Abstract: A method and system for providing information to an individual using an electronic sign in which the sign displays information in response to the identity of the tag or an account associated with the tag. The information is displayed when the tag, which may be carried by the individual or in a vehicle, approaches the sign. A user can preselect from among various information types he wishes to receive, such as news, weather, sports and personal messages. The user can also select a priority for each information type.

Abstract: A schema diagrammer aids a database administrator or other user in maintaining and managing a database in a computer system. The schema diagrammer allows the user to define “user-defined relationships” between objects in the database. The schema diagrammer generates a graphical schema diagram or map that indicates the objects and their relationships to one another. The relationships that are displayed include both the formal relationships defined programmatically by the database itself and the user-defined relationships.

Abstract: A method and object-oriented computing system in which a Java™ implementation of a service is provided dynamically at runtime via a Java™ interface for the service in accordance with the needs of a client computer in one of two varieties: an Enterprise Java Beans™ (EJB) implementation or, alternatively, a non-EJB implementation. Thus, the same service is accessible, without requiring any programming code changes, to both clients operating in an EJB environment and clients operating in a non-EJB environment. The client accesses the service through two non-EJB interfaces, one for the service (object or bean) itself, and the other for an abstract factory class. Both of these client interfaces are non-EJB to avoid dependence upon client access to EJB packages, which may exist for some clients and not for others.

Abstract: Communications sessions between two or more radio transceivers are synchronized automatically to conserve battery power. A duty cycle is established, and the duty cycle data are communicated from one transceiver to the other(s) along with the time of day and other information. When the on-time portion of the duty cycle indicates that the transceiver is to be powered-on from a power-conserving sleep state to a full-power active state, a microprocessor causes power to be applied to the radio transceiver circuitry. Because they are synchronized, all transceivers of the system simultaneously power-on in this manner. In the active state, there is sufficient power for radio communication between the transceivers, and the users can use the transceivers in the conventional manner during the active state. The transceivers remain in the active state until the off-time portion of the duty cycle indicates to the microprocessor that the transceiver is to be powered-off from the active state to the sleep state.

Abstract: A method and system for providing information to an individual using an electronic sign in which the sign displays information in response to the identity of the tag or an account associated with the tag. The information is displayed when the tag, which may be carried by the individual or in a vehicle, approaches the sign. A user can preselect from among various information types he wishes to receive, such as news, weather, sports and personal messages. The user can also select a priority for each information type.

Abstract: A method and system for alerting a driver of a commercial vehicle or private vehicle, such as a truck or automobile, of an approaching emergency vehicle, such as a police or fire vehicle, and vice versa. The system includes a navigation information system in each vehicle, a transmitter in the second vehicle, a receiver in the first vehicle, a processing system, and a warning system in the first vehicle. Each navigation information system provides data that describe the geographic position and speed of the vehicle. The receiver in the first vehicle receives the navigation information transmitted by the second vehicle. The processor and associated electronics in the first vehicle determines the position and direction of travel of the second vehicle relative to the first vehicle. The warning system in the first vehicle provides a suitable indication to alert the driver if it is determined that the two vehicles are likely to collide.

Abstract: Synchronization software in a computer operating system evaluates with respect to an exposure goal the ages of byte stream files queued for synchronization, and dynamically adjusts synchronization (“sync”) capacity in response to the evaluation. The synchronization of byte stream files occurs at rates responsive to the sync capacity. Several parameters are used to adjust sync capacity: a lead time, the number of active sync tasks, and the priority of the sync tasks. These parameters are adjusted in a manner to impact system performance to the least extent possible.

Abstract: Defects in memory circuit (100) are efficiently corrected by selectively blowing fuses in a first plurality of fuses to describe a cell location of a defective cell within any of several memory array portions (110). Fuses in a second plurality of fuses are blown to describe indicate the particular memory array portion (112) containing the defective memory cell. During operation of the memory circuit (100), the cell location is forwarded to the memory array portion (112) containing the defective memory cell and a redundant memory cell (206) is used for data storage at the memory array portion (112) having a defective memory cell.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and computer program product or software tool for converting a timing graph produced by a static timing engine into a timing diagram and vice versa may be integrated with a static timing analysis tool or may be a stand-alone product. The timing graph is represented by a data structure having nodes that correspond to actual circuit nodes of a circuit simulated by the timing engine and arcs connecting the nodes that correspond to temporal relationships between points on the timing diagram waveforms, such as points at which state transitions occur. To convert a timing graph to a timing diagram, the data structure is traversed from node to node. State transitions are extracted from each node, and temporal relationships between the signals are extracted from each arc. A graphical representation of the timing diagram is then displayed. Alternatively, the timing diagram is output in a suitable file format, such as Timing Diagram Markup Language (TDML).

