Systems, devices, processors, and methods are described which may be used for the reception of a wireless broadband signal at a user terminal from a gateway via a satellite. A wireless signal may include a series of physical layer frames, each frame including a physical layer header and payload. The received signal is digitized and processed using various novel physical layer headers and related techniques to synchronize the physical layer frames and recover data from physical layer headers for purposes of demodulation and decoding.

A function f(x) is calculated with a calculating apparatus that makes a correct calculation with a low probability. Provided that G and H are cyclic groups, f is a function that maps an element x of the group H into the group G, X1 and X2 are random variables whose values are elements of the group G, x1 is a realized value of the random variable X1, and x2 is a realized value of the random variable X2, an integer calculation part calculates integers a' and b' that satisfy a relation a'a+b'b=1 using two natural numbers a and b that are relatively prime. A first randomizable sampler is capable of calculating f(x)bx1 and designates the calculation result as u. A first exponentiation part calculates u'=ua. A second randomizable sampler is capable of calculating f(x)ax2 and designates the calculation result as v. A second exponentiation part calculates v'=vb. A determining part determines whether u'=v' or not. A final calculation part calculates ub'va' in a case where it is determined that u'=v'.

A system (200) and a method (100) of operating a computing device to perform memoization are disclosed. The method includes determining whether a result of a function is stored in a cache and, if so, retrieving the result from the cache and, if not, calculating the result and storing it in the cache. The method (100) includes transforming (104) by the computing device at least one selected from the input parameters and the output parameters of the function, the transforming being based on an analysis of the function and its input arguments to establish whether or not there is a possible relationship reflecting redundancy among the input parameters and output parameters of the function. The transforming may include at least one of: use of symmetry, scaling, linear shift, interchanging of variables, inversion, polynomial and/or trigonometric transformations, spectral or logical transformations, fuzzy transformations, and systematic arrangement of parameters.

The various implementations described herein include systems, methods and/or devices used to enable multipass programming in buffers implemented in non-volatile data storage systems (e.g., using one or more flash memory devices). In one aspect, a portion of memory (e.g., a page in a block of a flash memory device) may be programmed many (e.g., 1000) times before an erase is required. Some embodiments include systems, methods and/or devices to integrate Bloom filter functionality in a non-volatile data storage system, where a portion of memory storing one or more bits of a Bloom filter array may be programmed many (e.g., 1000) times before the contents of the portion of memory need to be moved to an unused location in the memory.

A system and method for detecting, filtering, prioritizing and reporting shared memory hazards are disclosed. The method includes, for a unit of hardware operating on a block of threads, mapping a plurality of shared memory locations assigned to the unit to a tracking table. The tracking table comprises initialization information for each shared memory location. The method also includes, for an instruction of a program within a barrier region, identifying a potential conflict by identifying a second access to a location in shared memory within a block of threads executed by the hardware unit. First information associated with a first access and second information associated with the second access to the location is determined. Filter criteria is applied to the first and second information to determine whether the instruction causes a reportable hazard. The instruction is reported when it causes the reportable hazard.

A system, method and computer program product for allocating shared resources. Upon receiving requests for resources, the cost of bundling software in a virtual machine (VM) image is automatically generated. Software is selected by the cost for each bundle according to the time required to install it where required, offset by the time to uninstall it where not required. A number of VM images having the highest software bundle value (i.e., highest cost bundled) is selected and stored, e.g., in a machine image store. With subsequent requests for resources, VMs may be instantiated from one or more stored VM images and, further, stored images may be updated selectively updated with new images.

In mainframe computer system, workload tasks are accomplished using a logically partitioned data processing system, where the partitioned data processing system is divided into multiple logical partitions. In a system and method managing such a computer system, each running workload tasks that can be classified based on time criticality, and groups of logical partitions can be freely defined. Processing capacity limits for the logical partitions in a group of logical partitions based upon defined processing capacity thresholds and upon an iterative determination of how much capacity is needed for time critical workload tasks. Workload can be balanced between logical partitions within a group, to prevent surplus processing capacity being used to run not time critical workload on one logical partition when another logical partition running only time critical workload tasks faces processing deficit.

According to an embodiment, based on task border information, and first-type dependency relationship information containing N number of nodes corresponding to data accesses to one set of data, containing edges representing dependency relationship between the nodes, and having at least one node with an access reliability flag indicating reliability/unreliability of corresponding data access; task border edges, of edges extending over task borders, are identified that have an unreliable access node linked to at least one end, and presentation information containing unreliable access nodes is generated. According to dependency existence information input corresponding to the set of data, conversion information indicating absence of data access to the unreliable access nodes is output. According to the conversion information, the first-type dependency relationship information is converted into second-type dependency relationship information containing M number of nodes (0≦M≦N) corresponding to data accesses to the set of data and containing edges representing inter-node dependency relationship.

