A mask includes a substantially transparent portion. The mask further includes a halftone portion abutting the substantially transparent portion, a light transmittance of the halftone portion being greater than 0% and less than 100%. The mask further includes a blocking portion abutting the halftone portion, a light transmittance of the blocking portion being less than the light transmittance of the halftone portion.

Disclosed is a positive photosensitive resin composition that includes (A) an alkali soluble resin prepared by a phosphorous-containing diamine represented by the following Chemical Formula 1, (B) a photosensitive diazoquinone compound, and (C) a solvent. A photosensitive resin film prepared using the same and a semiconductor device including the photosensitive resin film are also disclosed. In Chemical Formula 1, each substituent is the same as defined in the detailed description.

Provided are an electrophotographic photosensitive member in which leakage doesn't easily occur, a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus each including the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a method of manufacturing the electrophotographic photosensitive member. The electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a conductive layer including titanium oxide particle coated with tin oxide doped with a hetero element. When an absolute value of a maximum current amount flowing through the conductive layer in a case of performing a test of applying −1.0 kV including DC voltage to the conductive layer is defined as Ia, and an absolute value of a current amount flowing through the conductive layer in a case where a decrease ratio of a current amount per minute reaches 1% or less for the first time is defined as Ib, the relations of Ia≦6000 and 10≦Ib are satisfied. A volume resistivity of the conductive layer before the test is 1.0×108 Ω·cm to 5.0×1012 Ω·cm.

The present invention provides a carrier for a two-component electrophotographic developer, comprising a core particle and a thermoset silicone resin layer coated thereon, wherein said layer comprises a charge control agent and is formed by heat-treatment at a temperature below the melting point of said charge control agent.

A solution of a gallium phthalocyanine contains a compound of formula (1) and a gallium phthalocyanine of formula (2), H2N—CH2—R1—CH2—NH2 (1) wherein R1 represents a single bond, or a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene group having 1 to 10 main-chain carbon atoms, a substituent of the substituted alkylene group is an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms and being substituted with an amino group, or a hydroxy group, one of the carbon atoms in the main chain of the alkylene group may be replaced with an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, or a bivalent group represented by the formula —NR2—, and R2 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms and being substituted with an amino group, and wherein X1 represents a chlorine atom or hydroxy group.

A resist composition including a base component which exhibits changed solubility in an alkali developing solution under action of acid and an acid-generator component which generates acid upon exposure, the acid-generator including an acid generator consisting of a compound represented by general formula (b1-1) shown below: In which RX represents a hydrocarbon group which may have a substituent exclusive of a nitrogen atom; each of Q2 and Q3 independently represents a single bond or a divalent linkage group; Y1 represents an alkylene group or fluorinated alkyl group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms; and Z+ represents an organic cation exclusive of an ion represented by general formula (w-1).

A radiation-sensitive resin composition that provides a resist coating film in a liquid immersion lithography process is provided, the radiation-sensitive resin composition being capable of exhibiting a great dynamic contact angle during exposure, whereby the surface of the resist coating film can exhibit a superior water draining property, and the radiation-sensitive resin composition being capable of leading to a significant decrease in the dynamic contact angle during development, whereby generation of development defects can be inhibited, and further shortening of a time period required for change in a dynamic contact angle is enabled. A radiation-sensitive resin composition including (A) a fluorine-containing polymer having a structural unit (I) that includes a group represented by the following formula (1), and (B) a radiation-sensitive acid generator.

The present invention provides a polymerizable tertiary ester compound represented by the following general formula (1a) or (1b). There is provided a polymerizable ester compound useful as a monomer for a base resin of a resist composition having a high resolution and a reduced pattern edge roughness in photolithography using a high-energy beam such as an ArF excimer laser light as a light source, especially in immersion lithography, a polymer containing a polymer of the ester compound, a resist composition containing the polymer as a base resin, and a patterning process using the resist composition.

An additive polymer comprising recurring styrene units having an ester group bonded to a CF3—C(OR2)—R3 group (wherein R2 is H, acyl or acid labile group, R3 is H, CH3 or CF3) such as 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol is added to a polymer capable of increasing alkali solubility under the action of acid to formulate a resist composition. The resist composition can minimize outgassing from a resist film during the EUV lithography and form a resist film having a hydrophilic surface sufficient to prevent formation of blob defects on the film after development.

