Abstract: A method of operating a user terminal connected to the Internet comprises: prior to sending an email from the user terminal to a recipient, sending an identifier of the email content and a telephone number to a server; receiving a verification code from the server via the Internet; receiving an authentication string from the server via the Internet; including the authentication string and the telephone number in the email; and sending the email to the recipient.

Abstract: According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of verifying to a recipient of an email that a sender of the email possesses a mobile telecommunications device associated with a specific telephone number.

Abstract: A method of allowing members of a group to access a plurality of data blocks stored at one or more storage locations, where each data block is associated with at least one of the members. The method comprises providing each of the group members with a shared secret, storing at a storage location, in association with each data block, a tag, the tag having been generated using said shared secret and an identity of the member associated with the data block, sending a request from a group member to a storage location, the request containing the tag of another group member, and upon receipt of said request at the storage location, identifying said tag and sending to the requesting member the data block associated with the tag.

Abstract: A method of scheduling packets for transmission over the air interface of a UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) in the case where a pair of Radio Network Controllers (RNCs) are acting as separate serving and controlling (drift) RNCs for a mobile terminal. The method comprises sending from the controlling RNC to the serving RNC, allocated scheduling priorities together with packet sizes accepted for transmission with those priorities by the controlling RNC. Subsequently the serving RNC send to the controlling RNC, packets of sizes accepted by the serving RNC together with respective allocated priorities.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and arrangements enable packet scheduling in accordance with quality of service (QoS) constraints for data flows. In a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network environment, for example, a Medium Access Control (MAC) layer schedules packet transmission of various data flows to meet stipulated criteria, including permitted transport format combinations (TFCs) from a TFC set (TFCS). In first embodiment(s), the TFC is selected based on guaranteed rate transmission rates, weighted fair queuing (WFQ) transmission rates, QoS class, transport block set size (TBSS), and optionally queue fill levels. These first embodiment(s) also further refine the selection process using backlog memories corresponding to previously unmet guaranteed and/or fair transmission rates. In second embodiment(s), memory requirements are reduced by selecting a TFC based on guaranteed rate transmission rates, QoS class, TBSS, and queue fill levels, without accommodating backlogs.

Abstract: A method of sending streamed data over an IP network from a first node 1 to a second node 4, the method comprising using Internet Key Exchange (IKE) to establish an IKE security association (SA) between the first and second nodes 1,4. A shared secret is established between the first and second nodes using the IKE SA, and the streamed data encrypted at the first node 1 with a cipher using the shared secret or a key derived using the shared secret. IP datagrams are constructed containing in their payload, segments of the encrypted streamed data, the datagrams not including an IPSec header or headers. The IP datagrams are then sent from the first node 1 to the second node 4.

Abstract: A network device for implementing IPSec and comprising at least one IP forwarder (IPFW) arranged to receive IP packets each of which is associated with a Security Association (SA). The IP forwarder(s) determines the destinations of the packets, and forwards the packets to their destinations. A plurality of security procedure modules (SecProcs) are coupled to the IP forwarder(s) and are arranged to implement security procedures for received IP packets in parallel. A security controller (SC) is arranged to allocate negotiated SAs amongst the security procedure modules and to notify the security procedure modules and the IP forwarder(s) of the allocation, whereby the IP forwarder(s) can send IP packets to the security procedure module implementing the associated SA.

Abstract: For joining two cables which have an insulation of a cross-linked linear polymer such as polyethylene, the insulation on each of the two ends to be connected is tapered, the ends of the conductors are then secured to each other, and the joint is wrapped with a tape of the same linear polymer containing a cross-linking agent. The wrapping is enclosed in a tube of relatively rigid material, which is then enclosed in a tube of flexible material. The joint is then enclosed in a casing and simultaneously subjected to heating by an electric heating arrangement and to all-sided pressure exerted by a fluid, which may be a gas or a liquid such as silicone oil.