Abstract: A light pipe for a personal computer transmits light from a lamp to an indicator window formed in the computer housing. The pipe is formed of a block of light-transmitting plastic material and includes a plurality of sections oriented perpendicular to one another. Light rays are reflected from each section to the next off an inclined light reflecting surface. One of the sections is of square cross section, and the next section is of non-square cross section. The light reflecting surface disposed at a junction between those two sections is of stepped configuration to form a series of sub-faces, each of which is inclined at a 45 degree angle relative to oncoming light rays for reflecting light across the entire cross section of the non-square section.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining and displaying or preventing a collision between two objects. Certain characteristics of these two objects such as their sizes, orientations, and velocities, are inputted. Based upon these characteristics, a collision contour is generated about the first object. If either or both object(s) had been moved, the collision contour is generated based on a velocity outline to account for the velocity effects. These two objects have collided if the second object's centerpoint is included in the collision contour. Otherwise, the two objects have not collided. The result is then portrayed on a graphics display device.

Abstract: Circuit arrangements and methods are disclosed for upgrading an 040-based personal computer system using an optional, peripheral add-in card. In one embodiment, the present invention comprises a PowerPC-based microprocessor, such as the MPC601, having one megabyte of on-board direct mapped level 2 external cache memory arranged as tag and data blocks. The PowerPC-based board is inserted into a processor-direct data path sharing the data and address bus with the 040 microprocessor. System random access memory (RAM), I/O, and other functional blocks are present on the main board comprising the 040-based computer. The MPC601 is coupled via address and data buses to the tag cache, a bus translation unit (BTU), a read only memory (ROM) storing the operating system code for the PowerPC microprocessor, the data cache, a dual frequency clock buffer, and other interface components such as a processor-direct data path including address and data latches.

Abstract: A computer system, including a display screen and a direct input device such as a mouse, with a direct manipulation interface, through which the user can not only cause the computer to perform a predefined task by selectively indicating a symbol representing the task but also edit such symbols and their attributes by causing handle-like figures to appear on the screen near the symbol to be edited. The system is operable in two modes. One is a use mode for having a predefined task carried out and no handle-like figures are shown. The other is an edit-and-use mode wherein the user can cause the handle-like figures to appear or disappear but can also carry out every task that can be carried out in the use mode regardless of whether or not these figures are being displayed.

Abstract: A low-cost yet high-performance, moderate bandwidth (up to 2 Mbps) global telecommunications interface to new and existing computers allows high-performance, low-cost telecommunications platforms to support global fax, data, voice, and other data streams in an intuitive way. The telecommunications interface provides a very low-cost solution to international connectivity for a broad class of existing computers while providing high-performance wide-area data transfer. Convenient and reliable global communications over the phone line may thus be achieved. From a rudimentary viewpoint, the telecommunications interface provides for an elegant, economical implementation of a fax/data modem. The telecommunications interface provides both a time-division multiplexed interface mode for constant bit rate communications and a packetized interface mode for variable bit rate communications. Multiple streams of digital and/or analog-derived data may be handled simultaneously.

Abstract: A system for displaying a sequential stream of information on a single display. The system includes a computer for defining an first area on the display and for displaying a first sample of the information within the first area. The first sample represents a first segment of the information. The computer further is for displaying a second sample of the information within the first area of the display. The second sample represents a second segment of the information. The computer is further for displaying a third sample of the information within the first area of the display. The third sample represents a third segment of the information. The first segment includes the second segment and the third segment.

Abstract: A system and method achieve and maintain an accurate white point setting of a CRT display in a computing system. The CRT is initially calibrated by individually driving the individual color cathodes and by measuring tristimulus values and cathode beam current for each of the three primary colors. The tristimulus values are normalized by dividing each value by the beam current producing it, and the normalized values are then stored in a calibration memory contained in the display unit. A table of gamma values representing beam current as a function of video drive voltage is measured and also added to the calibration memory. Calibration of the display is implemented by driving the display controller with a white point value and calculating the cathode beam currents from the stored tristimulus values, required to produce an accurate CRT representation of the signal sent to the display controller.

Abstract: A graphical editor user interface that is particularly well suited for use in pointer based computer systems. The graphical editor is arranged to permit the user to easily edit various selected graphic objects. The selected objects are highlighted and preferably editing handles are provided at designated positions relative to the selected portions of the object. Additionally, a bounding box is drawn about the selected portions of the object. In various aspects of the invention, the user is then permitted to edit the object by executing specific actions. The editing actions include resizing, duplicating, distorting and moving either the entire object or only the selected portions. After any of the editing maneuvers is performed, the display is updated to reflect any changes made during the editing step.

Abstract: A system and method for documenting and displaying computer program code comprises a token annotation unit, a comment analyzer, a token parsing library, and a code outline unit. The token parsing library parses a program comprising related program code files into a set of constituent tokens. The token annotation unit selectively associates one or more annotations with tokens in a program by creating a token annotation object. When program code is displayed, the token annotation unit visually identifies each annotated token present according to a display style. The token annotation unit presents annotations corresponding to an annotated token in response to the selection of the annotated token during program code display.

