Abstract: A cable management system is provided for use with rack mounted devices, such as servers. The cable management system for each device mounted in the rack includes a retainer, typically mounted to the rack, and fixed to the cable. The system also includes a tension device, such as a tension reel having an extensible member, connected to the cable intermediate the retainer and the device. As the device is moved towards the retainer, the tension member pulls the cable laterally and folds the cable at the rear of the device.

Abstract: A peripheral coder/decoder (codec) that has low power consumption such that the peripheral codec facilitates bus-powered peripheral devices that utilize a codec. One such peripheral device is a modem. In the case of host-based modem, a host computer provides processing capabilities while a bus-powered peripheral device contains circuitry for analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversions as well as circuitry for interfacing to a transmission media. The bus-powered peripheral device is coupled to the host computer by a peripheral bus. In one embodiment, the peripheral bus is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) bus and the bus-powered peripheral device is a USB device. By being bus-powered, the bus-powered peripheral device does not require its own separate power source. A method for transmitting data over the peripheral bus using the host-based modem and the bus-powered peripheral device are also disclosed.

Abstract: The parallel or printer port in a personal computer can receive data from the memory under the control of the direct memory access (DMA) controller, releasing processor resources. The processor enables the parallel port, which then indicates to the DMA controller the desire to transfer data. A state machine in the parallel port, along with associated circuitry, responds to the transfer of the data to the parallel port and then controls the transfer of the data to the attached device, usually a printer. The state machine causes an interrupt to the processor when the transfer is complete or on receipt of errors from the external device. The state machine also communicates with the DMA controller to repeat the transfer process until the transfer is complete or an error occurs. Various DMA channels and parallel port locations can be used. Direct transfers by the processor are blocked during DMA controller handled transfers.

Abstract: A load-insensitive circuit enables a global reference clock signal source of a synchronous multiprocessor system having a plurality of nodes to be “insensitive” with respect to the insertion or removal (“hot-swap”) of a load (such as a node) when the system is operational. The load insensitive clock source is provided through the use of a customized two-way passive radio frequency power splitter having an input port and two phase-matched output ports. A high degree of isolation is provided between clock signals delivered over the output ports when the input port of the splitter is properly terminated and embedded in a controlled impedance environment. Isolation is further enhanced by terminating each output port with a constant impedance comprising a precisely-matched, 50-ohm impedance load pad.

Abstract: A high speed connection apparatus, method, and system is provided for peripheral components on digital computer systems. The peripheral component interconnect (PCI) specification is used as a baseline for an extended set of commands and attributes. The extended command and the attribute are issued on the bus during the clock cycle immediately after the clock cycle when the initial command was issued. The extended commands and attributes utilize the standard pin connections of conventional PCI devices an(t buses making the present invention backward-compatible with existing (conventional) PCI devices and legacy computer systems. The conventional PCI command encoding is modified and the extended command is used to qualify the type of transaction and the attributes being used by the initiator of the transaction. The extended commands are divided into four groups based upon the transaction type and the extended command type. Transactions are either byte count or byte-enable transaction types.

Abstract: The present invention provides an easy-heat-dissipation spotlight structure comprising a reflector formed with an inner semi-ellipsoidal reflecting surface and having an open end; a light-emitting lamp body provided at the central location of the reflector; a lamp cover provided at the open end and formed with an inlet at its lower end; and an air guider installed at the inlet of the lamp cover so that an airflow can be directed into the space defined by the lamp cover and the reflector.

Abstract: A computer system having an Advance Configuration and Power Interface-compliant, or ACPI, operating system performs certain machine specific tasks before going to a low power state. When the computer operating system indicates that entry into the low power state is desired, a microcontroller embedded in an input/output chip is alerted. Synchronization between the main processor of the computer system and the embedded microcontroller of the ACPI operating system is achieved, reducing the likelihood of system failure on the next boot operation. The embedded microcontroller then also causes the state of devices connected to the input/output chip to be saved. This helps the machine to go to a known state during the resume process.

Abstract: A computer system contains a revision indicator which is stored in a protected special area of computer memory. The revision indicator specifies the revision of the hardware actually present in the system. The revision indicator data is presented by the computer during power up so that a user may be aware of the type and configuration of the computer system hardware. The revision indicator may be displayed by the computer system BIOS during power on self test (POST), for example. The memory storing the revision indicator is protected from erroneous or unauthorized change.

Abstract: A technique for tracking objects through a series of images is disclosed. In one embodiment, the technique is realized by obtaining at least first and second representations of a plurality of pixels, wherein at least one grouping of substantially adjacent pixels has been identified in each of the first and second representations. Each identified grouping of substantially adjacent pixels in the first representation is then matched with an identified grouping of substantially adjacent pixels in the second representation.

Abstract: A general purpose computer apparatus including a central processing unit, a main memory and a system bus. The general purpose computer apparatus further includes means for interfacing the central processing unit to the system bus and means for interfacing the central processing unit to an I/O bus. A housing encloses the central processing unit, the main memory and the means for interfacing, with the housing having a mechanical form factor corresponding to a disk drive housing.

