Abstract: Services are provided in an architecture utilizing a framework of standardized interconnection mechanisms that allow for the dynamic addition of new services that meet rules for the distributed services network. Likewise, new agents may readily be added to the network. The network architecture is composed of agent software at the broadband subscriber endpoint in conversation with server software at the service provider location. Under the present architecture, certain minimum service functionality is provided to any subscriber by way of a registration service for new subscribers, a login service for existing subscribers, subscriber profile services, connection services and plug-in management services. Through this network, a subscriber can access these services as well as additional services that are dynamically added to the network.

Abstract: A system and a method of providing a dynamic computing environment to a user, in which the dynamic computing environment is configured to communicate and to operate under the control of the user. The dynamic computing environment has one or more virtual resources including at least one virtual computing device and one or more computer programs associated with the at least one virtual computing device. According to the present invention, the user has access, for example, to interact with, to modify, and to use the dynamic computing environment including the at least one virtual resource and the at least one physical resource.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of making integrated circuits. In one embodiment the method includes forming tungsten plugs in the integrated circuit and forming electrically conductive interconnect lines in the integrated circuit after formation of the tungsten plugs. At least one tungsten plug is electrically connected to at least one electrically conductive interconnect line. Thereafter at least one electrically conductive interconnect line is contacted with water for a period of time less than 120 minutes.

Abstract: The present invention describes a system and method of improving packet forwarding throughput in a router by reducing head of line blocking. In one embodiment of the present invention, incoming packets are stored in a packet reorder buffer. The packets are reordered for forwarding while maintaining the order of packets in a distinct flow. Packets belonging to a distinct flow require to be forwarded in the order that the router receives them. Packets from different flows are reordered such that their forwarding order can be different than the order in which they were received. Packets from the same flow are sent out in the same order as the router receives them.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating slide presentations enable a user (e.g., a sales professional) to generate presentations tailored to a specific presentation target (e.g., a potential customer) with the click of a button. An exemplary method includes: collecting information relating to a number of presentation targets; creating a number of presentation definition templates, each presentation definition template including a number of slide descriptions, certain of the slide descriptions including information placeholders; and generating a slide presentation for the particular presentation target in accordance with the slide descriptions of a selected one of the presentation definition templates, wherein collected information relating to the particular presentation target is substituted for the information place holders in the slide descriptions of the selected one of the presentation definition templates.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and apparatuses for quickly and easily configuring an application user interface using a flexible generic layout file. For one embodiment, a free-form grid layout is provided that allows an application provider to create a desired number of placeholders, each of a desired size, by positioning objects at desired locations on the free-form grid. In this way the application provider configures the application user interface. For one embodiment, the placeholders are created by dragging selected objects, from a provided set of objects, onto the grid layout. For such an embodiment, a set of parameters that describe the objects on the grid layout (e.g., indicating number, size, and location) is stored to a database. At run-time, the parameters are used to dynamically generate HTML code, which when executed presents the application user interface.

Abstract: Certain types of holographic recording materials can be used to updateably record holographic stereograms formed when fringe patterns are generated through interference of an object laser beam containing image information with a reference laser beam. In this manner, calculation of fringe patterns is avoided, and instead perspective information is computed for a scene or object to be displayed, the information is downloaded to display hardware such as a spatial light modulator, and fringe patterns are subsequently generated through interference of an object laser beam containing this information with a reference laser beam in the classic hologram recording scheme. Previously recorded holographic stereograms or component hogels are updated by erasing the stereograms or component hogels and recording updated stereograms or component hogels, or by recording updated stereograms or component hogels in a separate portion of the holographic recording material.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system are disclosed that more efficiently maps data into standard SONET concatenated payloads for transmission over established SONET networks. Framing information is added to a data stream to identify the beginning and ending locations of a payload. Next, the framed data stream is formatted into a non-standard STS-Nc packet. Two or more non-standard STS-Nc packets are combined to form a pseudo-standard STS-Nc packet that is supported by the established SONET network. According to one embodiment, a one Gbps Ethernet packet is framed using HDLC formatting, then formatted into an STS-24c packet. Two STS-24c packets are combined to form a pseudo-standard STS-48c packet. In addition, the one Gbps Ethernet packet can be stored and retimed to the SONET data rate and transmitted across an established SONET network.

Abstract: A system allowing a target machine to be booted up from a disk image stored in memory. Instead of reading the boot-up information from a disk drive or other physical device the data is read from memory. No modification is necessary to native operating system, input/output subsystem, bootstrap code, etc., since the invention modifies characteristics, such as vectors used by the operating system, to make the disk image in memory appear to be the same as a standard external device.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and system that enable automated creation of operating system handles in response to storage access control changes. A determination is made of the storage array LUNs to which a host has access control permission. Those storage array LUNs and the array port WWN are provided to the host so that the host can efficiently create an OS handle. Each LUN is associated with a target assigned by the host. Configuration information for the host is automatically changed to include the association between the LUN and the target. The host is re-initialized using the configuration information such that an operating system handle is created for the association.