There is provided a parallel computer system for performing barrier synchronization using a master node and a plurality of worker nodes based on the time to allow for an adaptive setting of the synchronization time. When a task process in a certain worker node has not been completed by a worker determination time, the particular worker node performs a communication to indicate that the process has not been completed, to a master node. When the communication has been received by a master determination time, the master node performs a communication to indicate that the process time is extended by a correction process time, in order to adjust and extend the synchronization time. In this way, it is possible to reduce the synchronization overhead associated with the execution of an application with a relatively large variation in the process time from a synchronization point to the next synchronization point.

The disclosure provides a method for passing a parameter between processors. The method comprises the following steps: in a source program of a slave processor, directly introducing a static configuration parameter to be passed; obtaining a relative address of the static configuration parameter when converting the source program of the slave processor into a target program of the slave processor; and configuring directly, by a master processor, a parameter value of the static configuration parameter in the target program of the slave processor according to the obtained relative address of the static configuration parameter. The disclosure also provides a system for passing a parameter between processors. The system has no need to use external hardware such as a dual-port Random Access Memory (RAM) and a register, thus, the requirement of parameter transmission on the external hardware is reduced, and further the area and static power consumption of a chip are reduced. The disclosure reduces the cycle delay of the slave processor in accessing the dual-port RAM and the register, thereby effectively reducing the dynamic power consumption of the chip, improving the processing capability of the slave processor and enhancing the effective performance of the slave processor.

A processor determines whether a first program is under execution when a second program is executed, and changes a setting of a memory management unit based on access prohibition information so that a fault occurs when the second program makes an access to a memory when the first program is under execution. Then, the processor determines whether an access from the second program to a memory area used by the first program is permitted based on memory restriction information when the fault occurs while the first program and the second program are under execution, and changes the setting of the memory management unit so that the fault does not occur when the access to the memory area is permitted.

In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for controlling a process using a process map. These mechanisms and methods for controlling a process using a process map can enable process operations to execute in order without necessarily having knowledge of one another. The ability to provide the process map can avoid a requirement that the operations themselves be programmed to follow a particular sequence, as can further improve the ease by which the sequence of operations may be changed.

A framework for implementing multitenant architecture is provided. The framework comprises a framework services module which is configured to provide framework services that facilitate abstraction of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) services and crosscutting services for a Greenfield application and a non SaaS based web application. Further the abstraction results in a SaaS based multitenant web application. The framework further comprises a runtime module configured to automatically integrate and consume the framework services and APIs to facilitate monitoring and controlling of features associated with the SaaS based multitenant web application. The framework further comprises a metadata services module configured to provide a plurality of metadata services to facilitate abstraction of storage structure of metadata associated with the framework and act as APIs for managing the metadata. The framework further comprises a role based administration module that facilitates management of the metadata through a tenant administrator and a product administrator.

Graphical programming or modeling environments in which a coding standard can be applied to graphical programs or models are disclosed. The present invention provides mechanisms for applying the coding standard to graphical programs/models in the graphical programming/modeling environments. The mechanisms may detect violations of the coding standard in the graphical model and report such violations to the users. The mechanisms may automatically correct the graphical model to remove the violations from the graphical model. The mechanisms may also automatically avoid the violations in the simulation and/or code generation of the graphical model.

In one embodiment, a machine-implemented method programs a heterogeneous multi-processor computer system to run a plurality of program modules, wherein each program module is to be run on one of the processors The system includes a plurality of processors of two or more different processor types. According to the recited method, machine-implemented offline processing is performed using a plurality of SIET tools of a scheduling information extracting toolkit (SIET) and a plurality of SBT tools of a schedule building toolkit (SBT). A program module applicability analyzer (PMAA) determines whether a first processor of a first processor type is capable of running a first program module without compiling the first program module. Machine-implemented online processing is performed using realtime data to test the scheduling software and the selected schedule solution.

Methods and systems to identify and reproduce concurrency bugs in multi-threaded programs are disclosed. An example method disclosed herein includes defining a data type. The data type includes a first predicate associated with a first thread of a multi-threaded program that is associated with a first condition, a second predicate that is associated with a second thread of the multi-threaded program, the second predicate being associated with a second condition, and an expression that defines a relationship between the first predicate and the second predicate. The relationship, when satisfied, causes the concurrency bug to be detected. A concurrency bug detector conforming to the data type is used to detect the concurrency bug in the multi-threaded program.

