Abstract: The present invention includes a portable computer having improved resistance to scratching, marring and general abuses that include shock and vibration. The computer has a computer housing that includes a display housing and a main housing. A portion integral to one side of the display housing and that portion being proximal to an operating user has an integral layer of translucent elastomer having elastic properties of materials such that of natural rubber. One side of the main housing includes a location for keyboard placement, a palm rest and a cursor-pointing device. Another side of the main housing makes contact with a generally flat surface when the computer is in use. A portion integral to that side of the main housing also includes a layer of translucent elastomer. The configuration of the translucent elastomers on the computer housing is such they cover at least the corners of the portable computer that are proximal to the operating user.

Abstract: A system and method for preventing damage to media files within a digital camera comprise a power manager for detecting power failures, an interrupt handler for responsively incrementing a counter device and a removable memory driver for performing memory access operations, evaluating the counter device to determine whether a power failure has occurred during the memory access operation and for repeating the memory access operation whenever a power failure has occurred during the memory access operation.

Abstract: A virtual memory for a computer system is provided that is portable between different central processing unit (CPU) types. The system includes a high level virtual memory (HLVM) having high level program codes that are independent of a specific CPU type, a low memory vector table (LMVT) coupled to the HLVM that dispatches a call in response to a high level program code received from the HLVM, and a low level virtual memory (LLVM) coupled to the LMVT having low level program codes that depend on a specific CPU type. The method of operating the virtual memory system includes the steps of generating a high level virtual memory (HLVM) instruction from high level program codes that are independent of specific CPU characteristics and receiving the HLVM instruction in a low memory vector table (LMVT).

Abstract: A graphical user interface (GUI) and accompanying functionality for binding Web page definitional elements to a back-end state (e.g., client- or server-side back-end state) and custom logic is provided. In one embodiment, a template containing definitional elements, custom logic, and bindings are generated that define all or a portion of a Web page based on input received and functionality provided by the invention.

Abstract: A method and apparatus perform optimizations for interface dispatching in an object-oriented programming environment. Specifically, section of code that dispatches an interface method on a particular object is determined. A table of interfaces associated with the class is examined to locate the interface specified by the dispatch. An offset for a location of the interface is determined, and the offset is cached in a class cache. The class cache is then examined when a next dispatch is received to determine whether the interface associated with the offset in the class cache matches the interface specified by the next dispatch.

Abstract: A single file, such as an HTML document, is logically divided into multiple articles that can be individually recognized and ranked by search engines. The segmentation of a document into separate articles is based upon tokens that are used in document mark-up languages. In addition to the tokens which delineate articles from one another, additional tokens, or tags, are used to create a named location for each article, so that a browser can immediately display an article within a document that is relevant to a search query.

Abstract: Cache memory is managed to update the data stored in the cache regardless of whether the address being operated upon is designated as cache inhibited. In this way, the contents of the cache are coherent with main memory so that when the processor redesignates a noncacheable range of addresses to be cacheable, the cache does not need to be flushed. Read operations follow cache inhibit faithfully.

