Abstract: The preferred embodiment of the present invention an object oriented wizard creation mechanism provides an environment and set of facilities for creating and modifying wizards. The preferred embodiment wizard creation mechanism provides a WizardWizard mechanism for creating the skeleton of new wizard, a WizardDesigner mechanism for specializing and WizardMetaDataManager mechanism for persisting and retrieving created wizards. The WizardWizard guides the developer through a predetermined series of steps that are required to define a the basic components of a new wizard. The WizardDesigner takes these basic components and guides the developer through a specialization process that further customizes and defines the new wizard. In the preferred embodiment, the WizardWizard and the WizardDesigner create and specialize the target wizard from a component based Wizard framework.

Abstract: A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides an intelligent reference object (IRO), which is used to encapsulate address translation between shared address space (SAS) addresses and native system addresses. The IRO works with a shared persistent virtual storage system that provides address translation between SAS addresses and the underlying system. By encapsulating these addresses translations in an IRO, the preferred embodiment provides the ability to create and share persistent objects using single level store semantics. When a client accesses the data in a persistent object, the IRO corresponding to the persistent object provides any address translation and indirection needed to perform the access.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for connecting two components is disclosed. A visual construction simplification mechanism, as part of the apparatus, is designed with intelligence that allows it to correctly configure and interconnect the two components. The invention reduces the real and visual complexity of a program by requiring only a single bootstrap connection to be established between the components. Once the initial connection is made, the visual construction simplification mechanism can make additional connections that allow the two objects two function and interoperate. Introspection is a process used to find a component's interface and identity. The visuals construction simplification mechanism looks at the interface of one component and figures out what the identity of the component is using the process of introspection. Introspection is a generic term for the ability of any component to look at the details of another component.

Abstract: According to a preferred embodiment, a method of sorting a list of elements with duplicate entries using multiple processors is disclosed. Using “P” processors, a list of elements is split into P lists and each processor pre-sorts a list. All pre-sorted lists are lined up to form a partitioning table, with each pre-sorted list making up a column in the table, and the first element from each pre-sorted list making up the first row in the table, and the second element from each pre-sorted list making up the second row, etc. P−1 partition boundary lines are drawn through the partition table to create P equally sized partitions. Each partition boundary line is drawn such that every element below the line has a value larger than any element above the line, and every element above the line has a value smaller than any element below the line. Duplicate elements are uniquely “weighted” during the partitioning process.

Abstract: The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method is provided that allows transparent and flexible partitioning of created objects in the context of schema mapping. The preferred schema mapper uses partition key values to facilitate partitioning of the created objects. The partition key value for an object determines what partition that object belongs in. To facilitate the most flexible schema mapping and partitioning, the partition key value for an object can be defined by the developer to be an attribute of an owning object, a primary key field of an owning object, or constant defined for its class. When new owned objects are created the partition key values are retrieved from their specified location in the owning object to determine the partition in which the new owned object belongs. In the preferred embodiment the developer also specifies a corresponding column of fields in the owned objects table to store the partitioning key values.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing persistence in a Java environment is provided. The method and apparatus provide object persistence in way that can be adapted for use in a wide variety of situations. In accordance with the preferred embodiment a StoragePlugin class is defined which includes the methods needed to provide orthogonal persistence in the Java environment. StoragePlugin objects are then instantiated as needed from the StoragePlugin class. Each StoragePlugin object implements the defined methods in a way that is compatible with a particular persistent storage system that is to be used (i.e., a particular hardware and database system).

Abstract: The preferred embodiment of the present invention facilitates the creation, storage and interaction of persistent objects using single level storage semantics on commodity systems. Specifically, the present invention defines several objects used to implement persistent objects in a shared address space. The preferred embodiment includes a Class Encapsulator class and the Object Encapsulator class that are preferably designed to encapsulate the class data and instance data, respectively. In particular, a Class Encapsulator object would preferably be created in a Persistent Container for each class of objects loaded into that Persistent Container. The Class Encapsulator object would include all of the specific data needed to implement its corresponding class. Likewise, an Object Encapsulator object would preferably be created to encapsulate each object to be stored persistently in the shared address space.

