Abstract: A method and apparatus simulates the performance of a system from a user-specified description of the components in the system and the interconnections between the components. The user may specify the descriptions using a consistent syntax. Conservation relations are automatically generated using the description of the components, the interconnections between the components in the system, or both. The description provided by the user and the conservation requirements generated may be translated into models for use by a conventional simulator to complete the simulation. Alternately the description and the conservation relation may be formulated into a set of relations and solved using conventional methods, such as Modified Nodal or Sparce Tableau. System performance simulation information is then generated as desired by a user.

Abstract: A method and system periodically copies information from a computer file to a database to preserve non-current information from the file. As information from the file is overwritten by new information, the old information is preserved in the database, allowing non-current information to be used without reprogramming the computer programs or portions of the computer program that read or write the file. If the file is arranged into one or more sections, and new information stored in a section of the file is assigned an identifier higher than the other information in the section, the amount of time required to locate new information in the file can be reduced. Comparing the highest identifier in the section with the highest identifier in the database for that section can identify sections of the file that have received no new information since the last update made to the database.

Abstract: Each character in a message is segregated into a range depending on the value of the character and encoded based on the range of the character. The encoding techniques may include removing all but the lowest byte, removing all but the lowest byte and masking one or more bits, base 64 encoding, base 64 encoding certain bits, and subtracting prior to base 64 encoding certain bits. To certain encoded characters is added a shift character, which can be used to determine how to decode the character. Multiple characters in the same range may be encoded and placed between a shift lock character and a shift unlock character, with the shift lock character used to determine how to decode the encoded characters. The encoded characters may be decoded using the encoded character, and the absence or presence of any shift, shift lock or shift unlock characters.

Abstract: A system and method for distributing software applications and data to many thousands of clients over a network. The applications are called "channels", the server is called the "transmitter", and the client is called the "tuner". The use of channels is based on subscription. The end-user needs to subscribe to channel before it can be executed. When the end-user subscribes to a channel the associated code and data is downloaded to the local hard-disk, and once downloaded the channel can be executed many times without requiring further network access. Channels can be updated automatically at regular intervals by the tuner, and as a result the end-user is no longer required to manually install software updates, instead these software and data updates are automatically downloaded and installed in the background.

Abstract: A method and apparatus simulates the performance of a system from a user-specified description of the components in the system and the interconnections between the components. The user may specify the descriptions using a consistent syntax. Conservation relations are automatically generated using the description of the components, the interconnections between the components in the system, or both. The description provided by the user and the conservation requirements generated may be translated into models for use by a conventional simulator to complete the simulation. Alternately the description and the conservation relation may be formulated into a set of relations and solved using conventional methods, such as Modified Nodal or Sparce Tableau. System performance simulation information is then generated as desired by a user.

Abstract: A method and apparatus simulates the performance of a system from a user-specified description of the components in the system and the interconnections between the components. The user may specify the descriptions using a consistent syntax. Conservation relations are automatically generated using the description of the components, the interconnections between the components in the system, or both. The description provided by the user and the conservation requirements generated may be translated into models for use by a conventional simulator to complete the simulation. Alternately the description and the conservation relation may be formulated into a set of relations and solved using conventional methods, such as Modified Nodal or Sparce Tableau. System performance simulation information is then generated as desired by a user.

Abstract: An electronic game system includes a game console, which accepts a game cartridge and runs the games stored therein, and a wireless controller for controlling actions in the game. The wireless controller includes a radio frequency transmitter for sending control signals to the console, and the console includes a receiver for receiving the control signals from the controller. Because the controller uses radio frequency signals instead of infrared signals to send information to the console, the controller may be operated at a large distance from the console. Thus, the game system of the invention may be used in long range applications wherein the console and the controller need to be separated by a relatively large distance.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a zero flag (z-flag) status signal in a microprocessor includes a z-flag signal generator that generates a z-flag signal from unaligned data simultaneous to the load alignment of such data. The z-flag generator first performs a zero detect on each byte of data retrieved from memory. The zero detect results are next decoded according to bit selection signals generated from a data format code which corresponds to the specific format of the retrieved data.