A resist composition which generates acid upon exposure and exhibits changed solubility in a developing solution under action of acid, including a base component (A) which exhibits changed solubility in a developing solution under action of acid, and a photo-decomposable quencher (D0) containing a compound represented by general formula (d0) shown below. In the formula, R1 represents a hydrocarbon group of 4 to 20 carbon atoms which may have a substituent; Y1 represents a single bond or a divalent linking group; R2 and R3 each independently represents a substituent of 0 to 20 carbon atoms other than a fluorine atom; one of R2 and R3 may form a ring with Y1; Mm+ represents an organic cation having a valency of m; and m represents an integer of 1 or more.

The present invention relates to a developable bottom antireflective coating (BARC) composition and a pattern forming method using the BARC composition. The BARC composition includes a first polymer having a first carboxylic acid moiety, a hydroxy-containing alicyclic moiety, and a first chromophore moiety; a second polymer having a second carboxylic acid moiety, a hydroxy-containing acyclic moiety, and a second chromophore moiety; a crosslinking agent; and a radiation sensitive acid generator. The first and second chromophore moieties each absorb light at a wavelength from 100 nm to 400 nm. In the patterning forming method, a photoresist layer is formed over a BARC layer of the BARC composition. After exposure, unexposed regions of the photoresist layer and the BARC layer are selectively removed by a developer to form a patterned structure in the photoresist layer. The BARC composition and the pattern forming method are especially useful for implanting levels.

A method for forming patterns of a semiconductor device includes providing a photomask that includes an array of contact holes in an active region, a plurality of first dummy contact holes for restricting pattern distortion of the contact holes in an area outside of the array of the contact holes, a plurality of first assist features for restricting pattern distortion of the first dummy contact holes disposed inside a corresponding one of the first dummy contact holes, and an array of second assist features for additionally restricting pattern distortion of the first dummy contact holes. The array of second assist features is disposed outside of the first dummy contact holes. The method also includes forming an array of contact holes and first dummy contact holes on a wafer by using the photomask as an exposure mask.

Disclosed is a resist ink having superior acid-resistance and coupling property, the resist ink composed of 70% or less by weight of solvent, 10-15% by weight of base polymer, 10-15% by weight of tacktifier, 3% or less by weight of additive, and 1-10% by weight of coupling agent.

A pattern forming method contains: (i) a step of forming a bottom anti-reflective coating on a substrate by using a first resin composition (I), (ii) a step of forming a resist film on the bottom anti-reflective coating by using a second resin composition (II), (iii) a step of exposing a multi-layered film having the bottom anti-reflective coating and the resist film, and (iv) a step of developing the bottom anti-reflective coating and the resist film in the exposed multi-layered film by using an organic solvent-containing developer to form a negative pattern.

Provided by the present invention is a method including: (1) forming a resist underlayer film on the upper face side of a substrate to be processed using a composition for forming a resist underlayer film, the composition containing (A) a compound having a group represented by the following formula (1); (2) forming a resist coating film by applying a resist composition on the resist underlayer film; (3) exposing the resist coating film by selectively irradiating the resist coating film with a radiation; (4) forming a resist pattern by developing the exposed resist coating film; and (5) forming a predetermined pattern on the substrate to be processed by sequentially dry etching the resist underlayer film and the substrate using the resist pattern as a mask.

Provided is a method of producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member having improved sensitivity and capable of outputting an image having less image defects due to a ghost phenomenon not only under a normal-temperature, normal-humidity environment but also under a low-temperature, low-humidity environment as a particularly severe condition. The method of producing a gallium phthalocyanine crystal includes subjecting a gallium phthalocyanine and a specific amine compound, which are added to a solvent, to a milling treatment to perform crystal transformation of the gallium phthalocyanine. In addition, the gallium phthalocyanine crystal is used in the photosensitive layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member.

A pattern forming method contains: (i) a step of forming a bottom anti-reflective coating on a substrate by using a first resin composition (I), (ii) a step of forming a resist film on the bottom anti-reflective coating by using a second resin composition (II), (iii) a step of exposing a multi-layered film having the bottom anti-reflective coating and the resist film, and (iv) a step of developing the bottom anti-reflective coating and the resist film in the exposed multi-layered film by using an organic solvent-containing developer to form a negative pattern.