Abstract: Two pairs of vias are arranged in a printed circuit board. A first pair of vias, which conveys a first signal pair, is arranged in a plane that is substantially equidistant from the vias in a second pair of vias, which conveys a second signal pair. Similarly, the second pair of vias is located in a plane that is substantially equidistant from each via in the first pair of vias. In some embodiments, such an arrangement reduces the crosstalk effect of the first signal pair on the second signal pair and vice versa.

Abstract: The present invention provides a per-flow dynamic buffer management scheme for a data communications device. With per-flow dynamic buffer limiting, the header information for each packet is mapped into an entry in a flow table, with a separate flow table provided for each output queue. Each flow table entry maintains a buffer count for the packets currently in the queue for each flow. On each packet enqueuing action, a dynamic buffer limit is computed for the flow and compared against the buffer count already used by the flow to make a mark, drop, or enqueue decision. A packet in a flow is dropped or marked if the buffer count is above the limit. Otherwise, the packet is enqueued and the buffer count incremented by the amount used by the newly-enqueued packet. The scheme operates independently of packet data rate and flow behavior, providing means for rapidly discriminating well-behaved flows from non-well-behaved flows in order to manage buffer allocation accordingly.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for servicing transmit traffic in a node of a network where the network includes a plurality of nodes connected by first and second rings formed by two or more transmission media. The method includes receiving transit delay data associated with a plurality of downstream nodes, receiving a packet for routing to a destination node in the network and routing the packet to one of the first and second rings not only based on a shortest path to the destination node but also on a transmit latency for both the first and second rings in view of the received transit delay data.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is provided in which search indices are configured on a server. The search indices are associated with corresponding business components. The search indices are displayed to a client that is connected to the server via a computer network. The client is configured to perform search using data records stored on a local machine. One or more particular search indices from the server are downloaded onto the client in response to the client's request to download the one or more particular search indices to be used for searching on the local machine.

Abstract: Dynamic Computing Environments (DCEs) are used throughout phases of a software lifecycle. The DCE is configured through a remote user for a phase in the lifecycle. The DCE is then configured according to the command. The user then uses the DCE to fulfill the requirements of the phase. When the phase is completed, a command from the remote user is sent to configure the DCE for another phase. Once the DCE is re-configured, the user uses the DCE to fulfill the requirements of the phase.

Abstract: A facility for specifying the distribution of products and generating product distribution lists. The facility receives account definitions, which may include information specifying account hierarchies. One or more product categories may be associated with each account. A distribution code may also be associated with the account's category assignment. The facility may identify or more products associated with the account, and a product distribution code may be associated with each product in the category. Based on the distribution level for each category and the product distribution codes for each product in the category, the facility may identify products for a product distribution list associated with an account.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, a system is provided for implementing caching of view custom options in a framework to support web-based applications. The system comprising a set of server-side objects managed by an object manager (OM) running on a server. The system further comprises a set of browser-side objects running on a browser running on a client. The system also comprises a remote procedure call (RPC) mechanism to enable re-targeting of methods from browser-side objects to server-side objects. The system additionally comprises a notification mechanism to facilitate transmission of notifications from server-side objects to browser-side objects. The system also comprises a cache on the client to store custom options of views, wherein each view is a display panel consisting of a particular arrangement of applets.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a packet switching device coupled to receive inbound packets from a network, switch the packets through a switching fabric, and provide outbound packets to a network. Multiple different packet switching devices use such switching fabric to exchange inbound packets. The packet switching device includes an output traffic manager that selectively stores outbound packets from the switching fabric in queues until the packets can be transmitted to the network. When any queue is unable to store more outbound packets, the output traffic manager communicates to the input traffic manager to drop inbound packets destined for that queue, instead of transferring them to the switching fabric and ultimately dropping the packets as outbound packets. Thereby traffic through the switching fabric is reduced.

Abstract: A software development method and system having a suite of graphical customization tools that enables developers to rapidly configure all aspects of the underlying application software, including the look-and-feel, behavior, and workflow. This is accomplished without modifying application source code, base objects, or SQL. The sophisticated repository management capabilities of the method and system of our invention allows teams of developers to work efficiently on configuring applications. The application upgrader provides an automated process to upgrade the customizations to future product releases thus protecting the investment in customization. The ease, comprehensiveness, scalability, and upgradeability of the customization process help reduce the total lifecycle cost of customizing enterprise applications.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatus and software can make use of separated I/O processors and strategy processors (implemented in hardware and/or software) to perform virtual device I/O operations. I/O processors operating on cluster nodes, storage appliance ports, or other devices can receive I/O operation requests directed to virtual devices, e.g., volumes or virtual logical units. Information about the request is forwarded to a strategy processor, operating independently or as part of larger volume management software where corresponding physical device I/O operations are determined. The physical device I/O operations can include additional information about the operations, e.g., tag information and summary information, for use in processing the virtual device I/O request. The physical device I/O operations are sent back to the I/O processor which executes the operations and/or passes the operation on to the appropriate storage device.