Abstract: An accurate current source with an adjustable temperature dependence. This type of current source is used in silicon Integrated Circuit (IC) designs requiring supporting reference-voltage sources and/or reference-current sources which may be designed with or without temperature dependence. The circuit generates an accurate current with temperature independence along with another accurate current source with temperature dependence using only one precision external resistors. For the temperature-dependent current source, the temperature dependence can be controlled by setting a temperature dependence factor (TDF).

Abstract: A mechanism is provided, for use with a portable authorization key, such as a "Personal Area Network" (PAN) device, wherein the PAN device is to be carried by a human user and to be used for authorization for the user's use of equipment, such as a computer. Further, the mechanism of the invention is for use in situations where the user is to remain in close proximity to the equipment for a moderate-to-long period of time. The mechanism provides a physical interface for direct coupling with the PAN device. The interface includes a recharge power coupling. When the user begins a session of use of the equipment, HE gets out the PAN device and places it at the physical interface. Authorization to use the equipment is provided through the direct contact. Further, the equipment provides recharge power to the PAN device. Thus, the mechanism of the invention takes advantage of the extended period of time the user remains in close proximity to the equipment, to provide convenient recharging of the PAN device.

Abstract: Disclosed are keyswitches and a keyboard assembly comprising a sheet member having a plurality of key faces fixed thereon in a conventional keyboard arrangement, a plurality of cutouts in the sheet member partially surrounding each key face, and a plurality of living hinges in the sheet member at one side of each key face, whereby the key face may be depressed, causing the key face to pivot about the living hinges to operate a corresponding set of electrical contacts, indicating operation of the key. A conventional rubber spring may transmit the pivot motion of the key face to the electrical contacts.

Abstract: A network node, such as a computer or processing system, is provided, for use within a network, the node including program code for synchronizing a local time maintained at the node with a reference time. Bursts of synchronization messages containing reference time stamps are transmitted over the network, or over a communication link, according to a predetermined protocol. The node receives and time stamps the messages. Thus, times according to a first time scale and a second time scale are obtained. The protocol defines temporal relationships between certain ones of the times. In accordance with the protocol, the node determines a difference between a first time according to one of the time scales and a time related to second and third times according to the other time scale. The node then updates its local time based on the difference.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for integrating application programs and objects of the application programs in an integrated graphical user interface processing environment, such as a windows environment. The method and apparatus facilitate the integration without requiring modifications of the application program software, and without requiring that the application programs conform to any particular communication protocol. When a command input, such as a mouse click by a user in a windows environment, indicates that an object from one application is to be dropped onto a window in which another application is running, the properties of the window and the attributes of the object are used to search a rule database to identify a rule which is applicable to these particular types of object and application. The rule contains an action clause, which specifies various actions which are to be executed automatically, to invoke a desired operation by or related to the application program on the object.

Abstract: An efficient, fast-decoding, order-preserving, easily implementable, length-based (L-based) arithmetic coding method, apparatus, and manufacture for an m-ary alphabet {1, . . . , i, . . . , m} is provided. A coding method in accordance with the invention combines recursive division of intervals on a number line into sub-intervals whose lengths are proportional to symbol probability and which are ordered in lexical order with the constraint that probabilities be estimated as negative powers of two (1/2, 1/4, 1/8, etc.). As a consequence, the advantageous preservation of lexical order and computational efficiency are both realized. Also, a coding system in accordance with the invention is simple to implement, and high speed operation is achieved, because shifts take the place of multiplications. A coding apparatus in accordance with the invention preferably includes either a single decoding table to achieve fast decoding, or two decoding tables to achieve fast decoding as well as order preservation.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a simulator including at least one data storage apparatus and at least one processor. The simulator further has a material property data group, a system state data group comprising geometrical data for defining a plurality of geometrical subvolumes and system condition data for each subvolume of a simulated system, an event probability data group including a plurality of event subgroups for uniquely identifying a set of events, event probabilities being associated with at least one of the geometrical subvolumes, and an event process data group including the time dependent process functions for all events which can occur in the system. These data groups and at least one functional-relationship link for correlating all of them are stored in the data storage apparatus. Thus, the material energy system can be represented by such data groups without requiring an explicit multiple dimension data structure.

Abstract: A method is provided for synchronizing a local time maintained at a node within a network architecture with a reference time. Bursts of synchronization messages containing reference time stamps are transmitted over a network or communication link according to a predetermined protocol. A node to be synchronized receives and time stamps the messages. Thus, times according to a first time scale and a second time scale are obtained, and the protocol defines temporal relationships between certain ones of the times. In accordance with the predetermined protocol, the node determines a difference between a first time according to one of the time scales and a time related to second and third times according to the other time scale. The node then updates its local time based on the difference between the first time and the related time.