Abstract: An improved circuit board assembly includes a cover or other member disposed adjacent to the substrate and, for example, spaced therefrom so as to define a plenum. Self-aligning heat sinks (or other heat dissipative elements) are spring-mounted (or otherwise resiliently mounted) to the cover and, thereby, placed in thermal contact with one or more of the circuit components. Flow-diverting elements are provided, e.g., so that the overall impedance of the board substantially matches that of one or more of the other circuit boards in a common chassis. The circuit board cover can be adapted to provide thermal and/or electromagnetic emission control, as well as shock and vibration. A connector arrangement provides electrical, mechanical and/or other operational coupling between the circuit board and a chassis regardless of whether the board is disposed in a slot on a first (e.g., upper) side of a source of cooling air for the chassis or on a second (e.g., lower) opposite side of that source.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved storage area network (SAN) of the type that has a host or other digital data processor whose ports are coupled to peripheral devices that include fiber channel or other SAN-class storage devices. Processes executing on the host (or other digital data processor) generate requests for access to those peripheral devices. A persistent store identifies ports coupled to SAN-class storage devices. This store can be loaded, for example, by a process that executes on the host in user mode. A filter executes on the host in kernel mode to block access to selected ones of those SAN-class storage devices.

Abstract: An improved circuit board assembly includes a cover or other member disposed adjacent to the substrate and, for example, spaced therefrom so as to define a plenum. Self-aligning heat sinks (or other heat dissipative elements) are spring-mounted (or otherwise resiliently mounted) to the cover and, thereby, placed in thermal contact with one or more of the circuit components. Flow-diverting elements are provided, e.g., so that the overall impedance of the board substantially matches that of one or more of the other circuit boards in a common chassis. The circuit board cover can be adapted to provide thermal and/or electromagnetic emission control, as well as shock and vibration. A connector arrangement provides electrical, mechanical and/or other operational coupling between the circuit board and a chassis regardless of whether the board is disposed in a slot on a first (e.g., upper) side of a source of cooling air for the chassis or on a second (e.g., lower) opposite side of that source.

Abstract: A digital device interface for transferring information between a processor and a control device includes a first serial peripheral interface (SPI), e.g., with “data in,” “data out” and “clock” ports, in serial communication with a second SPI. The first SPI can be coupled to, and associated with, the processor; the second SPI, with the control device. A first transfer logic section, e.g., a shift register engine, transfers bytes, word, longwords or other multi-bit datum between the processor and the control device. A second transfer logic section effects a transfer transaction between the processor and the control device—that is, the transfer of plural multi-bit datum relating to a common data access operation or a common data generation operation. For sensor-type control devices, such a transaction may include, for example, the “continuous” transfer of data sensed by the device.

Abstract: The invention provides improved digital data processing systems with distributed object management for use, e.g., in process control. These systems are of the type having servers and, more particularly, object request brokers (ORB's) that route requests generated by one or more clients to implementation objects maintained by a server application. Routing is based on a binding table (or other such store) that identifies dispatching procedures, or “skeletons,” that invoke requested services on implementation objects specified in the requests. Such systems may be CORBA-compatible, though the improvements provided by o the invention are applicable to distributed object management systems having other architectures, as well. The improvements are characterized by the utilization of a single entry in the binding table (or other such store) to route requests to a plurality of different implementation objects, e.g., representing process control blocks and parameters, maintained by the server.

Abstract: The invention provides boundary-based machine vision methods and systems for comparing a pattern to an image. These contemplate the steps of finding points on a boundary in the image; identifying one or more boundary features, at least one of which is made up of multiple such points; determining point-by-point relationships, if any, between each point defining the boundary feature in the image and points on a boundary in the pattern; and determining a relationship between the boundary feature in the image and the pattern (e.g., whether the boundary feature in the image matches a corresponding feature in the pattern) as a function of the point-by-point relationships.

Abstract: A hub that controls the acquisition of images from a plurality of image sources utilizes image acquisition logic that selectively applies a first set of control signals (e.g., “shutter” signals) to imaging devices, causing them to acquire images. The logic applies a second set of control signals (e.g., “readout” signals) to the devices, causing them to output the images to the hub. Those images are transferred by the hub to a host over an isochronous communications medium.

