Abstract: Multiple variants of a data processing system, which maintains I/O priority from the time a process makes an I/O request until the hardware services that request, will be described. In one embodiment, a data processing system has one or more processors having one or more processor cores, which execute an operating system and one or more applications of the data processing system. The data processing system also can have one or more non-volatile memory device coupled to the one or more processors to store data of the data processing system, and one or more non-volatile memory controller coupled to the one or more processors. The one or more non-volatile memory controller enables a transfer of data to at least one non-volatile memory device, and the priority level assigned by the operating system is maintained throughout the logical data path of the data processing system.

Abstract: A graphical user interface is rendered on a display screen of a touch screen device. The display screen includes a display area for rendering images, and the graphical user interface of the application is rendered in a portion of the display area. Digital touch data is generated in response to user interactions with a touch-sensitive surface of the touch screen device. A module of an operating system residing on the touch screen device is used to convert the digital touch data into OS touch events. The OS touch events and application location information are received at a system hook. The application location information identifies the portion of the display area of the touch screen device in which the graphical user interface of the application is rendered. The system hook filters the OS touch events based on the application location information and provides the filtered OS touch events to the application.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for establishing communication between a first device and a second device. In the method, the second device recognizes a mark representing the first device to establish communication with the first device, and establishes communication with the first device, based on information included in the mark.

Abstract: A method for sharing peripheral devices in dual operating systems for an electronic device having at least one peripheral device is provided. The method includes: receiving a setting value for the peripheral device under the first operating system from a user; activating a second operating system; transmitting the setting value to the second operating system; and switching from the first operating system to the second operating system, wherein the second operating system sets the peripheral device with the setting value and enables the electronic device to operate under the second operating system.

Abstract: A centralized resource manager manages the routing of audio or visual information within a device, including a handheld device such as a smartphone. The resource manager evaluates data-driven policies to determine how to route audio or visual information to or from various input or output components connected to the device, including headphones, built-in speakers, microphones, bluetooth headsets, cameras, and so on. Among the data considered in the policies are connection status data, indicating if a device is connected, routing status data, indicating if a device is permitted to route information to or from a component, and grouping data, indicating logical relationships between various components. Components may be considered inherently routable, automatically routable, or optionally routable. Numerous other uses exist for such data, including providing simpler and more logical management interfaces.

Abstract: A time-sharing buffer access system manages a buffer among plural master devices. Plural buffer handling units are operable to associatively couple the master devices, respectively, and a first end of each buffer handling unit is used to independently transfer data to or from the associated master device. A second end of each buffer handling unit is coupled to a buffer switch. A time slot controller defines a time slot, during which one of the buffer handling units is selected by the buffer switch such that data are only transferred between the selected buffer handling unit and the buffer.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a microcontroller unit (MCU). The MCU includes a buffer and an analog comparator that are coupled to an input of the MCU. The MCU is adapted to selectively determine a logic value of a digital signal applied to the input of the MCU from an output signal of the buffer or from an output signal of the analog comparator.

Abstract: A source of video data may be coupled to a plurality of sinks using a wireless branch device with more than one connector. Numbers may be assigned to the connectors in a sequence depending on the wireless technology used by each connector. Examples of wireless technologies include DisplayPort, HDMI, and Wireless Gigabit Alliance. Sinks coupled to the branch device are interrogated to determine the number of connectors and each connector's wireless technology.

Abstract: Peripherals and data processing systems are disclosed which can be configured to interact based upon sensor data. In one embodiment, a peripheral, which is configured to be used with a data processing system, includes an interface to couple the peripheral to the data processing system, and at least one sensor, such as a proximity sensor, to sense a user of the peripheral, and a processor coupled to the interface and to the at least one sensor, wherein the processor configures the peripheral in response to data from the at least one sensor. The peripheral may communicate sensor data from its sensors to the data processing system, which may be a wireless PDA, and the data processing system analyzes the sensor data from its sensors and from the peripheral's sensors to decide how to configure the peripheral and/or the data processing system based on the sensor.

Abstract: A multiple port host communicates with multiple tape drives by requesting information associated with a particular tape. Information of availability status of a plurality of host ports is provided. Traversing all host initiator ports finds a host port with no or the least traffic load for a tape reservation request. A host port's traffic load calculation uses instant and the updated historical traffic as primary and secondary factors. Every host port's traffic load is updated for every read/write command, and is used for path selection of reservation requests. The instant load is relatively sensitive but will be zero under light load. The historical load is aware of the light load though it is not sensitive enough when a burst I/O occurs. With the traffic load calculated from instant and historical loads, the distribution of tape tasks is spread evenly among host initiator ports under light load and burst I/O scenarios.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for determining whether an accessory includes particular circuitry. A host device may measure a first voltage and a second voltage received from an accessory, where the voltages are provide through the accessory from a power source. Before measuring the second voltage, the host device may send an instruction to the accessory instructing the accessory to alter an impedance of the power path between the power source and the host device, and the host device may draw at least a threshold amount of current from the power source via the accessory. The host device may then determine whether the accessory includes particular circuitry based on the relationship between the first voltage and the second voltage.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electronic device including, a display, an audio output module, a transmission module, a first detection module, a second detection module, a third detection module, and a controller configured to control at least one of the timing of the transmission of the audio signal by the transmission module and the timing of the output of the first reproduction output by the audio output module in accordance with the time difference detected by the third detection module, and to switch whether or not to control the timing in accordance with the positional relationship between the electronic device and the partner device.

