Abstract: A model railroad car flashing rear end device contained entirely on or about the model railroad car truck and powered by the model railroad track rails. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

Abstract: A local file storage is provided for a virtual machine running on a server. A common directory is created on the local file storage, including files usable by the virtual machine. A private directory is created on the local file storage, including user files accessible only by a single user of the virtual machine, wherein each virtual machine user has a separate private directory. The common directory and the private directory are accessed via the virtual machine and a common nomenclature, whereby the implementation of the common directory and the private directory on the local file storage is hidden from the user. The virtual machine may be accessed through a host environment, and each host environment user has a separate private directory.

Abstract: A method for utilizing multiple servers begins by selecting a program to be run on one of a plurality of servers and selecting one server to run the program. A virtual machine is instantiated on the selected server and the program is run on the virtual machine. A method for utilizing multiple processors begins by initializing a virtual machine on a server and running a program on the virtual machine. Task requests are sent from the program to a control process on a host environment. The control process initializes a worker thread for each task request. Each worker thread is run on a different processor on the host environment. In one embodiment, the server is a Java server and the virtual machine is a Java virtual machine.

Abstract: A method for processing a communication socket request begins by generating a socket request by a virtual machine running on a server. The virtual machine examines the socket request and determines whether the socket is identified by a host name or by an Internet Protocol (IP) address. The socket request is forwarded to a host environment if the socket is identified by a host name or by an IP address other than a predetermined IP address of the host environment, and the host environment creates the socket. The server processes the socket request if the socket is identified by the predetermined IP address of the host environment, and the server creates the socket. In one implementation, the virtual machine is a Java virtual machine and the server is a Java server.

Abstract: An improved storage method that maximizes efficiency and removes redundancy for a computing system maintaining a message handle system (MHS). For example, a MHS that is in accordance with the X.400 message handle system (MHS) standard. The X.400 MHS processes messages on a recipient basis, that is, the message is processed once for each recipient listed on a message. Such processing is inefficient and redundant, placing a toll on overall system processing. Such inefficiencies are even more apparent in the case of multiple recipient messages that require translation. In such event the message is translated and routed for each of the recipients listed. The improved storage system and method alleviates this redundancy and inefficiency. In the event a multiple recipient message requiring translation is routed over a X.400 MHS, the components of the X.400 MHS cooperate such that the message is translated, transferred, and stored in the X.400 MHS component requiring translated messages. The X.

Abstract: A Universal Messaging system provides e-mail, voice-mail and fax-mail services to subscribers that may utilize the Internet to access their messages. The system integrates an e-mail messaging system with a voice/fax messaging system on a messaging platform computer. E-mail messages are stored in an e-mail message store, and voice and/or fax messages are stored in a separate store controlled, e.g., by a Voice Mail Message Manager (VMMM). Subscribers can access messages from a personal computer via the Internet using a standard Web browser with an applet that present each subscriber with a “universal inbox” that displays all of that subscriber's voice, fax, and e-mail messages. A Web platform controls the Web browser interface to the messaging platform, accepting requests from the Web browser (such as a request to read an e-mail or listen to a voice mail) and passing prescribed types of information back to the Web browser.

Abstract: A Universal Messaging system provides e-mail, voice-mail and fax-mail services to subscribers that may utilize the Internet to access their messages. The system integrates an e-mail messaging system with a voice/fax messaging system on a messaging platform computer. E-mail messages are stored in an e-mail message store, and voice and/or fax messages are stored in a separate store controlled, e.g., by a Voice Mail Message Manager (VMMM). Subscribers can access messages from a personal computer via the Internet using a standard Web browser with an applet that present each subscriber with a “universal inbox” that displays all of that subscriber's voice, fax, and e-mail messages. A Web platform controls the Web browser interface to the messaging platform, accepting requests from the Web browser (such as a request to read an e-mail or listen to a voice mail) and passing prescribed types of information back to the Web browser.

Abstract: A system and method for notifying subscribers to first and second communications networks that a message has been received at either the first communications network (such as a voice messaging system) or the second communications network (such as an e-mail messaging system). A subscriber receives notification at one point regardless of which communications network receives the new message. The subscriber can be notified by an outcall, a page, an e-mail, a lighted lamp, and/or a stutter dial tone.

Abstract: A method for use in a messaging system having a database of stored messages, wherein the stored messages include or are associated with corresponding attributes, the desired format of which is subject to change over time, comprises the steps of determining whether a stored message is formatted in accordance with a current message format prescribed for use in the messaging system; and redelivering the stored message if it is not formatted in accordance with the current format. An effect of the redelivery is to update the format of the message to the current format.