Abstract: A motherboard is capable of accepting various types of fans from same or different manufacturers and is capable identifying the type of fan to which it is connected. In one embodiment, the motherboard is capable of decoding bar code data originating from a fan of the type which, rather than including circuitry for generating a single index pulse, includes an integral optical sensor and bar code pair for generating the bar code data, the motherboard being further capable of and identifying the fan based on the bar code data. Fan identification has a variety of uses including, for example, adjusting motherboard parameters to properly operate the fan based on the type of fan presently coupled to the motherboard. Additionally, fan speed may be calculated from pulses which are intended to identify the fan.

Abstract: A personal communication device comprising a dual mode display for a user's viewing in both a direct-view mode, wherein sufficiently-sized characters are displayed in a manner visible to the user without further magnification, and in “projection-view” mode, wherein more content can be displayed over that of the direct-view mode.

Abstract: A computer system enabled with a Universal Serial Bus data communication interface and a USB enabled input device, such as a computer keyboard, capable of operating in a standard USB mode or in one or more non-standard USB modes. Also disclosed is a method of communicating between the input device and the computer's application program while the device is operating in each mode and a method for switching between operating modes.

Abstract: Communication from a processor in a computer system to a remote input/output (I/O) unit in an expansion drawer using a Peripheral Component Interface (PCI) protocol is optimized to improve system performance. An InfiniBand (IB) protocol link is used to couple the I/O unit to the computer system. In one case the computer system uses a PCI to IB bridge to couple from the processor to a corresponding IB to PCI bridge in the expansion drawer which couples to the I/O unit using a PCI link. Intelligence is added to the PCI to IB bridge to optimize communication by assigning selected PCI command sequences to optimized Macro IB commands. The IB to PCI link has like intelligence to receive and convert the Macro IB commands to the corresponding selected PCI command sequences. Optimization is accomplished by either a learning routine or by a logic state machine that generate the optimized Macro commands.

Abstract: A USB device centric agent is associated with an operating system. The agent software is only required to be loaded once and then it will function with multiple compatible USB devices. A standard interface is established between the device agent and any compatible USB device. This enables any compatible USB device to control the agent which in turn controls the host computer. This is opposite the standard practice where the host controls the USB device.

Abstract: A system, computer program product and method for reconfiguring a cache. A cache array may be created with one or more stacks of cache entries based on a workload. The one or more stacks may be ordered from most frequently used to least frequently used. The cache entries in each particular stack may be ordered from most recently used to least recently used. When a cache hit occurs, the cache entry requested may be stored in the next higher level stack if the updated frequency count is associated with the next higher level stack. When a cache miss occurs, the cache entry in a least recently used stack position in the stack with the lowest number of cache hits in the one or more stack positions tracked during a particular period of time may be evicted thereby allowing the requested information to be stored in the lowest level stack.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a color CRT system that can be easily adapted for installations in either the northern or the southern hemisphere. The CRT is symmetrical with respect to its yamming or set up for the earth's magnetic field so the CRT can be installed in either a normal or an inverted orientation. Likewise the yoke and yoke connector are designed and can be easily installed so the CRT scan starts in the upper left of the CRT in either the normal or inverted installation. The connectors for the neck video card are designed to exit the side of the card so the wires can be routed to the CRT system card in either CRT installation orientation. Finally the anode wire is made with a length and attachment point such that the anode is wireable when the CRT is in the normal or inverted orientation.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for updating firmware in a disk in a disk array in a RAID storage system without deactivating a server coupled to the disk array. Upon selecting the disk whose firmware is to be updated, the selected disk may enter a degrade mode of operation where a RAID controller coupled to the RAID storage system may prevent requests from reaching the selected disk thereby suppressing activity on the selected disk to allow the firmware to be updated. During the updating of the firmware, any stripes updated may be tracked. Upon completion of the firmware update, the stripe units in the selected disk associated with the stripes updated may be rebuilt. In this manner, firmware may be updated on a disk in a RAID storage system without deactivating the server thereby allowing the server to continuously stay active.

Abstract: The present invention utilizes a file locking emulator between an application program and an operating system. The file locking emulator comprises an application program interface and a file lock supervisor. The file locking emulator receives the file locking requests from the application program and generates file requests and file lock query commands. When the application program interface receives a file request it first checks the files lock status and then either returns an error for incompatible file requests or executes the compatible lock request along with any other compatible operation request such as a read, write or truncate file operation. Only code in the file request emulator needs to be rewritten when an application program is ported to different operating systems sharing incompatible but executable processes. In this manner tested code of the application program does not have to be rewritten.

