Abstract: A method of detecting a cable connected to a first device includes generating a second signal within the first device, and outputting the second signal onto an input-only pin of a cable connector on the first device, wherein the input-only pin is assigned to receive a first signal from a driver on a second device when a cable is connected from the second device to the cable connector, and wherein the second signal has a frequency that is at least four times greater than the frequency of the first signal. The method further comprises determining that a cable is not connected to the cable connector in response to the detecting the second signal on a wire coupled to the input-only pin, and determining that the cable is connected to the cable connector in response to detecting a signal other than the second signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for odor source release based on odor detection and user preference information are disclosed. According to an aspect, a method includes receiving user preference information associated with an odor. The method also includes detecting the odor. Further, the method includes releasing one or more odor sources based on the user preference information in response to detecting the odor.

Abstract: Embodiments provide for a cable connector for coupling a cable with a device having a mating connector. The cable connector includes a cable connector body having a device end, a cable end, a bottom side, and a pivot point on the bottom side between the device and cable ends. Also, the cable connector includes a strut having a first strut end pivotally coupled with the pivot point and a second strut end. The strut is operable to rotate between a retracted position and an actuated position. The second strut end is adapted to engage the device on a surface of the device below the mating connector in the actuated position.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for dynamically managing social networking groups according to embodiments of the present invention are provided. A particular embodiment includes detecting a predetermined number of user devices within a specified physical area; and in response to detecting the predetermined number of user devices within the specified physical area, creating a social networking group corresponding to the specified physical area. Another embodiment includes detecting a predetermined number of user devices exiting a specified physical area, each user device associated with a user belonging to a social networking group corresponding to the specified physical area; and in response to detecting the predetermined number of user devices exiting the specified physical area, destroying the social networking group after a duration following the detection of the predetermined number of users of the social networking group exiting the specified physical area.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for dynamically managing social networking groups according to embodiments of the present invention are provided. A particular embodiment includes detecting a predetermined number of user devices within a specified physical area; and in response to detecting the predetermined number of user devices within the specified physical area, creating a social networking group corresponding to the specified physical area. Another embodiment includes detecting a predetermined number of user devices exiting a specified physical area, each user device associated with a user belonging to a social networking group corresponding to the specified physical area; and in response to detecting the predetermined number of user devices exiting the specified physical area, destroying the social networking group after a duration following the detection of the predetermined number of users of the social networking group exiting the specified physical area.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a flexible support member having a first and second ends and a plurality of guides there between. The apparatus further includes an electrical generator having a magnet, an electrical coil surrounding the magnet, and a pair of electrical leads for delivering electrical current generated in the coil. A tensile member is connected between the first end of the support member and the magnet, wherein the tensile member extends along a path from the first end of the support member through the plurality of guides to the magnet. A spring element biases the magnet in a direction to impart tension to the tensile member. Deflection of the support member from a relaxed position to a deflected position modifies the length of the path of the tensile member to displace the magnet within the electrical coil and generate an electrical current.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for optimizing a physical data communications topology between a plurality of computing nodes, the physical data communications topology including physical links configured to connect the plurality of nodes for data communications, that include carrying out repeatedly at a predetermined pace: detecting network packets transmitted through the links between each pair of nodes in the physical data communications topology, each network packet characterized by one or more packet attributes; assigning, to each network packet, a packet weight in dependence upon the packet attributes for that network packet; determining, for each pair of nodes in the physical data communications topology, a node pair traffic weight in dependence upon the packet weights assigned to the network packets transferred between that pair of nodes; and reconfiguring the physical links between each pair of nodes in dependence upon the node pair traffic weights.

Abstract: Error detection and correction of a data transmission, including: receiving a block of data, where the block includes a predefined number of words, with each word including a parity bit, where the block of data also an error-correcting code (ECC); determining, for each word in dependence upon the parity bit of the word, whether the word of the block includes a parity error; committing each word that does not include a parity error, if only one word of the block includes a parity error: correcting the one word that includes the parity error through use of the ECC of the block and committing the corrected word.

Abstract: Error detection and correction of a data transmission, including: receiving a block of data, where the block includes a predefined number of words, with each word including a parity bit, where the block of data also an error-correcting code (ECC); determining, for each word in dependence upon the parity bit of the word, whether the word of the block includes a parity error; committing each word that does not include a parity error, if only one word of the block includes a parity error: correcting the one word that includes the parity error through use of the ECC of the block and committing the corrected word.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for optimizing a physical data communications topology between a plurality of computing nodes, the physical data communications topology including physical links configured to connect the plurality of nodes for data communications, that include carrying out repeatedly at a predetermined pace: detecting network packets transmitted through the links between each pair of nodes in the physical data communications topology, each network packet characterized by one or more packet attributes; assigning, to each network packet, a packet weight in dependence upon the packet attributes for that network packet; determining, for each pair of nodes in the physical data communications topology, a node pair traffic weight in dependence upon the packet weights assigned to the network packets transferred between that pair of nodes; and reconfiguring the physical links between each pair of nodes in dependence upon the node pair traffic weights.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for optimizing a physical data communications topology between a plurality of computing nodes, the physical data communications topology including physical links configured to connect the plurality of nodes for data communications, that include carrying out repeatedly at a predetermined pace: detecting network packets transmitted through the links between each pair of nodes in the physical data communications topology, each network packet characterized by one or more packet attributes; assigning, to each network packet, a packet weight in dependence upon the packet attributes for that network packet; determining, for each pair of nodes in the physical data communications topology, a node pair traffic weight in dependence upon the packet weights assigned to the network packets transferred between that pair of nodes; and reconfiguring the physical links between each pair of nodes in dependence upon the node pair traffic weights.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and products for detecting an increase in thermal resistance of a heat sink in a computer system, the heat sink dissipating heat for a component of the computer system, the computer system including a fan controlling airflow across the heat sink, the computer system also including a temperature monitoring device, including: measuring, by a monitoring module through use of the temperature monitoring device during operation of the computer system, thermal resistance of the heat sink; determining whether the measured thermal resistance of the heat sink is greater than a threshold thermal resistance, the threshold thermal resistance stored in a thermal profile in non-volatile memory, and if the measured thermal resistance of the heat sink is greater than the threshold thermal resistance, notifying a system administrator.

