Abstract: A graphical user interface, system, signal, and software providing an electronic program guide including one or more windows having program scheduling information arranged by a single network. Each network's program scheduling information is accessed through the use of a view list and contains a week's worth of program scheduling information. The program scheduling information is controlled by a single scroll bar and may also provide only information for programs that recur on a periodic basis.

Abstract: A method of installing and configuring a test suite for a unit under test in an automated assembly process uses an identifier of the unit under test to retrieve the test files and other files for the installation and configuration. The identifier may be a serial number. The method uses the identifier to call up a Bill of Materials. From the Bill of Materials, test files and other files are generated.

Abstract: An information handling system controls a signal processing device by providing a control signal to the signal processing device. The control signal may be transmitted to the signal processing device as an infrared or R/F signal that is received and decoded by the signal processing device. The signal processing device is capable of receiving and processing an input signal, and is further capable of providing an output signal to the information handling system. In response to the control signal, the signal processing device encodes data onto the output signal provided to the information handling system, and the information handling system is capable of decoding the data from the output signal. The data encoded onto the output signal may include status information from the signal processing device, including the status of execution of the control signal.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for providing a self-ejecting cover for externally accessible electronic components. The system of the present invention includes a panel with an aperture for accepting an externally accessible component such as a communication connection. A self-ejecting cover with an engaging tab is disposed in the aperture. Upon connecting the panel to a device with a corresponding component the cover is ejected, if an external component is not included the cover remains in place.

Abstract: A speaker system that detects what type of audio signal is supplied to it and automatically adjusts to reproduce sound from either an analog audio input signal or a digital audio input signal. The speaker system has one or more converters to convert each form of digital audio into analog audio, a detection means to detect whether an analog audio input signal or one of the possible digital audio signals is present and a multiplexer to switch between either the analog audio input signal or one of the outputs of the digital audio converters. Amplifier and speaker drivers are shown for completeness.

Abstract: A system and method employing a virtual restore disk, such as a vendor supplied CD-ROM, allows software restoration from the vendor's software library. The customer's original software configuration is archived and the customer may use the virtual restore disk for restore purposes as necessary, e.g., to restore a deleted file, replace a suspected corrupted file, etc. The vendor maintains updated versions of the software so that unlike a static restore disk, the customer is not limited to the releases available at the time of system purchase. The virtual restore disk can also be used to update a user's system, even in the absence of system malfunction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing viewer specific program information is described. A user of an integrated personal computer and television convergence device requests specific programming information from a remote server using an electronic program guide. The remote server performs a database search based upon the requested information and caches the results of the database search in a local storage device. The database search result information is viewer specific and appended to or integrated with the requested electronic program guide. Advanced searching techniques may be utilized to manipulate and filter the searched information to maintain the viewer specific integrity thereof. The database search result information is thereby provided to the client or convergence device along with the requested programming information. The database search result information thereby supplements and augments the viewing experience of the viewer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a business process feature for providing universal registration in an information appliance network. The business process feature includes providing user registration information to a universal registration resource, the user registration information accessible by providers of resources via the information appliance network. The business process feature further includes requesting use of a provider resource requiring the user registration information wherein the provider resource automatically retrieves the user registration information from the universal registration resource to enable the user to access the resources. Additionally, the present invention provides a method for providing universal registration, including accessing a resource, passing a registration interface dynamic base object to the resource, and interrogating the registration interface dynamic base object for registration information.

Abstract: A system and method for identifying the interconnection of peripheral devices in an information handling system and generating a model of the interconnection of the devices is disclosed. The system identifies devices in the information handling system, builds device objects in the model representing each identified device, and builds interconnect objects in the model representing the interconnection of the devices with each other and the information handling system. The model may then be used to control operation of the peripheral devices of the information handling system.

Abstract: A method is provided for locating and navigating to the site home of a network site in an information network such as the Internet, an Intranet, or the like from a site page within the network site. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes the steps of receiving a request to navigate from a site page to the site home of the network site, determining a site home for the network site, and when a site home is found for the network site, navigating to the site home in response to the received request so information provided by the site home may be communicated to a user. The method may be implemented as a program of instructions storable on a medium readable by an information handling system for causing the information handling system to perform the steps of the method.

