Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for throwing balls. In particular, it is useful for throwing baseballs and softballs, and for lobbing tennis balls. The apparatus includes a number of components which cooperate to discharge balls at a relatively high velocity. A rotor member is provided. It is coupled to a motor shaft of a motor, preferably an electrical motor. A stator member is provided having an inlet for receiving balls and an outlet for discharging balls. The stator member completely encloses the rotor member and motor shaft thus enclosing all moving parts. Preferably, the rotor member includes a mounting member which couples to the shaft of the motor and which is positioned substantially orthogonal to the shaft of the motor. Additionally, the rotor member includes first and second parallel rails which are coupled to the mounting member and spaced apart a preselected distance which is sufficient to accommodate the balls.

Abstract: A method and system for flexibly managing a presentation data stream which includes an ordered stream of uniquely identified data objects and associated elements which specify format and presentation parameters for those data objects for utilization within a specified application. An include object structured field is provided within the data stream which identifies a particular data object and specifies alternate presentation parameters for utilization with that data object. Thereafter, the data object reference within the include object structured field can be presented utilizing the alternate presentation parameters, which override the presentation parameters associated with the referenced data object, obviating any requirement for providing alternate versions of that object for each of multiple diverse applications.

Abstract: In a data processing system, data from an input buffer is compressed to produce a compressed data set in a compressed data buffer, wherein the compressed data set has a Lempel-Ziv compressed data format having raw-byte tokens and string tokens. The string tokens in the compressed data set each have a predetermined number of bits, thereby facilitating efficient, high-speed parsing of tokens during subsequent decompression of the compressed data set. In some embodiments, the raw-byte tokens and the string tokens have the same predetermined number of bits.

Abstract: An adapter for transferring blocks of data of a variable size to at least one destination adapter, each of the adapters being plugged in a respective slot and connected to a main system bus which is controlled by a central backplane card. In each adapter, the transmission of one block of data is provided, in part, by a device, operative in response to the detection of an ACK acknowledge word giving access to the bus, for generating a signalling word to be transmitted to a particular destination adapter which will actually receive the transmitted data; the signalling word comprising information characterizing the type of command which the transmitting adapter sends as a request to the backplane card, the address of the particular adapter which will receive the transmitted data, the size of the block of the transmitted data and the address of the transmitting adapter. The adapter is best suited for use in multimedia systems where variable size data blocks are required to transmit data, voice, video, etc.

Abstract: A method for improving the performance of an existing busoriented computer system with minimum or no design change to the existing hardware, bus protocol, or bus operation is disclosed. Specifically, the present invention improves the effective bandwidth of an existing bus architecture by creating multiple physical instantiations of the existing bus and directing traffic onto these different buses based on the type of bus operation being performed. This results in multiple components having the capability to simultaneously perform bus operations, therefore improving the effective bandwidth of the system. This invention also allows the components which are current being utilized in the existing bus architecture to be re-utilized with minimum additional external logic.

Abstract: Disclosed is an information processing apparatus which includes a processor, one or more input/output devices and an input/output bus for connecting the processor to the input/output devices. A bus connector is included for expanding the input/output bus to an external device. A first switch is used for electrically disconnecting bus signals that are carried by the input/output bus to corresponding connector pins of the bus connector. A second switch is used for electrically grounding the connector pins in the bus connector. The apparatus further includes switch control means for controlling the first and the second switches. When no external device is connected to the bus connector and the connector pins are exposed externally, the first switch is opened to cut off bus signals and to prevent the transmission of high frequency signals to the connector pins.

Abstract: According to the present invention, pool allocation and process assignment mechanisms create process nodal affinity in a NUMA multiprocessor system for enhanced performance. The multiprocessor system includes multiple interconnected multiprocessing nodes that each contain one or more processors and a local main memory, the system main storage being distributed among the local main memories of the multiprocessing nodes in a NUMA architecture. A pool reservation mechanism reserves pools of memory space within the logical main storage, and the pool allocation mechanism allocates those pools to real pages in the local main-memory of multiprocessing nodes. Processes to be created on the multiprocessor are given an attribute that indicates an associated pool. Upon creation, the process assignment mechanism will only assign a process to a multiprocessing node that has been allocated the pool indicated by the process' attribute.

Abstract: In a data processing system having a history buffer for storing previously decompressed data and an output buffer having at least N bytes, wherein N is greater than 1, a group of input tokens is received from an input buffer. Each input token is either a raw-byte token or a string token, wherein each string token includes a pointer and a length. Thereafter, the process outputs, to the output buffer, decompressed bytes taken from each of the raw-byte tokens within the group of input tokens. The process then determines whether each of the pointers in the string tokens points to data previously stored in the history buffer or points to data within one of the raw-byte tokens within the group of input tokens, which have not yet been stored in the history buffer. For each of the pointers that points to data stored in the history buffer, decompressed bytes pointed to in the history buffer by the pointer and the length are output to the output buffer.

Abstract: An improved electrical signal cable is shown of the type having a plurality of centrally located conductors running along a longitudinal axis of the cable. A shield layer surrounds the plurality of centrally located conductors. A toroid of resistive-inductive material, such as lumped ferrite, is mounted about the plurality of centrally located conductors at one discrete location along the length of the cable by locating the resistive-inductive toroid between the centrally located conductors and the shield layer, common mode emissions are reduced.

Abstract: A keyblock is shown for use in a computer cage having an interior and a guide rail for guiding a logic-card book into position within the interior. The keyblock is installed within a cage guide opening provided at an end of the guide rail within the cage interior by means of a downwardly projecting dart which is received within the opening in snap-fit fashion. Locating pins on the keyblock lower surface properly position and align the keyblock within the cage guide opening. Contoured regions on the keyblock upper surface engage and lead-in a complimentary surface located on the logic-card book being received within the cage interior. One or more slots provided between selected contoured regions provide a coded pattern which matches a pattern provided on the desired logic-card book to be received in a predetermined position within the cage interior.

Abstract: An apparatus for dissipating heat generated by an electronic device and a method for mounting the apparatus to an electronic device are disclosed. The apparatus includes a heat transfer body which is mounted in proximity to an electronic device. In addition, the apparatus includes an adhesive distributed on the heat transfer body, which affixes the heat transfer body in proximity to the electronic device. The adhesive is distributed on the heat transfer body such that heat transfer from the electronic device to the heat transfer body occurs substantially independently from the adhesive. The apparatus further includes a thermally conductive material disposed between the electronic device and the heat transfer body. The thermally conductive material is selected to maximize heat transfer from the electronic device to the heat transfer body.

Abstract: A method and data processing system for processing various transactions, accounts, and journals. Data is received by the dam processing system, wherein the data includes data that is specific to accounting processes. A first portion of the data is identified as core data, wherein this first portion contains data specific to accounting processes. The second portion of the data is identified as auxiliary data. The core data and auxiliary data are stored in different files. Links are established between the various types of data. The stored data may be retrieved by a number of different processes, but core data may be modified only by accounting processes.