Abstract: Apparatus and methods for rendering 3D graphics images. The apparatus include a port for receiving commands from a graphics application, an output for sending a rendered image to a display and a fragment-operations pipeline, coupled to the port and to the output, the pipeline including a stage for performing a fragment operation on a fragment on a per-pixel basis, as well as a stage for performing a fragment operation on the fragment on a per-sample basis. The stage for performing on a per-pixel basis is one of the following: a scissor-test stage, a stipple-test stage, an alpha-test stage or a colorest stage, and the stage for performing on a per-sample basis is one of the following: a Z-test stage, a blending stage or a dithering stage. The apparatus programmatically selects whether to perform a stencil test on a per-pixel or a per-sample basis and performs the stencil test on the selected basis.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for digital communications that provides high data rate wireless connections with bandwidth efficiency. The creation of multiple channels (that share the same time-frequency region) between the transmitter and the receiver is achieved by sampling the wavefield space with respect to the spatial domain. The wavefield space is the space spanned by the channel parameters that characterize the multipath fading environment. At the transmitter, symbols are simultaneously modulated and transmitted using signals that occupy the same frequency portion of the spectrum, but are distinguishable because different is their position in the wavefield space. The received signals are optimally processed to extract the digital information. The optimum demodulator estimates the wavefield space parameters without any training sequence or signal and performs optimum separation of the different signals to obtain the multiple streams.

Abstract: A media server system and process are disclosed that have device independent near-online storage support. A plurality of media assets are stored in online storage, and a plurality of media assets are stored on tertiary storage devices in tertiary storage to provide near-online storage. A media server, having access to the online storage and the tertiary storage, receives a user request for a media asset. The media server then determines whether the requested media asset needs to be loaded from the tertiary storage. If so, the media server allocates space in the online storage for the requested media asset. A transfer process specific to the tertiary storage devices is then used to transfer content of the requested media asset to the online storage.

Abstract: Graphics processors and methods are described that encompass numerous substructures including specialized subsystems, subprocessors, devices, architectures, and corresponding procedures. Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of deferred shading, a bled frame buffer, and multiple-stage hidden surface removal processing, as well as other structures and/or procedures. Embodiments of the present invention are designed to provide high-performance 3D graphics with Phong shading, subpixel anti-aliasing, and texture- and bump-mappings.

Abstract: The present invention is a system in which packet-switched (or general purpose network) multimedia data streaming is controlled based on the capabilities of a client and the preferences of a user. A server processor, coupled to the client processor over a packet-switched network, such as the Internet, receives client processor capabilities in association with a request for service for a multimedia type data transfer. The capabilities can be obtained by an application running on the client assessing the capabilities or through prompting of the user. The client capabilities include, for example, processor speed and multimedia encoders of the client. The server can also obtain the preferences of the user of the client processor and respond based on the preferences. Preferences include, for example, the quality of service of the transfer. The capabilities and preferences can be obtained via a query from the server to the client or can be automatically sent with each request.

Abstract: The present invention provides post tile sorting setup in a tiled graphics pipeline architecture. In particular, the present invention determines a set of clipping points that identify intersections of a primitive with a tile. The mid-pipeline setup unit is adapted to compute a minimum depth value for that part of the primitive intersecting the tile. The mid-pipeline setup unit can be adapted to process primitives with x-coordinates that are screen based and y-coordinates that are tile based. Additionally, to the mid-pipeline setup unit is adapted to represent both line segments and triangles as quadrilaterals, wherein not all of a quadrilateral's vertices are required to describe a triangle.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods for rendering 3D-graphics images preferably includes a port for receiving commands from a graphics application, an output for sending a rendered image to a display and a geometry-operations pipeline, coupled to the port and to the output, the geometry-operations pipeline including a block for performing transformations. In one embodiment, the block for performing transformations includes a co-extensive logical and first physical stages, as well as a second physical stage including multiple logical stages. The second physical stage includes multiple logical stages that interleave their execution.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention provides a method for planarizing a circular disc-type semiconductor wafer or other substrate. The method includes the steps of pressing a retaining ring surrounding the wafer against a polishing pad at a first pressure; pressing a first peripheral edge portion of the wafer against the polishing pad with a second pressure; and pressing a second portion of the wafer interior to the peripheral edge portion against the polishing pad with a third pressure. The second pressure may be provided through a mechanical member in contact with the peripheral edge portion; and the second pressure may be a pneumatic pressure against a backside surface of the wafer. Desirably, the pneumatic pressure is exerted through a resilient membrane, or is exerted by gas pressing directly against at least a portion of the wafer backside surface.

