Abstract: A dongle 4 is attached to a USB port 8 of computer 2 through USB connector 6. The dongle in suspend mode wakes periodically, sends a polling signal, and if it receives a response the dongle enters an active mode. In embodiments, the dongle 4 uses an active scan request as the polling signal and receives a beacon frame as a response. When the dongle enters an active mode after receiving a response the dongle then wakes the computer 2 from its suspend mode. The dongle draws minimal current meeting the USB specifications.

Abstract: A printer (21a) has a toner cartridge (30a) with a toner level detector (30b). A comparator (31) can detect when toner level is low, and a signaller (32) signals this to a PC (22) over a LAN. In the PC, signals from multiple printers (21a, 21b) are aggregated by an aggregator (34), which compiles a composite order. Automatic or manual filtering may be used before compiling the composite order. A signal constituting an order for replacement components is then sent by a messenger (39) over the internet (24) to a supplier website or e-mail address (26).

Abstract: A method for routing messages (80) having a short routing indicator across linked master/slave configured piconets (10,20,30). Each piconet stores a routing table (62) and at each hop a receiving master node (22) performs a reception algorithm (110) on the routing indicator, the result enabling the receiving node to identify a target node and whether that node is local to the receiving piconet or a node accessible through a piconet with which the receiving piconet is linked. In the latter instance, the receiving node performs a transmission rule (120) on the result to generate a new routing indicator which is then transmitted with the message to the identified piconet.

Abstract: A radio communication system (20) is described having a primary-secondary star-like topology, and wherein further secondary stations/devices (24) located outside of the radio coverage area (13) of the primary station are enabled to communicate with the primary station (12) via a first secondary station (22) located within the coverage area of the primary station (12). This is achieved by the first secondary station (22) registering the further secondary station(s) with both itself and the primary station (12), following which messages are exchanged between the primary station and the further secondary station(s) via the first secondary station according to translation of identity codes allocated at the time of registration.