Abstract: An automated dispenser for dispensing spices, condiments, herbs, teas, ground coffees, or powdered beverages, comprising a plurality of cartridges mounted on a carrier respectively containing said items, having a dispensing means with relative movement capable between said dispensing means and said cartridges. A look-up table, containing a plurality of separate, discrete dispensing programs is provided for operation of the dispensing means to dispense a particular variety of mixtures and quantities from said cartridges. When a spice blend and associated dispensing program is selected by a user, the dispensing program aligns the dispensing means relative to the cartridge carrier and cartridge, to dispense a particular quantity and, in the case of a mix, to subsequently align with other selected cartridges to provide, from said cartridges, the mix of spices, herbs, condiments, powdered beverages or ground coffees. A specialized cartridge adapted for use in said automated dispenser is also disclosed.

Abstract: An automated dispenser for dispensing spices, condiments, herbs, teas, ground coffees, or powdered beverages, comprising a plurality of cartridges mounted on a carrier respectively containing said items, having a dispending means with relative movement capable between said dispensing means and said cartridges. A look-up table, containing a plurality of separate, discrete dispensing programs is provided for operation of the dispensing means to dispense a particular variety of mixtures and quantities from said cartridges. When a spice blend and associated dispensing program is selected by a user, the dispensing program aligns the dispensing means relative to the cartridge carrier and cartridge, to dispense a particular quantity and, in the case of a mix, to subsequently align with other selected cartridges to provide, from said cartridges, the mix of spices, herbs, condiments, powdered beverages or ground coffees. A specialized cartridge adapted for use in said automated dispenser is also disclosed.

Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a method for integrity protected calculation of a cryptographic function including: performing an operation c=a?b in a cryptographic function f(x1, x2, . . . , xn) defined over a commutative ring R; choosing a? and b? corresponding to a and b such that a? and b? are elements of a commutative ring R?; computing c?=a???b?; computing a?=CRT(a, a?) and b?=CRT(b, b?), where CRT is the Chinese Remainder Theorem; computing c?=a???b?; mapping c? into R?; and determining if the mapping of c? into R? equals c?.

Abstract: In a method for generating a cipher-based message authentication code, a state array (25) comprised of rows (31-34) of bytes (S?0-S?15) and columns (41-44) of bytes (S?0-S?15) based on a message to be transmitted is generated. The cipher-based message authentication code is generated by retaining the bytes (29, 30) of at least one row (32, 34) of the state array (25).

Abstract: This invention provides for a transaction card for use at a terminal and for initiating an internet transaction with a SSL protected server, wherein the card comprises a smartcard including an application arranged for extending an SSL connection from the said protected server into the smartcard and, further, the invention can provide for a related terminal, server and related transaction initiation and establishment methods, for extending the said SSL connection as noted above.

Abstract: In the field of cryptography there is a need to reduce the time taken to cryptographically transform data text while maintaining the low memory requirements associated with conventional square-and-multiply modular exponentiation. A method of cryptographically transforming data text c comprises the step of generating an integer representation m of the data text c according to m=cd where d is a predetermined exponent. The step of generating the integer representation m includes generating a sequence of intermediate numbers, each intermediate number being based on two or fewer earlier numbers in the sequence. Generating a sequence of intermediate numbers includes retrieving a pre-stored instruction to determine which two or fewer earlier numbers in the sequence a given intermediate number is based on and the functional manipulation of the or each earlier number required to generate the given intermediate number.

Abstract: An email system comprises a plurality of email servers connected by a data communications network. The email system avoids single points of failure by employing multiple email servers which self configure, without requiring dedicated servers, through self addressing and discovery and announcement protocols. An email server can act as a primary email server by executing an administration tool allowing an administrator to modify the configuration data set which the email servers utilize, and the primary email server will then announce the resulting change in the version level of the configuration data set to other email servers. Each email server will then determine and request any needed updates to its respective configuration data set from the primary email server or another email server.

Abstract: Data security is facilitated. In accordance with one or more embodiments, a target circuit is used to generate encryption information specific to the target circuit. The encryption information is used for generating data corresponding to a key, such as for decrypting media content. In some implementations, encryption information is used together with key data to generate a key offset. The key offset is subsequently used, together with newly-generated encryption information, to obtain the key.

Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a method for integrity protected calculation of a cryptographic function including: performing an operation c=a?b in a cryptographic function f(x1, x2, . . . , xn) defined over a commutative ring R; choosing a? and b? corresponding to a and b such that a? and b? are elements of a commutative ring R?; computing c?=a???b?; computing a?=CRT(a, a?) and b?=CRT(b, b?), where CRT is the Chinese Remainder Theorem; computing c?=a???b?; mapping c? into R?; and determining if the mapping of c? into R? equals c?.