Abstract: A method for generating system passwords derived from an external encryption algorithm and plain text user passwords entered during a secure power-on procedure. At some point during the secure power-up procedure, the computer system checks for the presence of an external token or smart card that is coupled to the computer through specialized hardware. The token or smart card is used to store an encryption algorithm furnished with an encryption key that is unique or of limited production. Following detection of the external token, the computer user is required to enter a user password. The user password is encrypted using the encryption algorithm contained in the external token, thereby creating a system password. The system password is then compared to a value stored in secure memory. If the two values match, the power-on sequence is completed and the user is allowed access to the computer system or individually secured resources.

Abstract: A notebook computer base housing has operatively disposed therein a CD ROM drive, a hard disk drive and a floppy disk drive, an AC/DC electrical power converter, a modem, a PCMCIA card bay structure and a battery. This internal provision of three drive units in addition to the other equipment within the base housing is facilitated from a space standpoint by the vertical stacking of the hard disk drive atop the CD ROM drive within the base housing. To dissipate the operating heat from these components within the base housing, a heat spreader plate is interposed between the CD ROM drive and the overlying hard disk drive, and the high heat-generating components—namely, the modem, the AC/DC converter, the PCMCIA card bay structure, and the computer processor—are closely grouped together, with the AC/DC converter in thermal communication with a second heat spreader plate.

Abstract: A computer system provides a unified password prompt for accepting a user power-on password or an administrator password. A password string entered by the system administrator at the unified password prompt is compared with a stored power-on password. If the user password string matches the stored power-on password, then access to system resources is granted. If the user password string does not match the stored power-on password, then the user password string is compared to a stored administrator password. If the user password string matches the stored administrative password, then access to system resources is granted. If the user password string does not match the stored administrative password, then the system administrator is given a predetermined number of times to enter a password string matching either the stored power-on password or the stored administrator password.

Abstract: A processor interface chip and a maintenance diagnostic chip are provided coupled with two microprocessors designed to be run in tandem. The processor interface chip includes logic for interfacing between the microprocessors and a main memory, logic for pipelining multiple microprocessor requests between the microprocessors and main memory, logic for prefetching data before a microprocessor issues a read request, logic for allowing a boot to occur from code anywhere in physical memory without regard to the microprocessors' fixed memory location for boot code, and logic for intelligently limiting the flow of interrupt information over a processor bus between the microprocessors and the processor interface chip.

Abstract: A database management system includes an execution engine that, upon rollback of an aborted transaction, has the ability to set fields of the rows that are updated or deleted by the transaction prior to aborting. In particular, when a select, update or delete statement includes a “set on rollback” clause, the respective table access operator of the execution engine modifies the “before image” of each row that is stored by the transaction log manager. The modified before image includes the field updates specified by the set on rollback clause. If a transaction associated with the statement aborts, when the transaction log manager restores the before images of each row that was deleted or updated by the transaction, the restored before images include the field updates specified by the set on rollback clause.

Abstract: A computer system incorporating capabilities for displaying the audio disk track number when the computer system is playing an audio disk. The computer system determines if a disk is present in the disk drive. If a disk is present, the computer system determines if an audio disk is present in the disk drive. If so, the computer system then monitors the disk drive. When the audio disk is played by the disk drive, the computer system displays the audio disk track number. The computer system then periodically polls the disk drive to update the audio disk track number. The computer system displays a battery gauge status when the audio disk track number is not being displayed. The status display is visible when the portable computer is in either an open or closed state.

Abstract: A logical processor is formed from a pair of processor units operating in close synchrony to perform self-check operations. Outputs of one of the processor units are compared to that of the other processor unit. When one of the processor units experiences an error, creating a divergence, that error and/or divergence will be made known to the Master processor which will then determine if recovery from the error can be made and, if so, save its processing state to memory, cause a reset of both processor units to an initial state to begin executing reinitialization code using the prior saved state for both processor units.

Abstract: A parallel, fault-tolerant computer system in which data is transferred between processes in a single CPU by two methods. In a first method, the data is copied each time it is transferred. In a second method, the data is not copied, but is passed through a shared memory, queueing system. The first method is used to ensure fault-tolerance and linear expandability. The second method is used to minimize the time required for inter-process communication. Use of the shared memory queueing system allows for faster communication between processes executing in a same CPU.

Abstract: A portable computer has pivotally connected base and display screen lid housings and is provided with a generally wedge-shaped auxiliary component housing which is releasably latchable to the bottom of the base housing and extends across only a rear underside portion of the base housing. The attached auxiliary housing representatively carries a CD/DVD media drive unit and a floppy disk drive unit, operatively couples them to various computer components in the base housing, and is configured to rearwardly and upwardly tilt he base housing keyboard at a predetermined comfortable typing angle when the base housing is placed atop a horizontal work surface such as a desktop.

Abstract: A modular hinge includes a clutch module coupled to an extension arm for supporting an enclosure, such as a display enclosure for a portable computer. The clutch module and extension arm are fabricated as separate parts, and then assembled together to form essentially one permanent hinge. This arrangement allows the extension arm of the hinge to by-pass the prehardening heat treatment, which is required for the clutch module.