Abstract: A high level transformation method and apparatus for converting data formats in the context of network applications, among other places. A flexible transformation mechanism is provided that facilitates generation of translation machine code on the fly. A translator is dynamically generated by a translator compiler engine. The translator compiler engine implemented according to the present invention uses a pair of formal machine-readable format descriptions (FMRFDs) and a corresponding data map (DMAP) to generate executable machine code native to the translator platform CPU. When fed an input stream, the translator generates an output stream by executing the native object code generated on the fly by the translator compiler engine. In addition, the translator may be configured to perform a bi-directional translation between the two streams as well as translation between two distinct protocol sequences.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically inserting a cable into a protective jacket. A longitudinal cut is made in the protective jacket and the cable is inserted into the longitudinal cut. The cable and jacket are transported through the apparatus along an arcuate guide path formed by a friction wheel.

Abstract: A method and system for simulating a wireless environment is provided including a central RF combining component; a plurality of connection nodes, each connection node in RF connection with the central RF combining component through a programmable attenuation component; wherein the programmable attenuation components are controlled by a controller console, the controller console maintaining information regarding simulated spatial positioning of the plurality of connection nodes in the simulated wireless environment, and adjusting the programmable attenuation components to appropriately simulate the simulated spatial positioning of the connection nodes in the simulated wireless environment. Additionally, an RF module for creating and receiving RF signals in a test environment is provided.

Abstract: A system and method for collecting biomedical information from a patient. A data measurement component including at least one sensing component is provided, the sensing component providing signals representing sensed patient data to a communications port, the communications port to allow connection to a computer system through a computer system communications port. A remote server includes one or more specialized software modules, which are capable of communicating with the data measurement component through the computer system communications port. The remote server, upon receiving a request from the computer system, will transmit one of the specialized software modules which is appropriate for collecting and interpreting the signals representing sensed patient data from the at least one sensing component. The specialized software module sent by the remote server, after it is received by the computer system, initializes and controls the operation of the data measurement components.

Abstract: A system and method for real time monitoring and control of energy consumption at a number of facilities to allow aggregate control over the power consumption. A central location receives information over a communications network, such as a wireless network, from nodes placed at facilities. The nodes communicate with devices within the facility that monitor power consumption, and control electrical devices within the facility. The electrical devices may be activated or deactivated remotely by the central location. This provides the ability to load balance a power consumption grid and thereby proactively conserve power consumption as well as avoid expensive spikes in power consumption. The present invention also includes a wireless network for communicating with the number of facilities, and which allows other information to be collected and processed.

Abstract: An interactive image display system for displaying a printed article as it will appear when printed. It includes a user interface component, to accept information from a user for producing the printed article, and to provide a graphic image representing the printed article for display to the user; a graphic layout component, to process the information and produce a graphic description file, which is usable for a batch printing process; and an image producing component, to process the graphic description file and produce the graphic image. The user interface component maintains the information from the user, allowing the user to modify a part of the information in order to view changes in the displayed printed article. This maintained information is also used for producing and displaying a different printed article, and also for ultimately preparing and running the print job for the user.

Abstract: The present invention includes using computer simulation and virtual reality (VR) tests for determining categories of neuropsychological dysfunctions, including executive dysfunctions. A test subject interacts with a computer generated simulated environment according to a predetermined test script. The test script presents a simulated environment of sight and sound which can closely mirror a real activity, such as daily routines performed by everyone; or an environment such as a game played by the subject. The test script is designed to present situations where subjects with executive dysfunctions will interact and make decisions which indicate the dysfunctions. During the testing, other physiological measurements may be measured and recorded, including subject respiration, heart rate, blood pressure, skin changes etc. The results of the testing are interpreted by scoring the subject's reactions, and provide an indication of the subject's dysfunctioning.

Abstract: A system providing intelligent, integrated external backup and restore for databases and DBMS (data base management systems) which are stored on data storage systems. An interface between the data storage system backup system and the DBMS allows the backup system to work with the DBMS for greatly enhanced backup and restore. External backup and restore frees up the host systems from having to pipeline the data from the data storage system to the backup system. The backup system is able to determine which files stored in the data storage system should be backed up, based on querying the DBMS. This invention is useful for systems including RAID data storage system storing databases (including relational and object oriented), and provides for partial as well as complete backup and restore options.

Abstract: A system and method for increasing efficiency in a mass storage system such as a RAID (redundant array of inexpensive disks) array with a cache memory. Multi-host mass storage systems employ a data structure called a write tree. The write tree is stored in cache memory, and is used to mark addressable data elements stored in the cache memory which must be written back to disk (referred to as “destaging”, or “write-backs”). Disks and disk controllers must scan and traverse the write tree to search for pending write operations. By storing a write tree cache apart from the write tree, the system efficiency is greatly increased. The write tree cache consists of a cylinder address as found in the write tree, and a bit mask indicating pending write operations at a specific level of the write tree. The specific disks and disk controllers can then avoid accessing the write tree in cache memory when searching for pending write operations.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of routing traffic through a network with a plurality of nodes which comprises classifying network traffic into a plurality of classes, including interior, interior-to-exterior, exterior-to-interior, and transitory. At each node of the network, a packet, designated as belonging to a traffic class and including a source node address and a destination node address, is received. The packet is indexed into the node's packet switch matrix using the traffic class designation, source node address, and destination node address to obtain a node link number for forwarding the packet. Then, the packet is forwarded upon a link indicated by the node link number.

