Abstract: A method of improving the flow of data in a communication system having at least two links, comprising inserting into one of said links at least one enhancer, the operation of which is to a) communicate with a the unit upstream of the data flow such that the upstream unit perceives that it is communicating with the unit (s) downstream of the enhancer; b) obtaining a measure of the efficacy of operation of the down stream unit(s), and c) dependent upon the measure, varying the control of data flow sent to downstream units.

Abstract: A display device comprises a substrate having a layer of crystalline or polycrystalline semiconductor material disposed over the substrate, wherein the substrate has a strain point that is lower than a forming temperature of the layer. The crystalline or polycrystalline material is fabricated by a method that includes providing a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) over the substrate, depositing a layer of material over the SAM, and substantially crystallizing the layer.

Abstract: An electronic control system (24) for a vehicle seat is provided that includes a seat base (12), a seat back (14), an operator input device (30) and a control circuit (26). The seat base has a seat back motor (34) configured to move a seat base forward and backward. The seat back has a seat back motor (32) configured to adjust an angle of inclination of the seat back. The operator input (30) device is configured to received operator commands for movement of the vehicle seat. The control circuit is configured to receive the operator commands and to control the seat base motor and the seat back motor. The control circuit is also configured to move the seat base and the seat back at a ratio of approximately 1 degree of inclination to between approximately 1 mm to approximately 4 mm of forward or backward movement of the seat base.

Abstract: There is described a method of processing data packets in a data stream in a communication system. In the method, a plurality of data packets from the data stream are analysed in order to generate profile data which indicates how one or more parts of each of the plurality of data packets varies from data packet to data packet. The profile data is then made available so that a data packet compression scheme that accords with the profile data can be implemented on data packets in the communication system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a Web-based management engine (200) comprising means for generating Web pages (204) based upon data relating to procedural steps (212) for management of the at least one aspect of the behaviour of the network entity and interfacing means arranged to communicate data between a Web server (202) and an SNMP agent (206) in accordance with a predetermined data structure so as to manage the at least one aspect of the behaviour of the network entity (102). Such a Web-based management engine (200) advantageously obviates the complex to generate and inflexible template Web pages of known Web-based management systems.

Abstract: The invention relates to a probe assembly for a wafer probe station having a probe holder and a replaceable probe tip. The probe holder is triaxially configured with a laterally extending center signal conductor, an intermediate guard conductor extending along the length of the center conductor and spaced radially therefrom by a tubular insulator member, and an outer shield member extending along a portion of the guard conductor and spaced radially therefrom by a second tubular insulator member. A coaxially configured probe tip has a center conductor extending to a probe point and a guard conductor radially spaced from the center conductor by an intermediate insulator. A releasable connection provides a rigid attachment between the probe tip and the probe holder and provides electrical interfaces between the center and guard conductors thereof.

Abstract: Described herein is a method of controlling data flow between a local network (120 ) and a remote network (30) via a geostationary satellite link (40, 46, 48). The local network (120) comprises a sending host (22) and a connection splitting node (124) which includes a throttling unit (150). The remote network (30) comprises a receiving host (32) which is connected to a second connection splitting node (142) having a buffer (152) via the internet (34. The data flow rate from the local network (120) is throttled to provide a data flow rate which substantially matches that which can be handled by the remote network (30) so that the buffer (152) at the second connection splitting node (142) is not overfilled.

Abstract: Described herein is a method of providing an enhanced path between an internet or intranet (40) and a stub or further internet or intranet (36). The enhanced path is provided by locating a pair of associated enhancers (22, 32) such that one is located in the internet (40) and one is located in the stub network (36), the enhancers (22, 32) being connected together by means of an IP tunnel (50) and each knows the IP address of the other.

