Abstract: A portable transaction device including transaction apparatus operative to participate in a monetary transaction, authorization apparatus operative to authorize the transaction apparatus to operate based on stored authorization parameters, and control apparatus operative to store the stored authorization parameters based on user input. The stored authorization parameters include at least one of the following: an identity of a user, a time period, and a distance. Related apparatus and methods are also provided.

Abstract: A method for remote administration of at least one smart card via a communication network is described. The method includes the steps of associating the at least one smart card with a remote administrator by storing administrator identification information of the remote administrator in the at least one smart card, inserting the at least one smart card in at least one user unit, employing the administrator identification information stored in the at least one smart card to identify the remote administrator associated with the at least one smart card, and establishing communication between the at least one smart card and the remote administrator via the communication network in accordance with the administrator identification information. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

Abstract: A method for remote administration of at least one smart card via a communication network is described. The method includes the steps of associating the at least one smart card with a remote administrator by storing administrator identification information of the remote administrator in the at least one smart card, inserting the at least one smart card in at least one user unit, employing the administrator identification information stored in the at least one smart card to identify the remote administrator associated with the at least one smart card, and establishing communication between the at least one smart card and the remote administrator via the communication network in accordance with the administrator identification information. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

Abstract: A method for reconfiguring a circuit configuration of a configurable hardware device via a communication network. The method includes transmitting via the communication network from a hardware configuration provider unit to the configurable hardware device a circuit reconfiguration of the configurable hardware device in response to a request from a user of the configurable hardware device to reconfigure the configurable hardware device, implementing the circuit reconfiguration of the configurable hardware device thereby reconfiguring the configurable hardware device and providing a reconfigured hardware device and billing the user in response to a determination of correct operation of the reconfigured hardware device. A user unit in a communication network is also disclosed.

Abstract: A key distribution method for distributing, via a communications network, a key in a multicast communications system in which each one of a plurality of communications is directed to an associated multicast group including a plurality of recipients intended to receive the one communication. The method includes providing a plurality of implemented key distribution methods, dynamically choosing one implemented key distribution method of the plurality of key distribution methods, and distributing at least one key using the one implemented key distribution method. Related apparatus and methods are also provided.

Abstract: In a digital television recording method, programs are selected for recording based on analysis of program schedule information, user preferences, and the priority of previously recorded programs if there is insufficient memory.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method for displaying advertisements transmitted to a user unit, the method includes receiving, at the user unit, at least one advertisement tagged with a delay tag indicating whether display of the at least one advertisement can be delayed and only if the delay tag allows delaying display of the at least one advertisement, storing the at least one advertisement at the user unit, retrieving the at least one advertisement and displaying the at least one advertisement. A billing system for reporting a commercial broadcast to a multiplicity of users is also disclosed.

Abstract: A system for collecting user feedback in a data broadcasting system, the system for collecting user feedback including a multiplicity of user profile agents, each user profile agent being associated with one of a multiplicity of users of the data broadcasting system and being operative to create a user profile based on activity of the one user, a user profile subsystem associated with a plurality of user profile agents chosen from among the multiplicity of user profile agents and operative to derive an integrated user profile based on the plurality of user profiles created by the plurality of user profile agents, and a broadcasting agent operatively associated with a broadcast center of the data broadcasting system and in operative communication with the user profile subsystem and receiving therefrom the integrated user profile.

Abstract: A method for routing multiple message packets to their respective destinations on a parallel system is disclosed which takes into account the value of the communication start-up time and the transmission time For the specific parallel system. The preferred embodiment involves first selecting a base using the parameters of communication start-up and transmission time and then for each datablock, subtracting the node address from the destination address of the datablock using the modulo-n subtractions to Form a relative offset and representing the relative offset in the pre-selected base before sending the datablocks to their destination nodes in phases, each phase involving scanning the individual i-th digits of the relative offset value and packing those datablocks with identical i-th digits of the relative offset together.

Abstract: A bus-based priority arbitration system employs optimum priority codewords to arbitrate in time t. For m arbitration busses, each priority codeword has m bits and at most t intervals of consecutive 0's or consecutive 1's, disregarding leading consecutive 0's. The arbitration busses are wired-OR busses. An arbitration protocol performed by the modules involved in an arbitration process applies respective codewords of the contending modules to the arbitration busses, each bit on a different bus. The codewords insure that the modules determine from the arbitration busses the contending module of highest priority in at most t units of time. Also, the arbitration system defines priority codewords as a function of arbitration time and number of aribitration busses which enables design optimization of a desired arbitration system. In one case, the number of arbitration busses m required in a system of n supportable modules is defined by the relationships 1 g n .ltoreq.m.ltoreq. 1 g n +1 and t= 1/21 g n .