Abstract: A method, system, and product are described for improving the performance of a TCP connection. A cache is established for storing protocol control blocks (PCBs). The protocol control blocks are associated with sockets which were created in response to TCP connections. PCBs are stored in the cache. PCBs may be prioritized. High priority PCBs are stored in the PCB cache while the low priority PCBs are stored in a linked list in a hash table.

Abstract: In an interactive display interface, an implementation for setting up around each of the selectable items, e.g. icons, a perimeter zone or halo at a predetermined distance from the perimeter of the item or icon. Thus, when an icon with such a halo is approached by an on-screen pointer, e.g. cursor, there are means for moving an adjacent icon which is within this halo to a screen position beyond this predetermined distance, i.e halo. The moved adjacent icons are subsequently returned to their original positions after a set period of time or after the pointer or cursor has moved beyond the approached icon. One aspect of this invention is directed to an icon state wherein said adjacent icons and selectable icons overlap each other and, thus, it is difficult for the user to distinguish which icon he wishes to select.

Abstract: A method of reducing power consumption while maintaining performance characteristics and avoiding costly over-design of a high-speed communication link embedded in an SOC is provided. The method includes synthesizing the communication link at a reduced voltage to determine and isolate circuitry that is supply-voltage-critical from circuitry that is non-supply-voltage-critical. The supply-voltage-critical circuitry contains components that may not operate at the reduced voltage without degrading the performance characteristics of the communication link. A non-reduced voltage is used to drive the supply-voltage-critical circuitry while the reduced voltage is used to drive the non-supply-voltage-critical circuitry. The reduced voltage is generated using a voltage regulator embedded in the communication link.

Abstract: A method for a user interface includes selecting information from a current location and placing the information in a queue for later placement at a destination, and then selecting a destination and placing the information at the destination. Responsive to the placing of the information in the queue, and until the placing of the information at the destination, the information is displayed in the current location and an appearance of a user display pointer shows that the queue has an entry. The queue is capable of holding second information concurrent with the first information.

Abstract: A method, system, apparatus and computer program product for reducing the number of physical storage systems needed for a volume group to remain active are provided. This is accomplished by creating mirroring sets out of the physical storage systems in the volume group and by setting up a policy that so long as one mirror out of each mirror set is available, the volume group should be allowed to remain active. To activate a volume group (i.e., when the computer system is turned or reset), there have to be at least one full mirror set and at least one mirror out of each remaining mirror set available. These two policies guarantee that there will always be valid metadata in the system.

Abstract: A facilitated input unit (165,170), particularly for allowing a disabled person to use a computer (100). The input unit includes a small display (165) for showing available input items (such as characters, number, and control keys), which is distinct from a monitor (145) of the computer; a headset (170), or other equivalent means, is used to select one of the items and enter the selected item into the system without using the user's hands, thereby simulating a keyboard (155) of the computer.

Abstract: A modular connector with an integrated anti-snag feature is provided. The modular connector has a first flexible tab attached at a first end of the connector. The first flexible tab has a first and a second part. The first part is connected to and projected upward and away from the first end of the connector and the second part is angled downward toward a second end of the connector but unattached thereto. The first part meets with the second part at a flexible intersection whereby a force exerted onto either the first part or the second part is enabled to depress the flexible first tab downward. The connector also has a second flexible tab. The second flexible tab is attached at the second end of the connector and is projected at an angle toward the first flexible tab. The first end and second end of the connector are at opposite ends of each other. The second flexible tab is used to prevent the connector from snagging on objects such as cables, components etc.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for creating instruction groups for explicitly parallel architectures is provided. The apparatus and method gather information about the underlying architecture for use in an instruction group creation phase. The information gathered includes the number of each type of execution unit available and the number of bundles that can be dispatched concurrently by the architecture. The instruction group creation of the present invention includes three phases: a first phase for performing initial grouping, a second phase for hosting instructions from further down in the program instruction order if the instruction is not able to be added during the initial grouping phase, and a third optional phase for counting the number of bundles formed to thereby inform a Just-In-Time compiler of the amount of space need to be allocated in a code buffer.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for converting configuration information input in a format for a first version of a management protocol into configuration information for a second version of the management protocol is provided. In particular, a method and apparatus for converting Simple Network Management Protocol version 1/2c (SNMPv1/v2c) style community-based access configuration information into user-based access information for configuring a SNMPv3 agent is provided. The method and apparatus make use of various graphical user interfaces to allow a user to enter configuration information in a format with which the user is familiar. The method and apparatus of the present invention then maps the configuration information into a format used by the device being configured.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for improving devirtualization of method calls. The apparatus and methods reduce the amount of processing time used in performing lookups of methods by limiting such lookups to calls of methods that have been either overridden or overloaded. If a method has not been overridden or overloaded, a branch to the compiled method code is directly taken. If a method has been overridden or overloaded, a lookup routine is executed for looking-up the appropriate method to be invoked on the passed object. The identification of whether to use a lookup routine may be performed in many different ways including providing an extra field in a method block of the method, inserting code into a prolog of the method, and the like.