Abstract: The invention relates to a probe assembly for a wafer probe station having a probe holder and a replaceable probe tip. The probe holder is triaxially configured with a laterally extending center signal conductor, an intermediate guard conductor extending along the length of the center conductor and spaced radially therefrom by a tubular insulator member, and an outer shield member extending along a portion of the guard conductor and spaced radially therefrom by a second tubular insulator member. A coaxially configured probe tip has a center conductor extending to a probe point and a guard conductor radially spaced from the center conductor by an intermediate insulator. A releasable connection provides a rigid attachment between the probe tip and the probe holder and provides electrical interfaces between the center and guard conductors thereof.

Abstract: A secure email system for pre-selected email users forming a participating user group requiring secure communication, comprising a secure list server to which all secure emails are sent by members of the participating user group, the server comprising a store for certification data and a CPU which compares the names of intended recipients of each email message with data in the store and processes the message to facilitate onward certificated transmission provided the recipient is duly certificated as indicated by data in the store.

Abstract: An access authentication system is provided for authenticating access for visitors to a wireless local area network (W-LAN), the operator of which administers a visitor authentication, authorisation and accounting (VAAA) server. A user requesting visiting access to the W-LAN, is required to have a valid cellular mobile account, a portable computing device with a browser and a valid W-LAN card from another operator that administers a home authentication, authorisation and accounting (HAAA) server. The user, on requesting visiting access to the W-LAN, inputs, via the VAAA server, identity information that enables the HAAA to issue a personal identification number (PIN) which is encoded and forwarded, preferably by way of a short message service (SMS), to the user's mobile telephone.

Abstract: The invention provides an operating protocol for Local Area Network (LAN) systems capable of coping with the problems of user-mobility between LANs. Such mobility is afforded particularly by wireless LAN (WLAN) systems, whereby a user subscribing to a LAN operated by a so-called Home Operator connects, as a “visitor”, to one or more other LAN sites; basing such connection, for charging and other operational purposes, on that user's subscription with its Home Operator. The inventive protocol links a user's identity with the address of the Home Operator, and stores this information at the visited LAN site, thereby permitting a visiting user, once authenticated by user-interaction, as a visitor with regard to a particular LAN, to revisit that LAN for as long as its authentication with the Home Operator remains sound, without the need for further user intervention.

Abstract: A system is described for delivering information services to the users of Local Area Networks (LANs), and more particularly of wireless LANs (W-LANs), which readily lend themselves to usage in large-scale installations and which support considerable user-mobility around the installation. In order to provide improved delivery to mobile users of location-specific information services, the system is provided with a plurality of wireless access points, distributed around the installation. The system can identify an access point receiving an information request from a mobile user, and can correlate the position of that access point with that of at least one other access point and/or with the position of at least one other feature of the site covered by the W-LAN installation, depending upon the nature of the request. The correlated positional information can be used to determine at least part of the information content supplied to the mobile user.

Abstract: Described herein is apparatus and method for implementing location specific congestion control in a transmission control protocol (TCP) connection. The TCP connection extends between an internet connection (12) and one or more mobile terminals (22, 24, 26). Each mobile terminal (22, 24, 26) is connected to a base station (18) which is then connected to the internet connection (12). An enhancer (14) is provided in the TCP connection to divide it into two connections (16, 20) so that congestion control can be implemented in the connection (16) remote from the mobile terminals (22, 24, 26). There is no requirement of congestion control between the base station (18) and the mobile terminals (22, 24, 26) as they comprise point-to-point connections. The enhancer (14) may be co-located with the base station (18).

Abstract: Described herein is a method for improving the performance of long latency or error prone links without reconfiguration. A host (10) is connected to an external network (20) by means of a satellite connection (30). A first router (40) and a first transparent cache (60) are associated with the host (10). Similarly, a second router (50) and a second transparent cache (70) are associated with the external network (20). When the host (10) sends a domain name server query, it is intercepted by the first router (40) and sent to the first transparent cache (60). If the first transparent cache (60) has the answer, it is passed back to the host (10) via the first router (40). If the first transparent cache (60) does not have the answer, the first router (40) passes the query to the second router (50) via the satellite (30) which passes it onto the second transparent cache (70) which supplies the answer if it has it. Otherwise, the router (50) passes the query to the external network (20).