Abstract: A computer simulates a plurality of control terminals, for a video-on-demand system, by which viewers send VCR-like commands to a video server. This simulation includes displaying a set of buttons, on a visual monitor, for manually selecting any one of the simulated control terminals and for manually selecting any one of the VCR-like commands. Output signals are generated from the computer which represent the selected VCR-like command being sent from the selected simulated control terminal. These output signals are coupled to the video server where they are processed in the same manner as signals that are sent from actual control terminals on an actual video-on-demand system.

Abstract: A computer-readable medium causes a computer to operate as a server for managing the development of software by a software development team. Stored on this computer-readable medium is a computer program which includes an object module and a software development tool integration module. The object module performs operations on a linked object structure which represents a software development project. The software development tool integration module has one interface which interacts with the object module and has another interface which interacts over a communication network with personal computer for the software development team.

Abstract: A computer-readable medium causes a computer to operate as a server for managing the development of software by a software development team. Stored on this computer readable medium is a computer program which includes an object module and a process execution module. The object module performs operations on a linked object structure that represents a software development project. The process execution module has one interface that interacts with the object module and has another interface that interacts over a communication network with personal computers of the team members. By this interaction, the phases of each project are started in a non-fixed, non-predictable sequence by—1) sensing when all the tasks, that are represented by an entry set of CRITERIALIST_ITEM objects, are completed, and 2) sending a notice to begin the phase of the project which is related to the one entry set.

Abstract: A computer-readable medium causes a computer to operate as a server for managing the development of software by a software development team. Stored on this computer-readable medium is a computer program which includes an object module and a software project definition module. The object module instantiates a linked object structure that represents a software development project. The software project definition module has one interface that interacts with the object module and has another interface that interacts over a communication network with personal computers for the software development team. By this interaction, customized objects and customized links are instantiated in the linked object structure.

Abstract: A system for testing the hardware of a digital computer includes a test terminal which stores and executes: 1) a hardware test program for the digital computer, 2) a simulated operator program for the hardware test program, and 3) a control program for the simulated operator program. The hardware test program tests the hardware in the digital computer in response to signals from a mouse and a keyboard. The simulated operator program includes commands that simulate the signals from the mouse and keyboard. The control program: a) sequentially executes the commands in the simulated operator program; b) displays, on a monitor, each particular command that is currently being executed; c) slows the execution of the commands to a rate where each displayed command can be viewed by an operator; d) enables an operator to stop, edit and restart the simulated operator program at any selected command.

Abstract: A heat-exchanger in a chip tester includes an electric heater and a heatsink which are joined together with a layer of an attach material. The operational period of this heat-exchanger is extended by a method which includes the steps of: 1) testing chips in the chip tester in a manner that puts the heat-exchanger through multiple temperature changes which keep the layer in a solid state and which induce stress-cracks in the layer; 2) subjecting the layer to a crack-healing temperature cycle in which the layer is melted at least partially and re-solidified; and thereafter, 3) repeating the testing step.

Abstract: A system for maintaining an IC-chip near a set-point temperature while electrical power dissipation in the IC-chip is varied includes a container having an open end with a seal ring. Located in the container is at least one nozzle for spraying liquid coolant droplets on a portion of an IC-module which holds the IC-chip. This spraying of the liquid coolant occurs while the seal ring is pressed against the IC-module. Further, at least one window is provided in the container such that it passes energy by electromagnetic radiation from a radiation source to the IC-module, but blocks the liquid coolant.

Abstract: An IC-chip testing system includes multiple digital state machines, and a master controller which controls the operation of those digital state machines by a particular method. In this method, the master controller first generates a command chain in which multiple commands for one particular digital state machine are concatenated together in a series. Thereafter, the master controller sends a single payload data packet embedded in a layered TCP/IP/network format, to that digital state machine. This single payload data packet includes the entire command chain. By concatenating many commands together in the command chain, the adverse effect of TCP/IP/network headers on the efficiency of transmission is overcome. In one particular transmission, efficiency is increased from 7.1% for sending a single command, to 89.4% for sending the entire command chain.

Abstract: Video data is moved thru a video-on-demand system by the following steps: a) segregating, from an operating system program, a hidden section of a random-access semiconductor memory which cannot be paged by the operating system program; b) writing video data into the hidden section of the memory at addresses which are selected by a video server application program; c) sending, from the video server application program to a network interface circuit, messages which identify the selected addresses; and d) issuing read commands, from the network interface circuit with the selected addresses as identified in the messages, which read the video data directly from the hidden section of the memory into the network interface circuit for transmission to a network.

Abstract: A signal translator circuit, for use in sending test signals to an IC-chip in a chip testing system, includes first and second resistors, and a single transistor. The transistor has a current channel which is coupled in series with the first resistor between a source voltage terminal and an output terminal. The single transistor also has a control lead, for enabling and disabling the flow of current through the current channel, which receives an input test signal at voltage levels that are to be translated. The output terminal is coupled through the second resistor to a reference voltage terminal. The output terminal is also coupled to an input terminal of a socket which is structured to hold the IC-chip.

