Abstract: A personal computer or workstation on a network includes a quick-choice cache into which are collected the names and aliases of networked devices or services that are expected to be most routinely used by a particular user. The cache is initialized to contain the names and aliases of devices within a network zone assigned to the workstation. This collection of names/aliases is expanded each time the user makes a connection to a device not previously listed. The cache drives a graphic user interface (GUI) that shows the user what service categories are available within the cache, and then when a service category is selected, what specific devices are included within the cache under that service category. The GUI permits quick logical connection to devices whose aliases are stored in the user's cache. A connection map later graphically shows the user what connections he or she has made.

Abstract: A semaphore method establishes exclusive access transactions between source and destination nodes in a multiple bus computer system, independent of the bus locking architectures of the component buses. An atomic transaction is selected for each bus protocol to mediate exclusive access transactions involving the corresponding bus, and bridges coupling different pairs of buses monitor these buses for the selected atomic transactions. A source node on one bus (the source bus) initiates an exclusive access transaction to a destination node by launching the selected atomic transaction appropriate for the source bus to the destination node. When the path between the source and the destination nodes requires transit of more than one bus, each bridge that couples a pair of buses in the path detects an incoming atomic transaction on one of these buses and launches an outgoing atomic transactions appropriate for the other bus to the destination node.

Abstract: A graphics system for use with a computer in a gray-scale mode. The graphics system utilizes a lookup table having index values to be stored in a frame buffer. The lookup table is addressed by converting color information such as RGB color information, to a luminance value, which is then used to access the table. The index values may be used to index a second lookup table for providing luminance information. The present invention further discloses methods of insuring index values provided by the lookup table closely approximate the desired luminance value within the available gray-scale space. Further, the present invention provides methods for performing arithmetic transfer operations on gray-scales represented by indices in the frame buffer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating an object file that facilitates patching and the introduction of new function. The present invention accomplishes this without disturbing the original source file. The present invention is particularly useful in the generation of programs that will exist on a static device such as a Read Only Memory (ROM) device. The present invention requires that access to routines in the object file be referenced through a vector table located in Random Access Memory (RAM). If a routine in ROM must be patched (i.e. replaced) or if new function is added, the vector table is modified. Modification may be either changing the contents of an existing entry (replacement) or adding a new entry (new function).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for receiving data carried on an infrared signal that has been encoded using one of a plurality of protocols is provided. The apparatus includes a mechanism for detecting the infrared signal and producing an electrical signal based on the infrared signal. The electrical signal is then applied to a high frequency path and a low frequency path. The high frequency path contains circuitry for filtering the low frequency components of the electrical signal. The low frequency path contains circuitry for filtering the high frequency components of the signal. Analog filters are disposed along one or both of the signal paths. Digital logic selects one of the signal paths and activates the appropriate analog filter based on a selected protocol. A mechanism is also provided for automatically sensing the protocol that has been used to encode the infrared signal.

Abstract: An arbitration scheme for a computer system in which a digital signal processor resides on the computer system's memory bus without requiring a block of dedicated static random access memory. An arbitration cycle is divided into 10 slices of which 5 slices are provided in each arbitration loop to the digital signal processor. Two slices are provided each to the system's I/O interface and to the peripheral bus controller. A final slice is provided to the system's CPU. A default state when no memory bus resource is requesting the system memory bus parks the memory bus on the CPU. The arbitration scheme provides sufficient bandwidth for real-time signal processing by the digital signal processor operating from the system's dynamic random access memory while also providing sufficient bandwidth for a local area network interface through the system's I/O interface.

Abstract: A system and method for creating and executing interactive interpersonal computer simulations comprises an authoring editor. The authoring editor presents an authoring user interface with a comic book metaphor form for the creation of simulations. The authoring editor also provides constructs that represent chapter objects, cell objects, character objects, message objects, and thought objects to create a simulation. The authoring editor interprets the constructs and their arrangement and creates an executable simulation stored in an active simulation memory. The system also includes an engine that reads the active simulation memory, recognizes the data objects, and executes subroutines corresponding to the data objects. The engine outputs the results of the execution of the objects to the user through a simulation user interface.

Abstract: A method characterized by the steps of: a) determining an action to be taken on an object on a computer screen which changes the status of the object; b) modifying the visual appearance of the object through animation to reflect the change in status; and c) automatically moving the modified object on the screen to indicate the disposition of the object. With a delete or "trashing" action, an object is crumpled on screen to indicate that the object has become trash, and the crumpled object is moved across the screen and into a trash can icon to indicate its final disposition. One embodiment of the present invention is a pen based computer system including a central processing unit, a display assembly showing at least one object, and a pointer for inputting information to the computer system. Additionally, the system can receive a change in status command for the object, modify the visual appearance of the object, automatically move the object, and execute the change in status command.

