Abstract: The system for simplified operating system shutdown enables the execution of the required operating system shutdown sequence without requiring the use of a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. This is accomplished by equipping the printed circuit board with a simple switch and an indicator device to provide the user interface to execute the operating system shutdown process. The user operates the switch, which activates the system for simplified operating system shutdown to initiate the required operating system shutdown process. The system for simplified operating system shutdown activates the indicator device in a first mode to notify the user that the shutdown process is now executing. The system for simplified operating system shutdown generates a message, which message is transmitted to the processor. This message comprises a system call for a shutdown and restart.

Abstract: In a multimedia communications system where bandwidth of an access facility is limited, the bandwidth is partitioned into three bands dedicated to audio, video and data traffic, respectively, in accordance with blocking probabilities associated with the respective media types. The value of each blocking probability is selected pursuant to the relative importance of the associated media type in a multimedia service. With the blocking probabilities in place, the dominance of traffic of a particular media type, which may be relatively unimportant in the service, would not cause blocking of traffic of other media types, which may be relatively important.