Abstract: Provided herein are mutant strains of Neisseria meningitidis which produce Kdo-free lipid A as well as the Kdo-free lipid A molecules and immunogenic compositions containing such Kdo-free lipid A molecules from a Neisseria strain containing a genetically stable mutation which inactivates a gene selected from the group consisting of genes encoding arabinose-5-phosphate isomerase, CMP-Kdo synthetase and CMP-Kdo transferase. N. meningitidis NMB206 is a specifically exemplified strain which harbors a stable insertion mutation in the gene (ApsF) encoding A5P isomerase; strain NMB-249 is a specifically exemplified strain with a stable insertion mutation in the gene (kdtA) encoding CMP-Kdo synthetase, and strain NMB259 is specifically exemplified strain with a stable insertion mutation in the gene (kdsB) encoding CMP-Kdo transferase. Also provided by the present invention are methods for the production of Lipid A flee of 3-keto-3-deoxyoctanoic acid using these genetically stable N. meningitidis mutants.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for the repair of IP multicast sessions. A repair server polls multiple transmit servers to accumulate as many of the packets missing from the multicast session as possible. A network includes a source of multicast packets in a multicast session and a plurality of multicast recipients in that session. A repair server in the network provides the packets it receives to the recipients. The repair server includes a missing packet detector. There is a plurality of retransmit servers in the network buffering portions of the packets they respectively receive during the session. The repair server maintains an ordered list of the retransmit servers that are most likely to have buffered copies of packets missing from the session. When the repair server detects that there are packets missing from the session it has received, it uses the ordered list to sequentially request the missing packets from respective ones of the plurality of retransmit servers.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for the repair of IP multicast sessions. A repair server polls multiple transmit servers to accumulate as many of the packets missing from the multicast session as possible. A network includes a source of multicast packets in a multicast session and a plurality of multicast recipients in that session. A repair server in the network provides the packets it receives to the recipients. The repair server includes a missing packet detector. There is a plurality of retransmit servers in the network buffering portions of the packets they respectively receive during the session. The repair server maintains an ordered list of the retransmit servers that are most likely to have buffered copies of packets missing from the session. When the repair server detects that there are packets missing from the session it has received, it uses the ordered list to sequentially request the missing packets from respective ones of the plurality of retransmit servers.

Abstract: An improved system is achieved in a cellular arrangement where mobile units employ a moveable slot TDM approach to send packets to base stations, and where the base stations use a non-contention approach. When a base station transmits information packets to different mobile units, it merely queues the packets and transmits over a given channel. In a corresponding inbound channel, the mobile units transmit packets to the base station using the MSTDM protocol. The base station also transmits information regarding whether the inbound frequency is occupied by a signal that is being transmitted to the base station, or whether a collision exists. A collision on an inbound frequency occurs when more than one signal is simultaneously transmitted on the inbound frequency. On an additional control channel that is shared by all base stations, the base station sends information in a TDM fashion.

Abstract: An improved system is achieved in a cellular arrangement where mobile units employ a moveable slot TDM approach to send packets to base stations, and where the base stations use a non-contention approach. When a base station transmits information packets to different mobile units, it merely queues the packets and transmits over a given channel. In a corresponding inbound channel, the mobile units transmit packets to the base station using the MSTDM protocol. The base station also transmits information regarding whether the inbound frequency is occupied by a signal that is being transmitted to the base station, or whether a collision exists. A collision on an inbound frequency occurs when more than one signal is simultaneously transmitted on the inbound frequency. On an additional control channel that is shared by all base stations, the base station sends information in a TDM fashion.

Abstract: A distributed architecture for a future global Internet stock exchange utilizes a modified timed Reliable Multicast Protocol comprising geographically distributed backbone nodes and trading nodes regionally connected to backbone nodes so that multicast messages are received at the same time in a two tier distribution network. The architecture together with a timed reliable multicast protocol has characteristics such as periodic token passing appropriate for the market data distribution application so that trading sites are equally treated by the protocol. The protocol is modified/enhanced to provide time synchronous emission of data and improved scalability. Grades of service may be provided as between nodes which comprise trading nodes and individuals receiving data from such nodes.

Abstract: An improved cellular arrangement is created with mobile units that are responsive to control signals that direct the mobile units to modify the rate of packet transmissions in case of channel overload. A mobile unit in such an arrangement encodes either the speech signal, or only a portion thereof that is sufficient to reproduce a lower fidelity speech which is still intelligible—and at a lower rate. In another embodiment, the mobile unit creates a second stream of packets, also at a lower rate. The second stream complements the first stream of packets in its lower rate form, to allow reproducing the speech signal with high fidelity. Operationally, such a mobile unit is responsive to a base station which, under overload conditions, directs the mobile unit to transmit packets at the lower rate (and the lower fidelity). Optionally, the base station can also directs the mobile unit to send the second stream of packets over a different channel.