For reading the frets of a stringed electronic musical instrument, a plurality of resistance wire strings are secured to a nut end and a bridge of the instrument, with the strings superposing in parallel relationship over a plurality of conducting frets mounted on a fingerboard on the instrument. The voltages produced by depressing the strings to the conducting frets, after being inverted and linearized, are quantized to levels representative of the particular frets to obviate the effects of contact resistance, and decision voltage levels are selected so as to account for such contact resistance. To enable the signals to be fed as conventional information through a MIDI channel to a synthesizer for generating frequencies corresponding to the signals, an analog to digital converter is used. The different components, as well as the digitized linearized signals, are selectively controlled and fed, respectively, to a microprocessor.

A tap dance platform for producing pitched sounds in response to energy imparted onto the surface of the platform having a flat base surface and parallel spaced-apart supports disposed on the flat base. Disposed on each of the spaced-apart supports are a plurality of flat spaced-apart keys which define a sound chamber between the base and the bottom of the keys. The supports are spaced-apart to engage the keys at their vibrational nodes. On the top surface of each of the spaced-apart supports are resilient strips to insulate the keys from the supports and the base to enhance the tonal sound. There are also provided side apertures in both the vertical supports and the side walls of the platform, to allow the sound to come out and to determine the desired sound quality. The ends of the platform are also recesses so that sound can travel out of each end of the platform. Thus, tap dancers can dance on the keys and create unique pitched, percussionlike sounds resembling a marimba.

An electronic musical instrument having a number of keys, having tone generators capable of simultaneous tone production, the tone generators being smaller in number than the number of keys. The instrument forms an operation for synthesizing a desired waveform, the operation for synthesizing a desired waveform being performed in a repeating cyclic order with an operation cycle and in which the waveform is transferred to the tone generators and read out therefrom at a rate in accordance with the note of a key being depressed to obtain a desired musical waveform. The device includes a number-of-depressed keys detecting device which counts the number of keys which are actuating the tone generator upon depression. A cycle altering device is provided for changing the operation cycle, as a whole, on the basis of the number of depressed keys, counted by the number-of-depressed keys detecting device. The construction allows for a waveform of a smooth temporal variation to be produced.

A tuning apparatus for a keyboard musical instrument, having a load applicator for applying a load of a predetermined value to a string set up in place, a calculating device for calculating a deviation between a displacement value of the string produced when the load is applied to the string and a preset value of displacement predetermined to give a required frequency of vibration, and a rotating device for turning a tuning pin until the deviation calculated by the calculating device is reduced to zero.

A method for electronically processing and storing musical information involves separating the musical information into a plurality of segments, each representing some portion of a measure, and assigning a sequential time dimension value to each segment. The musical information is also separated into plurality of channels, with each channel representing a sound source and having a sound dimension value assigned to it. The musical information for a given channel and segment is stored in a memory array by associating the musical information corresponding to a given channel and segment with the memory array node specified by the time dimension value and sound dimension value assigned to the given channel and segment.

Root and type of a chord are discriminated at discriminators in accordance with the operation status on a fingerboard. The chord is designated according to a simplified fingering rule predetermined on the fingerboard so as to designate the chord. An automatic accompaniment or a manual play is performed according to the discriminated chord obtained at chord discriminating device.

A variable control device accessory for a music synthesizer having a horizontally disposed keyboard. The device is positioned in front of the keyboard. It has a plurality of movable bars, at least of one of which is capable of being pivotally and slidably moved by the wrist of a player while all the others are only slidable. The bars modulate selected light beams focussed on light responsive mechanisms to produce variably dependent analog signals as inputs to the music synthesizer.

In an electronic musical instrument of the waveshape memory type including at least one waveshape memory for storing and reproducing sample values of a musical sound wave to be generated, the waveshape memory stores the sample values of the complete waveshape of a musical tone with a shaped envelope.

The musical scale indicator according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is composed of two cooperating parts. A base is provided having thereon printed information pertaining to a particular musical instrument and which, in addition, has printed thereon fingering patterns for playing tones on that instrument arranged in a predetermined sequence indicative of any number of desired musical scales. A slidable, clear overlay is slidably connected with the base. The overlay has printed thereon the letter designations for the musical tones arranged in a predetermined sequence so as to cooperate with the fingering patterns indicated on the base in order to selectively indicate to the user the finger positions on the subject musical instrument that will produce the tones of a selected musical scale and simultaneously the finger positions on that instrument that will produce those tones.

External sound signal coupled through a MIC IN terminal is fed through an operating switch panel section to an A/D converter for conversion to a digital signal. The digital signal is stored in a record memory through a waveform R/W controller under the control of a CPU. The digital signal stored in the record memory is read out from the CPU according to control data stored in a work memory to be fed to an external sound system for sounding.

