Abstract: A system for generating a binary representation signal, which is suitable for outputting on an output device, from a continuous toned image signal that is adapted insure local correspondence between the average value of the input signal and the output being representation signal for local spatial areas comprises a processor, an input device, an image adaptor, a summer, a dither signal generator, and a pixel activator. The image adaptor receives a reference image signal, determines the number of pixels in local areas that are to be activated and generates an adaptive signal. The summer sums a dither signal from the dither signal generator and a continuous toned image signal to generate a ditherized signal. The pixel activator receives the adaptive signal and the ditherized signal. The pixel activator generates a signal to activate the pixels in each local area that have the highest sum according to the adaptive signal.

Abstract: A system which enables new data paths that form different network configurations to be constructed during the run time of the computer determines whether a given configuration specified by a user is legitimate, and if so, creates a data path. In operation, a user issues a command to open a data path containing a particular protocol module. In response, an open handler inquires whether the particular configuration specified by the user is proper. This inquiry is sent to individual configurators, which comprise shared libraries containing routines pertaining to the various protocols stored in the computer. A configurator responds to the inquiry if it contains information pertaining to the protocol identified by the user. The routines in the configurator also indicate whether the protocol module can be connected in a legitimate configuration. If it can, a data path is created.

Abstract: A virtual memory system for a computer employs decentralized management of secondary storage media. The caching of data obtained from secondary storage is controlled by software management entities that lie outside of the operating system. These entities communicate with the operating system through a message-based interface relationship. With the decentralized approach, the operating system can remain relatively simple, while specific backing store management entity modules can be tailored to accommodate new types of hardware and data organization.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for storing on centralized mass storage devices archival data from multiple computers in a networked environment. In a networked computer system having a communication network interconnecting one or more computers and a storage unit, parallel processes are created to perform repeated backup operations for disks on computer devices on the communication network. The backup operations for a disk include a backup initialization which occurs when a primary storage device does not have a full index or a backup data file for a disk but a secondary storage device does. During a backup initialization, data from the files and directories on that disk along with an index entry for each file or directory are passed to the primary storage device which directly passes that information directly through to the secondary storage device. The index entries are incorporated into a full index and the data is incorporated into a backup data file.

Abstract: In a computer system, an apparatus for depicting an electronic mail address in either a field format or a string format. In a field format, the components of the electronic mail address is parsed into a plurality of fields. Each field represents a particular attribute of the electronic mail address. In a string format, the electronic mail address is comprised of a string of characters in a syntax specified by the protocol of the corresponding electronic mail system. A template having syntax information corresponding to the protocol is used to convert an electronic mail address from a field format to a string format and vice versa. Hence, a user has the option of entering an electronic mail address and having it displayed or edited in either a field format or a string format.

Abstract: A computer-human interface employs parts as the basic structural elements of documents. At the time a part is opened, an editor is bound to the part in a manner which makes most efficient use of programs available on the computer. The binding system first determines whether the preferred editor for the part is available on the computer. If so, that editor is bound to the part and launched, if it is not already running. If the preferred editor is not available, the system attempts to locate the most suitable handler for the part, based upon various characteristics of the part's contents, such as their category and kind. If a suitable editor or other handler is available on the computer, it is bound to the part and launched. If necessary, the part is translated from one kind into another kind for which an editor is available. If no editor suitable for the part can be located within the computer's available programs, a handler of last resort is bound to the part as its editor.

Abstract: A hierarchical movie is provided. A hierarchical movie is a movie that contains one or more embedded movies. Embedded movies may themselves contain embedded movies. Each movie contains zero or more media sequences. Within a hierarchical movie, media sequences that should be edited together may be grouped together using embedded movies. The media sequences of a hierarchical movie may be sequenced during playback based on a different time coordinate system than the time coordinate system that governs any embedded movies. This allows a movie to contain both time-based and time-independent media sequences. Also, the relative timing of events in the movie may vary from performance to performance. The hierarchical movie structure allows movies to be used as user interface controls, and even as field-sensitive databases.

Abstract: The execution time overhead of software emulation is reduced by selecting frequently emulated instruction sequences in the software being emulated, and translating those instruction sequences into the instruction set of the emulating processor. In a first phase, frequently repeated sequences of emulated computer code are identified and selected for translation. In a second phase, the selected sequences from the instruction set of the emulated processor are translated into equivalent sequences for the instruction set of the emulating processor. In a third phase, the instruction sequence of the emulating processor is executed in lieu of emulating the original instructions from the emulated software.

Abstract: The power management system tracks the total amount of power drawn from a bus by devices connected to the bus and to the bus itself, based on the individual operational status of each device. The power manager system also tracks the total amount of power supplied to the bus. From this information the power manager system determines whether a power surplus exists sufficient to allow an additional device to operate or to allow a currently operating device to draw more power. Power usage requests received from devices connected to the bus are granted or denied by the power management system based on the determination of available power. The power management system additionally is capable of sequencing the use of several devices to allow the devices to each operate while maintaining the total power draw within an acceptable range. The system provides for efficient use of a limited amount of power to allow operation of more devices than conventionally allowed with a bus.

Abstract: A method for managing network services on the plurality of network servers in a computer network. The method includes the step of providing at least one service component in a component repository. The service component corresponds to one of the network services. There is also included the step of providing a server manager component, which communicates with the component repository to ascertain the presence of the service component. Additionally, the method includes the step of executing a service object associated with the service component. When executed, the service object communicates with the plurality of network servers to obtain network service instantiation data relating to instantiations of the one of the network services on the plurality of network servers. The method also includes the step of passing the network service instantiation data to a server manager window component for displaying a status of the instantiations responsive to the network service instantiation data.

