Abstract: A method at the receiver of a communication medium which receives communication packages and performs buffer size allocations. The method heuristically determines, based on measurements taken directly from the communication medium an appropriate buffer size sufficient to store incoming data packets without wasting memory at the receiver.

Abstract: A computer graphics system having a processor for generating objects for display, a multi-layered Z-buffer for storing data according to their relative depths, the processor also compositing the data stored in the Z-buffer, a frame buffer for storing composited data, a display for displaying an image as a number of pixels responsive to the composited data in the frame buffer, and two registers for facilitating the Z-buffering process is disclosed. One of the registers stores a number indicating how many of the layers in the Z-buffer contain visible data dependent on opacity of existing objects. In the other register, a number of addresses corresponding to each of the layers of the Z-buffer are stored. Each address specifies a location where data of one of the layers is stored. A determination is made as to which layer data associated with an incoming object is to be inserted.

Abstract: A system and method for recovering from a power failure in a digital camera comprises a power manager for detecting and handling power failures, an interrupt handler for responsively incrementing a counter device, service routines which register to receive notification of the power failure, and a processor for evaluating the counter and providing notification of the power failure to the service routines which may then assist the digital camera to recover from the power failure.

Abstract: A hierarchical registration architecture manages and organizes the collection of performance information, such as statistics and tracing, for an extensible operating system of a computer. The registration architecture, or registry, comprises a multi-linked tree data structure within a main memory for accessing the performance information. Writer entities register their intent to collect and store performance information in the registry by creating objects, via novel API calls, as nodes organized within the tree structure. Each object node of the registry is named according to a convention that identifies the type of performance data collected by that node. Each object node further represents a single data item having a single data type for collecting the performance and a reference to the actual storage location of its collected performance information. Information storage preferably occurs in globally-shared memory so that any software entity can access the information.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method of dynamic rendering protocol for display of glyphs used in a data processor comprising the steps of listing output image formats of font scalers which can be outputted to a graphics system and listing input image formats which can be inputted to a blitter function. These input image formats and output image formats are intersected, and an ordered list of the intersecting input image formats with output image formats are generated based upon a predetermined criteria. The first of the ordered list can then be selected for use.

Abstract: A sensor is provided for automatically detecting the presence or absence of an electronic device which interfaces with other devices via an information signal. The sensor comprises a receiving connector which receives a mating connector associated with the electronic device to electrically and physically connect the device to the sensor and to another device. The receiving connector includes a terminal to which the information signal is applied. The sensor also comprises a sensing circuit connected to the terminal of the receiving connector for detecting whether the information signal is present at the terminal. The sensing circuit generates an output signal which indicates when a mating connector is received within the receiving connector, and thus whether the electronic device is present, in dependence upon whether the information signal is detected at the terminal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process and apparatus for generating value lists. The operations for generating a value list include providing a first database having a plurality of fields configured to display values that are associated with predefined information types. Preferably a second database having a plurality of fields containing values associated with predefined information types is also provided. Once the databases are provided, one of the plurality of fields in the first database is selected to be associated with a value list. The selected field will preferably have a particular information type, and the value list will preferably contain one or more values that are specific to the particular information type. The process then proceeds to define the value list to contain values from certain fields of the second database.

Abstract: A system for displaying and manipulating image data sets includes a display device, a memory, and a processing unit. The memory includes a view management unit that generates a graphical window showing thumbnail representations of programmed groups. A method for displaying and manipulating image data sets includes the steps of generating a first graphical window showing thumbnail representations of programmed groups, generating a second graphical window showing thumbnail representations of data objects contained in a programmed group selected from the first graphical window, and invoking an application program in response to the selection of a thumbnail representation of a data object from the second graphical window.

Abstract: Systems and methods for drawing objects on a display and, in particular, on a graphical user interface are described. Arbitrarily sized objects having straight sides and arbitrarily shaped corners can be drawn using one or more concentric rings which enclose an optional face. Each ring is specified as part of a data structure in terms of position, fill pattern and bits to be turned on. As a result, changes to the object's appearance attributes, such as, size, shape and color, can be made without requiring new program code.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to providing a method and apparatus for enhanced processing of partitioned image data in a manner which permits efficient processing (for example, real-time processing) of the image data without sacrificing the quality of the reconstructed image. In accordance with exemplary embodiments, image data associated with a partitioned frame of input image data is stored along with information which identifies relative placement of each partitioned subimage within the frame of image data. The information is retained during processing of the input frame of image data, such that the original image can be reconstructed therefrom without the inclusion of holes or artifacts due to misalignment of boundaries. Thus, an input frame of image data which has been partitioned can be efficient transmitted, stored and rendered without concern that quality of the reconstructed image will be sacrificed.

