Abstract: A method and system for networking a plurality of appliances. The method and system include providing an appliance on a network, controlling operation of the appliance with a microcontroller, storing on a memory coupled with the microcontroller, computer executable instructions for operating the appliance, sensing the operation of the appliance, displaying information regarding the operation of the appliance, and communicating the operational data on a network. Network connectivity includes communication directly with a network, and with another appliance. A host system is connected to the network and adapted to receive the usage data and to transmit data to the appliance to influence operation of the appliance.

Abstract: A system and method for increasing the effective bandwidth of a communications network is provided by overlaying a “super” transport and caching structure over the conventional TCP/IP communications network, for example, the Internet, which increases the transfer rate of information in the communications network. The “super” transport and caching structure includes software or hardware or both added to at least two modules separated by a communications link in the communications network. The net result is that the users of the communications network have their time to access and/or retrieve information significantly reduced, and the communications network, particularly a large network, e.g., the Internet, becomes an efficient means of performing commercial transactions by both businesses and individuals.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically detecting and recovering from a fault in a microprocessor-based system. The apparatus and method utilizes a leaky bucket routine and an event handler procedure. The method may further use Object Oriented techniques that abstracts differences between hardware and software faults to allow for the development of a common framework.

Abstract: Transmission of messages composed on one or more input devices to a single or multiple recipients by means of one or plural communication modes is facilitated. Such communication modes may include conventional or wireless telephone, facsimile transmission, pager, e-mail, postal mail or courier. An application program interface (API) mediates between remote applications requesting messaging functions and a message server that actually implements these functions. The API is capable of processing high-volume requests for message routing, status information, and various other functions on an automated basis, enabling businesses to make routine use of these functions.

Abstract: A system and method for increasing the effective bandwidth of a communications network is provided by overlaying a “super” transport and caching structure over the conventional TCP/IP communications network, for example, the Internet, which increases the transfer rate of information in the communications network. The “super” transport and caching structure includes software or hardware or both added to at least two modules separated by a communications link in the communications network. The net result is that the users of the communications network have their time to access and/or retrieve information significantly reduced, and the communications network, particularly a large network, e.g., the Internet, becomes an efficient means of performing commercial transactions by both businesses and individuals.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for reducing the time a user needs to wait for information requested from a remote server on a communications network, for example, a Web server on the Internet. In an exemplary embodiment the system is user centric and the goal is to keep all data the user needs as the close to the user as practical. The user's characteristics and usage patterns are used to determine what to cache and for how long, what to pre-fetch, what to refresh, and what to retrieve. In addition, by segmenting information and utilizing parallel communication channels, data transfer across the last mile can be significantly increased.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for increasing the efficiency of information transfer in a network and for modifying application data in a data stream from a server to a user. In an exemplary embodiment application data, e.g., HTML, XML, SGML, scripts, or other software code, coming from a Web server at the request of a user, can be parsed into elements by an intermediary server located between the user's PC and the Web server. The intermediary server can modify, delete, add, search for, filter, or replace one or more of the elements based on a set of user defined rules and forward the changed application data to the user.