Abstract: Method for two-way digital communication between Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) and Data Communication Equipment (DCE), includes a novel command set. The inventive method involves initiating communication by transmitting one command from a set of DTE commands to the command interpreter block. That block interprets the command, and acts on the command, directing the command to the appropriate control block. The control block receiving the decoded command then executes the command by sending a signal representative of the command to a hardware interface device which transmits the signal to the receiving DCE.

Abstract: A system and method of image processing using neural networks to control image processing elements. Neural network parameters are defined by genotypes consisting of network vectors. Genotypes may be selectively mutated and cross-bred to provide a mechanism for modifying the behavior of the neural networks, or phenotypes. Genetic modeling processes are used to perform such mutation and cross-over. User feedback concerning output images, is used to select particular genotypes for further mutation and exploration. Preconditioning is employed to extract structural information from source images prior to network processing. Genetic morphing and subnet fusion are also available, to provide additional variations on image processing operations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for detecting and correcting errors in the data stored within the entries of a memory table. Each time data is entered into the memory table, an error code generator generates a corresponding error code using the data. This error code is stored in the memory table along with the corresponding data. When an entry in the memory table is read out, an error detector receives the outputted data and its corresponding error code and processes the data and the error code to determine whether the outputted data contains any errors. If the outputted data contains any errors, the outputted data and error code are sent to an error correction unit. In response, the correction unit attempts to find single and double bit errors in the data by way of a compact and efficient computer program. If either a single or double bit error is found, the error correction unit corrects the error or errors to derive a set of corrected data.

Abstract: A memory is tested by subjecting the memory to three phases of testing. In the first phase, a first address in the memory is initialized by writing an initial set of data to the address. Then data is read from the address just written to and this data is modified to produce a set of modified data. The modified data is then written to another address in the memory. The steps of reading, modifying, and writing modified data back to the memory are repeated until all addresses in the memory have been written to. Thereafter, the data values stored in the memory are compared to a reference list of data values to determine whether the memory contains a detect. In phase two, the steps of phase one are repeated except that the first address in the memory is initialized by writing a set of data which is the complement of the initial set of data used in phase one. Phase two, in effect, complements the contents of each address in the memory to ensure that each cell in the memory is written with both a 0 and a 1.

Abstract: A system and method for processing moving images employ an interactive particle system comprising virtual image processing elements, or paintbrushes, in order to avoid problems of noise amplification and sensitivity to temporal discontinuities in source images. Attributes and parameters of paintbrushes may be specified by the user, and may vary dependent on the content of the source image. Paintbrushes may interact and may respond to virtual forces of various types. The system and method provide mechanisms by which the user may specify force parameters, by which source images can become forces, and by which force attributes may diffuse throughout the display field.

Abstract: In a computing system having a data source, a memory, and a central processing unit (CPU), data is transferred from the data source to the memory by first monitoring signals from the CPU to determine whether data transfer is desired. If data transfer is desired, an optimized instruction set is generated which is specifically designed to cause the CPU to carry out the data transfer in an optimal manner. This optimized instruction set is sent to the CPU and is executed thereby to transfer the data quickly and efficiently. An apparatus for carrying out the above method comprises a determiner, an instruction generator, and a coupling circuit. The determiner monitors address and control signals from the CPU to determine whether data transfer is desired. In response to a determination that data transfer is desired, the determiner generates a run control signal.

Abstract: A circuit and method for mixing signals from audio sources provide noise reduction by employing a noise gate to selectively attenuate one of the source signals. The noise gate has a low gain state and a unity gain state. The noise gate switches to its unity gain state when a control signal reaches a predefined threshold voltage. The control signal is generated by rectifying and integrating the noisy source audio signal, so that the noise gate enters the unity gain state only when a useful sound occurs. Thus, the noise in the combined audio signal is reduced, without attenuating useful components of the source signals.