Abstract: Requests for retrieval of data items from another data processing apparatus include embedded objects having executable class functions for performing operations at the target data processing apparatus. This has the advantages of the request implicitly sending data as well as requesting data and allows the request to perform a test on data within an object (such as a comparison with parameters of the request to determine whether the request may be satisfied). Objects within the request may be embedded within each other with different encryption and compression applied to the different objects. As well as achieving communication efficiencies, the ability to selectively encrypt components of a request may be used to provide greater security. For example, a store may be able to interpret the request, while credit details may be separately encrypted such that only a bank may decrypt that subcomponent of the request.

Abstract: Requests for retrieval of data items from another data processing apparatus include embedded objects having executable class functions for performing operations at the target data processing apparatus. This has the advantages of the request implicitly sending data as well as requesting data and allows the request to perform a test on data within an object (such as a comparison with parameters of the request to determine whether the request may be satisfied). Objects within the request may be embedded within each other with different encryption and compression applied to the different objects. As well as achieving communication efficiencies, the ability to selectively encrypt components of a request may be used to provide greater security. For example, a store may be able to interpret the request, while credit details may be separately encrypted such that only a bank may decrypt that subcomponent of the request.

Abstract: Requests for retrieval of data items from another data processing apparatus include embedded objects having executable class functions for performing operations at the target data processing apparatus. This has the advantages of the request implicitly sending data as well as requesting data and allows the request to perform a test on data within an object (such as a comparison with parameters of the request to determine whether the request may be satisfied). Objects within the request may be embedded within each other with different encryption and compression applied to the different objects. As well as achieving communication efficiencies, the ability to selectively encrypt components of a request may be used to provide greater security. For example, a store may be able to interpret the request, while credit details may be separately encrypted such that only a bank may decrypt that subcomponent of the request.

Abstract: Provided are methods, computer programs and apparatus for communication in a distributed object-oriented data processing environment. Requests for retrieval of data items from another data processing apparatus include embedded objects having executable class functions for performing operations at the target data processing apparatus. This has the advantages of the request implicitly sending data as well as requesting data and allows the request to perform a test on data within an object. Objects within the request can be embedded within each other with different encryption and compression applied to the different objects. As well as achieving communication efficiencies, the ability to selectively encrypt components of a request can be used to provide greater security. For example a store may be able to interpret the request, but credit details may be separately encrypted such that only a bank can decrypt that subcomponent of the request.

Abstract: Provided are methods, computer programs and apparatus for communication in a distributed object-oriented data processing environment. Requests for retrieval of data items from another data processing apparatus include embedded objects having executable class functions for performing operations at the target data processing apparatus. This has the advantages of the request implicitly sending data as well as requesting data and allows the request to perform a test on data within an object. Objects within the request can be embedded within each other with different encryption and compression applied to the different objects. As well as achieving communication efficiencies, the ability to selectively encrypt components of a request can be used to provide greater security. For example a store may be able to interpret the request, but credit details may be separately encrypted such that only a bank can decrypt that subcomponent of the request.

Abstract: Provided are methods, computer programs and apparatus for communication in a distributed object-oriented data processing environment. Requests for retrieval of data items from another data processing apparatus include embedded objects having executable class functions for performing operations at the target data processing apparatus. This has the advantages of the request implicitly sending data as well as requesting data and allows the request to perform a test on data within a object (such as a comparison with parameters of the request to determine whether the request can be satisfied). Objects within the request can be embedded within each other with different encryption and compression applied to the different objects. As well as achieving communication efficiencies, the ability to selectively encrypt components of a request can be used to provide greater security.

Abstract: Provided are methods, computer programs and apparatus for communication in a distributed object-oriented data processing environment. Requests for retrieval of data items from another data processing apparatus include embedded objects having executable class functions for performing operations at the target data processing apparatus. This has the advantages of the request implicitly sending data as well as requesting data and allows the request to perform a test on data within an object. Objects within the request can be embedded within each other with different encryption and compression applied to the different objects. As well as achieving communication efficiencies, the ability to selectively encrypt components of a request can be used to provide greater security. For example a store may be able to interpret the request, but credit details may be separately encrypted such that only a bank can decrypt that subcomponent of the request.

Abstract: A system for controlling a first component, for example, a process, a device, a service. The system comprises means for interrogating a first parameter having an associated threshold, means for determining whether the first parameter meets the associated threshold and means, responsive to a successful determination, for adjusting a second parameter for controlling the first component. The first and second parameters are expressed as a logical expression and each parameter comprises at least three values corresponding to a minimum value and a maximum value together representing a range and a variable value.