Abstract: A design structure embodied in a machine readable storage medium for designing, manufacturing, and/or testing a memory switching data processing system is provided. The memory switching data processing system includes one or more central processing units (‘CPUs’); random access memory organized in at least two banks of memory modules; one or more memory buses providing communications paths for data among the CPUs and the memory modules; and a flexibly configurable memory bus switch comprising a first configuration adapting the first CPU to a first bank of memory modules and a second CPU to a second bank of memory modules and a second configuration adapting the first CPU to both the first bank of memory modules and the second bank of memory modules.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and/or techniques (“tools”) for determining Unicode points from glyph elements are provided. The tools may receive indications of commands that relate to text containing glyphs. Responding to the commands, the tools may convert the glyphs to corresponding Unicode representations. The tools may also provide glyph substitution tables that include Unicode fields for storing Unicode representations of characters, along with first and second glyph fields for storing glyphs of the characters. The glyph substitution tables may include links pointing from the second glyph fields to the first glyph fields, and may also include links pointing from the first glyph fields to the Unicode fields. The tools may provide character mapping tables that include Unicode fields for storing Unicode representations of characters. The character mapping tables may also include glyph fields for storing glyphs of the characters, and may include links pointing from the glyph fields to the Unicode fields.

Abstract: A memory switching data processing system including one or more central processing units (‘CPUs’); random access memory organized in at least two banks of memory modules; one or more memory buses providing communications paths for data among the CPUs and the memory modules; and a flexibly configurable memory bus switch comprising a first configuration adapting the first CPU to a first bank of memory modules and a second CPU to a second bank of memory modules and a second configuration adapting the first CPU to both the first bank of memory modules and the second bank of memory modules.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products for packet prioritization based on delivery time expectation. Exemplary embodiments include receiving a packet for routing, estimating a TimeToDestination for the packet, the estimating performed by a Internet Control Message Protocol, reading a TimeToDeliver field from each the Internet Protocol Header of the packet to extract data on when the packet needs to be at the destination, determining a MaxQueueDelay for the packet, the MaxQueueDelay calculated by subtracting the TimeToDeliver from the TimeToDestination, passing a lower priority packet if the lower priority packet has a lower MaxQueueDelay, and decrementing the TimeToDeliver by an amount of time the network router has had the packet in the queue before passing the packet to a next router, thereby communicating to the next router how much time is left before the packet must be delivered.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products for packet prioritization based on delivery time expectation. Exemplary embodiments include receiving a packet for routing, estimating a TimeToDestination for the packet, the estimating performed by a Internet Control Message Protocol, reading a TimeToDeliver field from each the Internet Protocol Header of the packet to extract data on when the packet needs to be at the destination, determining a MaxQueueDelay for the packet, the MaxQueueDelay calculated by subtracting the TimeToDeliver from the TimeToDestination, passing a lower priority packet if the lower priority packet has a lower MaxQueueDelay, and decrementing the TimeToDeliver by an amount of time the network router has had the packet in the queue before passing the packet to a next router, thereby communicating to the next router how much time is left before the packet must be delivered.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and products for detecting an increase in thermal resistance of a heat sink in a computer system, the heat sink dissipating heat for a component of the computer system, the computer system including a fan controlling airflow across the heat sink, the computer system also including a temperature monitoring device, including: measuring, by a monitoring module through use of the temperature monitoring device during operation of the computer system, thermal resistance of the heat sink; determining whether the measured thermal resistance of the heat sink is greater than a threshold thermal resistance, the threshold thermal resistance stored in a thermal profile in non-volatile memory, and if the measured thermal resistance of the heat sink is greater than the threshold thermal resistance, notifying a system administrator.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for optimizing a physical data communications topology between a plurality of computing nodes, the physical data communications topology including physical links configured to connect the plurality of nodes for data communications, that include carrying out repeatedly at a predetermined pace: detecting network packets transmitted through the links between each pair of nodes in the physical data communications topology, each network packet characterized by one or more packet attributes; assigning, to each network packet, a packet weight in dependence upon the packet attributes for that network packet; determining, for each pair of nodes in the physical data communications topology, a node pair traffic weight in dependence upon the packet weights assigned to the network packets transferred between that pair of nodes; and reconfiguring the physical links between each pair of nodes in dependence upon the node pair traffic weights.

Abstract: The invention is directed to providing a virtualized blade flash with a management module in a blade server. A method of configuring a blade server according to an embodiment of the invention includes: providing a plurality of blades, wherein each blade comprising: a service processor; a chip set; an at least one central processing unit (CPU); providing a management module in communication with each of the plurality of blades; and adding a virtual flash store at the management module.