Abstract: A polycyclic timing system and an apparatus for pipelined computer operation comprises a master state machine and a slave state machine. The master state machine produces a plurality of control signals in response to a clock signal. The master state machine comprises an oscillator, a plurality of data storage elements, and a next state feedback network. The oscillator is used to produce a clock signal that triggers the storage elements. The next state feedback network determines the control signals to output based on the current output data storage elements using logic in the next state feedback network. The slave state machine receives the control signals and uses them to produce several asynchronous pulse streams. The slave state machine preferably comprises a plurality of pulse forming state machines and a plurality of pulse transmission amplifiers.

Abstract: A Text Services Manager (TSM) maintains and uses TSM documents to ensure proper communication between applications and their needed input methods. A TSM document comprises information about the input methods and text services used by a particular instance of an application. One TSM document is preferably associated with each working document represented by an application window. Through use of the TSM document, the TSM provides for multiple instances of a particular input method, and the automatic synchronization of the input method to the active window. The preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises novel methods that provide this functionality including: methods for opening or closing a TSM aware application, methods for creating and disposing of TSM documents, and methods for activating and deactivating a TSM document.

Abstract: A dynamic, multi-speed bus architecture comprising a plurality of variable speed, fixed size links for coupling a plurality of devices together in an arbitrary network arrangement in which each device coupled to the bus comprises a novel communications node having a scalable interface for enabling the local hosts of the devices to communicate via the multi-speed bus. The interface provided within each node comprises a first module and a second module interconnected via a fixed speed, variable size bus. The first module is coupled to the local host of a device via a fixed speed, fixed size bus for converting a first data packet received from the local host into a second data packet of an appropriate form for transmission on the fixed speed, variable size bus disposed between the two modules. The second module receives the second data packet and converts it into a third data packet of an appropriate form for transmission onto the variable speed, fixed size link coupling the device to the multi-speed bus.

Abstract: A system for processing and recording digitized component television signals onto analog video tape includes a digital color transformation matrix for generating a digital luminance signal, a first digital chrominance signal, and a second digital chrominance signal. The signals are then sample rate reduced, interleaved, and stored in a storage subsystem, which may include a disk array. The storage subsystem allows a constant rate, uninterrupted data stream to be produced. To record the signals onto video tape, the signal data is read from the storage subsystem and separated. A series of digital signal processing elements, coupled to the digital luminance signal (read from the storage subsystem), are used to generate a digital filtered and frequency modulated luminance signal.

Abstract: A method is described for optimizing printing a first print dot, a second print dot, a third print dot, and a fourth print dot adjacent to each other on a sheet of paper. The method first determines whether the first, second, third, and fourth print dots to be printed are in black color. If any one of the first, second, third, and fourth print dots is in the black color, then the respective one of first, second, third, and fourth print dots needs to be double printed with the black color. If the first and second print dots are in the black color and the third and fourth print dots are color print dots, then the first and second print dots are printed with the black color and the third color print dot is printed during a first print pass by the printer.

Abstract: Circuitry is described for providing a telephone line interface circuit of a MODEM for a computer with an AC impedance and DC voltage/current characteristics required by a given type telephone network such that the telephone line interface circuit can be matchingly connected with the given type telephone network. The given type telephone network provides an identification code representative of the required AC impedance and DC voltage/current characteristics. The circuitry comprises a plurality of impedance components that, when connected to the telephone line interface circuit, determine the AC impedance and DC voltage/current characteristics of the telephone line interface circuit. A plurality of terminals are coupled to receive a plurality of control signals associated with the identification code.

Abstract: The present invention reduces the overhead commonly associated with computer queues by not requiring direct addressing of each location in the queue and by not requiring specialized underflow logic. Furthermore, reads and writes to the computer queue of the present invention can be asynchronous. Lastly, the computer queue of the present invention requires less circuitry and is thus physically smaller, requires less power to operate and can operate more quickly than can queues of the prior art.

Abstract: A unitary heat sink including a planar contact portion for contacting the top of an IC. The heat sink is constructed from a material having a thermal conductivity of at least 150 watts per meter Degree Kelvin (W/m.degree.K.) but preferably is constructed from aluminum having a conductivity of 221 (W/m.degree.K.). A number of leg portions extend from the contact portion such that each leg portion has a distal end. The leg portions, being made of the same material as the contact portion, are configured to have a sufficient resiliency such that deformations of the leg portions provide a spring force in the range of 5 to 16 lbs against the top of the IC. A method for dissipating heat from an integrated circuit includes the steps of forming a unitary heat sink from a heat sink material, where the heat sink includes a contact portion and a number of integral, spring leg portions.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system for routing data between rings. A routing symbol is provided, and as it crosses a bridge, the local target address of the bridge is dropped, and the local source address of the bridge node (in the far side ring) is added to the routing symbol. Fields are shifted in the routing symbol so that the value that was in a hop field becomes the local target address in the new ring. Because the routing symbol that arrives at the ultimate target has been transformed into a source node list, the return path is available to the target.