Abstract: After each complete stroke in a handwriting recognition process, a hypothesis is generated whether a word break is present between the previous stroke and the new stroke. This hypothesis is weighted with a probability of a word-break occurring between the strokes. This probability is determined from the geometrical relationships between characters. Subsequently, a word search is carried out on the basis of these weighted hypotheses, to identity the most likely candidates for the words represented by the written strokes. A user interface is provided that offers the user a limited list of alternative word recognitions for a group of characters. These recognitions undergo segmentation filtering, in accordance with the word breaks of the selected hypotheses, to present the user with only those alternatives having the same groupings of strokes.

Abstract: A computer system handling multiple applications wherein groups of I/O services are accessible through separate application programming interfaces. Each application has multiple application programming interfaces by which to access different families of I/O services, such as I/O devices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring control between application programs. A messaging means is provided which allows a first application program to indicate to the messaging means that a second application program should assume control. The messaging means receives the message and performs an orderly shutdown of the first application program and messages the second application program that it should commence operation. Upon valid and proper operation of the second application program, the first application program is caused to be suspended, and the second application program is invoked.

Abstract: A high quality speaker for use with a personal computer is used in two modes, first as a conventional, multi-function speaker for conventional computer audio output and second as a sub-woofer for use in combination with auxiliary speakers. The input of the speaker circuitry is adjusted according to the desired use. In a third mode, the speaker is deactivated entirely. Automatic switching between modes avoids having to manually reconfigure the mode of speaker operation when activating or deactivating an auxiliary speaker system. The speaker can be integrated with the computer enclosure. For example, a separate speaker enclosure can be designed to occupy some portion of space internal to a computer enclosure at least some of which would otherwise have been merely empty space.

Abstract: A system and method for executing applications written in a cooperative scheduling environment in a preemptive task scheduling environment, ensuring that the time sequence for the delivery of interrupts is not altered in the preemptive task scheduling environment, efficiently disabling all cooperative interrupts in response to a request from an application, efficiently scheduling all cooperative interrupts, and efficiently executing emulated instructions while preserving the integrity of the emulated instructions. The system and method utilize a process server to enforce the cooperative scheduling, a cooperative interrupt server and a holds queue to enforce the interrupt requirements, and special context data to ensure the compatibility of applications designed using an old instruction set architecture.

Abstract: When an object-oriented program calls a native SOM method, a data structure is created for handling exceptions. If an exception occurs during the execution of the SOM method, data values relating to the exception are placed in the data structure, and it is labeled to identify its type. This label is used to select a class within the object-oriented program having properties similar to the exception. An instance of this class is allocated, and the exception data is copied into the object, which can then be used to generate an exception within the object-oriented program.

Abstract: The clock configuration of a printed circuit board (PCB) processor card is described. A processor card including a processor, its associated processor card system bus, a clock generator, and its associated processor card system clock bus is optimized by providing various clock configurations and distributions. In one configuration, multiple clock signals are coupled to a system clock bus for distributing to a host card having system devices. In another configuration, multiple clock signals having various clock rates are coupled to the processor device on the processor card.

Abstract: A method of providing text faces to a graphics display system in a data processor. The method includes the steps of receiving a request for a text face from a graphics system and determining whether the requested text face has been saved. If the requested text face has been saved, then it is retrieved. If it has not been saved, then it is generated and saved for access by the graphics system. In this manner, a single generation of a text face is necessary. The storage of the generated text face saves the system from having to generate the same text face repeatedly.

Abstract: A color matching system initializes a translator by storing profiles of source and destination color devices which include the coordinates in a calibrated color space of the colorants produced in the source and destination devices and a tonal reproduction curve for each device. Mixing equations and parameters are precomputed to be used in matching calculations of an image including color pixels to be matched. The color gamut is divided into mixing regions in which a given point can be produced by a mixture of two chromatic colorants and the achromatic colorants of the destination device. A technique for selecting a mixing region is included which is based on the slopes of vectors defining the colorants of the destination device, and the sample color to be produced.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process and apparatus for transferring data between an active file being used by an application and an external file that is stored on a storage medium. The active file will preferably have a different format than the external file. The apparatus includes a primary data structure that has plurality of standard fields and an extended field. At least some of the plurality of standard fields and the extended field are preferably associated with an element of data transferred between the active file and the external file. The primary data structure will have a directive field that is set by the application when a data transfer between the files is desired. A translator configured to extract the element of data from one of the active file and external file in response to the directive field being set by the application is provided.