Abstract: A method and system for processing authenticated data objects. An authenticated data object utility allows a user to view and edit the contents of data objects embedded within an authenticated data object via a graphical user interface. Graphical objects represent the data objects embedded within an authenticated data object. A user may drag and drop objects onto other objects within the authenticated data object, and the authenticated data object utility automatically performs the necessary authenticating operations. Logical associations between data objects contained within the authenticated data object, such as between certificates and recipient information objects, are determined or created, and the logical associations are displayed using visual indicators. As data objects are added or deleted through user actions on the graphical objects, the visual indicators are updated to reflect any updates to the logical associations between the data objects.

Abstract: A method and system for processing signed data objects in a data processing system is presented. A signed data object utility allows a user to view and edit the contents of data objects embedded within a signed data object via a graphical user interface. Graphical objects represent the data objects embedded within a signed data object. A user may drag and drop objects onto other objects within the signed data object, and the signed data object utility automatically performs the necessary signing operations. Logical associations between data objects contained within the signed data object are determined, and the logical associations are displayed using visual indicators between graphical objects representing the associated data objects. As data objects are added or deleted, the visual indicators are updated to reflect any updates to the logical associations. The user may direct other operations on the signed data object through the graphical user interface.

Abstract: A system and method of generating a link between a note of a digital score and a realization of the score are provided. To do so, a digital score is processed to generate an onset curve. The onset curve is then filtered to generate a first series of first time intervals, which each have a significant number of onsets. A realization of the digital score is also processed to generate a second series of second time intervals, which each have a significant dynamic change of the realization. The first and the second series of time intervals are then correlated to produce the link.

Abstract: A processor having improved branch prediction accuracy includes at least one execution unit that executes sequential instructions, a condition register, and a branch prediction circuit that predicts a condition register-dependent branch instruction by reference to a potentially stale condition register value to produce a speculative instruction fetch address. In a preferred embodiment, the processor includes branch execution circuitry that subsequently determines if the speculative instruction fetch address is correct by reference to a non-stale value of the condition register.

Abstract: A modified client application within a network for use in accessing and displaying cached files. The modified client application has access to a client cache in which a copy of files downloaded from the network server is stored. When a particular file is requested, logic components within the client application determine if the requested file is resident in the client cache. If the requested file is resident in the client cache, the file is displayed within the graphical user interface (GUI) of the requesting application along with an indicator by which the user is notified that the displayed file is a cached file. Different indicator types are possible, including a cache message button which is displayed within the application GUI, and a color coded scheme which causes the file or fileile border to be displayed in a different color whenever the displayed file is cached.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in a data processing system for managing receipt of data by a browser through a communications interface. Responsive to a user input, a first rate at which data is received is reduced at the browser to a decreased rate. A determination is then made as to whether incoming data for the communications interface is being received at a rate less than a threshold. Responsive to a determination that incoming data for the communications interface is being received at a rate less than the threshold, the first rate at which data is at the browser is restored.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus, method and computer program product for privatizing operating system data. With the apparatus, method and computer program product of the present invention, a block of memory is allocated and divided into identical, smaller, properly aligned storage areas, each dedicated to a single processor in a multiprocessor system. The storage areas are allocated either initially when the system is initialized or on an as needed basis. Each sub-allocation request is made to use storage at the same location relative to the start of that processor's storage space. Because each processor's storage is isomorphic to all other processors, only one allocation record for all processors is needed, thereby reducing the overhead of the data privatization scheme. By allocating memory in this manner, cache line contention is minimized.

Abstract: A shared memory multiprocessor (SMP) data processing system includes a store buffer implemented in a memory controller for temporarily storing recently accessed memory data within the data processing system. The memory controller includes control logic for maintaining coherency between the memory controller's store buffer and memory. The memory controller's store buffer is configured into one or more arrays sufficiently mapped to handle I/O and CPU bandwidth requirements. The combination of the store buffer and the control logic operates as a front end within the memory controller in that all memory requests are first processed by the control logic/store buffer combination for reducing memory latency and increasing effective memory bandwidth by eliminating certain memory read and write operations.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for starvation load balancing using a global run queue in a multiple run queue system. The apparatus includes a controller, memory, initial load balancing device, idle load balancing device, periodic load balancing device, and starvation load balancing device. The apparatus performs initial load balancing, idle load balancing, periodic load balancing and starvation load balancing to ensure that the workloads for the processors of the system are optimally balanced.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for building metadata using a heartbeat of a clustered system are provided. The apparatus and method send portions of metadata for a computer system resource, to each of the other computer systems in the clustered system as a heartbeat data message. Upon receiving the heartbeat data message having the portion of metadata, the receiving computer systems store the portion of metadata in a temporary storage until all of the metadata is received. In subsequent heartbeat data messages, the remaining portions of the metadata are transmitted to the computer systems which, upon receiving all portions of the metadata, store the metadata in a secure location. If the sending computer system were to fail, the metadata stored in the secure location is read and used to takeover the resources of the failed computer system. In this way, the processing cycles used to read in the metadata from the resources of the failed computer system in the prior art are eliminated.