Abstract: The heat sink of the present invention includes a device portion, a bend portion, and a support portion that thermally couples the circuit board component to a support member, thereby allowing for heat transfer from the circuit board component to the support member. The bend portion of the heat sink allows for displacement of the device portion relative to the support portion to limit the amount of stress generated by the heat sink on the circuit board component. The geometry of the heat sink further allows placement of the heat sink within the relatively narrow space conventionally formed between the circuit board and the support member.

Abstract: A pin solders to a circuit board. The pin includes a soldering portion which is configured to solder to a via of the circuit board and an engagement portion which is configured to engage with a circuit board component. The soldering portion has a circular cross-section and a soldering portion diameter. Similarly, the engagement portion has a circular cross-section and an engagement portion diameter. The soldering portion diameter is substantially narrower than the engagement portion diameter. Accordingly, the soldering portion can solder to relatively narrow circuit board via having a small anti-pad, and the thicker engagement portion can provide suitable strength for positioning the circuit board component in a reliable manner.

Abstract: The invention is directed to techniques for managing a data set stored on a host computer that is in communication with a data storage assembly. A data manager on a host computer copies the data set to a synchronous copy of the data set stored on the data storage assembly and establishes a synchronous relationship between the data set and the synchronous copy. The data manager of the host computer can split the synchronous copy from the data set and generate a duplicate copy of the synchronous copy. Then the data manager can reestablish the synchronous relationship between the data set stored on the host computer and the synchronous copy stored on the data storage assembly.

Abstract: A technique provides a radio frequency probe. The technique involves obtaining a surface mount connector having a flat-faced side that includes (i) a central region, (ii) a conductive outer region that extends along a periphery of the flat-faced side, and (iii) a conductive intermediate region disposed between the central region and the conductive outer region. The conductive outer region and the conductive intermediate region are electrically connected with each other. The technique further involves forming a cavity within the surface mount connector through the conductive intermediate region of the flat-faced side of the surface mount connector, and installing an end of a ground post within the cavity formed within the surface mount connector.

Abstract: A heat sink apparatus includes a heat sink having a plurality of circuit board component contact portions and a plurality of fin portions extending from the contact portions. The circuit board component contact portions of the heat sink conform to a surface of the circuit board component when coupled to the circuit board component, thereby providing a thermal coupling between the fin portions of the heat sink and the associated circuit board component. The heat sink apparatus also includes a retainer, such as a double buckling beam retainer, that secures the heat sink to the circuit board component. The retainer causes the circuit board component contact portions of the heat sink conform to the surface of the circuit board component, thereby providing thermal contact between the heat sink and circuit board component contact portions and alleviating the need for a base portion associated with the heat sink, as in conventional mechanisms.

Abstract: The invention is directed to techniques for discovering a powerability condition of a computer network such as the existence of a remotely powerable device attached to a connecting medium of the computer network. Such detection can then control whether a remote power source (e.g., a data communications device such as a switch) provides remote power (e.g., phantom power) to the computer network. One arrangement of the invention is directed to an apparatus for discovering a powerability condition of a computer network. The apparatus includes a signal generator, a detector and a controller which is coupled to the signal generator and the detector. The controller configures the signal generator to provide a test signal to a connecting medium of the computer network, and configures the detector to measure a response signal from the connecting medium of the computer network.

Abstract: A device (e.g., a secondary cache device) manages descriptors which correspond to storage locations (e.g., cache blocks). The device includes memory and a control circuit coupled to the memory. The control circuit is configured to arrange the descriptors, which correspond to the storage locations, into multiple queues within the memory based on storage location access frequencies. The control circuit is further configured to determine whether an expiration timer for the particular descriptor has expired in response to a particular descriptor reaching a head of a particular queue. The control circuit is further configured to move the particular descriptor from the head of the particular queue to a different part of the multiple queues, wherein the different part is identified based on access frequency when the expiration timer for the particular descriptor has not expired, and not based on access frequency when the expiration timer for the particular descriptor has expired.

Abstract: A technique for fastening a panel to an electronic cabinet frame involves inserting portions of rigid support members (e.g., rails) of the electronic cabinet frame into grooves defined by fasteners to attach the fasteners to the portions of the rigid support members of the electronic cabinet frame. The technique further involves positioning catches (e.g., latching members) of the panel adjacent catch members of the fasteners, and moving the panel toward the fasteners such that the catches of the panel engage with the catch members of the fasteners to fasten the panel to the electronic cabinet frame. Accordingly, no screws or other hardware is required to mount either the fasteners or the panel.

Abstract: An acoustic system has an acoustic sensor and a processing circuit. The acoustic sensor includes a base, a microphone having a microphone diaphragm supported by the base, and a hot-wire anemometer having a set of hot-wire extending members supported by the base. The set of hot-wire extending members defines a plane which is substantially parallel to the microphone diaphragm. The processing circuit receives a sound and wind pressure signal from the microphone and a wind velocity signal from the hot-wire anemometer, and provides an output signal based on the sound and wind pressure signal from the microphone and the wind velocity signal from the hot-wire anemometer (e.g., accurate sound with wind noise removed). The configuration of the hot-wire extending members defining a plane which is substantially parallel to the microphone diaphragm can be easily implemented in a MEMS device making the configuration suitable for miniaturized applications.

Abstract: The invention is directed to techniques which use a test circuit within an FPGA device to obtain a trace of a digital signal used by normal operating circuitry of the FPGA device. The test circuit stores the trace in memory of the FPGA device which is accessible without the need of a logic analyzer (e.g., accessible in a memory mapped or I/O mapped manner). Accordingly, the deficiencies of a conventional built-in approach (e.g., including a mounted connector and connections by sacrificing circuit board area) and soldering approach (e.g., soldering wires to the circuit board requiring time and effort, and increasing the likelihood of signal distortion) for logic analyzer access are avoided. One arrangement of the invention is directed to a computer system having a bus, a processor coupled to the bus, and an FPGA device coupled to the bus.

