Abstract: A computer interface system that includes interactive interface controls as well as aural and kinetic interface controls to assist in educating a user, in profiling a user, and in controlling and monitoring the implementation of actions involving probabilistic distributions. The system allows the user to indicate, either directly or indirectly, a confidence level that he or she desires for actions such as investments, as well as other characteristics and constraints. The user is able to manipulate the interface controls to evaluate results in terms of confidence and risk. If the user approves the results and his or her profile, in a preferred embodiment the selections are transmitted to effectuate an action.

Abstract: Coin wrapper opening apparatus that has a surface with a curved or angled cutting edge fixed to it so that the cutting edge faces away from the surface and projects away from it at a height effective to score or cut the wrapper of a wrapped roll of coins, when brought into cutting relationship with the roll. In several embodiments the surface also includes a guidepath to guide wrapped rolls to the cutting edge. In one embodiment, the cutting edge is shielded by a resilient flap that pushes up and away when a wrapped coin roll passes the cutting edge, and the flap then returns to its original shielding position when the roll is removed. In other embodiments, the cutting edge is shielded by a resilient strip fixed over the cutting edge so that the resilient strip stands away from the cutting edge with no pressure on it, and the resilient strip deforms to allow the cutting edge to pass through an aperture when the apparatus is placed against a wrapped coin roll.

Abstract: A network SCSI apparatus and method that comprises a network SCSI device driver which presents a SCSI device interface to a host computer for transmitting SCSI commands in packets over a network to one or more network SCSI applications servers on other computers at separate physical locations connected to local SCSI devices. In a preferred embodiment, the network SCSI device driver enables programs executing on the host computer to treat the local SCSI devices at the remote locations as though they were at the same location as the host computer, thereby overcoming limitations on the number of target devices available at the host site, as well as physical distance limitations imposed by SCSI device standards.

Abstract: A system for distributing logical volumes to an HSM system front end by ordering an array of logical volumes so that each volume that is likely to conflict with another volume is significantly separated from that other volume. Ordering is done iteratively, beginning with the disk type, and then iterating through the logical volume level, next through a target level (the physical disk), then SCSI level, then the disk adapter level, then system level until all the disks in all the disk adapters in the HSM system have been ordered. As each iteration occurs, units in a source array from the level being operated on are ordered so that those close to each other are moved apart, within the space available, in the destination array according to a procedure that establishes a gap between them that is based on an approximate ratio of the number of units in the source array to the number of spaces available in the destination array.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating a unified command structure for machine vision systems by defining a command class for each action capable of being executed in the machine vision system; establishing a data translator object for parameter data used by each command; associating each command class with an execution member corresponding to each action; associating a command class with a data member corresponding to the parameter data; and pre-instantiating a command object corresponding to the command class; at runtime, and upon receipt of a command identifier, the present invention locates the command object corresponding to the command identifier; associates the data translator object with actual parameter data; causes the object to establish the object's data members; and calls the object's execution member function to perform such actions as are indicated by its command class definition.

Abstract: The invention automatically inspects the bond of a wire to a contact pad on a semiconductor chip. The apparatus includes a movable platform for holding semiconductor chips situated in lead frames; a video camera for sensing images; illumination means for illuminating a chip in a lead frame; an image processor to digitize and analyze the images; a bonding mechanism; and a host controller electronically connected to bonding mechanism, movable platform, video camera, and image processor. Image processor locates a bond on a pad in a digitized image and provides a first nominal center of ball bond image. The invention aligns the center of a polar coordinate transform image having one or more segments with the nominal center of ball bond image and evaluates ball bond image using the polar coordinate transform image to create a polar projection histogram array and store it. An edge filter is applied to histogram array to detect peaks and store their number and values.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatic discovery of databases that determines what databases are installed at a client site, interrogates each database to determine what files or tables are present and what storage is associated with each, groups the databases into the smallest atomic units that can be backed up while preserving database integrity, and presents this information to backup procedures. In a preferred embodiment, a discovery process is performed by a script for each client to be backed up. Each script causes the creation of a temporary file describing each database. The temporary files are normalized into a common format which is then passed to a grouper program that analyzes the temporary files and produces a data descriptor file describing the smallest atomic units that can be backed up while still preserving database integrity at that client site. This data descriptor file is presented to a work item generator for scheduling backup procedures.