Abstract: An improved recognition data structure is described that is particularly well suited for use in a computer system having recognition abilities. The data structure includes a multi-representational data list section arranged to store a multiplicity of datum. Each datum includes a datum reference number that uniquely identifies that datum and is arranged to contain a plurality of representation zones. Each representation zone is arranged to hold data indicative of a particular representation of the data stored in the datum. The data structure also includes a trellis based recognition results section arranged to accommodate trellis based recognition results at a plurality of different trellis levels.

Abstract: A graphical user interface for a computer includes an arrangement of icons that provides for a large number of icons to be present on screen while maintaining a large amount of useable screen space. An icon text description setting out the icon's function is provided adjacent to each icon. The icon text description is presented in truncated form when the icon is not designated by a cursor. When the icon is designated by a cursor, the icon text description is expanded to a full length thereby more fully describing the icon's function. When an icon is designated by a cursor, the text descriptions for undesignated icons are blanked, thereby focusing attention on the designated icon. This arrangement has the desirable effect of providing a user with a ready means of identifying or reaffirming icon function while avoiding the consumption of useful screen space.

Abstract: A data system architecture and interface circuits permit slow devices having limited signal capacities to launch and receive information from a central bus. Data is clocked onto the bus with a master circuit at the leading and trailing edges of the bus clock so that portions of a large multibit signal are launched without having to wait for the initiation of a next clock cycle. Accordingly, data portions are launched during both leading and trailing edges of the clock signal. In the case of a simple bus device not able to accommodate inclusion of a slave interface circuit, the received signal packet is provided in adapted form anticipating that only a second half portion of the signal packet will actually be registered as received.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for assigning a unique network address to a first node within a network which is arbitrarily connected. The first node may include a shared network resource, such as a networked printer device, or a modem, in addition to a stand-alone computer system. The network may include a network which is wireless, wherein various nodes comprise radio transceiver circuitry, including radio frequency modems. A first provisional network address for use in assigning the unique network address is determined by the first node. The first node broadcasts probes containing the provisional network address until a first probe response to one of the probes is received or a first interval of time elapses. If the first probe response to one of the probes is received, then the first node determines a second provisional network address and repeats selection of the address and broadcasting, until no probe response is received in the first interval of time.

Abstract: The present invention is situated in the presence of an image source having an image and a display device having an image alignment register, a pixel address, and a pixel signal, the display device coupled to the image source. The apparatus of the present invention preferably comprises a pixel level comparator, a computer, and a pixel detection unit. The pixel level comparator is for setting a pixel detect signal to true if the pixel signal exceeds a threshold. The pixel level comparitor is coupled to the display device. The computer has a selected address and is coupled to the image alignment register. The pixel detection unit is for setting a pixel data signal to true if, while the pixel address and the selected address are equivalent, the pixel detect signal is set to true. The pixel detection unit is coupled to the display device, the pixel level comparitor and the computer.

Abstract: A display oriented software user interface for the generation and display of a secondary display region within a primary display region of a computer controlled information management system having windows or localized sections of displayable information and icons. The secondary display region, Desk Drawer, providing advanced capabilities to the management system by generating a readily accessible region wherein icons may be placed and always accessed thereafter when the secondary display region is present. The presence of the secondary display region may be governed by a separate screen region responsive to the cursor display position.

Abstract: A method implemented on a hand-held computer system for tab access to a desired portion of a list of items includes displaying the list of items on a display screen of the hand-held computer system, displaying a plurality of tabs on the display screen, and receiving a selection input with a stylus on one of the plurality of tabs, wherein the list of items scrolls to the portion of the list having as a first item an item with a first character that corresponds to one of at least two reference characters on the selected tab.

Abstract: A document-centered user interface architecture for a computer system employs parts as the fundamental building blocks of all documents. All data is stored in the system as a part, which is comprised of contents and an associated editor. The contents and the functionality of the editor are available to the user wherever the part is located, whether in a document, on a desktop or in a folder. Parts function as containers for other parts, thereby facilitating the compilation and editing of multimedia or compound documents. A data structure, labelled a frame, functions as an interface between a container part and an embedded part, and allows the two parts to negotiate with respect to graphic structure without requiring extensive knowledge of one another's internal constraints.

Abstract: A system and method for supporting constant bit rate encoded MPEG-2 transport over local Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networks. The present invention encapsulates constant bit rate encoded MPEG-2 transport packets, which are 188 bytes is size, in an ATM AAL-5 Protocol Data Unit (PDU), which is 65,535 bytes in size. The method and system includes inserting a plurality of MPEG-2 transport packets into a single AAL-5 PDU, inserting a segment trailer into the ATM packet after every two MPEG packets, and then inserting an ATM trailer at the end of the ATM packet. In a preferred embodiment, 10 or 12 MPEG-2 transport packets are packed into one AAL-5 PDU to yield a throughput 70.36 and 78.98 Mbits/sec, respectively, thereby supporting fast forward and backward playing of MPEG-2 movies via ATM networks.

Abstract: A method and system for approximating a Phong shading calculation for 3D renderings of realistic graphic images. The new method uses only a modest number of multiplies and adds to approximate a calculation that required divides, square roots and powers. The approximation uses approximate normalization, vector differences, and a shape function to simplify the processing and to improve performance significantly while still generating a graphic rendering that is very realistic.