Abstract: A structure for removing heat from a packaged electronic component. The structure includes three, main elements. First, a heat sink has a pedestal with opposing ends and a plurality of fins separated by spaces and disposed on the pedestal. The heat sink dissipates heat generated by the packaged electronic component. Second, parallel rails are disposed adjacent the opposing ends of the pedestal, each rail having a catch. Third, a spring clip has (a) end hooks which engage the catches to retain the spring clip on the rails, and (b) a strut extending between the hooks, fitting into the space between adjacent fins, and including an apex which contacts substantially centrally the pedestal and applies a force pressing the heat sink toward the packaged electronic component. Thus, the heat sink is removably attached at least indirectly to the packaged electronic component. Also disclosed is a method of using the structure.

Abstract: A matrix of AND-gates correspond to respective codes to be assigned to strings. The outputs of the AND-gates are selectively coupled to prefix code inputs of the AND-gates through a prefix code matrix switch. A plurality of characters from the input stream are fetched into an input character buffer and applied through respective character decoders and selectively through a character matrix switch to character inputs of the AND-gates. An AND-gate-corresponding to a code assigned to a string that is the longest match to the plurality of fetched characters is thereby enabled. Update extended strings are recorded in the AND-gates, an extended string comprising a longest matching string extended by the data character following the longest matching string. A virtual level is assigned to an AND-gate indicative of the number of characters of the string recorded thereby, the virtual level being one greater than the level that had been assigned to the AND-gate corresponding to the longest match.

Abstract: A system and method for processing I/O requests in a computing system. I/O packets are created via an operating system associated with the computing system, where the I/O packets include I/O transaction information. The I/O packets are made accessible to an I/O system. A command for a channel type connecting a target I/O component to the I/O system is constructed, where this command construction is based on the I/O transaction information provided in the I/O packet, and based on physical aspects of the target I/O component and channel type provided independently of the I/O packet. The constructed command is issued to the target I/O component in accordance with the channel type.

Abstract: The method of the present invention is useful in a computer system including at least one client. The program executes a method for matching a pattern string with a target string, where either string can contain single or multi-character wild cards. The method includes the steps of preprocessing the pattern string into a prefix segment, a suffix segment, and zero or more interior segments. Next, matching the prefix segment, the suffix segment, and the interior segment(s) with the target string.

Abstract: An inventive protocol for communicating between a management processor and host processors allows for the cooperative management of resources among host processors within a partition and also among a set of partitions in a computer system, wherein each partition may function under an instantiation of an operating system with a group of host processors. The protocol employs a message passing system using mailbox pairs in fixed but moveable or relocatable locations within the computer system shared memory. The messages share a format having specific codes or descriptors that act as codes for coordination of message interpretation. These codes include at least a validity flag and a sequence enumerator, and in a response message of a request/response message pair, a status indicator. Additionally, routing codes and function codes and code modifiers may be provided. Specific implementation details and messages are described to enable the smooth functioning of complex multiprocessor systems.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for improving the scheduling efficiency of a data processing system using the facilities which maintain coherency of the system's level cache memories. These efficiencies result from monitoring the cache memory lines which indicate invalidation of a cache memory entry because of a storage operation within backing memory. This invalidity signal is utilized to generate a doorbell type interface indication of a new application entry within the work queue.

Abstract: A computer code debugging system. The computer code debugging system preferably includes a first computer and a second computer, but this is not required in all embodiments. The first computer may be, for example, a high performance mainframe system having hosting a simulator and debugger, and the second computer may be, for example, a lower cost generic personal computer or workstation that has superior graphic user interface (GUI) capabilities relative to the first computer. In some embodiments, the GUI on the second computer includes windows for displaying high level source code, corresponding computer machine language code, and/or corresponding machine code binary, as desired. The high level window and/or the computer machine language window may be used in some embodiments to interactively control the simulation of the machine code binary on the first computer, as desired.

Abstract: A process-driven object management system for managing data and code modules is disclosed. The object management system includes a repository that stores objects, wherein ones of the objects referred to as “Asset elements” each describe a respective code or data module. The object management system includes a set of scripted tools for performing renovation, transformation, and code development tasks on the code and data modules. According to one aspect of the invention, the tool invocation constructs are stored as objects in the repository, such that some of the same object management tools and automated repository interface functions used to manage the Asset element can also be used to manage and veiw the tool objects.

Abstract: A request message for transfer across an interface is formed by a method comprising the steps of representing each of a plurality of data chunks to be stored in the message by a respective chunk object, declaring each of the chunk objects as a variable on a program stack, storing a first data chunk in a first area of the message; storing a second data chunk in a second area of the message; and employing the chunk object representing the first data chunk to locate the first data chunk in the course of loading into the first chunk an offset value representing the location of the second chunk, wherein the offset value represents an offset from a base address of the message. The method enables an overloaded deference operator to employ an offset stored in a chunk object on the program stack to locate a particular chunk.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of utilizing an internet terminal coupled to the world wide web to access an existing proprietary data base management system having a dialog-based request format. The user request is received by a web server from the world wide web and converted into one or more sequenced data base management commands stored as corresponding to the service request. If the user terminal requests access to a secure function or to secure data, the user terminal is interrogated to determine its user profile. This user profile is compared to the security profile of the service request. The service request is honored if and only if the user profile corresponds to the security profile. The secure session control object created to honor the request is deleted upon completion of the session.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of utilizing an internet terminal coupled to the world wide web to access an existing proprietary data base management system having a dialog-based request format. The user request is received by a web server from the world wide web and converted into one or more sequenced data base management commands. These data base management commands are sequentially presented to the data base management system and the intermediate products stored. A debug program located on the server side of the interface provides execution of sequenced data base management commands in a trace mode. The results and intermediate results are stored in a debug file for future access by a service developer at a user terminal.

