Abstract: Alternate focal bus mastering and expansion bus capability are provided for a Family I computer system where an alternate bus master and expansion or input/output bus are connectable to the computer system through a readily insertable and removable device card connected directly to the processor and memory of the computer system through a series of one or more pluggable interconnecting cards for matingly engaging a computer system planar board connector.

Abstract: Multiple applications or versions of an application in different languages are distributed on a single mass storage medium, such as a CD-ROM. The BIOS is programmed to emulate different drives individually or simultaneously with data read from prescribed regions of the CD-ROM. To prevent access to unauthorized emulated images, each image is provided with an encryption key used as the seed to a pseudorandom number generator. Pseudorandom decryption of each block of data read from the CD-ROM is performed at the BIOS level only or at both the BIOS and application levels. For enhanced security, the algorithm decrypts each block of encrypted image data at a starting index that is pseudorandomly derived.

Abstract: The invention provides for sharing a socket between a new-standard IC card provided with side electrodes on the sides thereof, to thereby allow the number of connections to be increased, and a current-standard IC card, and to prevent the side electrodes and the mating side electrodes of a socket from being rubbed against each other by a simple structure without any need for specific operation when an IC card is inserted or removed.

Abstract: A high performance serial bus operating at multiple transmission rates is disclosed. The serial bus is able to automatically generate data response packets for return to a requesting node. The automatic packet generation uses the source and destination information to generate a return destination packet for directing the requested data to the request source destination. Since the bus network is capable of operating at several different transmission rates, the speed at which the data request packet was transmitted is used for retransmitting the data requested back to the source node requesting the data.

Abstract: A data processing system for executing multimedia applications which interface with multimedia devices that consume or produce at least one of real-time and asynchronous streamed data includes a CPU for execution of one or more multimedia applications and a DSP for processing data including streamed data. A plurality of modular multimedia software tasks may be called by the multimedia application for execution in the DSP. A plurality of data communication modules are provided for linking selected ones of the software tasks with selected others of the software tasks, and linking selected multimedia devices with selected ones of the software tasks. Each of the communications modules allows continuous, real-time and unidirectional communication of streamed data.

Abstract: A boundary scan system for a data processing system using serial scan techniques for diagnostics comprises gated circuitry for each adapter card slot for controlling the propagation of controller generated diagnostic signals throughout the data processing system and the components included on the system's planar and each adapter card present, adapted to serially scan all present adapter cards and to provide electrical conduit to the next serially connected component in the absence of a card at an adapter slot.

Abstract: This invention discloses a software mechanism for installing and identifying compression/decompression procedures thereby providing dynamic linking, while also supporting existing and future CODEC algorithms. The present procedure is a dynamically linked library installed as an entry in the system initialization file. Each entry is comprised of a four character code which uniquely identifies a file format, a compression type, and a compression subtype. Additional CODEC information in the entry of the system initialization file are the file name, the procedure name, the processing speed, and other attributes of compression algorithms. This method combined with the installed entry in the initialization file allows sharing of the same CODEC algorithm for different file formats and also provides for an existing application program to continue working, without modification, even at such time as when a new CODEC algorithm is added to the file format in a future installation.

Abstract: An electrical appliance comprises a power supply cable (70) having a first conductor (200) surrounded by a second conductor (210) for supplying electrical power to the appliance from a domestic electricity mains supply, and a connector (490) connected to cable for detachably connecting the conductors of the cable to first and second voltage signals of the electricity mains supply. In operation, the second conductor (210) is connected to the lower of the voltage signals. The second conductor (210) thus acts as a shield in opposition to electric fields radiating from the cable. The shield improves in efficiency as the lower mains voltage signal approaches Ground potential.

Abstract: A SCSI computer system is provided whereby a host computer gains access to a targeted but non-local peripheral device, which device or devices are individually responsive to either SCSI or non-SCSI commands, by sending SCSI commands via a SCSI bus to a connected SCSI target computer which emulates the targeted peripheral device local to the SCSI target computer, whether the targeted peripheral device is responsive to only SCSI or only non-SCSI commands, to cause the targeted peripheral device to carry out the initial SCSI commands.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for dequeuing connection requests in a data communications system comprising a calling subsystem and a called subsystem connected by a serial simplex switch. The connection requests are made by the calling subsystem to the called subsystem by sending a connect request message to the switch and queuing the connect request message in a buffer therein. The switch establishes a connection between the calling subsystem and the called subsystem by thereafter queuing the connect request message in a buffer in the called subsystem. Concurrently, the switch sends a connect request acknowledge message to the calling subsystem while the calling subsystem sends a connect request dequeue message to the switch.

Abstract: A method and system in a data communications system for automatically determining a data communication device type and a transmission speed associated with the data communication device type. An incoming communication is detected on a transmission line, and transmit and receive hardware are connected to the transmission line. Next, a sequence of different signals in either a first communication protocol or a second communication protocol are transmitted from a first data communication device via a transmission line. The transmission line is then monitored for a response signal from a second data communication device. The response signal is initiated from the second data communication device in response to receipt of a particular signal within the transmitted sequence of different signals.

Abstract: An electrical device for logic circuits having a package comprising a combination of controlled collapse electrical interconnections, such as solder balls and pin through-hole conductors, wherein the conductors are disposed outside the perimeter of an inter-array of solder balls, which when a maximum number of solder balls are disposed, the array is circular in shape, so as to provide an increased footprint for the electrical device beyond that, otherwise maximum footprint for solder balls alone, which footprint is otherwise limited in size due to failures which occur in solder balls when solder balls are exposed to thermal and mechanical stress levels at extended distances from the neutral or zero stress point of the array.

Abstract: A multimedia data processing system includes a memory for storing multimedia application programs and a multitasking operating system. Extensions to the operating system control data streaming from source devices to target devices to provide real-time, continuous streaming. The extensions provide central buffer management with a user buffer option, bi-level priority support for data stream handlers, support for interleaved streams, and data stream event detection and notification.