Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, an apparatus includes a housing having a cavity configured to receive a plug. The apparatus includes a plurality of conductive pins each configured to contact a respective one of a plurality of conductive pins on the plug when the plug is inserted into the cavity. The apparatus also includes a discharge conductor system configured to contact at least one of the plurality of the conductive pins on the plug before complete insertion of the plug into the cavity and a discharge circuit coupling the discharge conductor system to ground.

Abstract: A method for distributing and maintaining network presence information is presented. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a user logs onto the Internet and transmits to an Internet Presence Information Server (IPIS) his/her presence information, a list of peers (individual network users) whose network presence are of interest to the user, and a request for a list of peers interested in the user's network presence. The IPIS then responds to the user with both a list including the last known Internet Protocol (IP) address for each peer the user is interested in and a list of peers interested in the user's Internet presence. No further communication between the user and IPIS is required after the IPIS responds to the user with these two lists. The user then attempts to directly contact the peers on the first list received from the IPIS by confirming and authenticating the received IP addresses.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for preventing security vulnerabilities resulting from buffer overruns. According to one embodiment of the present invention, CALL is modified to place a return address on the stack, and then a random amount of space is added to the stack. This random value is placed in a known place on the stack, or kept in a non-accessible CPU register. The rest of the stack is built normally. When RET is called it finds the number of bytes added to the stack and finds the return address on the stack and returns as normal. This method allows a simple hardware solution that will not be visible to the software, yet provide a powerful deterrent to hackers looking to exploit buffer overrun vulnerabilities in software. Without any software modifications we would be able to deter a significant number of buffer overrun attacks. By affecting components lower on the environment it is possible to influence a larger set of software.

Abstract: Accessing a private network includes receiving a request from a device across a public network at a first network component to establish a connection between the device and a private network and determining if the device is authorized to connect with the private network. If the device is authorized, the request is forwarded from the first network component to a second network component and the second network component creates a temporary connection between the private network and the device via the first network component.

Abstract: A method for distributing and maintaining network presence information is presented. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a user logs onto the Internet and transmits to an Internet Presence Information Server (IPIS) his/her presence information, a list of peers (individual network users) whose network presence are of interest to the user, and a request for a list of peers interested in the user's network presence. The IPIS then responds to the user with both a list including the last known Internet Protocol (IP) address for each peer the user is interested in and a list of peers interested in the user's Internet presence. No further communication between the user and IPIS is required after the IPIS responds to the user with these two lists. The user then attempts to directly contact the peers on the first list received from the IPIS by confirming and authenticating the received IP addresses.

Abstract: An improved dual-connector cable for connecting a computer to a serial instrumentation bus. In one embodiment, the serial instrumentation bus is a fieldbus, preferably either a Foundation fieldbus or a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus. The cable comprises a first terminal located at a first end of the cable for coupling the cable to the computer. The first terminal comprises a device connector which is configured to connect the first terminal to a connector on the computer. The cable also comprises a second terminal located at a second end of the cable for coupling the cable to the serial instrumentation bus. The second terminal comprises interface circuitry for interfacing the cable with the serial instrumentation bus. The second terminal further comprises a first bus connector that is electrically coupled to the serial instrumentation interface circuitry. The first bus connector is configured to connect to a mating connector for coupling to the serial instrumentation bus.

Abstract: A subscriber loop tester for testing local loops of telephone switching networks has a partitioned "U" interface and an internal bus architecture for converting various transceiver circuit output data formats to a common data format. The "U" interface has a high impedance transformer meeting bandwidth and line matching requirements for different line codes and protocols for ISDN telecommunication systems. The transformer is selectively coupled to option cards each containing circuitry having AC and DC terminations matching specific line codes and protocols for ISDN telecommunications systems and other types of telecommunications systems. The option cards further contain programmable attenuators for producing a proper nominal signal level as a function of the specific line code and protocol and providing variable insertion loss. A high speed bus is selectively coupled to the option cards for coupling the formatted transceiver circuit output data between the cards and a digital bus translator.

Abstract: Phosphorus-vanadium mixed oxide oxidation catalysts are prepared by introducing a substantially pentavalent vanadium-containing compound and a pentavalent phosphorus-containing compound into an alcohol medium capable of reducing the vanadium to a valence state less than +5 in the presence of an alcohol-modifying agent to form a phosphorus-vanadium mixed oxide catalyst precursor. The catalyst precursor is recovered, dried, formed into desired structures, and calcined at temperatures from about 250.degree. C. to about 600.degree. C. The catalysts are highly effective in that they exhibit a weight/weight productivity of at least 70 grams of maleic anhydride per kilogram of catalyst per hour.

Abstract: Maleic anhydride is produced by the oxidation of a non-aromatic hydrocarbon having at least four carbon atoms in a straight chain with molecular oxygen or a molecular oxygen-containing gas in the vapor phase in the presence of a phosphorus-vanadium mixed oxide oxidation catalyst. Such catalysts are prepared by introducing a substantially pentavalent vanadium-containing compound and a pentavalent phosphorus-containing compound into an alcohol medium capable of reducing the vanadium to a valence state less than +5 in the presence of an alcohol-modifying agent to form a phosphorus-vanadium mixed oxide catalyst precursor. The catalyst precursor is recovered, dried, formed into desired structures, and calcined at temperatures from about 250.degree. C. to about 600.degree. C. The catalysts are highly effective in that they exhibit a weight/weight productivity of at least 70 grams of maleic anhydride per kilogram of catalyst per hour.

Abstract: Catalysts useful for the partial oxidation of non-aromatic hydrocarbons, particularly n-butane, with molecular oxygen or a molecular oxygen-containing gas in the vapor phase to produce maleic anhydride are provided which comprise mixed oxides of phosphorus and vanadium. The catalysts are highly effective in that they exhibit a weight/weight productivity of at least 70 grams of maleic anhydride per kilogram of catalyst per hour.

Abstract: A wall-mounted fork lift has a pair of support arms hingedly affixed to support members which move up and down along a pair of guide rails mounted on a vertical wall. The support arms are mounted for movement to a rest position in close proximity with the wall and to an operating position perpendicular to the wall. The support arms have pallet-supporting devices extending therefrom for supporting a loaded pallet between them.

Abstract: Provisions are taken to counter nitrogen oxide fumes produced in catalyst preparation involving metal nitrate decomposition, as by including urea or another scavenger, or by delaying calcining until used as catalyst in treating auto exhaust.

Abstract: A catalyzed process for the preparation of monomeric and/or polymeric compounds such as esters, polyesters, ester-amides, and polyester-polyamides which result from the reaction of an imide and an alcohol in the presence of an amine or Group IVA, IB, IVB, VB, VIB, and VIII organometal compound, imide-alcohol condensation catalyst.