Abstract: A communications network security system includes a robustness agent that operates within a communications interface of a device at one or more nodes of the network to analyze and filter messages coming from or going onto the network. At each of the nodes, the robustness agent determines one or more sets of message characteristics associated with each of the messages passing through the agent, and the agent is configured to allow certain types of messages (e.g., messages with certain predetermined sets of characteristics) to be passed through the agent, prevent messages with other predetermined characteristics from being passed through the agent, such as by halting (discarding or filtering) these messages, and/or passes still other messages having other sets of message characteristics to a volume filter to be counted.

Abstract: An enhanced modular controller is disclosed that includes a plurality of configurable communication ports and a control logic layer operable to control equipment of a process plant. The plurality of communication ports include a first set of communication ports and a second set of communication ports which are operable to communicate with one or more nodes of a distributed control system of the process plant. The enhanced modular controller also includes a software layer that accepts port configuration parameters that define one or more port communication rules for the first set of communication ports and for the second set of communication ports. The one or more port communication rules causes the software layer to selectively allow or restrict retransmission of incoming messages, where the incoming messages are received at the first set of communication ports or the second set of communication ports.

Abstract: An enhanced modular controller is disclosed that includes a plurality of configurable communication ports and a control logic layer operable to control equipment of a process plant. The plurality of communication ports include a first set of communication ports and a second set of communication ports which are operable to communicate with one or more nodes of a distributed control system of the process plant. The enhanced modular controller also includes a software layer that accepts port configuration parameters that define one or more port communication rules for the first set of communication ports and for the second set of communication ports. The one or more port communication rules causes the software layer to selectively allow or restrict retransmission of incoming messages, where the incoming messages are received at the first set of communication ports or the second set of communication ports.

Abstract: A communications network security system includes a robustness agent that operates within a communications interface of a device at one or more nodes of the network to analyze and filter messages coming from or going onto the network. At each of the nodes, the robustness agent determines one or more sets of message characteristics associated with each of the messages passing through the agent, and the agent is configured to allow certain types of messages (e.g., messages with certain predetermined sets of characteristics) to be passed through the agent, prevent messages with other predetermined characteristics from being passed through the agent, such as by halting (discarding or filtering) these messages, and/or passes still other messages having other sets of message characteristics to a volume filter to be counted.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for initiating a conference call are disclosed. The method includes running a conference call managing application. The method also includes receiving at least one participant-defined condition. The participant-defined condition is associated with at least one conference call defining a status of a participant's communication device to connect the participant to the conference call. At least one alert is sent out to at least all required participants of the conference call, in response to the participant-defined condition being satisfied to start the conference call.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for initiating a conference call are disclosed. The method includes running a conference call managing application. The method also includes receiving at least one participant-defined condition. The participant-defined condition is associated with at least one conference call defining a status of a participant's communication device to connect the participant to the conference call. At least one alert is sent out to at least all required participants of the conference call, in response to the participant-defined condition being satisfied to start the conference call.

Abstract: A system and method establishes communications between first and second parties. A request initiated by a first party is generated for establishing a communications channel over a first communications network between the first and second parties. An intermediary server device interrupts the request and attempts to generate the channel. If unsuccessful, the server device translates the request into a data network object, which is passed to the second party via a second communications network. The network object enables the second party to communicate acceptance for establishing communication with the first party over the first communications network. The second party invokes the network object upon receipt thereof or at a future time for creating a communications channel between the first and second parties. Alternately, the first party may establish a coupon for communication directly to a second party without a first prior attempt to create the channel.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for initiating a conference call are disclosed. The method includes running a conference call managing application. The method also includes receiving at least one participant-defined condition. The participant-defined condition is associated with at least one conference call defining a status of a participant's communication device to connect the participant to the conference call. At least one alert is sent out to at least all required participants of the conference call, in response to the participant-defined condition being satisfied to start the conference call.

Abstract: A communication technique enables the efficient transmission of data through a low bandwidth and/or time delayed communication link and minimizes the idle time of the communication link by using a deferred acknowledgment of message bundles to temporally pack the communication link. The transmitting system stores messages to be transmitted in a pending message queue and applies a dynamic window to the pending message queue to define a message bundle to be sent through the slow communication link. The transmitting system requests an acknowledgment for at least one message within the bundle, but does not require an acknowledgment for every message within the bundle. Transmitted messages are temporarily stored as outstanding messages in a retransmission queue until the transmitted messages are acknowledged or until a time-out period associated with the messages has lapsed.

Abstract: A system and method for establishing communications between first and second parties. In one embodiment, a request initiated by a first party is generated for establishing a communications channel over a first communications network between the first and second parties. An intermediary server device interrupts receipt of the request and attempts to generate the channel If unsuccessful in the attempt, the server device translates the request into a data network object, which is passed to the second party via a second communications network. The network object enables a second party to communicate acceptance for establishing communication with the first party over the first communications network. The second party invokes the network object upon receipt thereof or at a future time for initiating creation of a communications channel between the first and second parties.

