a substrate having a smartcard chip formed on it as well as a secondary memory device, for example, a FLASH ROM, operatively connected to the smartcard chip. The secondary memory device is capable of storing a plurality of pages of data, each having associated with it a unique sequence number, the sequence number being stored separately from the data page so that when the page is to be read, the sequence number retrieved with the page can be compared with the stored sequence number to authenticate the page. To minimise the memory used on the smartcard to store the sequence numbers, some of the stored sequence numbers are stored in at least one data page stored on the secondary memory device, the sequence number for that at least one page being stored in the smartcard chip or the sequence numbers are XOR'd and the resultant digest is stored in the smartcard EEPROM. The sequence number associated with a particular page of data is incremented each time the page is modified or updated.

Abstract: A machine readable medium carries operating software for use in a system which comprises the programmable device carrying at least one on-device file and/or application and an interface device for interfacing with the or each programmable device. The interface device is provided with at least one one-off device file and/or application; the operating software. The operating software enables, in use, the on-device and off-device files and/or applications to interface with one another and includes at least one file formatted in a web (Internet) standard language for self-describing messages, preferably XML. This file contains at least some of the file system and commands for accessing the file system which allow the on-device and off-device files and/or applications to interface.

Abstract: In a multiple application card system including an IC card comprising a microprocessor, a read-only memory, a random access memory and an electronically erasable programmable read only memory, a system for controlling access to one or more sets of programming instructions embedded in said read-only memory comprising means for storing on said IC card for at least one application loaded onto said card at least one access flag having a value indicating whether or not access by the at least one application to the at least one set of programming instructions shall be granted and means dependent on said value for allowing access to one or more sets of programming instructions.

Abstract: There is provided a method and device for selecting a communications protocol between an integrated circuit card and a terminal. The terminal supports at least two communications protocols, with one of the at least two communications protocols being a preferred communications protocol. The terminal transmits a reset to the integrated circuit card and receives an answer-to-reset from the integrated circuit card indicative of a first communications protocol. The terminal determines whether the first communications protocol matches the preferred communications protocol. If the first communications protocol does not match the preferred communications protocol, the terminal transmits another reset to the integrated circuit card and receives another answer-to-reset from the integrated circuit card indicatives of a second communications protocol.

Abstract: Circuitry is described for providing a telephone line interface circuit of a MODEM for a computer with an AC impedance and DC voltage/current characteristics required by a given type telephone network such that the telephone line interface circuit can be matchingly connected with the given type telephone network. The given type telephone network provides an identification code representative of the required AC impedance and DC voltage/current characteristics. The circuitry comprises a plurality of impedance components that, when connected to the telephone line interface circuit, determine the AC impedance and DC voltage/current characteristics of the telephone line interface circuit. A plurality of terminals are coupled to receive a plurality of control signals associated with the identification code.

Abstract: A modem (200) for connecting a computer (100) or the like to a telephone network for data transmission purposes, the modem being of the type including a modulation/demodulation circuit for converting the digital signals of the computer into analog signals capable of being conveyed by the telephone network and vice versa, a computer interface circuit, and a telephone line interface circuit specially designed for a telephone network of a given type. The modem is characterized in that it comprises: a main circuit (210) designed to be placed inside the computer box (102) and incorporating the modulation/demodulation circuit (214) and the computer interface circuit (216); an auxiliary circuit (220) situated in a box (225) external to the computer box and incorporating the telephone line interface circuit; and disconnectable connection means (Cl, 230, 232) between the auxiliary circuit and the main circuit.