An improved method for program building uses predefined source files and predefined build scripts comprising a sequence of build commands; wherein each build command comprises an origin command line interpretable by an operating system and addressed to at least one compiling tool.

A method for isolating 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol (TMCD) solids from an isolated feed slurry formed in a TMCD process comprising TMCD, a liquid phase, and impurities by (a) treating the isolated feed slurry in a product isolation zone to produce an isolated TMCD product wet cake, a mother liquor, and impurities; wherein the product isolation zone can comprise at least one rotary pressure drum filter.

Apparatus for orientating a user in a space wherein the space comprises a plurality of zones of which only certain zones constitute functional zones wherein each functional zone includes a first type device containing information relating to the position of the zone in the space and wherein the first type device is reactive to the presence of a second type device associated with the user to provide the user with the information to determine the orientation of the user in the space. A method of orientating the user within the space and guiding the user toward one or more features in the space is also disclosed.

Described herein is a descriptive framework to facilitate large scale demand responsive transit. In accordance with one aspect of the framework, one or more trip requests from one or more commuter devices are received. A trip request indicates at least one start location and at least one end location. In addition, vehicle information is received from one or more available vehicles. The vehicle information indicates at least one current location of a vehicle. An adaptive route for the vehicle may be planned based on the one or more trip requests and the vehicle information. Update information of the adaptive route may be communicated to the vehicle and the one or more commuter devices.

An integrated circuit having a programmable clock spreader configured to generate a plurality of controllably skewed clock signals, each applied to a corresponding region within the integrated circuit with circuitry configured to be triggered off the applied clock signal. The programmable clock spreader is designed to enable customization of the current-demand characteristics exhibited by the integrated circuit, e.g., based on the circuit's spectral impedance profile, to cause transient voltage droops in the power-supply network of the integrated circuit to be sufficiently small to ensure proper and reliable operation of the integrated circuit.

A via disposition information acquiring unit acquires via disposition information indicating a disposition of the plurality of first vias (212). A second conductor information acquiring unit acquires second conductor information indicating disposition positions of a plurality of second conductors (232) repeatedly disposed in the second conductor layer (230). A via extracting unit extracts an extraction via with respect to each of the plurality of second conductors (232). The extraction via is each of the first vias (212) overlapping the second conductor (232). A via selecting unit selects a selection via with respect to each of the plurality of second conductors (232). The selection via is each of first vias (212) selected in a predetermined number from the extraction vias. An opening introducing unit introduces a first opening (234) to each of the plurality of second conductors (232). The first opening (234) overlaps the extraction via not selected by the via selecting unit in plan view.

A ceramic substrate includes a substrate body formed of ceramic and having a pair of surfaces each assuming a rectangular shape as viewed in plane, and a metallization layer formed on the surface of the substrate body and adapted to braze a metal frame thereon. A composite material layer is disposed between the surface of the substrate body and the metallization layer and is formed such that a ceramic portion, a metal portion 10m formed of a metal similar to a metal component of the metallization layer or a metal which, together with a metal component of the metallization layer, forms an all proportional solid solution, and a glass portion exist together. The thickness of the composite material layer is thinner than that of the metallization layer. A plating layer is deposited on the surface of the metallization layer.

The present invention is based on the finding that parameters including: a first set of parameters of a representation of a first portion of an original signal and a second set of parameters of a representation of a second portion of the original signal can be efficiently encoded when the parameters are arranged in a first sequence of tuples and a second sequence of tuples. The first sequence of tuples includes tuples of parameters having two parameters from a single portion of the original signal and the second sequence of tuples includes tuples of parameters having one parameter from the first portion and one parameter from the second portion of the original signal. A bit estimator estimates the number of necessary bits to encode the first and the second sequence of tuples. Only the sequence of tuples, which results in the lower number of bits, is encoded.

A method (700, 800) and apparatus (100, 200) processes audio frames to transition between different codecs. The method can include producing (720), using a first coding method, a first frame of coded output audio samples by coding a first audio frame in a sequence of frames. The method can include forming (730) an overlap-add portion of the first frame using the first coding method. The method can include generating (740) a combination first frame of coded audio samples based on combining the first frame of coded output audio samples with the overlap-add portion of the first frame. The method can include initializing (760) a state of a second coding method based on the combination first frame of coded audio samples. The method can include constructing (770) an output signal based on the initialized state of the second coding method.

