Abstract: Ways of a cache memory system are designated as being in one of three subsets: a normal subset, a transient subset, and a locked subset. The designation of the respective subsets is provided by a normal subset floor index, a transient subset floor index, and a transient subset ceiling index. The respective indexes are used to select the subset into which new entries are copied from main memory as a result of a cache miss. If the new entry is designated as being characterized by normal program behavior, it is copied into the normal subset in the cache. If the new entry is designated as being characterized by transient program behavior, it is copied into the transient subset in the cache. The relationship between the normal subset and the transient subset is programmable. For example, the normal and the transient subsets may include at least one common way of the cache memory or the transient subset may be completely included in the normal subset or completely separate therefrom.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for preserving events generated from user interaction with an applet including the ability to record and manipulate delay information associated with the user interaction, sequence. User interaction events, including timing information associated with each event, are detected by the recorder via automator listeners. An automator then generates queued event objects including delay information computed from the timing information of each event where the delay information indicates the amount of time that elapsed between the posting of consecutive events during the original user interaction sequence. A timing mode is then selected from the mode section of a graphical user interface and an emulated sequent including a set of constructed objects produced by automator from the queued event objects is generated.

Abstract: A method for recording events in Java. According to a preferred embodiment, an automator is attached to a Java applet. Responsive to selection by a user, listeners are added for each event type produced in the Java applet. Each time a specified event occurs, that event is captured and saved to a data structure. The recording of events is performed until the user stops the process.

Abstract: A method and system for protecting user data during power failures on a network-computer-class data processing system is provided. The network-computer-class data processing system is integrated with a power supply having an early power fail warning signal to ensure that unsaved changes to user data files are saved before a complete power failure strikes the data processing system. As a user employs one or more applications to create or modify data files, a table of file changes is created for each user data file that is opened by the user. This table is kept in non-volatile media, preferably on the user's network computer but possibly on a server located on a network connected to the network computer if the network computer lacks non-volatile memory. The entire contents of the table are saved to non-volatile storage in the time interval between the early power fail warning signal going active and the power completely failing.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for recording events that result from user interaction with the various components of an applet, such as a Java applet. An applet event recorder is invoked and associated with an applet, preferably via a graphical user interface. One or more types of events are then selected for recording via a recording options section of the graphical user interface. When a user interaction sequence with the applet occurs, events of the selected type are then detected by the applet event recorder. An automator of the applet event recorder then generates and stores the queued event objects in an automator queue. The automator then generates, presumably at a later time, constructed events from the queued events in the automator queue. The constructed events are then played back by posting them in the system queue thereby achieving the recording and playback of selected events.

Abstract: Echo suppression control device in a voice communication system wherein a reference signal is sent over the system from a transmitting apparatus and comprising an echo canceller (16) for removing any echo signal from a primary signal received by the transmitting apparatus, and a residual echo suppressor (20) for removing the residual echo at the output of the echo canceller. The residual echo suppressor comprises means (24) for identifying speech echo intervals during which the primary signal contains mainly echo of the reference signal, and a gain control unit (22) for computing an estimation of the residual echo level, computing a target level of the residual echo and computing a suppression gain G to be applied during the speech echo intervals to the residual echo signal obtained after the application of the echo canceller, this suppression gain being the ratio between the target residual echo and the residual echo level estimation.

Abstract: A wearable computer communicates with its display device via an optical link. The optical link may utilize different colored LEDs and corresponding photodetectors for transmitting and receiving the video and control signals to and from the computer and the hand-held display package. The wearable computer may communicate with a local area network by a radio communications link. The use of two antennas mounted and associated with the wearable computer eliminates any notch within a propagation pattern emanated from the antennas.

Abstract: A system and method for allowing a user to characterize an application are disclosed. In one aspect, the method and system allow a user to characterize a database engine. The database engine utilizes a particular interface for communicating with an application. The method and system include determining a query spectrum including plurality of queries corresponding to a plurality of query types. The plurality of query types are chosen such that any possible query can be classified as being of one query type. The plurality of queries is compatible with the particular interface. The method and system include running the query spectrum on the database engine and determining a time taken to run each of the plurality of queries on the database engine. In another aspect, the method and system are for characterizing the application. In this aspect, the method and system include characterizing the database engine using a query spectrum including a first plurality of queries compatible with the particular interface.

Abstract: An method and article of manufacture for reducing noise detected by a magnetic read head. In particular it relates to reducing magnetic interference at a magnetic read head by dynamically positioning a piece of highly permeable nickel-copper alloy near the magnetic read head thereby shunting the interfering magnetic radiation away from the read head.

Abstract: A printer including two adjacent printing stations has a print head attached to a carriage moved through both printing stations, with a home position for the carriage being established between the printing stations. Data describing the position of the carriage, generated with the movement of the carriage, is reset as the carriage is moved past the home position, as indicated by a position detector. If this data is corrupted or lost, the carriage is driven in a first direction until the home position is reached or until a first end of travel position is reached, whichever occurs first. At this end of travel position, a tab extending downward from the carriage comes into contact with a tab extending upward from a sliding bracket on which an idler pulley within a belt drive system, causing movement of the carriage, is mounted.