The inventive system comprising a memory for storing the ADSR data, a clock controller for selecting the clock pulses, a counter for counting the output of the clock controller, a data switching means for buffering the output data of the memory, a holding means for holding the output of the data switching means, a comparator for comparing the output of the memory with the output of the holding means, and main controller. The main controller inputs a control signal to control the data access time in the memory and the outputs of the switching means and holding means. According to the present invention, the release data are outputted immediately after the putting off of the keyboard signal to produce more accurate ADSR data.

In an electronic musical instrument of the waveshape memory type including at least one waveshape memory for storing and reproducing sample values of a musical sound wave to be generated, the waveshape memory stores the sample values of the complete waveshape of a musical tone with a shaped envelope.

A signal processing apparatus executes a plurality of microprograms stored in a microprogram memory device in a time-sharing manner, so as to perform arithmetic operations on a digital signal entered by a signal input device. A delay memory device that delays the digital signal. The delay memory device has a plurality of delay areas that are independently provided for the respective microprograms, such that each of the microprograms that is being executed uses a corresponding one of the plurality of delay areas so as to delay the digital signal, and a common area that can be accessed by all of the microprograms. As a result, data such as tables for use in common by the plurality of microprograms can be stored, and the stored data can be easily used by each microprogram, without making the system complicated or increasing the cost of the apparatus.

Apparatus and method for rotating an object using a music box mechanism having a spring motor. Apparatus includes a mechanical motor having a spring coupled between a body and a shaft of the music box where the shaft and the body are mounted for rotation relative to each other. The spring is windable by a user to store mechanical potential energy and when released, unwindable to release the stored energy and cause relative rotation between the body and the shaft. A base adapted for stationary placement against a surface such as a table or desktop or a wall or other stationary surface is fixedly coupled to or integrally formed with the shaft of the music box motor. An object such as a spherical planetary object or globe or any other object is connected to the body and includes an aperture or hole through which the base extends to the shaft. This aperture permits the object to rotate about the shaft without interference so that the body and the object rotate about the shaft as the spring unwinds. Connection of the winding mechanism shaft to the fixed base causes the body of the music box and attached object such as the globe to rotate.

Support devices for a woodwind musical instrument, and methods for making such support devices. A support device includes a strap for hanging from the neck of the user. Attached to the strap is a brace shaped to receive the instrument. This way the instrument is suspended from the neck of the user. Preferably the brace is such that the strap is attached so that no portion of the strap contacts the instrument, when it is so supported.

An apparatus for the carrying of a woodwind musical instrument, known as a recorder, consisting of a ring with sufficient inside diameter to fit around the shaft of the recorder and a strap attached to the ring and of sufficient length so as to fit around the neck of the person playing the recorder and allowing the recorder to hang in a position of easy access to the user.

An electronic synthesized steelpan drum resembling a conventional steelpan drum and featuring the same shallow cylindrical shape with a sunken concave playing surface. The steelpan drum includes a central processor chip and associated memory chips for providing a variety of synthesized steelpan and a full range of musical, orchestral, and symphonic instrumental sounds, including tenor, double-seconds, guitar, cello, quadraphonic, tenor-bass, and bass steel drums. The concave playing surface is comprised of a series of rubber striking pad areas, which can be arranged in a conventional or other unique pattern typical of a tenor pan. The striking pad areas will be played with a pair of pansticks. Attached under each pad is a pressure sensor, which will detect the amount of force applied when a pannist strikes a pad and provide a signal to the central processor for controlling the synthesized sound. The steelpan has various control functions including speakers, volume control, function selection buttons, and a control display panel.

A pedal assembly for a bass drum or high hat cymbals. A flat base plate has a resilient pedal board clamped to it with the pedal board inclined to receive a foot. A beater stick is connected with the toe end of the pedal board by a linkage that drives the beater stick against a bass drum when the pedal is depressed. The resiliency of the pedal board returns it to its normal position when foot pressure is withdrawn. The material of which the pedal board is constructed has a modulus of elasticity between about one million and about six million. A striker pad limits the depression of the pedal board to limit the force that the beater stick can apply to the drum.