An encoder for providing an audio stream on the basis of a transform-domain representation of an input audio signal includes a quantization error calculator configured to determine a multi-band quantization error over a plurality of frequency bands of the input audio signal for which separate band gain information is available. The encoder also includes an audio stream provider for providing the audio stream such that the audio stream includes information describing an audio content of the frequency bands and information describing the multi-band quantization error. A decoder for providing a decoded representation of an audio signal on the basis of an encoded audio stream representing spectral components of frequency bands of the audio signal includes a noise filler for introducing noise into spectral components of a plurality of frequency bands to which separate frequency band gain information is associated on the basis of a common multi-band noise intensity value.

A speech recognition system, method of recognizing speech and a computer program product therefor. A client device identified with a context for an associated user selectively streams audio to a provider computer, e.g., a cloud computer. Speech recognition receives streaming audio, maps utterances to specific textual candidates and determines a likelihood of a correct match for each mapped textual candidate. A context model selectively winnows candidate to resolve recognition ambiguity according to context whenever multiple textual candidates are recognized as potential matches for the same mapped utterance. Matches are used to update the context model, which may be used for multiple users in the same context.

An audio signal decoder has a time warp contour calculator, a time warp contour data rescaler and a warp decoder. The time warp contour calculator is configured to generate time warp contour data repeatedly restarting from a predetermined time warp contour start value, based on time warp contour evolution information describing a temporal evolution of the time warp contour. The time warp contour data rescaler is configured to rescale at least a portion of the time warp contour data such that a discontinuity at a restart is avoided, reduced or eliminated in a rescaled version of the time warp contour. The warp decoder is configured to provide the decoded audio signal representation, based on an encoded audio signal representation and using the rescaled version of the time warp contour.

A time warp contour calculator for use in an audio signal decoder receives an encoded warp ratio information, derives a sequence of warp ratio values from the encoded warp ratio information, and obtains warp contour node values starting from a time warp contour start value. Ratios between the time warp contour node values and the time warp contour starting value are determined by the warp ratio values. The time warp contour calculator computes a time warp contour node value of a given time warp contour node, on the basis of a product-formation having a ratio between the time warp contour node values of the intermediate time warp contour node and the time warp contour starting value and a ratio between the time warp contour node values of the given time warp contour node and of the intermediate time warp contour node as factors.

To freely establish a peripheral equipment selection operating environment of excellent operability which can remarkably reduce an operation burden which is applied until construction information of selectable peripheral equipment can be confirmed and can easily confirm the construction information of the selectable peripheral equipment by everyone by a simple operating instruction, a CPU obtains construction information of a printer that is being selected and default setting on the basis of a selection instructing state relative to a selectable printer candidate on a network and allows them to be caption-displayed at a position near the position indicated by a cursor on a printer selection picture plane displayed on a CRT.

An application framework including different application programming interfaces (APIs) is described which performs a variety of mobile device functions in response to API calls from applications. For example, in response to relatively simple API calls made by applications the application framework manages the complex tasks associated with invitations and matchmaking. By way of example, the details of complex transactions such as establishing peer-to-peer connections between mobile devices may be transparent to the application developer, thereby simplifying the application design process. The application framework may include an application daemon for communicating with a first set of services and an applications services module for communicating with a separate set of services. The application framework may also include a cache for caching data for each of the services based on different cache management policies driven by each of the services. The cache may be updated by push notification cache updates sent from each of the services.

An automatic programmed ventilation control system for operating a fan includes a fan drive circuit; a duty, cycle control circuit including means for selecting a duty cycle and means for setting the selected duty cycle; a timing circuit including means for selecting the time of day and means for setting the selected time of day; a fan speed control circuit including means for selecting a fan speed and means for setting the selected fan speed; and a manual override switch circuit for overriding the set duty cycle and fan speed for operating the fan at a predetermined speed for a preselected period of time.

A data processing system on an integrated circuit includes a core that performs switching operations responsive to a system clock that draws current from the power supply network. An IR-drop detector includes a resistor ladder having outputs representative of an IR-drop caused by the core during the switching operations. The system further includes a plurality of amplifiers coupled to the outputs indicative of the IR-drop, a plurality of flip-flops coupled to the amplifiers, and a variable clock generator. The variable clock generator outputs a sampling clock comprising a group consisting of a variable phase or a variable frequency to the plurality of flip-flops. The flip-flops are triggered by the sampling clock so that the IR-drop at a time during a clock cycle of the system clock can be detected, and the peak IR-drop value for can be tracked.