Abstract: A power-up switch circuit in a peripheral device such as a keyboard is coupled to the main processing portion of a computer via an interface bus. The switch circuit together with bias and detection circuitry in the main processing portion allow non-intrusive use of a data communication line of the interface for controlling the supply of power to the main processing portion, without requiring a dedicated power-on wire between the peripheral device and the processing portion. A repeater circuit between the keyboard and the main processing portion causes a second signal to be sent through an upstream portion of the interface bus in response to receiving a first signal through a downstream portion of the bus, while the main processing portion is in low power mode. The repeater is also configured to not affect the interface bus when the main processing portion is in high power mode.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for switching between execution of a plurality of object code types having different conventions for invoking program procedures and performing stack manipulations. The invention may also be used to switch between different calling conventions within a single object code type. Briefly according to the invention, a computer system comprises a routine descriptor, a stack switch frame, a mode switching mechanism for switching from a first processor, code or calling convention type to a second processor, code or calling convention type and means for executing instructions in various code types. A routine descriptor describes a program or code segment and its code type and calling conventions. A routine descriptor contains, among other information, a “mixed mode” field which is set to a specific, predetermined value such as a value indicating an instruction which is not legal in the runtime environment of a first processor, code or calling convention type.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for configuring a computer. One embodiment of the invention combines all of the prior art control panels related to networking into a consolidated Network Setup Control Panel. In addition, the invention provides for computer configuration by scripting. The configuration may be for a type of system setting or for network configurations and protocols. Through scripting, a computer may be configured locally or remotely on a network. One embodiment of the invention provides for a centralized database or Configuration Library consisting of collected data relating to available configuration settings. This database is not limited to configuration information and can be used as a general database containing information the user desires to store. To modify a configuration by scripting, the invention provides for a Scripting Interface consisting of a Scripting Server and Scripting Plug-In.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for integrating applets running on a client with the application logic for applications running on a server. The mechanism of the present invention provides two significant advantages over the prior art: the synchronization of state, and the recognition of user actions in the browser including the invocation of the appropriate application logic in the server. Instead of using the FORM element available in HTML, individual active applets are available and may be created that obtain user input (e.g. a checkbox, textbox, button, etc.). A hidden applet called the Applet Group Controller is created which handles communication between the applets on the browser and the application logic on the server. The Applet Group Controller maintains an association with each applet that maintains the keys and values of any parameters and variables for the applet.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for reducing file names and for retrieving files having reduced file names. In response to a request to access file names that are not supportable by an applications programming interface (API), a file manager program retrieves an original file name having an original file name length and an original file identifier. Next, the file manager divides the original file name into a set of primary characters and a set of extension characters. A shortened identifier having a set of shortened identifier characters is created by encoding the original file identifier. The primary characters are then truncated. A reduced file name is then created by combining the truncated characters, a reduced file name marker, the shortened identifier, and the extension characters.

Abstract: An applications programming interface implements and manages isochronous and asynchronous data transfer operations between an application and a bus structure. During an asyncronous transfer the API includes the ability to transfer any amount of data between one or more local data buffers within the application and a range of addresses over the bus structure using one or more asynchronous transactions. An automatic transaction generator may be used to automatically generate the transactions necessary to complete the data transfer. The API also includes the ability to transfer data between the application and another node on the bus structure isochronously over a dedicated channel. During an isochronous data transfer, a buffer management scheme is used to manage a linked list of data buffer descriptors. This linked descriptor list can form a circular list of buffers and include a forward pointer to the next buffer in the list and a backward pointer to the previous buffer in the list for each buffer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for organizing information in a computer filing system. The method and apparatus include the creation of a pile comprising a collection of documents and displaying a graphical representation of the collection of documents. The method and apparatus further include browsing the collection of documents by pointing a cursor at a particular item in the collection of documents to reveal an indicia for the particular item in the collection of documents. The filing system can automatically divide a pile (e.g. a collection of documents from an electronic mail network) into subpiles on the basis of the content of each document in the pile, and the filing system, at the user's request can automatically file away documents into existing piles in the computer system on the basis of a similarity match between the content (or other internal representation) of the document and the content (or other internal representation) of existing piles in the computer system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for controlling a screen display of an electronic book. The contents of the book are displayed on a screen of the computer system as pages with which the user interacts by a pointer such as a pen or stylus. The navigational tool set performs various functions including one or more of the following: (1) creating page displays for content of the book, (2) providing a navigation interface for identifying material in the book and moving to desired locations, (3) finding character strings located within the book, and (4) accepting handwritten information on pages of the book. The electronic book includes a “bookmark” button which when selected displays a bookmark icon and inserts a bookmark in the book at the page that is currently displayed. Thereafter the user can close the book or move to another page and automatically return to the marked page by selecting the bookmark icon.

Abstract: A system for retrieving information which is relevant to a user's input. The system has an input interface through which a user can enter an input. A questions source is coupled to the input interface and contains questions which are comparable to the input and which the source retrieves in response to an input. An information source is coupled to the input interface and contains information which is relevant to retrieved questions. A searcher is coupled to the input interface for searching the information source for information which is relevant to the input. A method for a computer system to retrieve information relevant to a user's input includes the steps of: entering an input in an input interface; matching the input with a question stored in a questions source; and selecting a question in the questions source with which to retrieve information relevant to the question.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a user with increased flexibility and control over the appearance and behavior of objects on a user interface are described. Sets of objects can be grouped into themes to provide a user with a distinct overall impression of the interface. These themes can be switched dynamically by switching pointers to drawing procedures or switching data being supplied to these procedures. To buffer applications from the switchable nature of graphical user interfaces according to the present invention, colors and patterns used to implement the interface objects are abstracted from the interface by, for example, pattern look-up tables.