Abstract: An improved circuit board assembly includes a cover or other member disposed adjacent to the substrate and, for example, spaced therefrom so as to define a plenum. Self-aligning heat sinks (or other heat dissipative elements) are spring-mounted (or otherwise resiliently mounted) to the cover and, thereby, placed in thermal contact with one or more of the circuit components. Flow-diverting elements are provided, e.g., so that the overall impedance of the board substantially matches that of one or more of the other circuit boards in a common chassis. The circuit board cover can be adapted to provide thermal and/or electromagnetic emission control, as well as shock and vibration.

Abstract: A field controller for use in a distributed control system including an area controller and at least one field controller. The field controller manages at least one controlled device in an industrial process operation. The field controller comprises a processor module segment through which it can control a selected number of devices, and it may also include one or more expansion module segments to enable it to control a larger number of controlled devices. The processor module segment includes a processor module and at least one local interface module for interfacing to a controlled device, and the expansion module segment includes interface modules for interfacing to other controlled devices. In the processor module segment, the processor module and said local interface module are interconnected by a bus segment, which is also connected to an upstream off-module connector.

Abstract: An improved circuit board assembly includes a cover or other member disposed adjacent to the substrate and, for example, spaced therefrom so as to define a plenum. Self-aligning heat sinks (or other heat dissipative elements) are spring-mounted (or otherwise resiliently mounted) to the cover and, thereby, placed in thermal contact with one or more of the circuit components. Flow-diverting elements are provided, e.g., so that the overall impedance of the board substantially matches that of one or more of the other circuit boards in a common chassis. The circuit board cover can be adapted to provide thermal and/or electromagnetic emission control, as well as shock and vibration. A connector arrangement provides electrical, mechanical and/or other operational coupling between the circuit board and a chassis regardless of whether the board is disposed in a slot on a first (e.g., upper) side of a source of cooling air for the chassis or on a second (e.g., lower) opposite side of that source.

Abstract: A loudspeaker has a diaphragm with a voice coil disposed about its perimeter and extending in a gap into which the flux of an annular rare earth magnet is focused. An opening behind the diaphragm communicates through the speaker frame. The voice coil may have two or more windings that are connected in parallel, and may, e.g., be layered on top of one another, so that the impedance of the coil, as well as its depth in the front/back direction of motion, are low. The voice coil is preferably implemented using a polyimide form or bobbin, which has patterned lead-in conductors embedded therein to bring power to wire windings on the perimeter of the coil. The lead-in conductors extend to, or through, the central opening of a ring magnet, providing a robust ribbon input connection. The ribbon lead-in may be symmetrical, and the central opening further provides an air channel that couples to an auxiliary chamber for enhanced sound.

Abstract: A machine vision method for locating a leaded electronic device, such as integrated circuit chips, includes searching the image with a template depicting only a portion—e.g., one or two “side” edges—of each of one or more of the leads expected on the device. The template can include portions representing expected leads, as well as unexpected leads or unexpected lead positions. Positive and negative weightings are applied to such portions, as appropriate. A location of the device, or of one or more of its leads, is based on the results of the search.

Abstract: The invention provides improved methods and systems for generation of square roots of vector and administrative operands. The methods utilize bit-manipulation operations to halve intermediate values, generated by a processor reciprocal square root operation, during a multistep process square root determination. Such methods can also multiply an original operand (whose square root is being determined) with such an intermediate value, e.g., or a halved or other value thereon. The invention also provides methods and apparatus for determination of square roots square roots of large groups of numbers by interleaving vector and administrative instructions to take advantage of necessary delays in the vector processing pipeline architecture to speed overall processing.