Abstract: The preferred embodiment of the present invention facilitates the creation, storage and interaction of persistent objects using single level storage semantics on commodity systems. The preferred method and apparatus utilize a persistence mechanism to provide object persistence. In particular, the persistence mechanism defines a Factory class, a Finder class, an ExpandingContainer class, a Container class and a ClassLoader class which work together to create persistent shared objects. An application can create persistent objects by calling methods on the Factory class. The Factory class then works in conjunction with an instance of the Container class and the ClassLoader class to create persistent objects in a shared address space (SAS). Shared address space is a persistent virtual address space shared by all processes running on a computer system. The SAS allows the processes to access data within SAS at any time, using a SAS address.

Abstract: The preferred embodiment present invention provides a shared persistent virtual storage system and method for creating and managing a large logical virtual address space, called a shared address space (SAS), on existing systems. The shared persistent virtual storage system provides an interface layer between client processes using the SAS addresses and the underlying system. By providing the ability to use a large shared address space, the preferred embodiment allows the creation and sharing of persistent objects using single level store semantics. The preferred embodiment does this by mapping the shared address space to backing store as needed, and by implicitly moving portions of data, called pages, between backing storage and main memory as needed by client process. The preferred embodiment then provides a mechanism for translating shared address space addresses into a native address of the data in the page cache and providing that address to the application.

Abstract: A material and a method for forming a tamper-indicating identification coating are provided. The components of the coating are selected such that the coating exhibits a characteristic absorption spectrum with distinct features in individual regions during Fourier-transform infa-red (FTIR) spectroscopy. The coating components are selected to provide a distinct spectrum while, at the same time, providing a sufficiently complex spectrum such that the coating is difficult to duplicate. Also, a blowing agent in the coating decomposes to change the FTIR spectrum due to the heat associated with resoldering of an out-of-warranty electronic part marked with the identification coating to an in-warranty circuit card. In addition, the coating may contain a fluorophore to reveal the presence of a tamper-indicating identification coating, allowing a manufacturer to check the card by exposure with ultra-violet (UV) light. Further, the coating composition may be changed periodically and tracked to provide a date marker.

Abstract: The present invention provides an object-oriented disabling mechanism which selectively disables object methods. The object-oriented disabling mechanism prevents the selected methods from being called on an object by other programs or processes via various alternative embodiments. A first preferred embodiment of the object-oriented disabling mechanism works in conjunction with a plurality of method tables to restrict method calls on an object. An alternative preferred embodiment of the object oriented disabling mechanism works in conjunction with a read flag and a write flag to define which methods can be called on an object. Another alternative preferred embodiment of the object oriented disabling mechanism uses software “locks” and a lock conflict matrix associated with the object to determine which methods can be called on an object.

Abstract: The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a data analyzer with a modular bus interface that provides increased flexibility over prior art designs. The modular bus interface allows physical layer devices to be easily swapped, allowing a wide variety of link layer and physical layer device combinations to be tested while minimizing system downtime. In the preferred embodiment, the link layer devices are mounted onto an expansion card that includes a releasable connector. Physical layer devices are mounted onto cards that can plug into the releasable connector. The releasable connector provides the electrical and mechanical connection between the link layer device and the physical layer device, and allows different link layer and physical layer devices to be tested together. By including such a modular bus interface, the preferred embodiment data analyzer provides increased flexibility and performance over prior art systems.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a system and method for switching between databases in the event of a database failure is provided. The preferred system and method provide for database switching without requiring the computer system to be taken down and then restarted. The preferred system and method uses a database switcher on each application server and a failure detector on each database. When the failure detector determines that a problem has arisen in a primary database it sends a signal to the database switcher on the application server. The database switcher contains a list of jobs that are to be notified of a database switch, as well as the system name of the primary and backup databases. The database switcher then sets flags on each of the jobs in the notify list. When these jobs next perform a function that requires database access, the flag informs the jobs that a database switch must first be made. That switch can then be accomplished, and the jobs continued.