Abstract: System, apparatus, and method for making composite articles. Jewelry items such as finger rings, bracelets, earrings, body jewelry, and the like, are examples of such articles. Medical, dental, and industrial devices or components are other examples. Method of manufacturing an article including a substrate comprising a first material and an inlay comprising a second material includes the steps of preheating the substrate; contacting a depression in a surface of the substrate with the second material; heating the second material at a point contact with the substrate causing it to liquify and flow into the depression; and moving the point of contact along the along the depression in the surface of the substrate while continuously feeding the second material and heating the second material at the point contact with the substrate to cause it to substantially fill the depression.

Abstract: The present invention is a mid-pipeline sorting unit that sorts image data mid-pipeline in a tiled 3-D graphics pipeline architecture. The image data includes vertices of geometric primitives. The mid-pipeline sorting determines whether a geometric primitive intersects a region of a 2-D window. The 2-D window having been divided into multiple such regions. Upon determining which region of the 2-D window that the geometric primitive intersects, the mid-pipeline sorting unit stores the vertices that define the geometric primitive into a memory in a manner that associates each of the geometric primitive's vertices with the region that was intersected. After the image data is sorted into the memory, the mid pipeline sorting unit sends the sorted image data to the subsequent stage on a region by region basis.

Abstract: Device, method, and system for recording diffractive high resolution text, pictorial, and/or other graphical information is provided which is particularly suited to recording information that would be difficult to reproduce by typical counterfeiting methods. The information recorded may be used to authenticate the recorded item, or indirectly, an item to which the recording is attached. Such items may include legal, financial and commercial instruments, credit cards, and packaging for such items as software, art, and other items where forgery of the item may be a concern. In one embodiment of the invention light is selectively passed by a shutter, and a spatial filter then cleans the beam to remove undesirable frequency components.

Abstract: Method of pausing and resuming data collection data collection and displaying the paused and resumed data collection conditions particularly suited to networked computers in a server/client configuration including collecting data item(s) for a first process by a second process on at least one computer in response to a request from the first process to collect the data, during collection of the data item communicating a pause command from the first process to the second process, pausing collection of the data by the second process in response to the pause command, storing a time reference at which the data collection was paused, communicating a pause record to the first process as an indication that data collection has been paused, and optionally displaying a pause indication on a display device.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program for text-based controller configuration is disclosed. Storage is divided into a reserved disk area and a customer data area. Each reserved disk area contains two copies of the configuration and a directory. The reserved disk area also contains an identifier/locator that identifies the configuration in use by computer system. The identifier/locator is stored in either the first block or last block of each disk. Configuration information is transferred between the disk and controller or between the controller and host computer in text form, i.e. strings, to avoid big-endian/little-endian problems that may exist between controllers made by different manufacturers. The text-based configuration information is expressed in strictly defined keywords and attributes associated with the keywords.