According to an embodiment, a control system includes a detector, an estimating unit, a determining unit, and a controller. The detector detects an idle state. The estimating unit estimates an idle period. When the idle state is detected, the determining unit determines whether a first power consumption when writeback of data which needs to be written back to a main storage device is performed and supply of power to a cache memory is stopped, is larger than a second power consumption when writeback of the data is not performed and supply of power is continued for the idle period. The controller stops the supply of power to the cache memory when the first power consumption is determined to be smaller than the second power consumption and continues the supply of power when the first power consumption is determined to be larger than the second power consumption.

A system is disclosed comprising multiple sets of client computers each client computer having installed thereon an application program The application program comprising client computer specific log-in information, a database system coupled to the set of client computers via a network. The database system having a log-in component for logging-in the client computers, and being partitioned into multiple relational databases each one of which is assigned to one set of the sets of client computers. Each database further storing encrypted data items, each data item being encrypted with one of the user or user-group specific cryptographic keys, the key identifier of the cryptographic key with which one of the data items is encrypted being stored in the database as an attribute of the one of the encrypted data items. The log-in component comprising assignment information indicative of the assignment of the databases to the set of client computers.

MRI compatible localization and/or guidance systems for facilitating placement of an interventional therapy and/or device in vivo include: (a) a mount adapted for fixation to a patient; (b) a targeting cannula with a lumen configured to attach to the mount so as to be able to controllably translate in at least three dimensions; and (c) an elongate probe configured to snugly slidably advance and retract in the targeting cannula lumen, the elongate probe comprising at least one of a stimulation or recording electrode. In operation, the targeting cannula can be aligned with a first trajectory and positionally adjusted to provide a desired internal access path to a target location with a corresponding trajectory for the elongate probe. Automated systems for determining an MR scan plane associated with a trajectory and for determining mount adjustments are also described.

A porous ceramic matrix contains a plurality of ceramic particles adhered to each other, and a plurality of channels defined by surfaces of neighboring ceramic particles, the channels each having an average diameter of 0.5-2.5 μm. Preferred ceramics also have a porosity of 25.0-40.0%, a Darcy's Permeability of 1.57-34.8×10−14 m2, and a mechanical strength of 25-64 MPa. Also disclosed is a method of preparing such a porous ceramic matrix, comprising providing a pellet containing ceramic particles that are coated with a monomer, a catalyst, and a binder; polymerizing the monomer in the solid state by heating, then carbonizing and sintering the pellet.

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for monitored application of mechanical force to samples using acoustic energy and mechanical parameter value extraction using mechanical response models can be used for determining mechanical property parameters of a sample. An exemplary method includes applying acoustic energy to a sample to apply a mechanical force to the sample, measuring a response by the sample during the application of the acoustic energy, measuring a recovery response of the sample following cessation of the application of the acoustic energy, and determining a value for at least one additional mechanical property parameter of the sample based on the response measured during application of the acoustic energy and the recovery response measured following cessation of the application of acoustic energy.

A method of performance monitoring in a data processing environment is provided. The data processing environment includes multiple systems, each of which has resources. Each resource relates to a resource type, wherein at least one performance parameter is defined for each resource type. The method includes determining a value of the at least one performance parameter for at least one resource, aggregating performance parameter values and related resources of a resource type, creating for at least a part of the resources a next predefined aggregation level which includes all resources relating to the resource type and associating all performance parameter values to this aggregation level, and repeating the creating for at least a part of the resources a next predefined aggregation level until a predefined target aggregation level of the data processing environment has been reached.

Embodiments of the invention provide a frame sealant and a process for preparing the same, as well as use thereof. The frame sealant comprises, by weight, 25%-30% acrylic resins, 25%-30% oligomers as shown in Structure Formula I, 10%-15% organic powders, 10%-15% inorganic powders, 0%-10% epoxy resins, 10%-15% heat curing agents, 0.1%-1% photoinitiators, and 0.1%-1% coupling agents, wherein, in Structure Formula I, n indicates an integer of 10-20.

A centrifuge concentrator bowl has feed deposited onto a base of the bowl and includes a plurality of recesses at axially spaced positions along a peripheral wall of the bowl. The peripheral wall is formed of a rigid metal skeleton frame of rings and upstanding support members on which is molded a urethane liner material to form an integral structure with the rings located at ribs between the recesses. A fluidization water injection system includes an outer container on the bowl, which also acts as a clamping assembly and a plurality of liquid entry openings through the peripheral wall at the base of the recesses allowing flexing of the peripheral wall in response to changes in pressure in the fluidizing liquid. The bowl is formed of separate sections defined by a bottom concave base section and the cast skeleton wall all clamped together to allow replacement of the separate parts.