Abstract: One embodiment sets forth a technique for dynamically allocating memory during multi-threaded program execution for a coprocessor that does not support dynamic memory allocation, memory paging, or memory swapping. The coprocessor allocates an amount of memory to a program as a put buffer before execution of the program begins. If, during execution of the program by the coprocessor, a request presented by a thread to store data in the put buffer cannot be satisfied because the put buffer is full, the thread notifies a worker thread. The worker thread processes a notification generated by the thread by dynamically allocating a swap buffer within a memory that cannot be accessed by the coprocessor. The worker thread then pages the put buffer into the swap buffer during execution of the program to empty the put buffer, thereby enabling threads executing on the coprocessor to dynamically receive memory allocations during execution of the program.

Abstract: Transferring data from a first clock domain to a second clock domain, wherein the second clock domain has a fixed clock frequency, and the first clock domain has a variable clock frequency. The first clock domain and the second clock domain operate in a synchronous mode when the variable clock frequency is equal to the fixed clock frequency, and in an asynchronous mode when the variable frequency is lower than the fixed frequency. A first buffer and a second buffer are used for a data transfer from the first clock domain to the second clock domain. The second clock domain comprises a multiplexor connected to the first buffer and the second buffer. The multiplexor forwards data from the first buffer further into the second clock domain in the synchronous mode and from the second buffer into the second clock domain in the asynchronous mode.

Abstract: An interface card apparatus is provided. The interface card includes a transmission interface, an interface converter, a system on chip, a first connector, a bus switch, a network connector, and a power switch. The transmission interface includes a data channel, a power pin, a network channel, a switch pin, a power enabling pin, and a sharing pin. The system on chip, controlled by the sharing pin, performs a file sharing program. The bus switch, controlled by the switch pin, couples the connector to the channel or the interface converter. The network connector is coupled the system on chip and the network channel, and the power switch, controlled by the power enabling pin, couples the power pin to the system on chip.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) includes a plurality of pads adapted to send or receive signals, and a plurality of mixed signal interface blocks, each of which is coupled to a corresponding pad in the plurality of pads. Furthermore, each mixed signal interface block in the plurality of mixed signal interface blocks is adapted to be configurable to provide selected functionality independently of the other mixed signal interface blocks.

Abstract: Low cost storage for write once read rarely data is described. In an embodiment a storage device comprises a plurality of hard disk drives connected to a server via an interconnect fabric. The storage device comprises a cooling system which is only capable of cooling a first subset of the hard disk drives and a power supply system which is only capable of powering a second subset of the hard disk drives and in some examples, the interconnect fabric may be only capable of providing full bandwidth for a third subset of the hard disk drives. Each subset may comprise only a small fraction of hard disk drives. A control mechanism, which may be implemented in software, is provided which controls which hard disk drives are active at any time in order that the constraints set by the cooling and power supply systems and interconnect fabric are not violated.

Abstract: A microcontroller includes a central processing unit (CPU); a plurality of peripheral units; and a peripheral trigger generator comprising a user programmable state machine, wherein the peripheral trigger generator is configured to receive a plurality of input signals and is programmable to automate timing functions depending on at least one of said input signals and generate at least one output signal.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and apparatus for a configurable connector for Ethernet are provided. In this regard, a configurable Ethernet connector residing in an Ethernet enabled communication device may couple the communication devise to one or more twisted pairs and enable communication of Ethernet frames over the twisted pair(s). Conductors of each of the twisted pairs may make contact with adjacent pins of the configurable Ethernet connector. A size and shape of the configurable Ethernet connector may enable housing of more than 48 instances of the configurable Ethernet connector in a single standard size one rack unit face plate of a 19-inch rack. The configurable Ethernet connector may provide mechanical and electrical indications that enable a device coupled to the configurable Ethernet connector to determine configuration information of the configurable Ethernet connector. The information may indicate presence or absence of various components within and/or on the configurable Ethernet connector.

Abstract: For a plurality of input/output (I/O) operations waiting to assemble complete data tracks from data segments, a process, separate from a process responsible for the data assembly into the complete data tracks, is initiated for waking a predetermined number of the waiting I/O operations. A total number of I/O operations to be awoken at each of an iterated instance of the waking is limited.