Abstract: A method for dynamically adjusting the flow rate of a plurality of logical pipes that share a common output queue. In accordance with the method of the present invention, a minimum flow rate and a maximum flow rate are set for each of the pipes. Next a determination is made of whether or not excess queue bandwidth exists in accordance with the output flow rate of the shared queue. The determination of whether or not excess bandwidth exists comprises comparing the output flow rate of the shared queue with a pre-determined threshold queue output value. An instantaneous excess bandwidth signal has a value of 1 if there is excess bandwidth and is otherwise 0 if there is no excess bandwidth. In an alternate embodiment, the instantaneous excess bandwidth signal for a particular pipe is logically ANDed with one or more additional excess bandwidth signals to form a composite instantaneous excess bandwidth signal.

Abstract: A method for integrating Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) and frame-based traffic flows within a telecommunications network is disclosed. The telecommunications network includes a network processor having upside processing means for delivering an incoming flow from the telecommunications network to a switch and downside processing means for delivering outgoing network traffic from the switch to the telecommunications network. The incoming flow is initially received at the upside processing means as a frame-based flow. The incoming flow may be characterized as belonging to a group having frame-based flows and ATM flows. In response to the receipt of the incoming flow, the incoming flow is determined if it is destined for a legacy, ATM-only device. The incoming flow is then processed according to the determined routing requirements and the incoming flow characterization before delivering the incoming flow to the switch.

Abstract: A method of upgrading a program, used in a data processing device having a permanent memory, from a version n to a version n+1, wherein, at any time, both the recent version and the previous version of the program are stored in a first and a second location of the memory. Each one of version n and version n+1 of the program is using configuration data of format n and format n+1, respectively, when it is used as a current version. The configuration data of format n are automatically stored into the memory when version n+1 of the program is stored into the second location of memory.

Abstract: A thermal controller and thermal control method for a computer and computer equipped with a thermal controller is disclosed which avoids giving an uncomfortable feeling to the user due to heat generated within a personal computer. A thermal controller for a computer includes a heat pipe for moving heat generated by an MPU within a computer to the vicinity of a top face and a bottom face of a main body, two heat radiating means for releasing heat in the vicinity of the top face and the bottom face, and a volume switch for adjusting a quantity of heat absorbed from a heat spreader by a Peltier device.

Abstract: A data processing system and method including a server computer system coupled to a client computer system utilizing a network are described for causing an initially powered-off client computer system to power-on only in response to a receipt of an authenticated wake network packet. The client computer system is capable of receiving a wake network packet while the client is powered-off. The client computer system determines if the received wake network packet is a valid wake network packet while the client is powered-off. The client computer system powers-on only in response to a determination that the wake network packet is a valid wake network packet. The client computer system powers-on only in response to authenticated wake network packets.