Abstract: According to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, an apparatus and method for a digital filing system is disclosed. In this context, digital filing refers to the efficient management of paper-based information from its receipt at the desktop through an indexing, scanning, image storage and image retrieval process. The preferred embodiments of the present invention provide for easy and effective indexing, imaging, storing, retrieving and managing of paper-based documents, transforming them into electronic documents using a system which incorporates many existing office resources. The proposed system and method implements a desktop solution for digital filing, which can be made available to each worker. In one embodiment of the present invention, an individual has complete control over the electronic storage and retrieval of their documents from a standard desktop computer, using a standard web browser application.

Abstract: The preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for managing and controlling the size and location of windows in a GUI-based computer system. Specifically, a window control mechanism is provided to enhance the basic functional features of a window in any windowing environment. By interacting with the window control mechanism, a user can quickly and easily relocate and resize a window without unnecessary mouse movement. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the user invokes the window control mechanism by positioning the cursor over the title bar of a window and using both buttons of a two button mouse. In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the user invokes the window control mechanism by positioning the cursor over a window decoration and using both buttons of a two button mouse. Yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention allows the user to specify a keyboard keystroke combination to invoke the window control mechanism.

Abstract: According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method and apparatus for facilitating communications between client objects and server objects in a distributed object system is provided. The method and apparatus provide a distributed thread that associates dedicated service threads with a distributed thread identification for each transaction. By associating a dedicated service thread with a distributed thread identification it can be assured that all portions of a transaction are performed by the same thread. Thus, the present invention assures consistent thread allocation in a distributed system.

Abstract: A material and a method for forming a tamper-indicating identification coating are provided. The components of the coating are selected such that the coating exhibits a characteristic absorption spectrum with distinct features in individual regions during Fourier-transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy. The coating components are selected to provide a distinct spectrum while, at the same time, providing a sufficiently complex spectrum such that the coating is difficult to duplicate. Also, a blowing agent in the coating decomposes to change the FTIR spectrum due to the heat associated with resoldering of an out-of-warranty electronic part marked with the identification coating to an in-warranty circuit card. In addition, the coating may contain a fluorophore to reveal the presence of a tamper-indicating identification coating, allowing a manufacturer to check the card by exposure with ultra-violet (UV) light. Further, the coating composition may be changed periodically and tracked to provide a date marker.

Abstract: According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a class versioning and mapping system allows a user to request a desired class without knowing which class version is the most recent or correct version for the desired class. The class versioning and mapping system uses a version mapping mechanism to cross reference the requested class, select the most recent or best version of the requested class, and then return an object to the user that belongs to the selected class. This feature allows the system to have multiple versions of the same class on-line at the same time and use objects from different versions of the same class in a way that is transparent to the user. Therefore, by using a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a client object can specify or request that an object be created without having any knowledge of the actual class version or version(s) that are available.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a system for providing high-speed sequential modeling in a simulator or emulator environment is provided. The system includes a sequential control system (microprocessor board) which is attached directly to an emulator. The sequential control system cycles or operates at a higher speed than the emulator. This allows the sequential control system to execute multiple commands during each hardware emulation cycle so that the concurrent operations model within the accelerator/emulator and the sequential operations model within the sequential control system achieve a high degree of parallel operation, greatly enhancing system speed and performance. Further, the system includes direct high-speed connections between the sequential control system and the host workstation so that the control system can be programmed to execute a sequential model and/or to exchange data directly with the host without actually passing any information through the hardware emulator/accelerator.

Abstract: According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a managed object assembly (MOA) is used to abstract the business logic of a given system from the system's operational aspects or infrastructure-specific characteristics. The managed object includes a data object, a business object, a managed object, and a mixin object. By isolating the functions of the business logic from the infrastructure of the system (including database structure), a significant amount of flexibility can be obtained and system re-engineering becomes noticeably simpler. Specifically, by isolating the business logic from the system resource details, changes in the business logic can be made in a manner that is independent of any detailed knowledge of the resources accessed by the system.