What is claimed is:
1. A hardware module for incorporating an electronic unit into an ad-hoc local area network, the electronic unit having hardware and a communications interface, comprising:
a Java virtual machine which supports Java RMI and Jini;
at least one interface module to connect to the communications interface on the electronic unit;
interface stubs to interface with the hardware of the electronic unit;
a service generator to generate Jini services for the hardware of the electronic unit using the interface stubs; and
at least one interface to the local area network.
2. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein a lookup service is provided which can be activated using a switch on the hardware module in order to set up the connection to the local area network.
3. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface module includes at least a USB interface.
4. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface module includes at least an HAVi interface.
5. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface module includes at least an Instabus interface.
6. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface module includes at least a tele-communicating terminal interface which supports the AT command.
7. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface module includes at least a PCMCIA interface.
8. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface module includes at least a SIM card interface.
9. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface to the local area network is a wireless interface.
10. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface to the local area network is a DC coupling interface.
11. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface to the local area network is an IrDa interface.
12. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface to the local area network is a Bluetooth interface.
13. The hardware module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface to the local area network is an IEEE 802.11 WLAN interface.
14. A hardware module for incorporating an electronic unit into an ad-hoc local area network, the electronic unit having a communications interface, comprising:
a plurality of different interfaces to connect with the communications interface of the electronic unit;
a Java virtual machine adapted to support Java RMI and Jini;
interface stubs;
an interface adapter to connect one of the interfaces to the Java virtual machine such that Jini services are provided to the electronic unit through the interface stubs; and
a plurality of different interfaces to the local area network provided such that one of the interfaces can be connected to the Java virtual machine.
15. A hardware module for incorporating an electronic unit into an ad-hoc local area network, the electronic unit having hardware and a communications interface, comprising:
means for operating a Java virtual machine which supports Java RMI and Jini;
at least one interface module to connect to the communications interface on the electronic unit;
means for generating Jini services with interface stubs for the hardware of the electronic unit; and
at least one interface to the local area network.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A process for production of hydrogen peroxide which comprises the following steps:
(a) hydrogenation of a working solution comprising at least one non-ionic quinone compound selected from the group consisting of anthraquinone and its derivatives; phenanthrenequinone and its derivatives; naphthoquinone and its derivatives; and benzoquinone and its derivatives, wherein the total molecular weight of optional groups attached to the quinone skeleton is lower than 500, to obtain at least one corresponding hydroquinone compound;
(b) oxidation of said at least one hydroquinone compound to obtain hydrogen peroxide; and
(c) separation of said hydrogen peroxide from said working solution, during andor subsequently to said oxidation step b);
wherein said working solution of either step a) andor b) comprises less than 30% by weight of organic solvent.
2. The process according to claim 1, wherein said total molecular weight of said optional groups attached to said quinone skeleton is equal to or lower than 400.
3. The process according to claim 1, wherein said non-ionic quinone compound is substantially insoluble in carbon dioxide.
4. The process according to claim 1, wherein said non-ionic quinone compound contains a number of CO2-philic functionalizing groups of less than 1 per non-ionic quinone molecule, said CO2-philic group being selected from the group consisting of fluoroalkyl groups, fluoroether groups, silicone groups, alkylene oxide groups, and fluorinated acrylate groups.
5. The process according to claim 1, wherein said non-ionic quinone compound is selected from the group consisting of ethylanthraquinones, butyl anthraquinones, amyl anthraquinone, and a mixture thereof.
6. The process according to claim 1, wherein said non-ionic quinone compound or mixture of non-ionic quinone compounds present in the working solution has a melting point equal to or lower than 115\xb0 C.
7. The process according to claim 1, wherein, when said process is carried out at a temperature ranging from 80 to 120\xb0 C., said non-ionic quinone compound has a viscosity inferior to 1000 mPa\xb7s.
8. The process according to claim 1, wherein said hydrogenation step a) is carried out with less than 30 wt. % of solvent.
9. The process according to claim 1, wherein said hydrogenation step a) is carried out in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, Raney nickel, and Urushibara nickel.
10. The process according to claim 1, wherein said hydrogenation step a) is stopped after a minimum hydrogenation level of at least 5 wt. % has been reached.
11. The process according to claim 1, wherein said oxidation step b) is carried out with less than 30 wt. % of organic solvent.
12. The process according to claim 1, wherein both of said hydrogenation step a) and said oxidation step b) are carried out with less than 10 wt. % of organic solvent.
13. The process according to claim 1, wherein said oxidation step b) is carried in presence of at least one extraction solvent.
14. The process according to claim 13, wherein said extraction solvent is water.
15. The process according to claim 1, wherein the working solution recovered after separation of the hydrogen peroxide in step c) is recycled to constitute at least part of said working solution of step a).
16. The process according to claim 1, wherein said non-ionic quinone compound exhibits a solubility of maximum 1 mMol in carbon dioxide at a pressure of 5000 psi and at a temperature of 100\xb0 C.
17. The process according to claim 1, wherein said non-ionic quinone compound does not comprise any CO2-philic group.
18. The process according to claim 1, wherein said hydrogenation step a) is carried out in the absence of any solvents.
19. The process according to claim 1, wherein said oxidation step b) is carried out in the absence of any organic solvents.