A distributed memory switching hub interconnecting heterogeneous local area networks operating at different transmission speeds for receiving, storing and forwarding frames of data The distributed memory switching hub employs a distributed memory architecture in which memory storage for frames of data received and to be transmitted is located at each low speed LAN port of the distributed memory switching hub A distributed memory architecture renders unnecessary the need for a central programmable processor or shared common memory to store and forward frames received by the distributed memory switching hub

Distributed memory switching hub

A method for providing unequal allocation of rights among agents while operating according to fair principles, comprising assigning a hierarchal rank to each agent; providing a synthetic economic value to a first set of agents at the a high level of the hierarchy; allocating portions of the synthetic economic value by the first set of agents to a second set of agents at respectively different hierarchal rank than the first set of agents; and conducting an auction amongst agents using the synthetic economic value as the currency. A method for allocation among agents, comprising assigning a wealth generation function for generating future wealth to each of a plurality of agents, communicating subjective market information between agents, and transferring wealth generated by the secure wealth generation function between agents in consideration of a market transaction. The method may further comprise the step of transferring at least a portion of the wealth generation function between agents.

Multifactorial optimization system and method

An intelligent network interface card (INIC) or communication processing device (CPD) works with a host computer for data communication. The device provides a fast-path that avoids protocol processing for most messages, greatly accelerating data transfer and offloading time-intensive processing tasks from the host CPU. The host retains a fallback processing capability for messages that do not fit fast-path criteria, with the device providing assistance such as validation even for slow-path messages, and messages being selected for either fast-path or slow-path processing. A context for a connection is defined that allows the device to move data, free of headers, directly to or from a destination or source in the host. The context can be passed back to the host for message processing by the host. The device contains specialized hardware circuits that are much faster at their specific tasks than a general purpose CPU. A preferred embodiment includes a trio of pipelined processors devoted to transmit, receive and utility processing, providing full duplex communication for four Fast Ethernet nodes.

TCP/IP offload network interface device

A storage router and method for providing virtual local storage on remote storage devices to devices are provided. Devices are connected to a first transport medium, and a plurality of storage devices are connected to a second transport medium. In one embodiment, the storage router maintains a map to allocate storage space on the remote storage devices to devices connected to the first transport medium by associating representations of the devices connected to the first transport medium with representations of storage space on the remote storage devices, wherein each representation of a device connected to the first transport medium is associated with one or more representations of storage space on the remote storage devices and controls access from the devices connected to the first transport medium to the storage space on the remote storage devices in accordance with the map and using native low level block protocol.

Storage router and method for providing virtual local storage

In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for managing digital rights management (DRM) protected content sharing in a networked secure collaborative computer data exchange environment through a secure exchange facility managed by an intermediate organizational entity amongst users of a plurality of other organizational entities, wherein computer data content and access rights for the computer data content is shared between a first and second user, the computer data content and access rights for the computer data content are transformed into a DRM protected computer data content through communications with a DRM engine, wherein the DRM engine is selected based on a content type of the computer data content, and the DRM engine is provided by an entity other than the intermediate organizational entity and other than any of the plurality of other organizational entities.

Systems and methods of secure data exchange

A hub circuit with an integrated bridge circuit carried out in software including a switch for bypassing the bridge process such that the two bridged networks effectively become one network. An in-band management process in software is disclosed which receives and executes network management commands received as data packets from the LANs coupled to the integrated hub/bridge. Also, hardware and software to implement an isolate mode where data packets which would ordinarily be transferred by the bridge process are not transferred except in-band management packets are transferred to the in-band management process regardless of which network from which they arrived. Also disclosed, a packet switching machine having shared high-speed memory with multiple ports, one port coupled to a plurality of LAN controller chips coupled to individual LAN segments and an Ethernet microprocessor that sets up and manages a receive buffer for storing received packets and transferring pointers thereto to a main processor. The main processor is coupled to another port of the memory and analyzes received packets for bridging to other LAN segments or forwarding to an SNMP agent. The main microprocessor and the Ethernet processor coordinate to manage the utilization of storage locations in the shared memory. Another port is coupled to an uplink interface to higher speed backbone media such as FDDI, ATM etc. Speeds up to media rate are achieved by only moving pointers to packets around in memory as opposed to the data of the packets itself. A double password security feature is also implemented in some embodiments to prevent accidental or intentional tampering with system configuration settings.

Network packet switch using shared memory for repeating and bridging packets at media rate

Network connector operable in bridge mode and bypass mode

A protocol for protected email transmission using micropayments and a segregated inbox in which protected emails are displayed. The protocol also involves authentication of the sender to defeat phishers and an opt out protocol which can be used to block protected emails from sources from which the user no longer wishes to receive emails even if the source has made a micropayment. Branded email is also taught wherein a sender of protected emails can pay extra to have a miniature version of its brand logo or trademark displayed with its email in the segregated inbox. A white list is maintained on the protected email server (along with the opt out black list) so that recipients can designate specific senders who may send email to that recipient without paying a micropayment and still have the protected email displayed in the segregated inbox.

User interface and anti-phishing functions for an anti-spam micropayments system

A user interface for email users which calls attention to one or more categories of emails in different ways. In some species, at least three categories are used: branded senders with Trumarks; white list buddies; and fraudulent emails which are either not from the domain they purport to be from or in which the content was tampered. The preferred embodiment authenticates emails from branded senders and displays them with the sender's Truemark. Branded sender emails have their Truemarks displayed in the sender column of a list view in the preferred embodiment. In a preferred embodiment, white list senders have either an icon or other graphic or photo they choose displayed to the left or right of the sender column with their name in the sender column. In a preferred embodiment, fraudulent emails have a fraud icon displayed to the left or right of the sender column with a warning in the sender column. Antiphishing processing is also disclosed.

User interface for email inbox to call attention differently to different classes of email

Techniques are presented for uniquely identifying authentication associated with messages. A message is inspected for sender or domain identifying information associated with a sender of the message or a sender's domain. The identifying information is authenticated, and if authentication, then distinctive metadata is associated with the message. The distinctive metadata is presented or played in connection with the message for purposes of readily identifying the authentication.

Robert Philip Zager

Papers

Network packet switch using shared memory for repeating and bridging packets at media rate

Network connector operable in bridge mode and bypass mode

User interface and anti-phishing functions for an anti-spam micropayments system

User interface for email inbox to call attention differently to different classes of email

Rapid identification of message authentication