Abstract: A method of controlling the connection of a collection of a plurality of electricity providing devices to an electrical power network is described. In this, the plurality of electricity providing devices having a communication line therebetween and the method comprises receiving a message at a first electricity providing device from a controlling device and, in response to the message: connecting the first electricity providing device to the electrical power network; and sending, from the first electricity providing device to a second electricity providing device, a second message containing data in response to which the second electricity providing device is connected to the electrical power network.

Abstract: A demodulator device and a method of operating the demodulator device where the demodulator device runs a loaded operating system and operates a communication protocol enabling a host application to control the demodulator device. The demodulator device is configured to respond to receipt of an abort command of the communication protocol by carrying out an abort process which stops current operations and reinitializes the loaded operating system.

Abstract: A method of controlling power to a plurality of devices on an energy network, wherein each device has an identifier which uniquely identifies the device on the network, the method comprising: forming a group of devices from said plurality of devices; and controlling the power of other devices in said group in accordance with the state of the power supplied to a first device in said group.

Abstract: A method of controlling power to a plurality of devices on an energy network, wherein each device has an identifier which uniquely identifies the device on the network, the method comprising: generating a profile of the power associated with each device over a given time frame; and controlling the power to each device in accordance with the profile at a corresponding time frame on a different occasion.

Abstract: A method is provided for managing energy. The method comprises collecting information relating to amounts of energy stored by a plurality of members of a group, and relating to energy requirements of the members. The method further comprises determining a price for distributing energy to a non-member of the group, determining whether to supply energy stored by the members to the non-member at the determined price, and issuing instructions to distribute energy upon determining that energy stored by the plurality of members should be supplied to the non-member.

Abstract: A distribution system including, for connection over a network a plurality of client upload devices, each client upload device storing one or more chunks of a content file, a client download device configured to download from the client upload devices chunks of the content file stored by the respective client upload devices and an incentive device configured to generate token data packets exchangeable for chunks of the content file. The client download device is configured to acquire a plurality of token data packets from the incentive device and to communicate with individual respective client upload devices and thereby download, in exchange for respective token data packets, stored chunks of the content file.

Abstract: A distribution system including, for connection over a network a plurality of client upload devices, each client upload device storing one or more chunks of a content file, a client download device configured to download from the client upload devices chunks of the content file stored by the respective client upload devices and an incentive device configured to generate token data packets exchangeable for chunks of the content file. The client download device is configured to acquire a plurality of token data packets from the incentive device and to communicate with individual respective client upload devices and thereby download, in exchange for respective token data packets, stored chunks of the content file.

Abstract: A demodulator device and a method of operating the demodulator device where the demodulator device runs a loaded operating system and operates a communication protocol enabling a host application to control the demodulator device. The demodulator device is configured to respond to receipt of an abort command of the communication protocol by carrying out an abort process which stops current operations and reinitializes the loaded operating system.

Abstract: A system having a plurality of hardware blocks and a method of operating that system where power to each hardware block is independently controlled according to whether or not the respective hardware block is needed for use. A counter is provided in the respective device driver of each hardware block, the counter being configured to be incremented each time a task requests use of the respective hardware block and to be decremented each time a task ceases use of the respective hardware block. The value of the counter is used to control whether or not to power up or power down the respective hardware block.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for communication between an application program and network device driver program through intermediate structure software, comprising the steps of: a. supplying of application data units from the application program to a first program object being part of the intermediate structure software; b. performing of first functions of the first program object on the application data units; c. supplying of resulting first data units from the first program object to a second program object being part of the intermediate structure software; d. performing of second functions of the second program object on the first data units; e. supplying of the resulting second data units to the network device driver program.