Abstract: A computer utility automatically monitors changes in configuration files stored on the computer hard disk. The recovery tool indicates to the user when changes are detected in the configuration files and provides the option to restore the configuration files to their state before they were changed if the computer system operates improperly. In addition, the recovery tool monitors selected application files for changes in the files or missing files, and prompts the user when a change is detected. The recovery tool also provides for monitoring of the CMOS memory which stores computer system operating functions and parameters. If possible corruption of the CMOS memory is detected, the recovery tool restores the contents of the CMOS to their proper state. Finally, the computer utility provides the option of making a bootable floppy diskette containing the computer system configuration.

Abstract: Method and a system for a user-customizable interactive voice mail/voice response system are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, an interactive voice mail/voice response ("IVR") system of the present invention enables a user to build and operate custom IVR functions. The system comprises a voice menu system comprising a plurality of menus, each comprising a plurality of script records, and a scripting engine for providing event queuing functions to the voice mail system. When a menu is activated in response to an incoming call, the activated menu queues appropriate events with the script engine for playing a greeting to the telephone line and optionally requesting and verifying a password input by the caller. The menu then requests each record to queue events for providing a prompt indicating the key association and the purpose of the record.

Abstract: A system for implementing an intelligent window user interface for computers ("software suite") is disclosed. Each of a plurality of software suites of the present invention comprises a compound computer display object that provides a single integrated visual representation, via a "software suite window," for multiple application programs and/or files, which are represented in the suite window by icons. Each software suite has associated therewith a storage element in which is stored contextual information for defining the appearance and behavior of the software suite window and the icons displayed therein and for identifying the locations of files associated with the icons. This contextual information may also include, for example, an order in which related files in the suite are to be executed, as well as file history and manufacturing information for the items represented in the suite.

Abstract: A data ordering system for use with personal computers having data pipelining capability is disclosed. The personal computer comprises a central processing unit (CPU) which issues data requests to one or more data exchange units, such as memory units or data Input/Output units. The data ordering system comprises a finite state machine (FSM) which receives inputs indicative of data requests transmitted by a central processing unit (CPU). The inputs cause the FSM to assume different output states which are indicative of the proper order of data requests. The state outputs of the FSM are used to enable or disable the transmission of data between the data exchange units and the CPU in order to insure the proper order of data responses to the issued data requests.

Abstract: A frame component for a notebook computer wherein the frame component has tapered (e.g., conical) depressions that receive protrusions from printed circuit boards mounted adjacent the frame component. The tapered depressions are formed during plastic injection molding of the frame component by a tapered (e.g., conical) protrusion in the interior cavity of the mold. The tapered protrusion in the mold facilitates flow of molten plastic through a region between the apex of the protrusion and an inner surface of the mold which allows for smaller tolerances between the apex of the tapered depression and the bottom surface of the frame component. This results in an overall reduction in the thickness of the frame component from on the order of 3-4 mm to on the order of 1.5 mm. The tolerance between the bottom of the depression configured to receive the protrusion from the printed circuit board is on the order of 0.3-0.4 mm.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for limiting access to a nonvolatile memory device by inserting access limiting circuitry between CPU generated read and write command signals being sent to the nonvolatile memory device and the nonvolatile memory device itself such that write commands can be received and executed by the nonvolatile memory device only when the CPU is in a System Management Mode, and such that read commands for protected addresses can be received and executed by the nonvolatile memory device only when the CPU is in the System Management Mode, but is still able receive and executed read commands for non-protected addresses regardless of the mode of the CPU. This feature can also be provided for the write command. The access limiting circuitry is therefore capable of preventing a virus program, or a malfunctioning operating system, from undesirably altering data in the nonvolatile memory device since the operating system is preempted when the CPU is in the System Management Mode.

Abstract: A system for implementing an unobtrusive, always-on-top interface-to-interfaces comprises a spot interface that is sufficiently small that it may lie unobtrusively over any open window such that it is always on top thereby enabling a user conveniently to access any available window without first having to return to a main window or close other open windows. The spot interface comprises an active region represented by a small graphical display element (GDE) having the appearance of a sphere, which unless disabled by a user, is always visible regardless of which is the topmost window. When a mouse pointer is moved into the spot GDE, a ring or collar having four radial quadrants representing menu items is displayed after waiting a user specified length of time. These radial menu items are displayed around the GDE.

Abstract: Circuits and methods for providing electrical communication between the keyboard and PC board of a notebook computer, and notebook computers employing such circuits and methods. A plurality of contacts electrically coupled to a keyboard and a plurality of contacts electrically coupled to a PC board are brought into electrical communication when the keyboard engages or is mounted to a housing or a PC board of the notebook. In presently preferred embodiments, physical contact may be provided between the two sets of contacts or an elastomeric material, or other type of bridge circuit, may be used to provide electrical connectivity between the two sets of contacts.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for interfacing multiple integrated circuit chip devices to a system bus includes higher speed portions of a circuit within a primary IC chip and lower speed portions of a circuit within a secondary IC chip. The primary IC chip connects directly to the system bus while the secondary IC chip receives the same bus signals via the primary IC chip after a one clock cycle delay. Both the primary and secondary IC chips are capable of driving signals out onto the system bus when the primary and secondary ICs are part of a bus master circuit. When the primary and secondary ICs act as bus masters, signals are received by the secondary IC chip in the same clock cycle as the primary IC chip receives the signals. Thus, the secondary IC includes a state machine to indicate if the received signals are delayed by one clock cycle or not. In a preferred embodiment, the same pins are used by the primary IC to drive signals through to the secondary IC as to drive signals out onto the system bus.

