Author: claimsbot

1. Security method for payment from a client to a supplier, including a step wherein a payment request including at least one identifier of said client is transmitted to a management center, according to a previously defined protocol,
characterized in that it contains a validation step according to which:
said management center manages a validation request, to the attention of said client, according to a second protocol independent from said first protocol, to an address indicated by said client;
a message of payment validation or refusal is transmitted in the name of said client, as set forth in the second protocol.
2. Security method according to claim 1, characterized in that said client is equipped with a terminal that possesses means of radio-communication.
3. Security method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said second protocol is the SIP protocol.
4. Security method according to claim 3, characterized in that said validation request is managed in the form of an INVITE message.
5. Security method according to any of claims 1 through 4, characterized in that they include the following steps:
(a) receipt, by said management center, of a payment request sent by said supplier;
(b) transmission of a validation request from said management center to a localization server;
(c) identification of a proxy server wherein said client is saved, by said localization server;
(d) transmission of said validation request to said proxy server;
(e) transmission by said proxy server of said response to said management center.
6. Security method according to claim 5, characterized in that it further includes, after said transmission step of said validation request to said proxy server, the following steps among others:
(dbis) transmission by said proxy server of said validation request to said client equipped with a terminal;
(dter) transmission by said client equipped with a terminal of a response to said validation request, to said proxy server;
such that said proxy server transmits said response to said management center.
7. Security method according to claim 6, characterized in that when the client is equipped with a terminal, said steps (dbis) and (dter) set up a transmission using at least one of the techniques from a group that includes:
short messages (SMS);
telephone communications;
electronic messages.
8. Security method according to any of claims 1 through 7, characterized in that said management center andor said proxy server set up a validation request procedure only in predetermined cases.
9. Security method according to claim 8, characterized in that said predetermined cases depend on at least one of the following parameters:
transaction amount;
client type;
supplier type;
proxy server type.
10. Security method according to any of claims 8 and 9, characterized in that at least one of the parameters of said predetermined cases are configurable by at least one of the following interveners:
the client;
the supplier;
the management center;
the proxy server.
11. Security method according to any of claims 1 through 10, characterized in that a response to a validation request may be one of three types:
positive response;
negative response;
absence of a response.
12. Security method according to claim 11, characterized in that the absence of a response is interpreted by said proxy server andor by said management center as a negative response.
13. Security method according to any of claims 1 through 12, characterized in that said management center only executes all bank processing related to said payment after receiving a positive response to said validation request.
14. Security method according to any of claims 1 through 13, characterized in that said payment is made using a bank card.
15. Localization center of at least one client, that sets up the process according to any of claims 1 through 14.
16. Security method for payments amongst a plurality of clients and suppliers, characterized in that it sets up a localization server, capable of receiving validation requests from at least one management center from which a payment was required, of transmitting said validation requests to terminals held respectively by each of said clients, and of receiving and passing on a response to said validation request, sent by said client using their terminal.

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. An information processing apparatus having a non-volatile main memory, the information processing apparatus comprising:
an allocation unit configured to allocate in the non-volatile main memory, in a case where an instruction of processing by an application is received, a memory area to be used for the processing of the application;
a storage unit configured to store data in the allocated memory area; and
a release unit configured to clear data stored in the memory area and to release the memory area, when processing for the data stored in the memory area by the application has completed.
2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the allocation unit is executed by that the application calls a subroutine for allocating the memory area and the subroutine calls a subroutine, for allocating the memory area, of an operating system by a system call instruction.
3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the release unit is executed by that the application calls a subroutine for releasing the memory area and the subroutine calls a subroutine, for releasing the memory area, of an operating system by a system call instruction.
4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the subroutine, for allocating the memory area, of the operating system is executed in a supervisor mode.
5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing for the data stored in the memory area is print processing.
6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the memory area is allocated in a heap area of the non-volatile main memory.
7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a memory unit configured to store information indicating a usage status of the heap area,
wherein upon execution of the subroutine for allocating the memory area, the information stored in the memory unit is referenced, and the memory area is allocated in an unused area of the heap area.
8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the release unit clears the data stored in the memory area by writing a predetermined value into the memory area.
9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the application is an application used for a copy function.
10. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus having a non-volatile main memory, the method comprising:
allocating in the non-volatile main memory, in a case where an instruction of processing by an application is received, a memory area to be used for the processing of the application;
storing data in the allocated memory area; and
clearing data stored in the memory area and releasing the memory area, when processing for the data stored in the memory area by the application has completed.
11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as an information processing apparatus, having a non-volatile main memory, the information processing apparatus comprising:
an allocation unit configured to allocate in the non-volatile main memory, in a case where an instruction of processing by an application is received, a memory area to be used for the processing of the application;
a storage unit configured to store data in the allocated memory area; and
a release unit configured to clear data stored in the memory area and to release the memory area, when processing for the data stored in the memory area by the application has completed.

