Abstract: An apparatus, method and article of manufacture are disclosed which provides for auxiliary battery conservation in adapters requiring auxiliary batteries. A power controller selects from one of two or more power sources to provide variable power components with DC power. For instance, power consumption of the transmitter (more specifically the transmit power amplifier) varies with the desired transmit power level. The transmitter can be supplied with DC power from the host device or the auxiliary source or both. The power controller can select the source of DC power (i.e., the host device or the auxiliary battery) or may combine the two power sources to provide necessary power to the transmit power amplifier.

Abstract: A gear drive system for a printer designed to print upon a continuous roll of paper and having a blade used to cut off printed portions of paper from the paper roll is implemented. The gear drive system has a drive gear which slips against a toothless portion of a driven gear while paper is being fed through the printer for printing by a print head. When printing stops, the drive gear reverses its rotation, causing the driven gear to engage the drive gear. A cutter blade is controlled by the driven gear, with the blade cutting off the paper as the drive gear is in reverse rotation. After the paper is cut, the drive gear resumes its forward rotation, rotating the blade away from the paper. After the blade has been rotated, the drive gear continues to turn, but slips on the toothless portion of the driven gear. Friction losses are minimized as the energy lost as friction is low and full torque is applied to both cutting and opening rotations of the cutter blade.

Abstract: Within a data processing system, such as a personal computer, non-standard, or auxiliary, voltage and current may be supplied to an attached peripheral device along with standard Universal Standard Bus (USB) power and signalling. A communication protocol is enabled between the host system and the peripheral device to permit the peripheral device to communicate its power requirements to the host device so that the host device can switch the proper voltage and current through the USB cable to the peripheral device. This allows the peripheral device to obtain power without having to connect to an AC power supply.

Abstract: A reservation based bandwidth management system for a data processing system network allocates network resources to client computer systems requesting access to other computer systems within the network based on a bandwidth predicting algorithm. The bandwidth predicting algorithm utilizes an autoregressive integrated moving average trend analysis to forecast future values of bandwidth capacity at a link or system level used by elements that do not conform to a reservation policy. The bandwidth predictor may utilize a utility that analyzes the bandwidth utilization trend over a previous period of time and generates appropriate seasonal coefficients to be used by the predictor algorithm.

Abstract: A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag includes a photodetector which is receptive to a predefined wavelength and a control circuit which is receptive to a flash pattern of a light source. The RFID tag responds to a predefined command from RFID base station only if the photodetector included in the tag was activated by a light signal having an appropriate wavelength and flash pattern. During or after the photodetector circuit is activated, an operator of a pulsed light source then interrogates a single RFID tag with an unknown identification by using a pulsed light source to illuminate the particular tag. Only the tag illuminated by the pulsed light source responds to the reader.

Abstract: A distance learning system consists of a plurality of multi-cast clients of various classes and priorities with one multi-cast client as a primary multi-cast client, a multi-cast server, arbitrator and a distance learning session coordinator. The primary multi-cast client provides the default or primary Audio-Visual Material (AVM) stream. The Multi-Cast Server (MCS) setups a multi-cast over a point to multi-point connection which connects all multi-cast clients that are to take part in a particular distance learning session, along with the Primary multi-cast client. Additionally, the primary multi-cast client is connected to the MCS via a point-to-point link. The multi-cast clients and the primary multi-cast client receive an AVM material stream from the multi-cast server via the point to multi-point connection. When a multi-cast client wishes to speak, a speaking request is sent to the arbitrator, the arbitrator determines whether to grant or deny the speaking request.

Abstract: A distance learning system consists of a plurality of multi-cast clients of various classes and priorities with one multi-cast client as a primary multi-cast client, a multi-cast server, arbitrator and a distance learning session coordinator. The primary multi-cast client provides the default or primary Audio-Visual Material (AVM) stream. The Multi-Cast Server (MCS) setups a multi-cast over a point to multi-point connection which connects all multi-cast clients that are to take part in a particular distance learning session, along with the Primary multi-cast client. Additionally, the primary multi-cast client is connected to the MCS via a point-to-point link. The multi-cast clients and the primary multi-cast client receive an AVM material stream from the multi-cast server via the point to multi-point connection. When a multi-cast client wishes to speak, a speaking request is sent to the arbitrator, the arbitrator determines whether to grant or deny the speaking request.

Abstract: A printer has a control circuit to stop a print head from printing when paper runs out or when the cover of the printer is opened is disclosed. Only one switch is used to detect the absence of paper and the position of the cover.