Abstract: An improved computer system ring interconnection comprising a plurality of nodes each such node being associated with at least one of a plurality of computer system components; transmission apparatus connecting each of said nodes to a node which is a source of information and to a node which is a recipient of information; each of such nodes comprising apparatus for distributing information received from a node which is a source of information, apparatus for receiving information from and transferring information to the associated one of the system components, apparatus for relaying between the transmission apparatus information to be transferred through the node directed to other such nodes, apparatus for placing a voucher signal on the transmission apparatus in response to the receipt of information from the associated one of such components to indicate that the component has information to be transmitted to another system component, apparatus responsive to the receipt of a voucher signal for determining whe

Abstract: A method for manipulating the control points of a symbol image represented by an outline font to improve the appearance of the font on raster output devices which are under control of a computer. The method includes storing control points specifying the outlines of a symbol image, specifying the desired movement direction defined by a first unit vector in which the control point should move, and specifying a desired measurement direction defined by a second unit vector by which the movement of the control point should be measured. The desired measurement direction and the desired movement direction forming an angle of predetermined size. The method further includes moving the control points in the desired movement direction and measuring the control points against the predetermined angle with the desired measurement direction, this measurement producing a resulting movement direction and storing the results of the manipulation of the control points in a memory means.

Abstract: A system that allows inductive connectors to be electrically coupled without having to mechanical align the same. The connectors have a primary coil coupled to a secondary coil. The primary coil transmits either power or digital signals to the secondary coil. The power induced onto the secondary coil is a function of the distance between coils. The farther apart the coils are, the less power is transmitted to the secondary coil. To insure that the proper level of power is received by the secondary coil, a feedback circuit is incorporated to vary the output of power on the primary coil as a function of the voltage induced onto the secondary connectors. If connectors are spaced apart beyond a predetermined distance, the feedback system increases the power on the primary coil.

Abstract: The present invention provides a bus transceiver incorporating a high speed, binary transfer mode for the half-duplex transfer of data signals with a ternary control transfer mode having a full duplex dominant logic transmission scheme for the full duplex transfer of control signals. In one embodiment of the present invention, the above-noted transfer modes are implemented in a bus architecture which includes at least a first communications node coupled to a second communications node via a twisted pair, serial bus. Each node comprises first transceiver and second transceivers having a differential driver for driving on the bus signal states comprising first and second signal states having equal current amplitudes opposite in sign and a third signal state having approximately a zero current amplitude, a high speed binary receiver for receiving high speed data signals during data transfer phases and a ternary receiver for receiving control signals during control transfer phases.

Abstract: An elasticity buffer for use in a data transmission system having a transmitter and a receiver and utilizing a data transfer protocol that periodically supplies an elasticity element that can be deleted or replicated by the elasticity buffer to maintain the synchronous transfer of data elements.

Abstract: A first embodiment of the present invention comprises a fully functional portable computer with central processing unit, hard disk drive data storage, and liquid crystal display and a docking station having at least a floppy disk drive, video random access memory and video controller. A motorized docking/undocking mechanism automatically docks and undocks the portable computer and docking station after the user has inserted the portable computer into the docking station or after the user has requested that the units be undocked. Numerous mechanical and electrical safeguards prevent the docking or undocking of the units if such docking or undocking is likely to lead to the loss of data or damage to the components of either unit. The internal mechanical construction of the docking station allows the user to place a large cathode ray tube display monitor directly atop the docking station without hindering the docking or undocking of the portable computer.

Abstract: A method for defining and identifying valid patterns for used in a pattern recognition system. The method is particularly well suited for defining and recognizing patterns comprised of subpatterns which have multi-dimensional relationships. The definition portion is embodied in a constrained attribute grammar. The constrained attribute grammar includes nonterminal, keyword and non-keyword symbols, attribute definitions corresponding to each symbol, a set of production rules, and a relevance measure for each of the key symbols. Each of the symbols represents a subpattern. The production rules includes syntactic, semantic, constraints and action portions. It is the production rules which define the dimensional relationships between the various subpatterns. An instantiation of a constrained attribute grammar is called a language. The verification portion is comprised of a parsing scheme that determines validity of a pattern.