1. A device for handling a wafer comprising:
an interior accessible through a plurality of entrances; and
a plurality of sensors consisting of two sensors for each one of the plurality of entrances, each sensor capable of detecting a presence of a wafer at a predetermined location within the interior, wherein the plurality of sensors are arranged so that at least two of the plurality of sensors detect the wafer for any position of the wafer entirely within the interior.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of entrances includes four entrances.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of entrances includes seven entrances.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of entrances includes eight entrances.
5. The device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors includes optical sensors.
6. The device of claim 5 wherein the plurality of sensors includes at least one light emitting diode.
7. The device of claim 1 further comprising a robotic arm having a center axis within the interior, the robotic arm including an end effector for handling wafers.
8. A device for handling a wafer comprising:
an interior accessible through a plurality of entrances; and
a plurality of sensors consisting of two sensors for each one of the plurality of entrances, each sensor capable of detecting a presence of a wafer at a predetermined location within the interior, wherein the plurality of sensors are arranged so that a first pair of sensors detect a wafer entering linearly through each one of the plurality of entrances and a second pair of sensors are positioned substantially immediately outside the maximum diameter of the wafer entering linearly through each one of the plurality of entrances, and wherein each one of the plurality of entrances shares one of the first pair of sensors and the second pair of sensors with each neighboring one of the plurality of entrances.
9. The device of claim 8 wherein the plurality of entrances includes four entrances.
10. The device of claim 8 wherein the plurality of entrances includes seven entrances.
11. The device of claim 8 wherein the plurality of entrances includes eight entrances.
12. The device of claim 8 wherein the plurality of sensors includes optical sensors.
13. The device of claim 12 wherein the plurality of sensors includes at least one light emitting diode.
14. The device of claim 8 further comprising a robotic arm having a center axis within the interior, the robotic arm including an end effector for handling wafers.
15. A device for handling a wafer comprising:
an interior accessible through four entrances; and
eight sensors, each capable of detecting a presence of a wafer at a predetermined location within the interior, the sensors arranged into two square arrays centered about a center of the interior, sized such that a first one of the square arrays is smaller than a second one of the square arrays and oriented so that a group of four of the sensors at opposing vertices of the two square arrays are collinear.
16. The device of claim 15 wherein the eight sensors include optical sensors.
17. The device of claim 16 wherein the eight sensors include at least one light emitting diode.
18. The device of claim 15 further comprising a robotic arm having a center axis within the interior, the robotic arm including an end effector for handling wafers.
19. The device of claim 15 wherein at least one of the four entrances is coupled to a process module.
20. The device of claim 15 wherein at least one of the four entrances is coupled to a load lock.

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 mounting retaining a picture, which picture comprises a web of hard copy material upon which an image is recorded, the mounting having:
a web having a display panel which has a display surface on its front face, the display panel having a perimeter defined by a frame having a plurality of spars;
each spar being made of leaves created from the web and extending from the perimeter of the display panel, each of the leaves being folded at least twice, in a rearward direction to create a spar having a polygonal cross-section;
each spar having an attachment region located on a surface of one of the leaves and to which the picture is attached to the respective spar;
the spars being mutually interlocking behind the front surface of the display panel thereby to create the frame and to tension the picture
2. A picture mounting according to claim 1 wherein the attachment regions are provided by adhesive regions which enable adhesive attachment of the picture to the respective leaf.
3. A picture mounting according to claim 2 wherein the adhesive regions are strips of adhesive extending substantially parallel to the perimeter of the display panel
4. A picture mounting according to claim 1 wherein the polygonal cross section of each spar is a quadrilateral.
5. A picture mounting according to claim 1 wherein the leaves include mutually engagable elements which, upon folding in the rearward direction, create mutual interlocking of the spars.
6. A picture mounting according to claim 5 wherein the mutually engageable elements provide a cam action to draw at least two of the spars into location against a rearward facing surface of the display panel.
7. A picture mounting according to claim 1 wherein the display panel is rectangular.
8. A picture mounting according to claim 1 wherein each of the leaves has a pair of locating surfaces to enable alignment of the picture prior to attachment of the picture to the leaves.
9. A picture mounting according to claim 1 wherein rearward folding of the leaves subsequent to adhesion of the picture to the leaves causes tensioning of the picture thereby to retain the picture flat and taught against the display panel.
10. A picture mounting according to claim 1 comprising staples for the attachment of the picture to the attachment region of the spars.
11. A picture mounting according to claim 1 wherein each leaf has first sub-leaf defined by a first fold which extends between the leaf and the display panel and a second sub-leaf defined by a second fold which extends between the first sub-leaf and the second sub-leaf, and the attachment regions are located on the second sub-leaf.
12. A method of mounting a picture upon a display surface, wherein the display surface is provided by a web from which a plurality of leaves extend, the method comprising the steps of:
aligning the picture and the leaves by bringing alignment surfaces on the leaves into register with adjacent edges of the picture;
with the picture and leaves in mutual alignment, attaching the picture to the leaves;
subsequent to attachment of the picture to the leaves, folding the leaves rearwardly of the display surface, to create spars having a polygonal cross section; and
mutually interlocking the spars.
13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the step of attaching the picture to the leaves comprises the step of removing release paper from self-adhesive strips located on the leaves and folding the picture into contact with consequently exposed adhesive strips located on the leaves.
14. A method according to claim 12 wherein the step of attaching the picture to the leaves comprises the step of stapling the picture to the leaves.
15. A method according to claim 12 wherein each leaf has first sub-leaf defined by a first fold which extends between the leaf and the display panel and a second sub-leaf defined by a second fold which extends between the first sub-leaf and the second sub-leaf, and the picture is attached to the leaves on the second sub-leaves.
16. A method according to claim 12 wherein the step of interlocking the spars occurs during the step of rearwardly folding the leaves to create the spars.