Abstract: An investment optimizing system and method. Once an investor or investment advisor determines the appropriate asset allocation and that there are both taxable accounts and tax-deferred investment accounts, the invention will optimize/maximize the investor's ending after-tax asset accumulation, which is the objective of all investors. This is accomplished by allocating the chosen investment vehicles between the taxable and tax-deferred accounts in an optimum way. The invention runs on a computer system and searches for an allocation which results in a maximal return. Intelligent heuristics measure increased performance based on different asset allocations.

Abstract: The present invention includes using computer simulation and virtual reality (VR) tests for determining categories of neuropsychological dysfunctions, including executive dysfunctions. A test subject interacts with a computer generated simulated environment according to a predetermined test script. The test script presents a simulated environment of sight and sound which can closely mirror a real activity, such as daily routines performed by everyone; or an environment such as a game played by the subject. The test script is designed to present situations where subjects with executive dysfunctions will interact and make decisions which indicate the dysfunctions. During the testing, other physiological measurements may be measured and recorded, including subject respiration, heart rate, blood pressure, skin changes etc. The results of the testing are interpreted by scoring the subject's reactions, and provide an indication of the subject's dysfunctioning.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a lighting control circuit is provided in which various logic gates, transistors and other smaller-scale circuit elements are combined. The circuit receives as inputs the control signals from the vehicle, including the left and right indicator signals, the brake signal and the tail light signal. Each of these signals is fed into a first bank of logic gates whose outputs are supplied to a second bank of logic gates, whose output is in turn supplied to two transistors, each connected to a separate single filament bulb, one for the left side of the vehicle and the other for the right side.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus inputs an image signal obtained by scanning a document in which a character region, a photographic region and a dot region are mixed and stores image data in a local block composed of a target picture element and plural picture elements surrounding the target picture element. The image processing apparatus computes first and second feature parameters P.sub.0 and P.sub.1 representing the features of each region based on the image data in the local block, and inputs the resulting first and second feature parameters P.sub.0 and P.sub.1 to an identification circuit adopting a neural network. The identification circuit outputs the region identification information O.sub.0 and O.sub.1 of the target picture element, and the filter processing circuit performs a spatial filtering process according to the region identification information O.sub.0 and O.sub.1.

Abstract: A very fast, memory efficient, highly expandable, highly efficient CCNUMA processing system based on a hardware architecture that minimizes system bus contention, maximizes processing forward progress by maintaining strong ordering and avoiding retries, and implements a full-map directory structure cache coherency protocol. A Cache Coherent Non-Uniform Memory Access (CCNUMA) architecture is implemented in a system comprising a plurality of integrated modules each consisting of a motherboard and two daughterboards. The daughterboards, which plug into the motherboard, each contain two Job Processors (JPs), cache memory, and input/output (I/O) capabilities. Located directly on the motherboard are additional integrated I/O capabilities in the form of two Small Computer System Interfaces (SCSI) and one Local Area Network (LAN) interface. The motherboard includes main memory, a memory controller (MC) and directory DRAMs for cache coherency.

Abstract: A second heating device heats an inner wall of an ink chamber of a print head to a temperature not lower than the melting point but not higher than evaporating temperature of ink 3, for a prescribed time period after the end of printing, based on a signal from a second heating control device. Consequently, the ink solidified and deposited on the inner wall of ink chamber and not used for printing is liquefied and recovered to the ink chamber to be used for the next printing.

Abstract: The invention provides a communication apparatus and method capable of carrying out communication at a low consumed electric power without setting a base station when communication is carried out between a plurality of communication terminals capable of carrying out wireless communication. The communication apparatus 11 transmits a beacon from a transmission function circuit 22 every time the beacon transmission request is generated. A data receivable period is provided after the beacon is transmitted. After the lapse of the receivable period, the supply of the electric power to the transmission and reception processing device 12 is suspended with the power source control circuit 27 to provide a sleep time. The data can be exchanged with reliability without setting the base station by means of a beacon. Addition, the supply of electric power is suspended so that the consumed electric power can be eliminated.

Abstract: A multi-beam optical head includes a plurality of light sources for emitting a plurality of light beams. An optical system for irradiating the light beams onto the recording surface of a recording medium is included and receives the light beams reflected from the recording medium. The optical system includes a reflecting mirror for directing the light beams emitted from the light sources toward the recording medium; a photodetector for detecting the light beams received by the optical system and for generating electric signals based on the detected light beams; and rotational controller for controlling the reflecting mirror to rotate around an axis which is perpendicular to the recording surface by an amount determined based on the electric signals. The reflecting mirror positions the light beams on tracks on the recording surface of the recording medium. The tracks are tracks on which information is recorded from which the information is reproduced.

Abstract: A highly reliable assembly structure is provided by surely reducing a stress to be exerted on leads of a TCP device. Part of a soldered portion of outer leads that is located closer to a semiconductor chip of the TCP device is reinforced by a support ring formed on a side of the outer leads opposite from a circuit board, so that a stress to be exerted on the outer leads is dispersed to the leads, the support ring and solder to thereby prevent the possible occurrence of metal fatigue of the leads.

Abstract: An encoding apparatus uses a vector quantization encoding method for encoding indexes of codewords, which supply a scalar quantized code of a maximum scalar product value of each code word in a code book, and its maximum scalar product value to a vector component of an input image inputted from an image sensor, so as to output the encoded indexes. A scalar product value calculating circuit in the encoding apparatus has scalar product value calculating sections, which are composed of an analog circuit having a code component capacitor corresponding to each code component, a differential amplifier and a feedback capacitor, corresponding to each codeword, and the scalar product values of the input vectors are calculated in parallel by the scalar product value calculating sections. In such a manner, when the analog calculation is made, the scale of the circuit can be decreased and the power consumption can be lowered.