Abstract: A mechanism for raising and lowering a cooking surface within a recessed combustion chamber is provided.

Abstract: A device for authenticating an organisation requesting access to user data, comprising: network interface circuitry configured to communicate over a network, and processing circuitry configured to: receive, via the network interface circuitry, encrypted user data from an information processing apparatus; generate a unique identifier to associate with a decryption key used for decrypting the encrypted user data; provide the encrypted user data and the unique identifier to a publically available database for storage immutably therein or thereon; store the decryption key in association with the unique identifier; receive, via the network interface circuitry, a request to access the user data from an organisation; establish that the requesting organisation is an approved organisation; and in the event that the requesting organisation is an approved organisation; transmit, via the network interface circuitry, the decryption key to the requesting organisation.

Abstract: A method of mapping an object to a location in a virtual space includes acquiring objects which are to be mapped to respective locations in a virtual space and assigning each respective location in the virtual space a prominence value representing the prominence of an object at the location when the virtual space is viewed by a user. The prominence value is assigned according to a distance of each location from a reference location in the virtual space and at least one physiological characteristic of a user. The method also includes mapping each object to a respective location in the virtual space according to a priority level associated with at least some of the objects and the prominence value assigned to each respective location in the virtual space.

Abstract: A method of mapping an object to a location in a virtual space, the method comprising assigning to locations in the virtual space a prominence value representing the prominence of an object at the location when the virtual space is viewed by a user, the prominence value being assigned according to a distance from each location to a reference location in the virtual space and at least one physiological characteristic of a user, determining a purchase value for the locations in the virtual space representing a payment required to place an object at respective locations in the virtual space, the purchase value being determined at least according to the prominence value assigned to a respective location in the virtual space and in response to receiving the payment for a location in the virtual space, mapping the object to that location in the virtual space.

Abstract: A method of mapping an object to a location in a virtual space includes acquiring objects which are to be mapped to respective locations in a virtual space and assigning each respective location in the virtual space a prominence value representing the prominence of an object at the location when the virtual space is viewed by a user. The prominence value is assigned according to a distance of each location from a reference location in the virtual space and at least one physiological characteristic of a user. The method also includes mapping each object to a respective location in the virtual space according to a priority level associated with at least some of the objects and the prominence value assigned to each respective location in the virtual space.

Abstract: A method of mapping an object to a location in a virtual space, the method comprising assigning to locations in the virtual space a prominence value representing the prominence of an object at the location when the virtual space is viewed by a user, the prominence value being assigned according to a distance from each location to a reference location in the virtual space and at least one physiological characteristic of a user, determining a purchase value for the locations in the virtual space representing a payment required to place an object at respective locations in the virtual space, the purchase value being determined at least according to the prominence value assigned to a respective location in the virtual space and in response to receiving the payment for a location in the virtual space, mapping the object to that location in the virtual space.

Abstract: User equipment comprising communication circuitry configured to communicate data with infrastructure equipment and controller circuitry configured to: operate in a first mode using a first communication protocol and operate in a second mode using a second communication protocol, wherein the first communication protocol has a higher bandwidth than the second communication protocol; and switch operation from the second mode to the first mode when the user equipment is at or below a threshold speed.

Abstract: A method of mapping an object to a location in a virtual space includes acquiring objects which are to be mapped to respective locations in a virtual space and assigning each respective location in the virtual space a prominence value representing the prominence of an object at the location when the virtual space is viewed by a user. The prominence value is assigned according to a distance of each location from a reference location in the virtual space and at least one physiological characteristic of a user. The method also includes mapping each object to a respective location in the virtual space according to a priority level associated with at least some of the objects and the prominence value assigned to each respective location in the virtual space.

Abstract: A communications system comprises a client device and a server device; the server device comprising server communication circuitry configured to establish a server-authenticated first encrypted data path between the client device and the server device; and the client device comprising client communication circuitry configured to provide client-specific information to the server device using the first encrypted data path; the server communication circuitry being configured to use the client-specific information provided by the client device to establish a second encrypted data path between the server device and the client device, the second encrypted data path being authenticated by at least the client device.

Abstract: A device for authenticating an organisation requesting access to user data, comprising: network interface circuitry configured to communicate over a network, and processing circuitry configured to: receive, via the network interface circuitry, encrypted user data from an information processing apparatus; generate a unique identifier to associate with a decryption key used for decrypting the encrypted user data; provide the encrypted user data and the unique identifier to a publically available database for storage immutably therein or thereon; store the decryption key in association with the unique identifier; receive, via the network interface circuitry, a request to access the user data from an organisation; establish that the requesting organisation is an approved organisation; and in the event that the requesting organisation is an approved organisation; transmit, via the network interface circuitry, the decryption key to the requesting organisation.

