Abstract: A method for adjusting prices for services is provided. One or more processors make a determination of an amount of requesters for a service at a given time and an amount of available service providers for providing the service at the given time. A price, relative to a default price, for using the service provided by one or more service providers is adjusted based on the determined amount of requesters and the determined amount of available service providers. Pricing data corresponding to the adjusted price is transmitted to one or more requesting devices or one or more provider devices so that the adjusted price can be displayed on at least one of the one or more requesting devices or the one or more provider devices and be indicative of an adjustment in price as compared to the default price.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention enable a client device to procure trustworthy device claims describing one or more attributes of the client device, have those device claims included in a data structure having a format suitable for processing by an application, and use the data structure which includes the device claims in connection with a request to access the application. The application may use the device claims to drive any of numerous types of application functionality, such as security-related and/or other functionality.

Abstract: A distributed system in which time-dependent credentials are supplied by controllers that operate according to different local times. Errors that might arise from the controllers generating inconsistent credentials because of time skew are avoided by identifying credentials generated during transition intervals in which different ones of the controllers may generate different credentials at the same absolute time. During a transition interval, controllers and other devices may use credentials differentially based on the nature of the authentication function. Each controller may periodically renew its credentials based on self-scheduled renewals or based on requests from other devices, such that renewal times are offset by random delays to avoid excessive network traffic. Controllers may determine which credential is valid for any given time, based on a cryptographically secure key associated with that time and information identifying the entity that is associated with that credential.

Abstract: A distributed system in which time-dependent credentials are supplied by controllers that operate according to different local times. Errors that might arise from the controllers generating inconsistent credentials because of time skew are avoided by identifying credentials generated during transition intervals in which different ones of the controllers may generate different credentials at the same absolute time. During a transition interval, controllers and other devices may use credentials differentially based on the nature of the authentication function. Each controller may periodically renew its credentials based on self-scheduled renewals or based on requests from other devices, such that renewal times are offset by random delays to avoid excessive network traffic. Controllers may determine which credential is valid for any given time, based on a cryptographically secure key associated with that time and information identifying the entity that is associated with that credential.

Abstract: A distributed system in which time-dependent credentials are supplied by controllers that operate according to different local times. Errors that might arise from the controllers generating inconsistent credentials because of time skew are avoided by identifying credentials generated during transition intervals in which different ones of the controllers may generate different credentials at the same absolute time. During a transition interval, controllers and other devices may use credentials differentially based on the nature of the authentication function. Each controller may periodically renew its credentials based on self-scheduled renewals or based on requests from other devices, such that renewal times are offset by random delays to avoid excessive network traffic. Controllers may determine which credential is valid for any given time, based on a cryptographically secure key associated with that time and information identifying the entity that is associated with that credential.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention make the issuance of trustworthy device claims available to client devices as a service, so that a client device to which device claims are issues may use the device claims in relation to an attempt to access a network application. The service may conduct an assessment of the device's characteristics and/or state, characterize the results of this assessment in device claims, and issue the device claims to the device. The service may be accessible to a client device from outside administrative boundaries of an entity that makes a network application accessible, and thus may be useful to entities making network applications accessible in business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) topologies, such as over the publicly accessible Internet.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention enable a client device to procure trustworthy device claims describing one or more attributes of the client device, have those device claims included in a data structure having a format suitable for processing by an application, and use the data structure which includes the device claims in connection with a request to access the application. The application may use the device claims to drive any of numerous types of application functionality, such as security-related and/or other functionality.

Abstract: An interface connects data processing components and data memories that support data transfer at different data rates. The interface handles complex timing and asynchronous delays associated with these different rates of data transfer. The interface may be used to connect data processing components that operate at 133 MHz with DDR SDRAM devices that operate at 200 MHz to 266 MHz data rates.

Abstract: A check valve is positioned in and between opposed tube ends and includes a valve body having a valve seat engageable by a valve element having a stem extending centrally of peripherally spaced apart elements interconnected by an annular end shoulder engaged by a keeper which receives the outer end of the valve stem and holds a coil spring against the valve element. The valve assembly is disassembled by manipulating the keeper against the spring out of engagement with the annular end shoulder.

Abstract: A check valve is positioned in and between opposed tube ends and includes a valve body having a valve seat engageable by a valve element having a stem extending centrally of peripherally spaced apart elements interconnected by an annular end shoulder engaged by a keeper which receives the outer end of the valve stem and holds a coil spring against the valve element. The valve assembly is disassembled by manipulating the keeper against the spring out of engagement with the annular end shoulder.

Abstract: The graphics data processing apparatus performs graphic data processing operations by combining data from two image arrays in accordance with a predetermined operation. This raster operation involves forming an image array having a pixel color code for each pixel of the combined image array formed from a combination of the color codes of corresponding pixels of the source and destination image arrays. The present invention includes a pair of data registers which define the difference in memory address between vertically adjacent pixels for the respective image arrays. This difference in memory address between vertically adjacent pixels is called the pitch and corresponds generally to the width of the display image in address space when any horizontal blanking interval is taken into account. In the present invention such raster operations can be performed on data which is stored in formats of differing pitch.

Abstract: A video memory controller controls a DRAM (dynamic random access memory) used as a video memory and as a system memory. The video memory and the video memory controller are normally a part of a video system which includes a data processor, the video memory, the video memory controller, a CRT controller and a CRT display device. The video memory controller includes a row address latch for storing a row address from the data processor, a column address latch for storing a column address from the data processor, a refresh address register for storing a memory refresh address and a display update generator for sequentially generating the addresses necessary for update of the CRT display. A multiplexer couples the proper address to the video memory under control of a memory cycle generator which generates the timing of the memory refresh and display update. An arbiter device enables only one of the possible memory cycles at a time.