Abstract: A system for managing at least one parameter associated with a first component (e.g. a process, a device, an application program etc.). The at least one parameter comprises at least three values corresponding to a minimum value and a maximum value together representing a range and a variable value. The system further comprises a data structure having data associated with the at least one parameter, means for accessing the data structure, means for monitoring the variable value, and means, responsive to the variable value lying within the range, for managing the at least one parameter.

Abstract: A camera system including a plurality of image capture devices and supporting output of data from data storage arrays of each image capture device in a segment-by-segment manner, with output lines arranged in an interleaved manner so that interleaving is automatically achieved without complex image processing. The interleaved image or video output of such a camera system will appear as a three dimensional image when viewed through a screen of lenticular lenses.

Abstract: A data conferencing system includes at least two computer workstations linked by a data network. Each computer workstation is able to store and display an electronic sheet, the electronic sheet being logically divided into a set of cells, each cell being able to contain a single character. A user can select a portion of the electronic sheet, a portion comprising at least one cell, and then perform different editing operations on the selected portion of the electronic sheet. Updates resulting from editing the electronic sheet are then distributed to the other computer workstations in the data conferencing system, so that all the workstations in the data conferencing system share the same electronic sheet.

Abstract: A distributed data processing system such as a retail store customer transaction network using smart cards provides an object oriented processing environment at each transaction terminal to enable smart cards of different types to be handled by loading card handling objects appropriate to cards presented and the reader to which they are presented.

Abstract: Provided are methods, computer programs and apparatus for communication in a distributed object-oriented data processing environment. Requests for retrieval of data items from another data processing apparatus include embedded objects having executable class functions for performing operations at the target data processing apparatus. This has the advantages of the request implicitly sending data as well as requesting data and allows the request to perform a test on data within a object (such as a comparison with parameters of the request to determine whether the request can be satisfied). Objects within the request can be embedded within each other with different encryption and compression applied to the different objects. As well as achieving communication efficiencies, the ability to selectively encrypt components of a request can be used to provide greater security.

Abstract: Provided are a method and a mechanism for dynamically controlling the performance of communication-related operations of a mobile device in accordance with legislative requirements of the particular location of the mobile device and the location of the computing device with which it is to communicate, and also in accordance with communication requirements of application programs at either end of the communication link. A first use of the invention is for ensuring conformance of a mobile device's communications to the cryptographic requirements of different countries, even when the device crosses a country boundary during communication.

Abstract: In a distributed data processing system each component is provided with an object orientated platform together with instantiations of a generic network object for each application involving data transmission, enabling it to run a multiplexing/demultiplexing object appropriate to each application being processed. This effectively provides multiple concurrent data “pipes” over a single physical/logical connection.

Abstract: The security and integrity of card initiated transactions are improved by encrypting processes involved in such transactions and controlling access to the processes by developing decryption keys partially from data derived from a card presented by an intending user and partially from personal data supplied by the user. In an embodiment a hierarchy of security levels provides for users of different authority to access selected processes.

Abstract: A session processing module for a server is adapted to communicate across the Internet with a plurality of clients. The processing module runs within a servlet and allocates a session identifier in response to a first input stream of a session between a client and the server; negotiates communication characteristics for the session; and instantiates, according to the communication characteristics, routines for processing subsequent session input streams containing request data and routines for generating session output streams containing response data. A variable depth of penetration to be applied to a dynamically specified quality of service for a session is enabled. Thus, in one embodiment the module relays encrypted request data for a session to a back-end server, and receives from the back-end server encrypted response data for the session for the client.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of encoding and decoding a data stream in which data type information combines with data packet length and identifier information to reduce the required length of the data stream while providing the added functionality of allowing for type checking at the receiving computer.

Abstract: The security of stored data and applications is improved by and access control system and method in which user keys for accessing the stored data/services which keys are provided to users are representative of the user's level of authority, such that there is no need to maintain a separate lookup table of user authority levels. This removes a potential security exposure from the system. The user keys are advantageously hierarchical, including data for generating a plurality of different access keys for each of a plurality of different access levels. The access keys may be decryption keys for encrypted data or application programs. The invention is applicable to SmartCard systems.

Abstract: A communications system may be used for transmitting and/or receiving data over a network. The communications system includes means responsive to requests for a desired quality of service specifying at least two quality of service parameters, such as bandwidth, latency, error rate, and so on, for determining whether or not the requested quality of service is available. The quality of service requests specify the desired quality of service in terms of logical expressions involving two or more of said at least two quality of service parameters. This allows, for example, a desired quality of service to accept a higher error rate if the available bandwidth is higher. In the preferred embodiment, each quality of service parameter is specified in terms of a range between minimum and a maximum acceptable values.