Abstract: Improved performance is achieved for cellular systems with an arrangement where mobile units transmit information in packet format. A base station routes received packets to switching agents identified by the packets, and the switching agents forward the information contained in the packets to a wired network. The switching agent thus forms the interface between the packet switched portion of the cellular system and the wired network, which may be a circuit switched network. The routing of packets to switching agents allows the system to dedicate one agent to each mobile unit known to the system. It also allows a mobile unit's switching agent to remain wherever it is hosted even when the mobile unit moves from cell to cell, causing different base stations to receive the mobile unit's packets. The routing of packets is achieved with a routing network, which preferably is immune to single failures.

Abstract: An improved cellular arrangement is created with mobile units that are responsive to control signals that direct the mobile units to modify the rate of packet transmissions in case of channel overload. A mobile unit in such an arrangement encodes either the speech signal, or only a portion thereof that is sufficient to reproduce a lower fidelity speech which is still intelligible--and at a lower rate. In another embodiment, the mobile unit creates a second stream of packets, also at a lower rate. The second stream complements the first stream of packets in its lower rate form, to allow reproducing the speech signal with high fidelity. Operationally, such a mobile unit is responsive to a base station which, under overload conditions, directs the mobile unit to transmit packets at the lower rate (and the lower fidelity). Optionally, the base station can also directs the mobile unit to send the second stream of packets over a different channel.

Abstract: A methodology for allocation of transmission capacity in communications networks is provided wherein a collection of constant rate channels is implemented between end points in the network. In that methodology, periodic sources are assigned channels of bandwidth corresponding to the transmission rate for each such source, and bursty sources are assigned to channels providing bandwidth corresponding to a minimum service guarantee for each such bursty source. Channel capacity assigned to periodic services which is not needed by such sources is then made available to bursty sources for accommodating capacity requirements of such bursty sources over and above the minimum service guarantee.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet stack container comprising opposed vertical walls between which sheets are stacked and a sheet feeder for feeding sheets off the top of the stack in a direction between the walls and parallel with the walls. The container includes a platform for elevating the stack into contact with the sheet feeder, and pusher members in one of the walls for urging the stack against the other wall. The pusher members are positioned at or near the top of the stack, and act only on a minor proportion of the stack height when the maximum stack height is contained in the container. First and second pusher members are provided, the first pusher member being urged towards the stack by a relatively strong spring, and acting on sheets near the top of the stack, but not on the sheets nearest the top of the stack, and the second pusher member being urged towards the stack by a relatively light spring, and acting on the sheets nearest the top of the stack.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sheet feed apparatus which is particularly, although not exclusively, useful in a xerographic copying machine. The apparatus includes a roller assembly including first and second rollers, the first roller being arranged to engage the top sheet in a stack of sheets and advance the sheet to a nip defined between the second roller and a retard member. The roller assembly is attachable to a support such as a feedhead cover, by means of a snap-in connection whereby, when assembled to the support way, the second roller is operably coupled to a drive gear. In order to facilitate connections between a drive shaft through the second roller and the drive gear, the drive shaft is biassed towards the drive means by a compression spring, and is mounted for movement along the axis of the second roller against the bias of the compression spring.

Abstract: A laser printer has a circulating photoreceptor belt 20 and a transfer station 4 at which toner images are transferred from the belt to copy sheets. Each copy sheet is registered, upstream of the transfer station 4, in the nip of registration rolls 12 before being fed to the transfer station. The copy sheet is fed to the registration rolls 12 (which at that time are stationary) by feed rolls 13, 14 which continue to rotate so that a buckle is formed in the sheet to assist in removing any de-skew. When the sheet has been registered, the registration rolls 12 are rotated and, initially, are accelerated to a speed about 20% greater than the normal operating speed. That has the effect of decreasing the amount of buckle in the sheet before the trail end of the sheet reaches the registration rolls. When the buckle has been reduced, the speed of the rolls is reduced to the normal operating level, which is typically about the same as the speed of the photoreceptor belt.

Abstract: An audio production console has a plurality of input modules connected between an input and a common output bus. The modules are identical, and contain a plurality of circuits for carrying out functions on a signal from the corresponding input. A central control unit is connected to each of the modules and controls selected circuits of the units, to control the operation of the module. In this way the functions carried out by the modules are freely selectable, and hence the switching of circuits within each module may be simplified. This enables the normal separate monitor section of an audio production console to be omitted from each module, simplifying the module and the operation of the console as a whole.