Abstract: It is described a method for operating a transponder (203), the method comprising: receiving, by the transponder, in particular wirelessly, transmitted reader data (205) representing x and sqrt[b]/x, wherein x is an element of a binary Galois field and b is a scalar; processing, by the transponder, the reader data (205) to determine, whether x is a first coordinate of a point on an elliptic curve defined by the elliptic curve equation y2+xy=x3+ax2+b, wherein the elliptic curve is defined over the Galois field such that x and y are elements of the Galois field, wherein y is a second coordinate of the point on the elliptic curve. Further a transponder, a method for operating a reader and a reader are described.

Abstract: An email system comprises a plurality of email servers connected by a data communications network. The email system avoids single points of failure by employing multiple email servers which self configure, without requiring dedicated servers, through self addressing and discovery and announcement protocols. An email server can act as a primary email server by executing an administration tool allowing an administrator to modify the configuration data set which the email servers utilize, and the primary email server will then announce the resulting change in the version level of the configuration data set to other email servers. Each email server will then determine and request any needed updates to its respective configuration data set from the primary email server or another email server.

Abstract: The invention provides devices and methods for increasing the degree of mixing of fluids, including under conditions of laminar flow and turbulent flow. In one embodiment, mixing of fluids using the invention's devices and methods is increased by splitting the flow of at least one of the fluids into two or more inlet channels. This is optionally followed by further splitting and merging (e.g., using one or more split and merge (SAM) mixer) the fluids.

Abstract: A method for generating a secure acknowledgment message that involves constructing a plaintext of the acknowledgment message, computing a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) value for the plaintext of the acknowledgment message, encrypting the plaintext of the acknowledgment message to obtain a ciphertext of the acknowledgment message, computing a secure check (CHK) value from the ciphertext using bits of the cyclic redundancy check value (CRC) and then appending the secure check value (CHK) to the plaintext of the acknowledgment message.

Abstract: An email system comprises a plurality of email servers connected by a data communications network. The email system avoids single points of failure by employing multiple email servers which self configure, without requiring dedicated servers, through self addressing and discovery and announcement protocols. An email server can act as a primary email server by executing an administration tool allowing an administrator to modify the configuration data set which the email servers utilize, and the primary email server will then announce the resulting change in the version level of the configuration data set to other email servers. Each email server will then determine and request any needed updates to its respective configuration data set from the primary email server or another email server.

Abstract: A wound dressing comprising nitric oxide gas producing component.

Abstract: In the field of cryptography there is a need to reduce the time taken to cryptographically transform data text while maintaining the low memory requirements associated with conventional square-and-multiply modular exponentiation. A method of cryptographically transforming data text c comprises the step of generating an integer representation m of the data text c according to m=cd where d is a predetermined exponent. The step of generating the integer representation m includes generating a sequence of intermediate numbers, each intermediate number being based on two or fewer earlier numbers in the sequence. Generating a sequence of intermediate numbers includes retrieving a pre-stored instruction to determine which two or fewer earlier numbers in the sequence a given intermediate number is based on and the functional manipulation of the or each earlier number required to generate the given intermediate number.

Abstract: In a method for generating a cipher-based message authentication code, a state array (25) comprised of rows (31-34) of bytes (S?0-S?15) and columns (41-44) of bytes (S?0-S?15) based on a message to be transmitted is generated. The cipher-based message authentication code is generated by retaining the bytes (29, 30) of at least one row (32, 34) of the state array (25).

Abstract: Reader (420) for determining the validity of a connection to a transponder (440), designed to measure a response time of a transponder (440) and to authenticate the transponder (440) in two separate steps. Transponder (440) for determining the validity of a connection to a reader (420), wherein the transponder (440) is designed to provide information for response time measurement to said reader (420) and to provide information for authentication to said reader (420) in two separate steps, wherein at least a part of data used for the authentication is included in a communication message transmitted between the reader (420) and the transponder (440) during the measuring of the response time.

Abstract: Transponder (104), comprising a storage unit (106) having stored a number of different applications, a processing unit (108) which, on request of a reader (102), is adapted to generate a response interpretable using an encryption scheme known by both the transponder (104) and the reader (102) so that the reader (102) is capable of determining whether an application is supported by the transponder (104) by analyzing the response using the encryption scheme, and a transmission unit (110) adapted to send the response to said reader (102).

Abstract: Device for generating a message authentication code for authenticating a message, wherein the message is divided in blocks (M) with a specified block length, the device comprising a generating unit for generating the message authentication code based on a message by using a block cipher algorithm, and an encrypting unit for performing an exclusive disjunction on the last block with a first key (K1, K2) and for performing an exclusive disjunction on the first and/or the last block additionally with a second key (K3, K4) for generating the message authentication code.