A modular automated assistive guitar is described comprising a base assembly, a pick assembly, a strumming mechanism and a fretting mechanism which, in combination with a standard guitar or similar stringed musical instrument (e.g., banjo, steel guitar, ukulele), forms a musical device that can be played by an individual with a range of independence, cognitive and physical abilities. The base assembly accepts, positions, and secures a standard guitar. The pick assembly includes quick attach and spring-loaded features for attaching and detaching picks, in addition to flexibility for smooth interaction with the guitar strings. The strumming mechanism provides cyclic motion and speed control to create pleasant and variable rhythm from the mounted guitar. The fretting mechanism allows a user to change chords and tone. An unmodified, traditional guitar is preferably used in the musical device. The guitar is easily interchangeable with another guitar or other stringed instrument, at the convenience of the user. The modular automated assistive musical device, with or without the guitar, is compact, light, portable, and easily adjustable to different individual's needs, motor skills, and dexterity.

A portable electronic musical device has a keyboard disposed in a housing connected to a strap and a support plate connected thereto for suspension of housing by strap on shoulders of a person while housing is simultaneously supported on waist of person to allow person to easily move from one geographical position to another while playing instrument. Housing is pivotally connected to support plate by at least one member defining an axis around which housing is rotatable to playing of instrument and to facilitate viewing of hands of person and keys of keyboard while user is playing instrument. To further facilitate playing of instrument and visibility of hands and keys housing is curved with keyboard generally aligned therewith.

For use with a percussion instrument, the combination comprises a clamp base to support the percussion instrument, a clamp jaw, adjustable connector structure connecting the jaw to the base for displacing the jaw toward and away from the base, and clamping structure carried on at least one of the jaw and the base to be clamped against a support member in response to relative clamping displacement of the jaw and base, whereby adjustment of the structure accommodates to clamping of different size support members by clamping structure.

A tuning device includes a pitch extraction device with which the pitch of an input signal is extracted and a deviation detection device with which the deviation of the pitch that has been extracted by the pitch extraction device from a standard pitch is detected. The deviation that has been detected by the deviation detection device is displayed by an indicator of a mechanical meter. The tuning device also includes an ultrasonic motor that drives the indicator. A controller drives the ultrasonic motor in conformance with the deviation that has been detected by the deviation detection device. The controller, by driving the indicator using the ultrasonic motor, arranges the indicator in the standard position in those cases where the deviation that has been detected by the deviation detection device is zero, and moves the indicator up to a position in the positive direction that corresponds to the deviation in those cases where the deviation is a positive value and moves the indicator up to a position in the negative direction that corresponds to the deviation in those cases where the deviation is a negative value.

Game processing apparatus comprising: an indication generator operable to generate an indication of a sequence of target actions to be executed by a user;a detector operable to detect user actions executed by said user;comparison logic operable to compare said target actions with said user actions to determine whether said target actions have been successfully completed by said user actions; andscoring logic operable, when in a non-scoring mode, to detect a first pattern of target actions that have been successfully completed with respect to target actions that have not been successfully completed, as determined by said comparison logic, said scoring logic entering a scoring mode upon detection of said first pattern, said scoring logic operable, when in said scoring mode, to detect a second pattern of target actions that have been successfully completed with respect to target actions that have not been successfully completed, as determined by said comparison logic, said scoring logic entering said non-scoring mode upon detection of said second pattern, said scoring logic operable to generate a score for said user when said scoring logic is in said scoring mode, said score being dependent upon said determination by said comparison logic.

Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for scrolling a virtual keyboard on a touch screen device including a display. A first aspect allows detecting a user contact swipe motion in a predetermined direction along said keyboard, scrolling said keyboard across said display in accordance with said motion, and stopping said scrolling upon termination of user contact swipe motion. A second aspect allows scrolling of a virtual keyboard to snap to an intelligent position based on a song key or relative minor of the song key. A third aspect allows a note to be held when a user's finger remains in contact with the display even though the finger is no longer in contact with a key linked to the note on the keyboard as a result of scrolling. A fourth aspect displays a second musical instrument keyboard adjacent to a first musical instrument keyboard, wherein said second musical instrument keyboard is linked to said first musical instrument keyboard such that scrolling of one keyboard causes automatic scrolling of the other keyboard.