Abstract: An information handling system case is disclosed which has a chassis suitable for containing an electronic component, an access door removably mounted to the chassis, the access door suitable for permitting access to an electronic component contained in the computer chassis, and a release mechanism adjacent to the access door, wherein the release mechanism is manually operable by a single hand of a user to release the access door from the chassis, the access door separating from the chassis upon manipulation of the release mechanism by the user. The quick release mechanism is preferably a squeezable handle. EMI shielding is accomplished through EMI clips.

Abstract: A joystick designed to be used primarily in a mobile computing environment. The joystick is designed to attach to the side of a notebook computer in such a way that the support of the notebook computer becomes the support of the joystick. The interface the joystick uses to communicate with the computer is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection. A pass-through port has also been included to allow the joystick to participate in the daisy chain capabilities of USB technology.

Abstract: A tray cover for retaining optical discs within an optical disc drive capable of being vertically oriented is comprised of a cover attachable to the tray of the optical disc drive. The cover forms a pocket against the tray for receiving the optical disc so that the optical disc is generally retained against the tray as the tray is extended and retracted.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method of interacting with broadcast content based upon position. By providing a method and apparatus suitable for interacting with broadcast content based upon position, a user has a dynamic and flexible way of interacting with broadcast content. A method for determining availability of broadcast content to a broadcast content receiver may include determining position of a broadcast content receiver. The broadcast content receiver is suitable for obtaining broadcast content. A broadcast data is queried by the broadcast content receiver for broadcast transmittal data corresponding to the determined position of the broadcast content receiver.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for enabling provision of a call return service is disclosed. The apparatus utilizes a method of generating telephone numbers from voice messages. The method includes the step of using speech recognition to isolate a spoken number in a voice message, and confirming to a high degree of accuracy that the spoken number represents a telephone number. The method further includes the step of converting the spoken number into a data sequence representing the telephone number. This data sequence is then made available for immediate or later use.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method of providing a navigational aide. In a first aspect of the present invention, a system and method of providing a navigational aide includes monitoring data displayed on a display device and detecting a marker of a section of the displayed data. A navigational aide is displayed in response to the detected marker of the section of displayed data.

Abstract: A system and method for displaying content accessed by a client to an audience via a projector is disclosed, wherein the content includes a client version suitable for access by clients and a projector version suitable for display by a projector. The system includes a server coupled to the network capable of communication with the clients via the network and at least one projector capable of accessing the projector version of the content communicatively coupled to the server. Upon receiving a request from a client that one or more projectors display content accessed by the client, that is “follow” the display of content by that client, the server thereafter monitors the browsing activity of the client, detecting when the client is accessing content via the network. When the client accesses the client version of the content, the server notifies the following projector(s) to access the projector component of the content via the network so the content may be displayed by the projector.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an apparatus and method for checking component compatibility during the manufacture and installation of a build to order computer system. When components are selected to manufacture the computer, each component may be included in a database that may indicate the revision number of the component and whether the component has any compatibility conflicts with other components. The system may select the latest revision of a component that does not have compatibility conflicts with other components utilized in the computer system. Further, the apparatus and method of the present invention may check new revisions of a component to verify whether a compatibility conflict present in earlier revisions still exists and may update the database when additional compatibility conflicts are identified.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing display brightness on a portable computer when a user switches from an AC adapter to a battery power source provide battery power conservation. The reduction in display brightness is performed gradually so that a sudden brightness drop is not detected by the user. The display brightness reduction is preferably performed sufficiently gradually so that the reduction in brightness is virtually unnoticeable to the human eye.

Abstract: A user interface and software for enabling or performing functions on programs contained within program scheduling information. The user selects a program from the program scheduling information, and the system determines if a function can be enabled for the selected program by determining the differences between the recurring periods of the selected program and the function.