Abstract: A FAX-through data network includes a receiver side LAN end station and a sender side LAN end station. A first converter receives a FAX communication from the sender FAX and generates a FAX packet. The FAX packet includes a predefined session port number and a receiver FAX-network ID. A FAX-network server receives the FAX packet, extract the receiver FAX-network ID, performs a lookup of a destination IP address in a mapping table and forwards the FAX packet to the destination IP address. A second converter intercepts and identifies the FAX packet, extracts the FAX communication from the FAX packet, establish a communication with the receiver FAX without routing a signal through the PSTN and transmits the FAX communication to the receiver FAX machine. A remote access appliance control apparatus includes an appliance side LAN end station. An appliance control packet is generated by the remote network user and includes a predefined session port number, an appliance network ID and the control command.

Abstract: A media server system and method are disclosed for playback of digital media. For playback, header information associated with a complex asset is received. The header information comprises information for initializing a decoder (56) for playback of the complex asset. Artificial headers (54) for the complex asset are then created using the header information. A digital packet stream for the complex asset is received and passed decoder (56) for playback. During playback, artificial headers (54) are injected as appropriate for initializing the decoder (56) for playback of the complex asset. In one implementation, the complex asset can be a clip asset (100), a parallel asset (102), a sequential asset (106) or a composite asset (110).

Abstract: The apparatus includes a first SOVA decoder that generates a first path reliability value from a channel value, a parity symbol and a first a priori likelihood value. A first decorrelation unit generates a first extrinsic symbol reliability value by decorrelating the channel value and the first a priori likelihood value from the path reliability value. A first symbol reliability saturation unit saturates the first extrinsic symbol reliability value to generate a first saturated extrinsic symbol reliability value. A first interleaver interleaves the first saturated extrinsic symbol reliability value to generate a second a priori likelihood value. A second interleaver interleaves the channel value to generate an interleaved channel value. A second SOVA decoder generates a second path reliability value from an interleaved parity symbol, the second a priori likelihood value, and the interleaved channel value.

Abstract: Structure, apparatus, and method for performing conservative hidden surface removal in a graphics processor. Culling is divided into two steps, a magnitude comparison content addressable memory cull operation (MCCAM Cull), and a subpixel cull operation. The MCCAM Cull discards primitives that are hidden completely by previously processed geometry. The Subpixel Cull takes the remaining primitives (which are partly or entirely visible), and determines the visible fragments.

Abstract: Spectral efficient transmitters-receivers (transceivers), modulation-demodulation (Modem) methods, architectures, structures and implementation technologies for enhanced performance and increased capacity CDMA, TDMA, GSM,OFDM, CMA, FDM and other wireless and wired communications, broadcasting and telemetry systems and integrated Modems/Transceivers suitable for operation over Non-Linearly Amplified (NLA) power efficient RF systems are described. Cross-correlated cascaded Time Constrained Signal (TCS) response processors and Long Response (LR) filtered Bit Rate Agile (BRA) in phase (I) and quadrature phase (Q) baseband signals are disclosed. These spectral efficient high performance processing, transmitting and receiving methods are designated as Feher's Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (FQPSK) Transceivers.

Abstract: This inventive provides a multiple level cache structure and multiple level caching method that distributes I/O processing loads including caching operations between processors to provide higher performance I/O processing, especially in a server environment. A method of achieving optimal data throughput by taking full advantage of multiple processing resources is disclosed. A method for managing the allocation of the data caches to optimize the host access time and parity generation is disclosed. A cache allocation for RAID stripes guaranteed to provide fast access times for the XOR engine by ensuring that all cache lines are allocated from the same cache level is disclosed. Allocation of cache lines for RAID levels which do not require parity generation and are allocated in such manner as to maximize utilization of the memory bandwidth is disclosed.

Abstract: Whenever a controller receives a message that includes a particular target ID and a particular computer's operating requirements with respect to the operation of the plurality of logical units mapped across a plurality of disk storage devices, the controller stores one set of the particular computer's operating requirements per target ID per logical unit. Each host computer in a data storage system that has substantially similar operating requirements uses the same target ID in any I/O requests to a controller. Subsequently, whenever the controller processes an I/O request from any computer that uses the particular target ID, the controller will use the particular set of the operating requirements to configure the operation of each of the logical units.