Abstract: System and method for constructing and customizing icons for use in a graphical user interface (GUI) is disclosed. A GUI is provided with a set of available user interface components that may be selected and combined by a user to create new icons or to modify existing icons. Each icon comprises a plurality of components and each component may be represented by a set of primitives, or component objects. With respect to each component, a user may select an object from the set of objects to represent the component and the selected objects are combined to create a coherent icon used for representing applications, functions and documents in an operating system or applications program. The combination of the component objects is performed based on sets of rules associated with the individual components, which rules dictate the positioning, scaling, graphical combination and available coloring of the component.

Abstract: Noise generated in a computer system on a modem adapter card is effectively suppressed by providing an extension to a voltage reference plane. The extension reference plane is coupled to the voltage reference plane of the adapter card by an impedance circuit. The extension reference plane causes the adapter card to have a composite reference plane which has an overall length greater than one-quarter of the wavelength of the signal to be suppressed such that the composite reference plane does not resonate at the frequency of the signal which generated the noise. The reference planes are preferably connected by a resonant circuit so that the two reference planes are effectively electrically connected at high frequencies and are electrically disconnected at low frequencies so that resonance of the boards is also suppressed at the lower frequencies.

Abstract: A dual footprint for servicing either of two types of microprocessor packaging systems. A first footprint capable of receiving and servicing a first type of microprocessor packaging system, for example, a tape carrier package microprocessor package, is formed within a second footprint capable of receiving and servicing a second type of microprocessor packaging system, for example, a pin grid array microprocessor package. In a preferred form, the two footprints are electrically interconnected and the first footprint is offset by a selected angle from the second footprint to allow increased connectivity between the two footprints.

Abstract: A file server system provides increased bandwidth between a processor, a memory and a redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID). The file server includes a processor connected to a processor bus. A first bridging circuit couples the processor bus to a peripheral bus. An array of disks is controlled by at least one disk controller. The disk controller is coupled to a local RAID bus. A second bridging circuit couples the local RAID bus to the processor bus independent of the first bridging circuit.

Abstract: A shielded flexible cable includes a first shielding grid having conductive elements formed as squares. A second shielding grid is also formed as squares. The two shielding grids are positioned with respect to each other so that the vertices of the squares of the two grids are respectively offset from each other in each of two directions by one-half the diagonal distance between the vertices of the squares. Electrical signal conductors are positioned between the two grids along lines extending between the vertices of the squares to maintain a controlled impedance of the signal lines. A circuit board includes a reference plane configured as a grid having conductive elements formed as squares. Electrical signal conductors are positioned in a plane adjacent said grid.

Abstract: A shielding panel for shielding circuit card slots on a computer chassis, and particularly a shielding panel for use with printed circuit board brackets and/or blank brackets to shield circuit card slots provides an arrangement for reducing the leakage of electromagnetic waves and/or radio frequency waves through a computer chassis by providing protrusions around circuit card slots in the slot frame. The design of the present shielding panel includes a tab which wraps around an edge of the circuit card slot to help place and hold the shielding panel in position while substantially eliminating the potential interference between neighboring panels and/or panels and neighboring slots and inhibits the formation of a gap between the shielding panel and the computer chassis slot frame, therefore, substantially eliminating the chance of a bracket tip catching in such a gap.

Abstract: An improved cooling system for a computer system includes a ventilated backplane for a disk drive cage. The backplane is rigidly secured to the rear of the disk drive cage and includes a plurality of apertures therein to permit convective heat transfer between the inner cavity of the drive cage and the main enclosure of the computer system. A fan assembly is attached to the backplane on the side opposite the drive cage to further enhance heat transfer through the ventilation apertures. In one embodiment, the fan assembly includes a plenum attached to the backplane and a fan attached to the plenum. In another embodiment, a fan housing is attached to the backplane and incorporates one or more fans therein.

Abstract: A circuit board includes a plurality of signal conductors and a grid. The grid has a pattern of conductive material which forms cell structures oriented along a first axis. The grid pattern is configured so that when the signal conductors are oriented parallel to a first axis they overlay a substantially constant area of the conductive material regardless of where the signal conductors are positioned. The capacitance of the signal conductors is thereby controlled so that the impedances of the signal conductors can be maintained at a high level.

Abstract: A computer network includes a network server in communication with a plurality of user terminals. The network server includes disk drives which store data accessible via the user terminals. To increase power efficiency of the network server, the number of accesses to the disk drives is monitored and a histogram is generated to display the distribution of disk accesses over time. A network administrator subsequently selects time intervals to spin down one or more of the disk drives during periods of disk inactivity as depicted in the histogram. In a preferred embodiment, the network administrator uses the histogram for failure analysis to determine which disks are more likely to fail over long time periods.

Abstract: A self-adjusting digital filter for smoothing computer mouse movement is disclosed. In one embodiment, a user-selectable inertial constant is applied to all types of mouse movements regardless of whether the movement is fast or slow and corrected mouse position data, or coordinates, are computed using the current actual mouse coordinates and the previous corrected mouse coordinates as adjusted by the inertial constant. In an alternative embodiment, a speed sensitive inertial constant, the value of which is dependent upon the values of a user-selectable speed sensitivity constant, the inertial constant, and the speed of the mouse movement, is substituted for the inertial constant such that the amount of filtering that occurs is at least partially dependent on the speed of mouse movement.