Abstract: A system and method for establishing communications between first and second parties. In one embodiment, a request initiated by a first party is generated for establishing a communications channel over a first communications network between the first and second parties. An intermediary server device interrupts receipt of the request and attempts to generate the channel. If unsuccessful in the attempt, the server device translates the request into a data network object, which is passed to the second party via a second communications network. The network object enables a second party to communicate acceptance for establishing communication with the first party over the first communications network. The second party invokes the network object upon receipt thereof or at a future time for initiating creation of a communications channel between the first and second parties.

Abstract: A communication technique enables the efficient transmission of data through a low bandwidth and/or time delayed communication link and minimizes the idle time of the communication link by using a deferred acknowledgment of message bundles to temporally pack the communication link. The transmitting system stores messages to be transmitted in a pending message queue and applies a dynamic window to the pending message queue to define a message bundle to be sent through the slow communication link. The transmitting system requests an acknowledgment for at least one message within the bundle, but does not require an acknowledgment for every message within the bundle. Transmitted messages are temporarily stored as outstanding messages in a retransmission queue until the transmitted messages are acknowledged or until a time-out period associated with the messages has lapsed.

Abstract: A communication technique enables the efficient transmission of data through a low bandwidth and/or time delayed communication link and minimizes the idle time of the communication link by using a deferred acknowledgment of message bundles to temporally pack the communication link. The transmitting system stores messages to be transmitted in a pending message queue and applies a dynamic window to the pending message queue to define a message bundle to be sent through the slow communication link. The transmitting system requests an acknowledgment for at least one message within the bundle, but does not require an acknowledgment for every message within the bundle. Transmitted messages are temporarily stored as outstanding messages in a retransmission queue until the transmitted messages are acknowledged or until a time-out period associated with the messages has lapsed.

Abstract: A sequence of events detection system for use in a process control system uses sequence of events detection cards to detect and store indications of events and the times at which these events take place within the process control network. The sequence of events reporting system includes a stable master time source that is used to periodically time synchronize secondary clocks within each of the nodes of the process control system. Free running counters are located within each of the sequence of events detection cards at each node and these free running counters are used to mark each event with a counter value when the sequence of events detection card first detects the event.

Abstract: A sequence of events detection system for use in a process control system uses sequence of events detection cards to detect and store indications of events and the times at which these events take place within the process control network. The sequence of events reporting system includes a stable master time source that is used to periodically time synchronize secondary clocks within each of the nodes of the process control system. Free running counters are located within each of the sequence of events detection cards at each node and these free running counters are used to mark each event with a counter value when the sequence of events detection card first detects the event.

Abstract: Reliable and secure transmission of information over the Internet is provided in a financial transaction processing system. The system electronically integrates data captured in heterogeneous information systems and transmits that data reliably and securely over the Internet between multiple diverse servers. The system includes at least one local computer system which electronically captures information input by a user of the computer system. The local computer system can access one or more remote servers via the Internet for form a dynamically reconfigurable wide area network (WAN). The remote servers electronically transfer data to heterogeneous information systems translated into their natural communications protocol and data format.

Abstract: A stylus and table X-Y data input system for a video display system. The pen includes an optical styling having a suitable pickup mechanism and the tablet is passive in nature and provides direct digitized data readout. Absolute positional information is encoded in binary form in the tablet in such a fashion that the pen position upon the tablet is automatically determinable by illuminating a particular area of the tablet and reading off the digitized X-Y coordinate data stored therein. The pen and supporting hardware/software are rotationally insensitive so that the pen may be held in any desired position comfortable to a user. The system provides greatly improved resolution, sampling rate accuracy and general robustness particularly for such applications as text recognition as well as a wide variety of other graphical input uses.

Abstract: A motor driven caging system for free gyros which cages both the inner and outer gimbals thereof and locks in both the caging and uncaging positions by an over center mechanism is disclosed. The motor drives a crank which in turn drives a somewhat compliant linkage which actuates a cam to first cage the outer gimbal and a fork to then cage the inner gimbal. The crank moves through an angle somewhat over 180 degrees between the caged and uncaged positions, with the caging mechanism having a maximum motion slightly less than that encouraged by the crank extreme, whereby the compliant linkage is elastically deflected as the crank moves past the maximum excursion point to a positive stop soon thereafter. Control of the motor is provided by a switch actuated by the caging mechanism drive as it approaches either the caging position stop or the uncaging position stop.

Abstract: A rearmable spring caged and energized free gyro which will allow repeated rearming for testing and use without requiring the opening of the main instrument enclosure, or requiring auxiliary sources of energy. The gyro is housed in an approximately cylindrical enclosure with the spin axis perpendicular to the axis thereof. A helical spring substantially coaxial with the enclosure is positioned adjacent one end of the enclosure, and may be wound through that end of the enclosure by an appropriate winding tool. During the winding of the spring a cam moves substantially coaxially along the inside of the enclosure, engaging a roller adjacent the end of the pitch axis which rotates the gimbal assembly around the roll axis to the roll axis caged position, at which time the end of the inner gimbal cooperatively references to the cam to align the spin axis.

Abstract: The invention is a control circuit for driving a position indicator along a map screen in an aircraft flight data display. The control circuit is electrically coupled to a navigational system from which it receives digital information. The control circuit includes a decoder for decoding this information and a pair of digital to analog converters for converting the decoded information to a first analog signal and a second analog signal. These two analog signals drive a pair of servo motors which are mechanically coupled to the position indicator.