Abstract: Techniques are presented for clustering data storage including (a) announcing, using zeroconf, to a local network, a service provided by a DSA and an unreserved state of the DSA, the service being of a clusterable data storage type, (b) receiving a cluster command from a configuration management device connected to the local network, the cluster command directing the DSA to join a storage cluster to present combined storage of the DSA and at least one other DSA, and (c) in response to receiving the cluster command: (1) announcing to the local network via L2 multicasting that the DSA has entered a reserved state using zeroconf, (2) afterwards, performing configuration operations including updating system parameters, resulting in the DSA becoming part of the storage cluster, and (3) while in the reserved state, receiving another cluster command directing the DSA to join another storage cluster, and, in response, refusing the other cluster command.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus comprising processor circuitry, the processor circuitry being configured: to determine whether a decision associated with a process executable by the processor circuitry is to be made; in response to determining that the decision is to be made, to determine one of a plurality of predetermined actions to be executed based on a previously indicated action executable in response to the decision to be made at the data processing apparatus or at one or more other data processing apparatuses connected to the data processing apparatus; and to execute the determined predetermined action.

Abstract: A video content replay apparatus comprises a first video content player operable to playback video content comprising a plurality of images to be displayed at respective display times; load a second video content player in response to the initiation of the playback of the video content by the first video content player; and transfer control of the playback of the video content from the first video content player to a second video content player such that the plurality of images displayed by the second video content player are each displayed at their respective display times as if they had been displayed by the first video content player and the first image of the plurality of images displayed by the second video content player and the last image of the plurality of images displayed by the first video content player are sequential images in the video content.

Abstract: Techniques are presented for clustering data storage including (a) announcing, using zeroconf, to a local network, a service provided by a DSA and an unreserved state of the DSA, the service being of a clusterable data storage type, (b) receiving a cluster command from a configuration management device connected to the local network, the cluster command directing the DSA to join a storage cluster to present combined storage of the DSA and at least one other DSA, and (c) in response to receiving the cluster command: (1) announcing to the local network via L2 multicasting that the DSA has entered a reserved state using zeroconf, (2) afterwards, performing configuration operations including updating system parameters, resulting in the DSA becoming part of the storage cluster, and (3) while in the reserved state, receiving another cluster command directing the DSA to join another storage cluster, and, in response, refusing the other cluster command.

Abstract: Examples are disclosed herein that relate to updating stylus firmware. One example provides a method of performing a stylus firmware upgrade in an interactive display system including a display and a stylus comprising sending, from the display, a signal to the stylus causing the stylus to enter a listen mode, while the stylus operates in the listen mode, sending, from the display, a firmware upgrade notification to the stylus configured for receipt by the listen mode, receiving, at the display, a reply to the firmware upgrade notification from the stylus, determining, at the display, whether the reply was received within a predetermined time range, and, responsive to determining that the reply was received within the predetermined time range, initiating transfer of a firmware update to the stylus if a newer firmware version is available.

Abstract: A method of mapping an object to a location in a virtual space, the method comprising assigning to locations in the virtual space a prominence value representing the prominence of an object at the location when the virtual space is viewed by a user, the prominence value being assigned according to a distance from each location to a reference location in the virtual space and at least one physiological characteristic of a user, determining a purchase value for the locations in the virtual space representing a payment required to place an object at respective locations in the virtual space, the purchase value being determined at least according to the prominence value assigned to a respective location in the virtual space and in response to receiving the payment for a location in the virtual space, mapping the object to that location in the virtual space.

Abstract: Examples are provided for measuring force applied to a device, such as a stylus tip. An example stylus includes a stylus body, a stylus tip, and the stylus tip including a light emitting device and a compressible light reflecting optic, the light emitting device comprising a light emitter and a light detector, and the compressible light reflecting optic comprising a first reflective layer configured to (i) allow a first portion of light from the light emitting device to pass and (ii) to reflect a second portion of light from the light emitting device, and a second reflective layer, more reflective than the first reflective layer, configured to reflect light from the light emitting device, the first layer being spaced from the second layer by a light-transmissive material. A force exerted on the stylus tip is measurable based at least on a parameter of light received at the light detector.

Abstract: A communications system comprises a client device and a server device; the server device comprising server communication circuitry configured to establish a server-authenticated first encrypted data path between the client device and the server device; and the client device comprising client communication circuitry configured to provide client-specific information to the server device using the first encrypted data path; the server communication circuitry being configured to use the client-specific information provided by the client device to establish a second encrypted data path between the server device and the client device, the second encrypted data path being authenticated by at least the client device.

Abstract: User equipment comprising communication circuitry configured to communicate data with infrastructure equipment and controller circuitry configured to: operate in a first mode using a first communication protocol and operate in a second mode using a second communication protocol, wherein the first communication protocol has a higher bandwidth than the second communication protocol; and switch operation from the second mode to the first mode when the user equipment is at or below a threshold speed.

Abstract: A connection device for computing devices is described. In one or more implementations, a connection device comprises a plurality of connection portions that are physically and communicatively coupled, one to another. Each of the plurality of connection portions has at least one communication contact configured to form a communicative coupling with a respective one of a plurality of computing devices and with at least one other communication contact of another one of the connections portions to support communication between the plurality of computing devices. Each of the plurality of connection portions also includes a magnetic coupling device to form a removable magnetic attachment to the respective one of the plurality of computing devices.