Abstract: An electrical connector system has two connectors, one of which is included in a module mateable with the other connector in a pluggable manner. The other connector includes an elongated guide rail and a connector block in which are retained two or more electrical contacts. Signal connections can be made in a predetermined sequence when the module is plugged into the other connector because the contact pads of the module are of different lengths. For example, sequencing the connection of power and ground signals with respect to data signals provides hot-pluggability. Also, a grounding contact on the module is engaged by a spring clip on the other connector to provide an additional or alternative grounding path.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for resolving access patterns in a data processing system using the pigeon hole principle are disclosed herein. The data processing system has a directed graph G of access patterns including a vertices set V representing cache items. Each cache item v has an access pattern defined by a path of vertices (v.sub.1 .fwdarw. , . . . , .fwdarw.v.sub.n), v.sub.1 representing the start of the path and v.sub.n representing the end of the path at cache item v. The method includes defining a prefix cache for directed graph G which contains a map between an access pattern (v.sub.1 .fwdarw. , . . . , .fwdarw.v.sub.k) and vertex v.sub.k for a kth level L in graph G, storing the prefix cache in a memory and, for a given access pattern (v.sub.1 .fwdarw. , . . . , .fwdarw.v.sub.n), searching the prefix cache for a prefix (v.sub.1 .fwdarw. , . . . , .fwdarw.v.sub.k) of the given access pattern that reaches the kth level L. If the search is successful, the method includes outputting vertex v.sub.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a body and two or more electrical contacts. The body has a guide member that is elongated between a first end and a second end along a first axis and has a connector block at the first end. The connector has a very low profile (preferably, less than about 10 mm high), and the bottom of the body is surface-mountable on a circuit board. The height of the connector can be defined by a vertical axis perpendicular to the first axis. The connector block retains the contacts, which are spaced from one another in the direction of the first axis. The body also has a camming element that, in response to a force of a mating connector being moved along the first axis, brings the contacts of the connector and mating connector together in a generally vertical direction. The camming element may have two oppositely inclined ramp sections.

Abstract: A method and system for persisting an object in a relational database schema by creating a new relational table at application program run-time for each class of objects to be persisted. The method may generate a schema map object for each class of objects to be persisted. The schema map object may be generated in response to the first transaction in which an object of a certain class is to be persisted and remains in memory for persisting, querying, restoring or deleting objects of that class. The schema map object determines the fields of each class of objects to be persisted, defines one or more columns in the table in accordance with the data types of the fields, and controls the passing of data between the table and the object fields.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for ensuring data integrity in a distributed object-oriented transaction processing environment, including support of single- and two-phased commit protocol transactions with a new protocol defined as a mixed-phase commit protocol. A root transaction manager on a server registers distributed object resources requested by a client application for a global transaction as being committable by either the single-phase, two-phase, or mixed-phase protocol. The root transaction manager commits the registered resources in accordance with the results of the registration step.

Abstract: An ergonomic computer mouse has support surfaces that are adjustable in two directions and that distribute the mechanical pressure points afforded by the mouse to the metacarpal region. The mouse has a housing with a proximal metacarpal support and a distal metacarpal support on its upper surface that are separated by a midsection. In use, the proximal end of the user's metacarpal hand region rests on the proximal metacarpal support, the distal end of the user's metacarpal hand region rests on the distal metacarpal support, and the remainder of the user's metacarpal hand region between their proximal and distal ends span the midsection. The mouse may further include a pivot mechanism that couples an upper and lower portion of the mouse housing together. The pivot mechanism may allow a user to adjust the upper and lower housing portions in pitch and roll directions with respect to one another.

Abstract: A frequency shift detection circuit for detecting a frequency shift between a first signal and a second signal includes two or more delay circuits coupled to one another in series and two or more comparison logic circuits. The first delay circuit in the series receives one of the first and second signals and produces a delayed replica. Each of the other delay circuits receives the delayed replica produced by the previous delay circuit in the series and produces a further delayed replica. Thus, the signal produced by each delay circuit is delayed from the original signal by a different amount. Each comparison logic circuit receives one of the delayed replicas and receives the other one of the first and second signals, i.e., the one that is not received by the delay circuits. In response, the comparison logic circuit produces a frequency shift detection signal when it detects a phase difference between that other one of said first and second signals and the delayed replica.

Abstract: A method and dynamic circuit selectively controls the amount of feedback that is supplied to the dynamic node to provide more feedback when more is needed to enhance functional operation and less feedback when less is needed to enhance performance. The additional feedback inhibits the detrimental effects of charge loss due to leakage and noise mechanisms. The circuit may, for example, selectively control the amount of feedback in response to a test signal. The test signal can be manipulated to cause the circuit to provide more feedback when the circuit is undergoing reliability stress testing and less feedback when the circuit is in normal operation as part of an electronic device.

Abstract: A method and system for mapping an object and an associated handle between the object-oriented schema of an application program and the relational schema of a database in which the object is persisted. The handle is reconstructed in response to a run-time request by an application program to instantiate the object. The handle may be an independent handle or an embedded handle. The relationships afforded by primary keys and foreign keys in a legacy, i.e., existing, relational database, can be preserved by mapping them to the independent and embedded handles, respectively. The mapping is performed prior to application program run-time, and is defined in a high-level schema mapping language, which may be generated with the aid of a schema mapping software tool.

Abstract: A method and system for mapping between relational schema and object schema, wherein the relational schema includes a table having a tiebreaker column. In accordance with the present invention, an object-oriented application program may instantiate a persistent dependent object with one of two or more specific instances that is selected in response to the value of a data element in a tiebreaker column. Alternatively, an object-oriented application program may instantiate a persistent entity object in accordance with one of two or more entity classes that is selected in response to the value of a data element in a tiebreaker column.

Abstract: A system, method and apparatus including a security-related computer-executable module, preferably embodied as software that operates in combination with a computer to secure arbitrarily located application program code. The system is capable of performing the method of inserting or placing at a location in a computer program defining a computer-executed task, security-related computer-executable information denominated as a task gate defining predetermined security conditions that must be meet to proceed past the task gate. The task gate is invoked when encountered during execution of the computer program. The gate is used to determine whether the predetermined security conditions have been met before allowing any further computer execution of the program.