Abstract: An electronic system includes electronic circuitry having a first portion and a second portion, and an electronic cabinet assembly that houses the electronic circuitry. The electronic cabinet assembly includes a first cabinet that houses the first portion of the electronic circuitry and a second cabinet that houses the second portion of the electronic circuitry. The first cabinet includes a first frame and a first set of exterior members that mounts to the first frame. Similarly, the second cabinet including a second frame and a second set of exterior members that mounts to the second frame. The electronic cabinet assembly further includes a set of connecting members that connects to (i) the first frame of the first cabinet and (ii) the second frame of the second cabinet to hold the first frame and the second frame side-by-side and rigidly in place relative to each other.

Abstract: A bus bar mounting system has a frame assembly and a bus bar assembly. The frame assembly includes a chassis which is mountable within an equipment cabinet, and an interlocking portion that forms a unitary member with the chassis. The bus bar assembly includes a set of bus bars, and a bus bar block. The bus bar block includes (i) a base portion, each bus bar of the set of bus bars coupling to the base portion, and (ii) an interlocking portion that is configured to interlock with the interlocking portion of the frame assembly in order to retain the bus bar assembly in a fixed position relative to the frame assembly. The interlocking portion of the bus bar block forms a unitary member with the base portion of the bus bar block.

Abstract: The invention is directed to techniques for modifying a database. A database manager receives operation entries to be applied to a database. The database manager generates an error detection value for each operation entry as it is received, and enters both the operation entry and its associated error detection value in a journal. The database manager then copies the database to another version of the database, checks the validity of each operation entry using the error detection value, and, if the operation entry is valid, updates the copied version of the database based on the operation entry. The database manager also generates an error detection value for the database after it has been updated with all the operation entries from the journal. If there is a data corruption event, such as a power failure, then the database manager uses the error detection values for the operation entries and for the database during the database recovery process.

Abstract: A circuit board manufacturing system has a paste source, a circuit board processing apparatus, and a controller. The circuit board processing apparatus includes a carrier configured to receive a circuit board having (i) a section of circuit board material and (ii) virgin metallic surface mount pads supported by the section of circuit board material. The circuit board processing apparatus further includes a paste distribution assembly coupled to the carrier and to the paste source. The paste distribution assembly is configured to dispose a paste from the paste source onto a surface of the circuit board. The carrier further includes a surfacing assembly coupled to the carrier. The surfacing assembly is configured to move the paste over the surface of the circuit board to remove a portion of each virgin metallic surface mount pad. The controller is configured to selectively start and stop operations of the paste distribution and surfacing assemblies.

Abstract: A circuit board includes (i) a section of circuit board material having a signal conductor, a ground conductor, and dielectric material that separates the signal conductor and the ground conductor, and (ii) a signal launch. The signal launch includes a signal via that contacts the signal conductor and the dielectric material of the section of circuit board material, a first set of ground vias and a second set of ground vias. The ground vias contact the ground conductor and the dielectric material of the section of circuit board material. The first set of ground vias is disposed a first radial distance from the signal via. The second set of ground vias is disposed a second radial distance from the signal via. A coaxial connector mounts to the signal launch of the circuit board in order to provide electrical access to the signal and ground conductors.

Abstract: An electronic system has electronic circuitry and an electronic cabinet that houses the electronic circuitry. The electronic cabinet includes a frame that holds the electronic circuitry, a set of exterior members that mounts to the frame, and a stabilization assembly. The stabilization assembly has a base portion that attaches to the frame of the electronic cabinet in order to support the frame of the electronic cabinet over a floor surface, a pedestal portion, and a positioner. The positioner is configured to position the pedestal portion of the stabilization assembly relative to the frame such that the pedestal portion of the stabilization assembly is substantially wider than the frame along a particular direction when the pedestal of the stabilization assembly portion resides in an operating position relative to the frame. The pedestal portion can prevent the electronic cabinet from inadvertently being knocked over if pushed in the particular direction.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for controlling a flow of packets in a data communications device. A first technique involves transferring packets of a particular packet flow based on an initial policy scheme, and planning a scheme change to change the initial policy scheme to a new policy scheme based on conditions within the data communications device existing while transferring the packets of the particular flow based on the initial policy scheme. The first technique further involves providing a change signal to the source of a particular packet flow (e.g., a sending host). The change signal indicates that the data communications device has planned the scheme change. Additionally, the first technique involves processing the scheme change based on either a reply signal from, the source or an absence of a reply signal from the source.

Abstract: A semiconductor handling system has a temperature soak assembly to temperature soak a semiconductor structure (e.g., a panel), a test assembly to test the semiconductor structure, and a temperature desoak assembly to temperature desoak the semiconductor structure. The temperature desoak assembly includes (i) a heat sink that defines a surface which is configured to thermally couple with the semiconductor structure, (ii) a fluid guide coupled to the heat sink, and (iii) a fluid controller coupled to the fluid guide. The fluid controller provides a fluid (e.g., room temperature air) which the fluid guide directs over the heat sink to bring a temperature of the heat sink to a temperature of the fluid. This arrangement provides an effective low cost and low power means for temperature desoaking a semiconductor structure.

Abstract: A system is provided that may be used to mount mass storage devices so that they may be used in a mass storage system. The mass storage devices may include respective disk storage devices. Each of the disk storage devices may have a respective form factor that may be a respective one of two possible form factors (e.g., low profile or half-height form factor).