Abstract: A dynamic group registry for organizing information created by a client entity for sharing, having a plurality of publication computers networked together inside the client, each publication computer having a disk for storing a dynamic group registry and resource locators containing function names, a web server which causes the publication computer to respond to resource locators by loading the function name indicated, a database management program for organizing the dynamic group registry; a client side communications server to respond to resource locators directed to it and to direct the database management program in organizing the dynamic group registry; a client side communications resource locator list stored in each publication computer that causes functions to be selected for execution in the client side communications server so that the dynamic group registry indicates how information is to be shared amongst the designated individuals and groups with the client entity.

Abstract: A system for managing information communications between clients on different networks having a first computer with a disk for storing a dynamic client registry and resource locators containing function names; a web server to respond to resource locators by calling the function name; a database management program for organizing the dynamic client registry; a domain communications server which, when loaded by the web server is executed to respond to resource locators directed to it and to direct the database management program in organizing the dynamic client registry; a second computer communicating with the first computer, the second computer having a disk for storing a dynamic group registry and for storing resource locators containing function names; the second computer executing a web server which causes it to respond to resource locators by calling the function indicated, the second computer also having a database management program for organizing the dynamic group registry; a client side communications

Abstract: A domain communications server having a first computer with a disk for storing a dynamic client registry and resource locators containing function names; a web server to respond to resource locators by calling the function name; a database management program for organizing the dynamic client registry; a domain communications server which, when loaded by the web server is executed to respond to resource locators directed to it and to direct the database management program in organizing the dynamic client registry; secondary computers communicating with the first computer, the secondary computers each having a disk for storing a dynamic group registry and for storing resource locators containing function names; each secondary computer executing a web server which causes it to respond to resource locators by calling the function indicated, each secondary computer also having a database management program for organizing its dynamic group registry; a client side communications server executing in each secondary co

Abstract: A publication control system for networks inside a client having several publication computers networked together, each of the publication computers having disks for storing a dynamic group registry and resource locators containing function names, a web server which, when executed by the publication computer, causes the publication computer to respond to resource locators by calling the function indicated, a database management program for organizing the dynamic group registry; and a client side communications server, which responds to resource locators directed to it and directs the database management program in organizing the dynamic group registry; the system also has a domain computer having a disk for storing a dynamic client registry and resource locators containing function names; a web server which, when executed by the domain computer, causes the domain computer to respond to the resource locators by calling the function name indicated, a database management program for organizing the dynamic client

Abstract: A method and apparatus for locating and measuring capillary indentation marks on wire bonded leads by creating a normalized, one-dimensional circumferential projection of a candidate center location in an image of a capillary indentation mark and detecting signals in the one-dimensional circumferential projection that correspond to a predefined pattern. The one-dimensional circumferential projection can be generated and evaluated for a full or a sub-sampled set of candidate center locations according to a number of different methods.

Abstract: A customer removable storage system peripheral device cover is formed from two symmetrical right and left covers, each having a number of air channel openings spaced to meet finger insertion safety requirements. The covers are fastened together around grooved symmetrical guides hot staked on either side of a drive carrier. Inside the covers, a floating disk adaptor board is included at the rear to electrically connect the drive to the storage system. A ribbon wire cable is placed along the bottom of the interior of the device cover, to connect to an LED panel on the front of the device cover. An ejector pivotally attached to the device cover has locking tabs that grip a shelf of the chassis at the position where the drive is to be inserted, and propel the covered drive inward along rails in the chassis that fit into grooved symmetrical guides to snap the covered drive into its position and connect it to a backplane.

