Abstract: A method of automatically distributing data messages to members of a user community involves selecting, from a list of distribution rules, a rule which meets certain criteria in terms of message distribution characteristics. The selected rule determines which members of the user community will receive the message and when. For example, in a first round, a first subset of the user community receive the message and each is prompted to provide feedback data in relation to the message, for example to say that the message is offensive, already answered or if there is someone else who can deal with the message. This feedback data is applied to the selected distribution rule to determine to whom the message is sent in the next round. The process continues over a number of rounds until a termination criterion is met.

Abstract: Methods and systems for allocating a network resource such as bandwidth between a plurality of network applications, comprising steps of obtaining, for each of said plurality of network applications, parameters defining a quality function indicative of quality of service obtainable as a function of the amount of said network resource available to that network application; and dividing a total available amount of said network resource into respective individual allocations to allocate to each respective network application such as to maximise a combined quality measure derived from a weighted sum of said quality functions.

Abstract: A virtual network has a plurality of nodes. Each node has the capability to provide a service to another node. Each node maintains a list for storing entries each representing a link to another node; each entry contains the address of the other node and a label identifying a service that that other node may provide. Each node also has a store for storing messages received from other nodes, these messages serving to propose a link and containing the identity of the node originating the message, a label identifying a service that that other node may provide and a label identifying a service that that other node requires. When a node needs a service that it is not itself able to provide, it searches the link list for a link having a label that matches the service needed, and in the event that such a link is found it transmits to the node identified by the link a message requesting the service.

Abstract: The location or identification of a waveguide is determined, in particular where a disturbance is applied to the optical waveguide. This is achieved by: (a) monitoring the waveguide at a first location to sense a disturbance along the waveguide; (b) causing a disturbance to the waveguide at a second location; (c) transmitting a sensor signal to the second location; and (d) inferring, from the sensor signal, the presence or identity of the waveguide at the second location.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sensing system, in particular to sensing system for sensing undersea seismic events. A vibration sensor is provided for sensing seismic vibrations on the sea bed is provided. The vibration sensor is electrically coupled to a transmitter unit, the transmitter unit being arranged to transmit, in use, an acoustic wave from which the presence of a seismic vibration can be inferred. The acoustic wave modulates light travelling along a nearby optical cable, the modulation being recovered at a distant monitoring station. A flotation arrangement is provide for retaining the transmitter unit in a raised position relative to the sea bed to facilitate the coupling of the acoustic wave to the optical cable.

Abstract: An information processing system includes: a first data pool containing information in the form of data items; a plurality of processing elements disposed within the first data pool for processing data items; and a system controller arranged to control the processing elements to take selectively at least one data item from a plurality of data items in the first data pool of the processing elements is arranged to perform, autonomously and asynchronously, a respective operation on its selected at least one data item and produce a resultant data item, and to place the resultant data item into the first data pool. In a preferred embodiment, a second data pool is separated from the first data pool by a boundary and a transfer mechanism governs transfer of data items between the data pools.

Abstract: A method of forming a template of an image of an object includes the steps of: detecting occurrences of at least one feature type within the image which meet a respective criterion; for each such occurrence, determining a feature position which is a point within the image at which the occurrence of the feature type is to be considered as being located; and constructing a structural mesh of links between the feature positions. A method is also disclosed of forming a template derived from a plurality of templates formed from respective images of different members of the class of objects and combining the templates to form a generalized template. In particular the templates are combined using a genetic algorithm. The invention provides a method of forming a template from one or more images which does not rely on a priori assumptions about the salient features of the object for which a template is to be obtained.