Abstract: Preferably for use in a directory enquires system, a method and system are provided for processing user records to determine common entries between them. When two user records are determined to store common information then link data is generated and stored in each user record indicating a link between the two records. This link information is then used in subsequent searching of the user records to determine the most likely result from a list of possible results obtained from a search of the user records. In a directory enquiries system the user records contain user ID and telephone number details as well as address book data of each user's friends, family, or other acquaintances. The address book data is used to determine whether a link between user records should be formed.

Abstract: A computer security system for use in a network environment comprising at least a plurality of user computers arranged to communicate over a network, the system comprising a warning message exchange system operable to allow the communication from the user computers of warning messages relating to suspect data identified as a possible security threat; a message counting system operable to maintain a count for every particular piece or set of suspect data based on the number of warning messages communicated relating thereto; and network security means operable to act against any particular piece or set of suspect data for which the count maintained therefor exceeds at least one threshold value.

Abstract: At least a part of a communications network is designed beginning with an initial network design, a set of traffic handling requirements and an initial set of design rules. Each rule includes a condition portion and an action portion and at least one such rule includes a portion expressed in terms of at least one variable parameter. An iterative procedure is implemented to evolve both a network design and a set of design rules including variations to rules from the initial rule set. A population of rule sets is generated with each rule set using a different combination of assigned parameter values. For each rule set in the population of rule sets, rules for which the condition portion is satisfied are applied to generate a modified network design. Measures of performance, including cost of each modified design are determined through simulation of the operation of the design on the basis of the traffic handling requirements and the performance and cost of different designs compared.

Abstract: A method of operating a wireless network with a base station and a plurality of outstations comprises transmitting a broadcast signal from the base station and in response to reception of the broadcast signal, transmitting an acknowledgement signal from an outstation. At least some of the outstations serve to relay signals for other outstations. An outstation relaying an acknowledgement signal appends to the signal an identifier identifying the relaying outstation. The base station, upon receipt of an acknowledgement signal, stores any appended identifier(s) for later use in routing signals to the outstation which originated that acknowledgement signal.

Abstract: In a communications network of nodes connected by links, routing of traffic is done according to routing tables available to the nodes. The routing table for each node shows fields for destination nodes and for next hop nodes towards those destination nodes, and traffic is routed at each node according to values entered in those fields. The nodes modify the values in the fields according to messages received from neighboring nodes. This controls traffic flow in that values are raised on receipt of messages from neighboring nodes. If messages are received less frequently from a node, for instance because of congestion in the network or failure of a node, the values for that node will be relatively depressed and the network will tend to route traffic away from the node.

Abstract: A method of operating a wireless network with a base station and a plurality of outstations comprising i. transmitting a broadcast signal from the base station; ii. monitoring operational status of outstations in the wireless network from an outstation, iii. collecting data representative of outstation status, iv. in response to reception of the broadcast signal, transmitting an acknowledgement signal from the outstation; wherein an outstation relaying an acknowledgement signal appends to the acknowledgement signal data representative of the collected data, and wherein the base station, upon receipt of an acknowledgement signal, retrieves the collected data and varies the rate at which signals are broadcast from the base station in accordance with the collected data.

Abstract: A method of operating a wireless network with a base station and a plurality of outstations comprising

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for designing at least a part of a communications network beginning with an initial network design, a set of traffic handling requirements and an initial set of design rules. Each rule includes a condition portion and an action portion and at least one such rule includes a portion expressed in terms of at least one variable parameter. An iterative procedure is implemented to evolve both a network design and a set of design rules comprising variations to rules from the initial rule set. A population of rule sets is generated with each rule set using a different combination of assigned parameter values. For each rule set in the population of rule sets, rules for which the condition portion is satisfied are applied to generate a modified network design.

Abstract: In a communications network of nodes (110) connected by links (115), routing of traffic is done according to routing tables available to the nodes (110). The routing table for each node shows fields for destination nodes (210) and for next hop nodes (205) towards those destination nodes, and traffic is routed at each node according to values entered in those fields. The nodes modify the values in the fields according to messages received from neighbouring nodes. This controls traffic flow in that values are raised on receipt of messages from neighbouring nodes. If messages are received less frequently from a node, for instance because of congestion in the network or failure of a node, the values for that node will be relatively depressed and the network will tend to route traffic away from the node.