Abstract: A method in a computer system is disclosed for discovering host-based legacy screen assets. The system has a client, a server and a host, including a repository. The method comprises the steps of creating an application object comprising a collection of the legacy screen assets; and, creating a recognition file for storing constituent elements of the legacy screen assets. After this, a first stream of data representative of the legacy screen asset is received from the host in response to a request by the client for data fields. Next, the first data stream is parsed into constituent elements and stored in the recognition file and then the constituent elements are associated with the screen assets. The constituent elements of the first data stream are appended to the recognition file for the screen assets; and, then they are associated with data names that are stored in the repository, thereby creating a specification for each of said legacy screen assets.

Abstract: The present invention provides a device for providing communication data to an end-user. The device comprises a storage unit coupled to a transmitter. The storage unit collects the end-user's communication data from a plurality of sources. The data may be transmitted to the storage unit by the sources using either wired or wireless techniques. The transmitter sends the communication data to the end-user. The device may further comprise a converter coupled to the storage unit. The converter translates the communication data into a format useable by the end-user. The communication data may be transmitted to the end-user using either wired or wireless transmission techniques. The data sent to the end-user includes completed communications as well as those attempted but not completed.

Abstract: An integrated circuit chip can be thermally destroyed in a tester due to a defective pressed joint with a temperature regulating component. A method which prevents such destruction begins with the step of maintaining the chip at one temperature while forcing the temperature regulating component to a different temperature, when the chip and the temperature regulating component are spaced apart in the tester. Next, the chip at its one temperature and the temperature regulating component at its different temperature are pressed together. Then a temperature change is sensed in either the chip or the temperature regulating component, during a time interval that begins when the temperature regulating component and the chip initially press together. Thereafter, electrical power is applied to the chip in the tester only if the temperature change, which is sensed by the sensing stop, meets a predetermined criteria.

Abstract: A system and method for dynamically saving the properties of transient controls in a general screen dialog and enabling these properties to be restored at a later time. In a typical GUI based computer program, a number of user interface objects or “controls” are presented graphically to a user on a form to allow the user to input information by interfacing these controls. The activation of the various controls on the form by a user is referred to as the screen dialog. The present invention allows a user of the computer system to save the current properties of a form's transient controls to a database, where this form can later be restored with its transient controls having the same properties as when the form was saved. A screen dialog save procedure loops through all of the controls on a form and inserts a record of each control type along with its respective property values into a database.

Abstract: An expansion card retention device including a frame, a slider slidably mounted to the frame and a flap hingedly mounted to the frame. The frame is positioned above a card slot configured to receive an expansion card inserted through an opening in the frame. The flap is movable between a captive position where the flap covers the opening and a free position where the flap in clear of the opening. The slider is movable between a locked position where the slider holds the flap in the captive position and an unlocked position where the flap is free to move from the captive to the free position. A computer chassis including an expansion slot for receiving an expansion card and a card retention device mounted above the slot to a card support.

Abstract: A connection assembly for providing interconnection between a computer processor assembly and a module is provided. The connection assembly includes a flex circuit having signal paths for communication between the computer processor assembly and the module. The connection assembly also includes a connector coupled to an end portion of the flex circuit and configured to connect to the computer processor assembly. The connection assembly also includes another connector coupled to an opposite end portion of the flex circuit and is configured to connect to the module. The flex circuit is configured to facilitate movement of the module with respect to the computer processor assembly, the flex circuit having a retracted position with the module proximate to the computer processor assembly and an extended position with the module spaced from the computer processor assembly.

Abstract: Radar coverage maps having blockage, coverage and clutter features available for ease of interpretation are provided using terrain data to establish such features in data sets. The data sets provide a basis for the modified display. Multiple tilts of the radar scan may be represented. Multiple radar zones may be overlapped to provide a mosaic of a region showing areas of no coverage despite overlap.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing a database having a plurality of partitions are provided in various embodiments. The database is managed by users of a first user class and accessible to users of a second user class. Respective partition states are established for the partitions of the database, and access is provided to users of the first user class to partitions having a first partition state. Users of the second user class are denied access to partitons having the first partition state, and users of the second user class are provided access to partitions having a second partition state.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for reducing or eliminating a gap defined between adjacent components of an electronic system, thereby reducing electromagnetic interference generated by the electronic system. The apparatus includes a cam having a cam surface positionable adjacent a component of the electronic system. The cam is moveable to an actuated position in which the cam surface applies a force to the component. The apparatus further includes a support mountable to the electronic system. The support engages the cam and facilitates the movement of the cam. The movement of the cam with respect to the support and into the actuated position causes the cam surface to apply the force to the component, thereby reducing or eliminating a gap between the component and an adjacent component of the electronic system.