Abstract: This invention provides a thin, light assembly for a LCD, light guide and circuitry by using an internal frame with a central opening, above which is mounted a LCD and below which is mounted a light guide for directing light through the opening into the display. To one side of the light guide is mounted a light bulb for introducing light into the light guide. The internal frame also supports mounting of circuitry adjacent and coupled to the LCD.

Abstract: A three degrees of freedom interactive display controller device is disclosed, comprising a hand manipulable housing unit having an opening for the passage of a mouse ball, two motion detectors for detecting the movement of the mouse ball and converting that motion to output signals controlling the translational movement of an object on the display of a computer and at least one finger operated wheel or roller for controlling the translational motion of the object with respect to a third translational axis. All translation controls are operable to be physically moved in a direction which corresponds to the desired simulated direction of movement of the object on the display. The physical motion of each control is unbounded and the actual physical position of the housing unit is independent of the simulated position of the object on the display.

Abstract: A window structure has a door which slides substantially parallel to a wall to open and close a window therein and hides parallel to and behind the wall when the window is opened. Guide pins protrude upward and downward from the door, and elongated slots are formed in guide plates attached to the wall so as to serve as passageways for the guide pins to travel therein and therealong as the door is slidably moved between open and closed positions. A biasing member such as a cantilevered plate spring is provided to keep the window closed with its biasing force once it is closed and to prevent it from closing when the door is in open position.

Abstract: A circuit for use in a peripheral interface unit of a microprocessor-based system that actively drives a tri-state data strobe acknowledge (DSACK*) signal to a logical low state after a delay following assertion of an address strobe by the microprocessor. The DSACK* signal is then actively driven to a logical high state in response to deassertion of the address strobe. The DSACK* signal is then returned to a high impedance state. A Schmitt trigger feedback circuit guarantees that the resulting digital "high" level in the high impedance state will exceed a defined, minimum voltage level, regardless of the circuit's capacitance load.

Abstract: Graphical data are generated and manipulated for display on computer display devices. In the method of the present invention, all graphical images are maintained as a set of base geometries to which all geometrical operations will be applied. The encapsulation of the geometry is referred as a shape and shapes may be aggregated into objects called pictures. Geometrical operations will be performed at all times on the geometries in a local space, while further in the hierarchy the results of these operations will be rendered for whatever display device is being used in a hierarchical output method. Caches are maintained for geometry calculations such that regardless of the resolution of the output display, calculations need only be done once and geometric information is not lost as a result of bitmap processing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for simultaneously rendering multiple scanlines. Using a scanline approach to rendering, multiple scanlines may be rendered simultaneously through the use of parallel rendering means. The rendering of multiple scanlines in parallel is enabled by creating scanline independence. Scanline independence is achieved by interpolation through direct evaluation of object information. During the rendering process each of the rendering means vertically interpolates to identify a span corresponding to the scanline being rendered. A span is identified by it's X, Y coordinates on a scanline. The scanline being rendered provides the Y-coordinate.

Abstract: Storage and access of compressed data via separately compressed and stored variable size logical blocks. Portions of an uncompressed data file are compressed until they reach a logical block size which matches a given sector size or block of storage space. Then that compressed logical block (portion of compressed data) is stored into a sector allocated to it and a table is built correlating the range of original compressed data to the sector storing the compressed data. In this way, data is compressed into a block size which matches the characteristics of the particular storage medium used. Thus the present invention efficiently stores compressed data by filling allocated sectors. When it is desired to read a given portion of data within a stored compressed data file, it is first determined where within the original data file the desired portion resided. Then, the table created as part of the compression and storage sequence is used to determine which sector contains the desired data.