The cost necessary for introducing and maintaining a development environment that includes multiple simulators is suppressed, and a sharing of designing information is promoted, to make parameter adjustment of simulators easy. Provided is a service that unifies development environment on a computer provided with: a working computer system that can guarantee that there is no leaking of designing files; a user behavior monitoring system that collects utilization history of simulators or software, for each of the users, and selects development process of each of the users from the collected information; and a dynamic computational-resource distribution system that can conduct an automatic optimization of a complex simulation configuration, from information collected by the aforementioned user behavior monitoring system.

A coiling parameterization tool includes a processor and a display for displaying values of lumen volume, packing and coiling parameters for filling a lumen in relation to a desired packing. The processor is configured to detect a change in one of the displayed values and, in response to the change, to automatically evaluate, change and display remaining values displayed on the display.

One aspect relates to a housing for an active implantable medical device, whereby the housing, at least parts thereof, includes an electrically insulating ceramic material, and has at least one electrically conductive conducting element, whereby the at least one conducting element is set up to establish at least one electrically conductive connection between an internal space of the housing and an external space. One aspect provides the at least one conducting element to include at least one cermet, whereby the housing and the at least one conducting element are connected in a firmly bonded manner.

One or more temporal stimulation parameters of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) are selected to substantially modulate one or more target physiological functions without substantially modulating one or more non-target physiological functions. In one embodiment, a stimulation duty cycle is selected such that VNS is delivered to the cervical vagus nerve trunk to modulate a cardiovascular function without causing laryngeal muscle contractions.

A method for manufacturing a ceramic honeycomb structure includes kneading titania particles, alumina particles and a binder ingredient such that raw material paste including the titania particles, alumina particles and binder ingredient is prepared, forming a body made of the raw material paste and having a honeycomb structure such that the body has the honeycomb structure having multiple through-holes extending in the longitudinal direction of the body and multiple partition portions formed between the through-holes, applying sealant composition including aluminum hydroxide particles, talc particles, kaolin particles, water and organic binder to either end of each through-hole of the body in the longitudinal direction such that the honeycomb structure of the body has each through-hole sealed at one end, and sintering the body made of the raw material paste and having the honeycomb structure sealed by the sealant composition such that a ceramic body having the honeycomb structure is formed.

Integrated polymeric-ceramic membrane-based oxy-fuel combustor. The combustor includes a polymer membrane structure for receiving air at an input and for delivering oxygen-enriched air at an outlet. An oxygen transport reactor including a ceramic ion transport membrane receives the oxygen-enriched air from the polymer membrane structure to generate oxygen for combustion with a fuel introduced into the oxygen transport reactor.

Operating values of an electronic operating system, e.g., power switch or motor drive, are parameterized with a hand-held control device with a display device for displaying operating parameters via transmission arrangement, to a data store of the hand-held control device following connection of the latter to the operating system (2). A microprocessor circuit (25) in the hand-held control device facilitates the detection of altered operating parameters and the transfer of those altered parameters back to the control unit of the operating system.

A method for tracking a user's movements between network addresses can include, subsequent to a request for a (current) network address from a user, receiving the network address and an identifier for a region associated with the network address. The method can also include locating a record that contains the identifier for the region and a time that immediately precedes the request for the network address from the user. The record may further contain a prior network address. The method can further include generating an entry for a table that includes the identifier for the region, the current network address, and the prior network address. A server computer or a client computer can generate the entry. Improved accountability and improved user profile accuracy can be obtained with the method. A data processing system readable medium can comprise code that includes instructions for carrying out the method.

A double ring network system configured with two or more transmission stations each including a pair of bi-directionally communicative communication ports, including any adjacent two transmission stations as terminal stations, and any transmission station as a base, as mutually connected in a ring form by communication ports through a transmission line, for intercommunications between transmission stations, in which the transmission stations are each adapted to determine whether or not frame signals are received from adjacent transmission stations, transmit route identifying frame signals for identification of routes to adjacent transmission stations, when having failed in reception, and set own station as a terminal station substituting for a current terminal station, when having received no responses to the route identifying frames from adjacent transmission stations, so they are kept from arriving at ring-like connected subsequent transmission stations.