Abstract: A parking meter assembly (10) including a base (11) that is to be fixed to or embedded in a ground surface, typically adjacent the curb that which a car is to be parked. The assembly (10) also includes a parking meter (13) having a front face (17) that includes a coin slot (25) a card slot (20) and a control panel (21). The parking meter (13) further includes a rear face (27) having a window aperture (28) that provides for the transmission of light to a solar panel (29) behind the aperture (28).

Abstract: IPSec rules are searched in an improved manner to reduce processing overhead. For selected connectionless protocols, packets are treated as if they were part of a simulated connection. A pseudo-connection memory block is allocated with the creation of each socket and IPSec security binding information is stored in the pseudo-connection memory block on a first packet. Thereafter, as long as the source address and port in incoming packets on the same socket or destination address and port in outgoing packets on the same socket remain the same, the packets are treated as part of a simulated connection. The security rules are not searched again until the simulated connection terminates or the static rule table is modified. In the preferred embodiment, security binding is made only to the static rule or placeholder.

Abstract: A method for bleaching stained fabrics is provided by pretreating the stained fabric, before washing, with a pretreatment composition that comprises a ligand that forms a transition metal complex as bleach catalyst, the complex catalysing bleaching of stains by atmospheric oxygen. The pretreatment composition preferably comprises an iron complex comprising the ligand N,N-bis(pyridin-2-yl-methyl)-1,1-bis(pyridin-2-yl)-1-aminoethane. One or both of the pretreatment composition and the wash liquor are substantially devoid of peroxygen bleach or a peroxy-based or -generating bleach system. The pretreatment provides improved or broader stain profile bleaching.

Abstract: A method for bleaching stained fabrics is provided by washing a stained fabric in an aqueous wash liquor in the presence of a wash additive that comprises a ligand that forms a transition metal complex as bleach catalyst, the complex catalysing bleaching of stains by atmospheric oxygen. The wash additive preferably comprises an iron complex comprising the ligand N,N-bis(pyridin-2-yl-methyl)-1,1-bis(pyridin-2-yl)-1-aminoethane. One or both of the wash additive and the wash liquor are substantially devoid of peroxygen bleach or a peroxy-based or -generating bleach system. The wash additive provides improved or broader stain profile bleaching.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for interconnecting first and second networks that use the same protocols for communications by a third network. The third network is defined in the first and second networks as a single virtual communications link of the native type used by the first and second networks. In response to requests from initiating nodes in the first and second networks to communicate with destination nodes in the other of the first and second networks, routing computation services in the first and second networks compute routes through the first and second networks that will connect the originating and destination nodes and that include the virtual link as such a route. The virtual link is also used to remotely support the communication needs of dependent nodes in the first and second networks that do not have the ability to establish communications sessions within the networks on their own.