Abstract: An electromechanical module, for holding IC-chips in a chip testing system, includes a circuit board having a plurality of sockets mounted thereon. Each socket is structured to hold one IC-chip that is to be tested, and each socket has a corresponding register on the circuit board. In addition, a bus is on the circuit board, which—a) sends a timing pulse to a clock input on all of the registers in parallel, and b) concurrently sends a clock signal and N?1 test signals to N data inputs on all of the registers. Further, each socket has N input terminals that are connected to N outputs on a respective set of signal translators on the circuit board, and each set of signal translators has N inputs that are connected to N data outputs on the socket's corresponding register.

Abstract: An electromechanical system for testing IC-chips includes a total of N chip holding subassemblies, where N is an integer greater than one and where each chip holding subassembly has sockets for holding a group of IC-modules that include the IC-chips; a moving mechanism for automatically moving the i-th chip holding subassembly from a load position in the system to a test position in the system, and visa-versa, where i ranges from 1 to N and changes with time in a sequence; and a temperature control mechanism which contacts the IC-modules at the test position. Between the moving of the i-th chip holding subassembly and the next chip holding subassembly in the sequence, the IC-chips are burn-in tested on all N of the chip holding subassemblies. Also, while the i-th chip holding subassembly is being moved, burn-in testing of IC-chips on the remaining N-1 chip holding subassemblies continues.

Abstract: An electromechanical system for testing IC-chips includes a chip holding subassembly which has sockets for holding a group of IC-modules that include the IC-chips; a moving mechanism for automatically moving the chip holding subassembly from a load position in the system to a test position in the system, and visa-versa; a temperature control mechanism which contacts the IC-modules on the chip holding subassembly only when that subassembly is at the test position; and a chip handler mechanism for automatically moving the IC-modules into and out of the sockets, when the chip holding subassembly is at the load position. At the test position, the temperature control mechanism contacts the IC-modules to control their temperature. At the load position, the chip handler mechanism automatically unloads one group of IC-modules from the sockets on the chip holding subassembly and automatically loads another group of the IC-modules into the sockets.

Abstract: A chip tester includes a heat-exchanger which regulates the temperature of an integrated circuit chip that is being tested by pressing against the chip. The heat-exchanger incorporates an electric heater and a heatsink that are joined together with a layer of attach material. The layer of attach material is limited to one that can be melted, at least partially, at a predetermined temperature, and re-solidified, multiple times. A spacer is in the heat-exchanger which stays solid at the predetermined temperature and which keeps the layer of attach material at a constant thickness.

Abstract: An electromechanical system for testing IC-chips includes a total of N chip holding subassemblies; a moving mechanism for automatically moving the i-th chip holding subassembly from a load position in the system to the test position in the systems, and visa-versa, where i ranges from 1 to N and changes with time in a sequence; and a signal generator which sends test signals to the IC-chips at the test position. Between the moving of the i-th chip holding subassembly and the next subassembly in the sequence, test signals are sent to the IC-chips on all N of the chip holding subassemblies such that the signals are shifted in time from one subassembly to another. Also, while the i-th chip holding subassembly is being moved, the time shifted test signals continue to be sent to the IC-chips on the remaining N?1 chip holding subassemblies.

Abstract: The temperature of multiple integrated circuit modules is regulated by a heat exchanger which is sequentially squeezed against, and separated from, a respective uneven contact surface on each of the modules. The heat exchanger has a face of a malleable metal that stays in a solid state and deforms while the squeezing occurs. The surface of the malleable metal has a coating of a release agent that prevents the malleable metal from sticking to the contact surface.

Abstract: An integrated circuit chip can be thermally destroyed in a tester due to a defective pressed joint with a temperature regulating component. A method which prevents such destruction begins with the step of pressing the chip against the temperature regulating component within the tester. While the pressing step is occurring, thermal power is sent to the temperature regulating component with a magnitude that undergoes an abrupt change. Then, during a time interval that begins with the abrupt change in thermal power, a temperature change is sensed in either the temperature regulating component, or the chip. Thereafter, electrical power is applied to the chip in the tester only if the temperature change, which is sensed by the sensing step, meets a predetermined criteria.

Abstract: An integrated circuit chip can be thermally destroyed in a tester due to a defective pressed joint with a temperature regulating component. A method which prevents such destruction begins with the step of maintaining the chip at one temperature while forcing the temperature regulating component to a different temperature, when the chip and the temperature regulating component are spaced apart in the tester. Next, the chip at its one temperature and the temperature regulating component at its different temperature are pressed together. Then a temperature change is sensed in either the chip or the temperature regulating component, during a time interval that begins when the temperature regulating component and the chip initially press together. Thereafter, electrical power is applied to the chip in the tester only if the temperature change, which is sensed by the sensing stop, meets a predetermined criteria.

Abstract: An adapter program couples a legacy operating system to a driver program of an I/O channel which has an incompatible interface to a native operating system. The adapter program includes a translator which receives legacy control structures from the legacy operating system that represents a legacy I/O instruction. The adapter program also includes an interface to the driver program which simulates the native operating system interface. The adapter program further includes an emulator for performing the I/O instruction by interacting with the driver program thru the simulated native operating system interface.

Abstract: A heat exchanger, for regulating the temperature of multiple integrated circuit modules, is fabricated by constructing a face on a hollow jacket such that the face consists essentially of a malleable metal with a coating of a release agent. In one embodiment, the malleable metal is fabricated as a foil which is attached to the jacket by an adhesive, and the coating is fabricated as a powder of the release agent which is rubbed into the surface of the foil.