Abstract: A low profile, high density storage array includes a digital data storage unit, such as a rack-mount chassis, and a plurality of digital data storage devices such as disk drives, disposed within the array. The drives are spaced apart from a floor of the array on which they are mounted, e.g., via supporting “sleds.” In addition to facilitating insertion and removal of the drives from the array, air flow through or beneath these sleds cool the drives. The drives can be removably attached to the array via cam-like levers that facilitate mounting and dismounting of the drives from the chassis and its electrical circuitry.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a Personal Computer Memory Common Interface Architecture (“PCMCIA”) printed circuit board (“PCB”) includes providing a PCB having a PCMCIA area and an auxiliary area. The PCMCIA area has multiple locations adapted to receive electronic components. The auxiliary area has multiple test points disposed thereon. The method also includes populating the PCMCIA area with electronic components. Testing of the PCMCIA area is next performed by electrically contacting at least some of the multiple test points within said auxiliary area. If the testing produces unsatisfactory results, diagnostics and repair are performed. After the testing produces satisfactory results, the auxiliary area is separated from the PCMCIA area to produce a populated, tested, PCMCIA PCB.

Abstract: A speaker has an annular magnet structure. First and second annular magnets are arranged concentrically with each other and connected by a shunt at one end and a pole-defining structure at the other end to concentrate magnetic flux in a cylindrical voice coil gap. The shunt and pole structure are stacked such that the combined magnetic assembly has an opening extending centrally therethrough. A voice coil rides in the cylindrical magnetic flux gap and its leads are brought out through the opening to the other side of the magnet. When used with an enclosure, the diaphragm of the speaker may communicate through the central opening with the volume of a tuned enclosure extending behind the speaker, or the opening may serve as a port of the enclosure, allowing further degrees of control over total acoustics. In one embodiment, annular magnets of axial polarity are oppositely poled, and are positioned concentrically with a space between them.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for image acquisition utilize a charge coupled device having a photosensitive region that responds to an applied transfer signal by transferring charge accumulated on the collection sites to the corresponding readout sites. The non-photosensitive region responds to a read signal, applied independently of the transfer signal, by outputting (e.g., to the host camera or image acquisition system) charges on the readout sites. The methods and apparatus take advantage of the inherent storage capability of the non-photosensitive sites by using them to hold image information pending application of the readout signal, thereby, conserving host resources.

Abstract: A system for calculating fast Fourier transforms includes a non-final stage calculating means for repetitively performing in-place butterfly calculations for n−1 stages as well as a final stage calculating means for performing a final stage of butterfly calculations. The final stage calculating means includes a first loop and a second loop. The first loop performs a portion of the final stage butterfly calculations by iterating on a table of first loop index values consisting of values that bit-reverse into themselves. The first loop also includes control logic to select inputs for groups of butterfly calculations based on the first loop index values. The second loop performs a remaining portion of the final stage butterfly calculations by iterating on a table of second loop index value pairs consisting of two values that bit-reverse into each other.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a chassis slide assembly comprised of a mating rail and track that telescopically engage with one another and that are adapted for coupling to a chassis and to a rack to allow the chassis to be pulled out from the rack for inspection, service or repair. The rail and track each have at least one air flow aperture positioned to allow unobstructed venting of air through the slide assembly and through the side wall of the chassis. In one embodiment, the rail and track have a plurality of airflow apertures. The apertures of the rail and track can consist of a large-area openings, or of a plurality of slots or perforations. In one embodiment, the apertures of the rail are substantially aligned with the apertures of the track, e.g. when the rail and track are fully engaged with one another.

Abstract: A module for a linear motor propulsion guideway contains a combination of linear motor propulsion, vehicle guidance, position sensing, communication, and vehicle or pallet running surface subcomponents. These are integrated during the manufacturing into a single component or module for ease of shipping and precision of installation at a site where the guideway is to be installed. A single manufacturing operation is used to position, affix, and encapsulate the selected subcomponent(s) in a module or modules. For example, the component(s) can be designed to be located in a plastic injection mold, typically, a reaction injection mold (RIM), which allows the subcomponent(s) to be positioned, aligned, and encapsulated in a single manufacturing step that has only a several minute cycle time. In this manner positional accuracy among the relationship of the subcomponent(s) can be maintained within a small tolerance (on the order of 0.25 mm) while costs remain very low.