The invention relates to an apparatus for mounting a percussion instrument onto a stand. The apparatus comprises a support portion and a retaining portion, the support portion comprising a support member arranged for attachment to the stand and including a shaft, the retaining portion comprising a gripping member having a pair of elements spaced apart from each other and one or more spreader means arranged to urge the spaced apart elements away from each other, wherein the support and retaining portions are adapted to mount the percussion instrument therebetween, the shaft engageable with the retaining portion, the elements of the gripping member normally biased to a first position that is capable of retaining the shaft between the elements in a locked position in the said retaining portion, the elements movable to a second position in which the retaining portion can be received on or removed from the first position on the shaft, the elements movable from the first position to the second position by activation of the or each spreader means.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for interference mitigation of an open-access node. The method includes determining, at the open-access node, whether uplink interference from a mobile entity is above a threshold. The method includes adjusting a transmission power to trigger a hand-in of the mobile entity in response to determining the uplink interference is above the threshold. The method includes handing-in the mobile entity from a first cell in response to adjusting the transmission power. The method includes redirecting the mobile entity to a second cell different from the first cell.

A system may include a macro cell base station configured to determine a service quality associated with the macro cell base station; determine whether the service quality is below a quality threshold; and instruct a small cell base station to switch from a sleep mode to an awake mode, when the service quality is below the quality threshold. The system may further include a small cell base station, located within a coverage area of the macro cell base station, configured to enter an awake mode, when instructed to enter the awake mode by the macro cell base station; and inform the macro cell base station that the small cell base station is in awake mode. The macro cell base station may be further configured to hand over one or more user devices to the small cell base station, when the small cell base station is in the awake mode.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to determining whether a reported position of a wireless transmitter is sufficiently accurate in accordance with an accuracy metric based at least in part on a calculated range between an estimated position of a mobile station and the reported position and also based at least in part on one or more measurements taken from one or more signals transmitted by the wireless transmitter.

This specification describes a method and corresponding system for reducing aggregate forward link transmission power. In one arrangement, a RAN may reduce the aggregate transmission power level in a coverage area by (i) determining which WCDs in the coverage area have a communication error rate that is at least a threshold level of communication error rate, and in response to the determining, (ii) reducing the forward link transmission power level of the determined WCDs. In another arrangement, the RAN may reduce the aggregate transmission power level in a coverage area by reducing the forward link transmission power of WCDs in the coverage area that have (i) a forward link transmission power level that is at least a threshold level of forward link transmission power and (ii) a communication error rate that is at least a threshold level of communication error rate.

A compose form for drafting a message is presented inline within a window along with a message list. For example, instead of overlaying the message application's user interface (UI) with a new window for composing a message, the compose form is displayed within a portion of the window reserved for viewing content of messages. While composing the message using the compose form, the rest of the message application's UI remains visible and accessible to the user. For example, the user may navigate to another folder and/or move to another message/conversation by interacting with the tree view/message list view. A draft of the message being composed may be automatically saved when the user navigates away from the compose form (e.g. by selecting another conversation in the list view).

A technique dynamically configures and verifies routing information of broadcast networks using link state protocols in a computer network. According to the novel technique, a router within the broadcast network receives a link state protocol routing information advertisement from an advertising router, e.g., a designated router or other adjacent neighbor. The router learns of a next-hop router (“next-hop”) to reach a particular destination from the advertisement, and determines whether the next-hop is located within the same broadcast network (e.g., subnet) as the designated router. If so, the router further determines whether the next-hop is directly addressable (i.e., reachable), such as, e.g., by checking for link adjacencies to the next-hop or by sending request/reply messages (e.g., echo messages or “ping” messages) to the next-hop. In the event the next-hop for the destination is not directly addressable by the router (e.g., no adjacency or reply), the router installs a route to the destination via the designated router. Otherwise, the router installs a route to the destination via the next-hop.

A method and apparatus in which multiple Internet Protocol (IP) based wireless data transmissions are simultaneously provided between a wireless device and a server, including providing multiple antennas, multiple T/R units, multiple processors and multiple I/O ports on the wireless device. The method includes receiving multiple IP data packets on the I/O ports at substantially the same time, and sending multiple data packets from the wireless device to the server, whereby the transmission rate between the wireless device and the server is increased.

A system and method can support a flooding mechanism using a multicast group in a middleware machine environment. The middleware machine environment can comprise a gateway instance that includes an external port for receiving one or more data packets from an external network. The middleware machine environment also comprises one or more host servers, each of which is associated with one or more virtual machines that can process the data packets. Furthermore, said host servers can provide virtual interfaces that belong to a virtual hub associated with the gateway instance. At least one said packet is a flooded packet that is specified with an unknown destination address when it is received at the external port. The gateway instance operates to send the flooded packet to the multicast group that operates to forward the flooded packet to one or more said host servers in the multicast group.