Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for remotely monitoring and controlling various processes in an incubation/reaction system. Remote control is accomplished via computer network protocol. In a disclosed preferred embodiment, remote observation and control is accomplished via a “web server” program running on a computer attached to or embedded within the body of the system, interfacing with temperature monitoring and control means, digital video camera photomicroscope means, atmospheric monitoring and control means, and other devices for monitoring or affecting contents of the system. The web server sends data to and receives data from any computer running a “web browser” program. Bi-directional communication is possible over secured and unsecured channels and can penetrate firewall software to allow real-time communication between a user and a chamber when each is behind a different firewall.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and system for reducing capacitive coupling for transmission lines. Where there is a plurality of parallel transmission lines, a first half of the transmission lines (every second one) are inverted at their driving points, and are reinverted at a half-way point between their driving points and their receiving points, using an inverter placed halfway along the transmission line. A second half of the transmission lines are inverted at the half-way point, and are reinverted at their receiving points. Thereby, every second one of multiple transmission lines is inverted at any point in the transmission line, causing capacitive coupling to self-cancel across the entire transmission line, reducing crosstalk and speeding rise time.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of and system for automated verification and prevention of spoofing for biometric data, such as handwritten signatures. Biometric data known to be true, such as signatures already entered by the authentic person, are recorded and compared against test biometric data, such as a test signature entered by a person seeking authentication. The test biometric data is compared against the known biometric data, and is accepted only if the test biometric data is sufficiently "close" to the known biometric data, but not so close as to indicate that known biometric data was recorded and played back for the test. The test biometric data represents a handwritten signature given contemporaneously by the person seeking access, and is verified against a set of template signatures earlier given by at least one authorized person.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and system for computing transcendental functions quickly: (1) the multiply ALU is enhanced to add a term to the product, (2) rounding operations for intermediate multiplies are skipped, and (3) the Taylor series is separated into two partial series which are performed in parallel. Transcendental functions with ten terms (e.g., SIN or COS), are thus performed in about ten clock times.

Abstract: A method and system for providing access to resources at a host computer to a remote user, without requiring the remote user to have detailed knowledge of the host computer. The system includes a host virtual operating system, resident on a host computer and having a set of resources including process control, a file system, interprocess communications, and a set of device interfaces, overlaid on and distinguished from the host computer's actual resources. The virtual host is capable of executing programs in a standardized programming language, to provide the ability to run programs that are host-independent. The virtual host is capable of limiting access to the host computer's actual resources. The system also includes a front-end invoked by the remote user. A server program at the host computer receives requests from a client program run by the remote user, and provides the virtual host operating system at the host computer.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of and system for secure application of seals. An optical image of a seal is recorded by a computer and encrypted using a key for encryption generated in response to template biometric data from authorized persons. When a person seeks to use the seal, for example to apply the seal to a document, test biometric data is input from that person and used to generate a key for decryption. If the test biometric data matches the template biometric data, the key for decryption will be useful for decrypting the encrypted seal, and the person seeking access to the seal. The test biometric data represents a handwritten signature given contemporaneously by the person seeking access, and is verified against a set of template signatures earlier given by at least one authorized person. Specific signature features are determined in response to the template signatures and used for generating one or more keys for encrypting the seal.

Abstract: A method and system for treating aneurysms by applying RF energy to collagen. A catheter is disposed near the aneurysm and collagen is exuded into or near the aneurysm. RF energy is applied, using the same catheter or a second catheter, to the collagen, causing the collagen to harden and cover the weak region of the blood vessel wall, and providing a base onto which epithelial cells of the blood vessel may grow. The catheter comprises an electrophysiology catheter, including a ring electrode preferably disposed to deliver between about 5 and about 30 watts of RF energy at a frequency preferably between about 450 and about 600 Megahertz, to apply sufficient energy to cause the collagen to harden while avoiding damage to surrounding tissue.

Abstract: A method for decoding and displaying video signals using a memory buffer, in which a speed of a write operation for a memory buffer is adjusted to avoid overtaking a read operation for the same memory buffer. A display controller and a video MPEG engine contend for access to a DRAM memory buffer controller, and have their relative priorities set so that the video MPEG engine operates to write to the memory buffer at a relatively slow speed during a time period when the display controller is reading from that same memory buffer, and to write to the memory buffer at a relatively fast speed during a time period when the display controller is not reading from the memory buffer. The relatively slow speed is preferably much slower than the reading speed of the display controller, while the relatively fast speed is preferably much faster than the display controller.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and system for auto-sensing LMI protocols in frame relay networks. When a router is first coupled to a frame relay network, it automatically configures the local management interface (LMI) to use one of a selected set of possible LMI protocols, by generating a set of protocol requests for a plurality of protocols, and by thereafter simultaneously listening for protocol responses from the configuration server. Multiple valid responses from the configuration server are assigned priority in response to which valid response is last to arrive.

Abstract: An improved audio-output device coupleable to a computer system, in which a DSP operating under software control emulates a common command interface. The command interface has a set of registers that are made available to the CPU for reading and writing, even if there are no such physical registers available in the device. The DSP also performs tasks in addition to audio-output, even though the audio-output device is required to respond immediately to commands from the CPU. The audio-output device has a DSP for interpreting and executing commands received from the CPU, a local memory for storing data input to or output from the DSP, a bus-interface (BIF) element for coupling the DSP and memory to a system bus, and a direct memory access (DMA) element for transferring data between the local memory and the system bus.

Abstract: A method and system for routing packets, in which the resources consumed by broadcast packets are limited. Broadcast packets are placed in a separate queue that is managed independently of the buffer interface queue for non-broadcast packets. The broadcast queue is limited to a selected amount of communication bandwidth; when the amount of broadcast traffic exceeds the selected bandwidth, broadcast messages are queued and held for transmission until later (i.e., when the selected amount of bandwidth becomes available). An operator may specify a maximum number of broadcast packets to be sent in any one second period, an a maximum number of broadcast packet bytes to be sent in any one second period.

Abstract: A personal surveillance system having a video camera and an audio microphone in a single package sufficiently small to be worn as a badge, lapel pin, or similarly small accessory. The audio/video package is coupled to a transmitter for transmitting an audio and video signal to a remote station. The remote station comprises a video cassette recorder responsive to a signal for recording that is generated on a continuous basis by the audio/video package in a signal band that is filtered before recording.

Abstract: A method and system for coupling a coprocessor to a master device, in which the coprocessor emulates an memory interface to the master device, like that of a memory device. The coprocessor is coupled to a memory bus and receives memory accesses directed to a set of addresses not covered by memory devices also coupled to the memory bus. The coprocessor is disposed to receive data written from the master device, perform a coprocessing function on that data, and respond to a read data command from the master device with processing results. The coprocessor uses memory block transfers to read data from and write data to memory devices also coupled to the memory bus. A general purpose computer system comprises a central processor and memory coupled to a PCI bus, a graphics processor and graphics memory coupled to the PCI bus, and a coprocessor coupled to the graphics processor and graphics memory.