Abstract: A hierarchical storage management system for database management systems that divides a database logically into separately managed regions, with each region being described by an entry in a vector kept in a regions file. The region entry contains a time stamp of the last time the region was accessed, the staging identifier of the region if it has been migrated, the base level backup staging identifier of the region if it has been baselined, and an indicator telling whether or not the region is resident online. Each managed region of the database is migrated to a separate staging file. When the database software issues a read or write input/output operation, the present invention sends the migration software a signal signifying this has occurred. The migration software of the present invention then updates the accessed time stamp, and checks to see if the region is resident. If it is not resident, it is staged in.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for creating reliably duplicatable tape volumes by padding the volume label on the source volume with compression resistant random data, and copying such a source volume to a tape volume that does not have padding. In a preferred embodiment, the application program creating the source volume uses the present invention to create the padding on the source volume. The amount of padding to be inserted can be specified either as a fixed amount, or as a dynamically variable parameter changed on the basis of statistically significant results sampling. When a padded source volume is then duplicated to another tape, without padding, the likelihood that the source data will "fit" on the unpadded destination volume becomes much more predictable.

Abstract: In a machine vision system capable of capturing an optical image of a semiconductor electronic component part and digitizing the optical image, a method for locating, inspecting and placing parts known as large leaded devices, by estimating a part's location; estimating the approximate location of a group of leads; computing the center and angle of a lead scan search rectangle within which the leads in a group of leads must be located; scanning a lead scan search rectangle to locate lead edges and compile a list of edges; extracting lead positions; updating the part location estimate; and repeating these steps for each lead set to find all leads and lead centerlines; then calculating an optimal part position estimate by matching found lead positions with expected lead centerlines; and finally, inspecting the leads. A statistical lead rejection procedure is included during lead extraction.

Abstract: A receive buffer management system associates a virtual buffer pool with each node communicating with a receiver and creates an actual buffer pool for use by all nodes, with a "low-water-mark" indicating buffers are running out and a "high-water-mark" indicating enough buffers are available. Each time a buffer is taken a count is added to the virtual pool for that sending node and each time a buffer is returned to the actual pool, the counter for the sending node's virtual pool is decremented. Each virtual pool has a quota. Buffers are allocated until the number of buffers in the actual buffer pool drops below the low-water-mark. Then packets from a node above its quota will be discarded and those buffers will be immediately returned to the actual pool. Packets will be discarded for all over-quota nodes until those nodes drop below their quota or the actual pool reaches the high-water-mark. Alternatively, a sliding window acknowledgement replaces the virtual pool and counter.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for selecting a threshold for use by a boundary tracker to locate a crescent on a bonded lead involves creating a two-dimensional inspection window along the angle of the wire in a post-bond image of a bonded wire in order to generate a one-dimensional projection; generating a one-dimensional projection by summing each column of pixels in the inspection window in the direction of the wire angle and computing an average grey value for each column; and applying an edge-detection to the one-dimensional projection to locate the edges of the wire. If an edge point falls directly in the center of a pixel of the one-dimensional projection, the grey value for that edge point is considered to be the grey value of that pixel. If the edge falls between pixels, the edge's grey value is determined by the fractional pixel position of the edge point in the projection. The grey values of the left and right edge points are averaged and used as the threshold value.

Abstract: A strain relief bulkhead that provides EMI shielding for data cables being inserted into cabinets, including a conductive vise, slidably mounted on a stationary guide track that is permanently attached to a bracket made of conductive material to which a conductive cover panel is removably fastened. In a preferred embodiment the vise is moved along the guide track by a threaded screw which extends through threaded openings in the guide track. A C-ring holds the end of the screw to the vise. The bracket containing the vise and guide track is fastened to the cabinet which houses the printed circuit boards by screws or other means. The vise is located on the guide track and the guide track is attached to the bracket in such a way as to provide cable openings through which cables can be inserted.

Abstract: A media access scheduling system that allows concurrent users to access shared media by having each user decide, as it gets access to the media, whether it is the best candidate for the use of the media: if it is, it proceeds to use the media; if it is not, it does not access the media, but instead releases access reservation and waits for a time when it may be the best candidate. In a preferred embodiment, the determining factor for the best candidate is whether the media needs to be repositioned or setup. If the media is positioned where the candidate wants it to be, no positioning or setup is required, and the user declares itself to be the best choice. If the media must be repositioned or setup, then there is probably another user process which would be a better candidate. To identify when a user is finished with the media and repositioning or setup is warranted, each user program refers to and maintains an access time in a globally visible place.