Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products for information sharing are provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises generating metadata associated with content stored in a content repository accessible to a community having a plurality of members, wherein the metadata which is stored in the community's registry, is utilized by a community member to determine attributes associated with the content and its subcontents, such that the community member is provided with access to a compilation of information in the subcontents according to a category of interest and based on information in the metadata, and preferably, the community member generates more metadata which is stored in another community's registry associated with the content such that another community member is provided with access to a second compilation of information in the subcontents.

Abstract: An RFID tag is provided including an object ID and a counter. Such an RFID tag may be employed in an RFID tag system including a parent RFID tag having an object ID and a counter, a child RFID tag, and a reader/writer configured to read the object ID and the counter of the parent RFID tag, combine values of the object ID and the counter, and write the combined value to an object ID of the child RFID tag.

Abstract: A tag is provided including an object ID and a counter. Such a tag may be employed in a tag system including a parent tag having an object ID and a counter, a child tag, and a reader/writer configured to read the object ID and the counter of the parent tag, combine values of the object ID and the counter, and write the combined value to an object ID of the child tag.

Abstract: A multicast host for communicating information published about any one of a set of topics to one or more authorised subscribers to those topics, the set of topics being partitioned into one or more partition elements, each partition element having a partition element encryption key associated therewith, wherein each of the one or more partition elements is a disjoint proper subset of the set of topics, the host comprising: means for receiving information relating to a topic; means for determining a partition element for the topic; means for retrieving a partition element encryption key associated with the partition element; means for encrypting the information with the retrieved partition element encryption key; and means for communicating the information to the one or more authorised subscribers.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for access to distributed data. The system includes a first entity (201-203) storing client data (221-223), the first entity (201-203) requiring access information (220) to access the client data (221-223). A storage device (200), held by the client, provides the access information (220) to access the client data (221-223). A second entity (204) is capable of accessing the stored client data (221-223) from the first entity (201-203) when provided with the access information (220) from the client. A plurality of first entities (201-203) may store client data (221-223) for a single client and the storage device (200) may include a list of the locations and access information (220) for all the first entities (201-203). The storage device (200) may be, for example, a smart card or USB key.

Abstract: In order to support connectivity requirements for today's pervasive devices, the present invention provides an asymmetric two-way request-response communication protocol in which the end user or application is an active participant in the power management scheme. No power is consumed until a user-initiated client request is made. At that time, the client activates its transceiver and attempts to connect to the server; if it succeeds, it requests information, receives its response, and disconnects again, totally shutting down the transceiver. The server's transceiver always stays in a listening mode and waits for a client request. The protocol does not provide a direct method for the server to send unsolicited messages to the client.

Abstract: A transmission method adjusts the size of aggregated packets based at least on the congestion of a transmitting network device. The adjusting comprises includes aggregating at least two small messages, received from an upper layer, into a packet, providing the packet to a pending queue, passing packets to a network device and selecting packets from the pending queue or the buffer depending on whether or not said pending queue is empty.

Abstract: A method of sending packets to a multiplicity of subscribers in a multicast subscription system includes monitoring the activity at a NACK server. The method also includes disturbing the flow of data between the sender and the subscribers. The latter may include creating a NACK generation incident in order to determine if the sender has any attentive subscribers.

Abstract: A variety of techniques are disclosed for efficient liveness monitoring in a reliable publish/subscribe multicast system having at least one broker and at least one subscriber, by: at the broker, sending (310) a status request message to the subscriber, and at the subscriber, sending (350) a status response message to the broker to indicate liveness. Status responses by subscribers may be suppressed when at least a chosen minimum number (>=1) of subscribers send a response. This suppression (320-340) uses a system of “response claim” messages and random back-off timers. These provide the advantage that the efficiency of network usage is improved by reducing the number of unwanted packets that are sent.

Abstract: In order to support connectivity requirements for today's pervasive devices, the present invention provides an asymmetric two-way request-response communication protocol in which the end user or application is an active participant in the power management scheme. No power is consumed until a user-initiated client request is made. At that time, the client activates its transceiver and attempts to connect to the server; if it succeeds, it requests information, receives its response, and disconnects again, totally shutting down the transceiver. The server's transceiver always stays in a listening mode and waits for a client request. The protocol does not provide a direct method for the server to send unsolicited messages to the client.