A semiconductor pattern mask that might otherwise exhibit three-fold symmetry, which could give rise to distorted semiconductor features in the presence of three-leaf aberration in the optical system used to expose a semiconductor wafer through the mask, is altered to break up the three-fold symmetry without altering the semiconductor features that are formed. The security of the present invention does not require one-to-one key exchange, but rather enables keys, andor information required in order to build the key, to be broadcast through the packet-based network. When the control entity detects such an attempt, it enables a converter to convert data encoded according to the second encoding format received from the second remote entity into data encoded according to the first encoded format, and sends the data encoded according to the first encoded format to the first remote entity via the communication interface. In that case a wall thickness profile is imparted to at least one preform during the extrusion operation independently of the respective other preform by continuous nozzle gap adjustment during the extrusion operation. The large shift stage and the coarse shift stage are executed within a first single processor cycle. The drive assembly is supported by the housing and configured to impart movement to a catheter device and includes a first channel configured to receive the catheter device.