Abstract: A method for processing equations in a graphical computer system characterized by the steps of: receiving at least one unit comprising an equation which was derived from a graphical user input device; parsing the units into a parsed tree utilizing a constrained attribute grammar; and deriving a result of the equation utilizing the parsed tree. Preferably, the graphical user input device is a table or the screen of a pen-based computer system, where stroke units derived from strokes made by a stylus on the screen are passed to at least one recognition domain. The process preferably also includes the steps of: receiving at least one stroke unit comprising an edit to an equation on the screen; determining whether the edit changes the structure of the parsed tree of the equation; and editing the parsed tree if the edit does not change the structure of the parsed tree.

Abstract: An apparatus for recognizing shapes characterized by a stroke grouper receptive to a plurality of strokes formed on a screen of a pen-based computer system; a shape recognition engine receptive to a stroke group produced by the stroke grouper; and a knowledge base coupled to the shape recognition engine, where the knowledge base includes, at a minimum, knowledge concerning closed polygons and closed curves. Preferably, the closed curves of the knowledge base include both circles and ellipses. A method for recognizing digitized shapes in a computer system includes the steps of receiving at least one user-initiated stroke; grouping the user initiated stroke with related strokes to form a stroke group; and analyzing the stroke group to make a best-guess shape represented by the stroke group. Preferably, the method also looks for other shapes which are related to the best-guess shape and modifying at least one of the location, size, or shape of the best-guess shape to conform with the other shapes.

Abstract: A bracket and module for a portable personal computer. In one embodiment, the module contains a transmitter and a receiver, or transceiver, for allowing for communications between the portable personal computer and other stations in the network. The bracket may be mounted permanently to the bottom of the portable personal computer if desired, with very little effect on the overall shape or performance of the computer. The module may easily be attached and detached from the bracket. The module contains a handle such that when the module is latched in the bracket, the handle can be used to carry the personal computer. Also included is a door holder to hold open the door of the portable personal computer to expose a connector on the computer which mates with a connector coupled to the module.

Abstract: A method for managing a computerized database characterized by the steps of: a) providing a collection of view styles including a card view and a list view; b) selecting an initial view from the collection of view styles; c) determining an initial record index; d) deriving information from at least one record of a computerized database indicated by the record index; e) displaying the information in the selected view style; f) detecting a user input indicating a view style, an index selection, or both; and g) repeating steps d, e, and f in response to the detected user input. The method also includes displaying a card area on a screen of a pen-based computer system which depicts structured information concerning an entity, and displaying a free-form area on the screen depicting unstructured information concerning the entity.

Abstract: Data packets which have been sequentially encoded and transmitted, and are received out-of-sequence, are decoded, such that the proper sequence is restored. A receiving decoder is synchronized with a transmitting encoder and generates a sequence of decoding data corresponding to the sequence used to encode the data. The decoding data is combined with the received encoded data to produce the original dam. The decoded data is then stored in message-sequence in a memory. When packet network routing results in the encoded data being received out-of-sequence, a portion of the generated sequence of decoding data corresponding to packets that have not been received is saved in a memory. When the out-of-sequence packet of encoded data is received, the stored portion of the decoding data is retrieved from memory and is combined with the packet data to produce the decoded data, which is then stored in message sequence.

Abstract: The system and method disclosed herein relates to digital halftoning where a threshold array is used to control individual pixels in a halftone cell. The threshold array is replicated to tile the entire device space so that each pixel in device space is mapped to a particular location in the threshold array. By tiling the threshold array with overlap, the size of the overall threshold array is reduced. A CPU interface couples a FIFO buffer, registers, and RAM to a CPU for receiving pixel data, control signals and other values, respectively. An engine control unit is coupled to control a video processing unit and an output device for producing halftone images with a halftone matrix of reduced size. The engine control unit controls threshold logic that applies the threshold matrix to the pixel data to produce the data stream sent to the output device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing communication in a computer system. The present invention includes a method and apparatus for modifying a first version of a computer model in a live environment to create additional versions. The present invention also includes a method and apparatus for storing the additional versions and a method and apparatus for accessing each of the additional version, independent of the other additional versions, in order to create a temporal sequence.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for defining resources in a computer system is presented whereby resource maps in a computer system can be selectively updated by adding resources and superseding resources in an existing resource map by providing a new resource map which overrides the prior resource map.