Abstract: A system, computer program product and method for servicing requests. A server may be configured to receive a stream of requests to access particular logical block addresses in one or more logical drives in a RAID from one or more clients. The server may be coupled to one or more RAID adapters that are coupled to the RAID. The server may comprise a software RAID and each RAID adapter may comprise a hardware RAID. By monitoring the utilization of the processors in the server and in each RAID adapter, all or part of these received requests may subsequently be routed to either the software RAID or the hardware RAID based on which implementation is more desirable to service these requests.

Abstract: A kiosk printer for unattended operation is equipped with a presenter to prevent a user from prematurely trying to remove a printed document. The presenter has motor driven feed rollers and a document sensor for determining when the printing document is in the presenter document path. The presenter has a home position adjacent to the printer document exit path. When printing starts, the document enters the presenter feed rollers and is sensed by a document sensor. A drive motor moves the presenter at the same rate as the printing document. When the presenter reaches a feed position it stops and the document sags and forms a document loop as printing continues. When printing stops, the presenter feed rollers feed the document from the kiosk to a user. When the printed document has exited the presenter, the presenter returns to the home position awaiting succeeding printed document.

Abstract: An insertion tool of the type for inserting and connecting a disk drive in a system is provided. The disk drive insertion tool including: a carrying board having an insertion end, back end, opposing top and bottom surfaces, and sides; a side drive guide extending from the top surface along a portion of the carrying board from proximate the insertion end substantially parallel to each of the sides; an end drive guide extending from the top surface proximate an end of the side drive guides opposite the insertion end defining a disk drive compartment between the drive guides for removably securing a disk drive therein; and the sides forming side rails having a reduced cross-section extending from the insertion end, the side rails having a cross-section sized to slide through drive bay guides formed in a system cage.

Abstract: A method and system for reducing a reflection coefficient below a predetermined value thereby reducing jitter by the variation of the effective impedance of a driver appearing to be bounded during state transitions. The driver may include a pull-up driver and a pull-down driver. In the pull-up driver, the transistors may be switched from a first state to a second state in a staggered fashion where the first state is complementary to the second state; In the pull-down driver, the transistors may be switched from a second state to a first state in a staggered fashion. By staggering the switching of the transistors in the pull-up driver and the pull-down driver, a portion of the current may flow from the pull-up driver to the pull-down driver thereby causing the variation of the effective impedance of the driver to appear to be bounded during state transitions.

Abstract: Provided is an universal Interface that is electrically coupled and physically embedded in a peripheral device. The universal Interface allows the peripheral device to be electrically coupled to a host computer having either a universal Serial Bus (USB) port or Legacy RS232 or RS485 ports, thus allowing a single product for different types of serial buses that are presently being sold within the market place.

Abstract: A system and method of the type for aiding a user in navigating a route through a facility so as too efficiently locate specific items within a facility is provided. The system includes a facility processor having a database and software stored thereon for mapping an interactive route from selected location to selected location within a facility, a label located proximate individual items, the label electronically communicating information specific to the item it is associated with, and a digital device having the interactive route electronically stored thereon, the digital device electronically communicating with the facility processor and the labels for tracking movement of the digital device along the route via communication with the labels and communicating a direction to move to follow the route.

Abstract: A socket device for receiving a connection pin is disclosed, the socket device including a substrate having an upper surface. The socket device includes a connection pad disposed on the upper surface and a first layer disposed on the upper surface and on the connection pad. The first layer includes material having an overall positive coefficient of thermal expansion. The socket device includes a second layer disposed on the first layer. The second layer includes material having an overall negative coefficient of thermal expansion. The socket device also includes a contact hole formed in the first and second layers exposing a portion of the connection pad.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for using photoemission to determine the endpoint of a dry etch process. In one embodiment, the endpoint of a dry etch process is determined when the dry etch process is acting on a substrate comprising a layer of a first material overlying a second material. The substrate is illuminated with a beam of monochromatic light. The photon energy of the monochromatic light is greater than the work function of one of the two materials, and less than the work function of the other material. Thus the beam of light is capable of inducing photoemission of electrons in only one of the two materials: the material with a work function less than the photon energy of the beam of light. The electrons emitted by the photoemitting so material are collected. The current generated by the collected stream of electrons, the photocurrent, is amplified. A time-series of amplified photocurrent measurements is monitored for changes that correspond to the endpoint of the dry etch process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing of semiconductor memory devices. In one embodiment, a test mode of operation is defined for a memory device. In a normal mode of operation, a row line to an addressed memory cell is asserted in response to applied external signals corresponding to the beginning of a write-back phase of a read-modify-write cycle. The row line is deasserted on response to applied external signals corresponding to the end of the write-back phase. In the test mode of operation, the row line is asserted in response to the appropriate applied external signals, but deassertion in response to the appropriate applied external signals is suppressed. Instead, deassertion of the row line is forced only upon expiration of a programmable, predetermined time interval following initiation of the write-back phase. The programmable delay can be established by means of an R-C time constant delay circuit.