Abstract: A remote network server includes primary and secondary routers, each of which include means for emulating a number of different modem types, and for operating in accordance with a number of different communication protocols. Incoming calls are directed at the primary router, but are routed through the secondary router if either the type of modem making a call cannot be emulated in the primary router or if the primary router cannot operate with the protocol used by this calling modem.

Abstract: A disk texturing tool is used, for example, to provide textured spots in an annular portion of both sides of a hardfile disk. Disks are moved into and out of the texturing process in cassettes, through two disk-handling stations. An optical system includes a laser directed at a beamsplitter to split the laser beam into two beams having approximately equal power, which are directed along parallel paths through a power control optics block to expose simultaneously opposite sides of a disk to be textured. The power control optics block includes means for attenuating and measuring each of the two beams. A shuttling mirror directs these two beams alternately at a disk within each of the two disk handling stations.

Abstract: A pair of communications adapters each include a number of digital signal processors and network interface circuits for the attachment of a multi-channel telephone line. A bus connecting the communications adapters can carry data between a network line attached to one of the adapters and the digital signal processors of the other adapter. The digital signal processors on each card are connected to a host, or controller, processor. Each digital signal processor interrupts its host processor by transmitting an interrupt control block as data to a data memory of the host processor, and by subsequently sending an interrupt causing the host processor to examine the data memory. Preferably, the interrupt control block includes data representing a number of requested interrupts.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope operates in the manner of an atomic force microscope during intermittant periods of scanning motion, in which a sample surface is driven so that a scan line on the surface is moved past a probe tip being vibrated in engagement with the surface. Between these intermittant periods of scanning motion, the vibrating probe tip is moved out of engagement with the sample surface, so that the amplitude and phase shift of probe tip vibrations are determined by the gradient of a force field extending outward from the sample surface, Such a force field is established when the probe tip is attracted by, or repelled from, a magnetic or electric field at or near the sample surface. For each sample point, the system stores data representing the height of the sample surface and the force field.

Abstract: A method is provided for allowing the transmission of digital video segments along a number of transmission channels, with the line speed, or rate of transmission in bits per second, being variable during a transmission. For each transmission channel, video data segments are stored in a data buffer, along with data segments known as Write Control Blocks (WCBs). Each WCB includes a pointer to the video data segment with which it is associated and a line speed code indicating the preferred rate of data transmission. The addresses of the WCBs are stored in a FIFO buffer which is established for each transmission channel. When coded information within a WCB indicates that a speed change is needed, a run-time subroutine executing in a co-processor sets bits within a channel control word forming a portion of each WCB to stop a DMA process and to issue an interrupt when the corresponding video segment is to be transmitted.