Abstract: An apparatus for opening a platen in an impact printer is implemented. The apparatus permits rapid loading of a paper supply while maintaining the required tolerance in the spacing of the platen and a printhead. The mechanism also accommodates the printing of form documents in which the thickness of the document material may be variable. The mechanism adjusts to the varying thickness of the document medium while maintaining the required tolerance in the spacing between the platen and printhead.

Abstract: An apparatus for opening a platen in an impact printer is implemented. The apparatus permits rapid loading of a paper supply while maintaining the required tolerance in the spacing of the platen and a printhead. The mechanism also accommodates the printing of form documents in which the thickness of the document material may be variable. The mechanism adjusts to the varying thickness of the document medium while maintaining the required tolerance in the spacing between the platen and printhead.

Abstract: An optical reader having a housing which may environmentally protect the optical path between light source and a sensor array to reduce dust and debris interfering with transmission of light. The housing may further provide for alignment of the light path by positioning a focusing axis in alignment with the optical sensor array. The housing further acts as a light pipe to reflect transmitted light from a light source toward a focusing axis where the light may be reflected off of a document containing coded information back through the chamber defined by the housing to an optical sensor array. Point of sale devices incorporating an optical reader are also provided.

Abstract: A computer cover and data drive locking system utilizing a bezel wall of the type for selectively locking the computer cover to the chassis, locking the cover and external access to at least one data drive, and unlocking the cover from the chassis and allowing access to the data drives is provided.

Abstract: A printer using a power reduction logic based upon reducing the speed of printing when the dot utilization calculation exceeds a particular power level for that printer. There is also provided a method for printing information at a given power supply capacity level, comprising the steps of: examining the a group of rows of dots to be printed; calculating the maximum dot utilization value for the group; selecting a print speed based on the maximum dot utilization value; printing the first row of the group of rows; and repeating above steps until the information is printed.

Abstract: A duplex printer for printing on opposite sides of a document includes a ribbon shifting mechanism for moving a printing ribbon between a first position, in which the ribbon extends between a print head and the document for printing on a front side of the document, and a second position, in which the ribbon extends between the document and a platen for printing on a reverse side of the document. In one version of the printer, the ribbon is shifted as a carriage used to move the print head within a printing range, within which printing occurs, is moved outside this printing range into a ribbon shifting range.

Abstract: A system and method of controlling the operation of a storage device (a semiconductor latch in its preferred embodiment) to reduce the power consumed by the storage device. The system uses a split clock signal to control the operation of the latch, with an early enable signal and a late enable signal being operable to turn the latch on when needed and to turn it off when it is not needed. More particularly, the present invention logically generates clocking control signals for the latch using the early enable signal and the late enable signal to control the operation of the latch and to reduce power consumption and allow for an increased period of time to make a decision whether to turn off the early enable signal.

Abstract: A communication interface and a design method therefor simultaneously shape a synthesized terminating impedance matching different frequency bands on different connecting communication circuits and a receive path response to prevent frequency roll-off. In some cases, for example based on specified network requirements in a particular country, the terminating impedance presented by the interface must have different frequency characteristics for received signals in different bands of frequencies. A transconductance amplifier and feedback loop provide the terminating impedance for signals received from the communication circuit and serve as a source impedance for signals transmitted by the interface to the telephone line. Signals with different frequencies will generally be received from the telephone line. These different characteristics are realized using different filter networks in the feedback loop.

Abstract: A point of sale device having a verifiable electronic journal system which maintains an electronic journal file in lieu of using a journal print station. Transaction information is first stored in a non-volatile random access memory. A data signature is determined based on the contents of the random access memory for a journal. Both the transaction information and the data signature are transferred to the separate journal memory. The journal memory may, for example, reside on the point of sale terminal and tampering with the journal transaction information may be detected by reference to the data signature which is also transferred and maintained in the electronic journal file. Preferably, the data signature is encrypted such as by a shared key encryption scheme and the associated public key is also transferred and stored in the electronic journal file from the device, such as a fiscal base, which is tracking the transaction information as it is created.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method and an apparatus for the synchronization and the scheduling of multiple data streams and real time tasks. In accordance with the present invention, pointers pointing to the information streams to be synchronized and processed are kept in the table (51) of a selector (11). The time marks (S1Start etc.) of said information streams are stored in a table (61) of a timer. The system time is checked against said time marks and if a time mark has been reached, the table (51) of said selector (11) is updated. If the status of an information stream is such that its trigger condition is fulfilled, the pointer to said information stream is made available at the output of the selector (11). This pointer is then used to retrieve the respective information stream and to forward it to a playout device.