Abstract: A wireless network permits wireless devices to determine their own location and receive location-based services. The network includes a communication server coupled to a plurality of access points and at least one mobile wireless device that wirelessly communicates through the access points. Each wireless device includes a location table through which the wireless device can determine its physical location. The location table includes the physical location of the various access points indexed by their network addresses. When the wireless device communicates with an access point, the access point provides the wireless device its address. The wireless device uses the address of the access point as an index into the location table to determine its own location based on the location of the access point. Once the wireless device has determined its own physical location, it requests location-based services from or through the communication server.

Abstract: A method for controlling printer color is provided. The method includes receiving cartridge color density data, such as from analysis of a test patch printed by the cartridge, and reference cartridge data, such as from analysis of a test patch printed and measured in accordance with a color standard. The color density data of the cartridge test patch is then mapped to the color density data of the reference cartridge test patch to generate mapped color density data, such as a look-up table that provides a dot activation for the cartridge that generates the same color density for a known dot activation for the reference cartridge. The mapped color density data is then used to control color density for printing a set of image data.

Abstract: A structure for coupling together addressably disparate nodes, such as IPv4 nodes and IPv6 nodes, without the use of an application level gateway. Instead, the system includes two executable applications, HEART and ECHO, that avoid the necessity of an application level gateway. In general, HEART and ECHO cooperate with each other through a network address translator-protocol translator (NAT-PT) to cause the NAT-PT to temporarily assign an IPv4 address to a control session between the IPv4 and IPv6 nodes and also prevent the control session from timing out due to lack of timely communications between the IPv4 and IPv6 nodes.

Abstract: In a switched circuit telephone network implementing an SS7 protocol with out-of-band signaling for call establishment, the specification discloses a proxy load balancer coupled between a signaling gateway and application server processes running application services. The proxy load balancer receives signaling messages from the signaling gateway directed to an application server process running an application service, and forwards that signaling message to one of two or more application server processes, each running the application service. In this way, additional application server processes may be installed in the system without reconfiguration or even knowledge of the signaling gateway. The proxy load balancer appears as a single application server process running an application service to the signaling gateway, and correspondingly appears as a signaling gateway to the two or more application server processes running application services downstream of the proxy load balancer.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention a method is provided for encoding connection ownership information in the sequence number field of an outgoing TCP/IP data packet header. That connection information includes the network layer address of the processor node to which the packet is associated. With such an invention, the connection registration database is only updated after 32 megabytes have been transferred across that connection. Because fewer data packets are being registered in the connection registration database, sufficient time is allowed for registering other connections in background operations. Further, connections that do not send more than 32 megabytes of data never need to be registered.

Abstract: A system and method for minimizing wireless packet delay is disclosed. As mobile nodes travel within a wireless communications network, they are transferred (or “handed off”) between zones within the network to maintain continuity of communication. Traditionally, transferring between zones requires the mobile node to notify the network upon travelling to a new zone, and handoff data is then transferred between the mobile and the network before communications can resume. Wireless networks may experience delay and latency in communications due to the mobile node being transferred between zones. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the wireless network transmits data preemptively to multiple cells. In selecting which zones data is sent to, prediction algorithms may be employed that monitor information including location of a mobile node and which cells are operational, then a list of candidate cells that the mobile node may enter is generated.

Abstract: A multi-channel network is disclosed in which channels can be designated as “active” or “inactive” and changes can be made from one channel to another based on a metric which is a function of various channel parameters such as throughput and stability. In one form, the metric is a linear combination of factors such as the mean of the round trip time sequence of previous packets (indicating throughput) and the sample variance of the sequence of retransmission timeout values computed for previous transmission attempts (indicating stability). Regardless of the specific form of the metric or the estimation procedures for the channel parameters, these factors are combined using user-specified weights which permit the user to emphasize the relative importance of individual factors, thereby characterizing the strategy whereby “active” or “inactive” paths are used.

Abstract: A multi-port adapter and method of operation suitable for use with serial ATA devices is disclosed. An adapter includes a switch that receives input from multiple host devices and an arbiter module for assigning a priority scheme to received commands. An outstanding request table is implemented as a memory module for storing identifying information associated with commands received from multiple host devices, and a free pointers queue is maintained to track slots available in the outstanding request table. A command tracker state machine decodes incoming requests from hosts, monitors the execution by these commands by the ATA device, and updates the memory module to reflect completion of commands. Also disclosed is a storage system including an adapter of the present invention and ATA storage devices.

Abstract: An alignment and retention mechanism comprises a hinged upper subassembly rotatably mated with a fixed lower subassembly defining a receptacle into which a component (e.g., a processor and heat sink assembly) is aligned and retained in place. The alignment and retention mechanism aligns and retains the component without the use of tools and loose fasteners and includes various features that prevent an improper attempt at inserting and removing the component into the receptacle. The alignment and retention mechanism can be used in computer systems as well as other types of electrical systems.

Abstract: The specification discloses a system and related method for delaying the powering-on of a server after loss of power. In this way, each server in a rack of servers may have its power restored at staggered times to minimize in-rush current associated with start-up of the rack-mounted server system.

Abstract: The specification discloses a system and related method for tracking access to digital information that involves combining biometric information of a person seeking access with the digital information and a digital signature. Each person who accesses the digital information has their biometric and digital signatures combined in this manner. Thus, the digital information itself reflects who has accessed the information. Where the digital information is a video, the combining of the biometric and digital signatures is done on a frame-by-frame basis.

Abstract: A system for accurately determining Elmore delays in DCVSL structures is disclosed. The system uses circuit simulation to determine models for Elmore delays through devices within specific circuit structures. The circuit structures include DCVSL circuits to accurately model performance of devices with such a structure. The system also determines discharge characteristics for DCVSL circuits using simulation. In order to determine Elmore delays, the system analyzes a circuit representation to locate DCVSL structures. The discharge characteristics and models are used to determine Elmore delays for each structure located.

Abstract: An electronic system has at least two fans such as a first fan and a second fan. The first fan is controlled (e.g., on/off, speed) in response a system parameter (e.g., temperature, system operational state). Preferably, the second fan is controlled dependent on the operation of the first fan. The electronic system may be a computer system. In this case, the first fan preferably is a CPU fan and the second fan is a chassis fan.

Abstract: An object-oriented modeling approach is used to represent telecommunication services, parameters and calculation expressions associated with the parameters. Preferably, the Unified Modeling Language (“UML”) is used in this regard. Further still, UML “sequence diagrams” are used to represent the calculation expressions as a sequence of UML methods that accomplishes what is required by the expression. The use of UML to represent calculation expressions simplifies editing and creating the expressions and permits a visual representation of the expressions.

Abstract: A computer system implements hot mirroring for main system memory. That is, the computer system permits a user to hot plug a new memory board into the system and the system will respond by switching to a mirrored memory mode in which write cycles are performed to both memory boards (new and old). Once a new board is hot plugged into the system, the contents of the old board are copied over, in a background mode, to the new board so that both boards will have the same data. Because this background copying process may take a non-trivial amount of time and may detrimentally interfere with other system traffic, the system a user to exert control over the relative speed of the background copying so as to trade-off the time it takes to switch over to the mirroring mode versus the impact on on-going system behavior.

Abstract: A self-locking mechanism usable in conjunction with a printed circuit assembly (PCA). The self-locking mechanism generally comprises a central actuator, a pair of sliding members on either side of the actuator and one rotating lock member associated with each sliding member. The actuator, sliding members and rotating members preferably are mounted to a top edge of a vertically-mounted circuit board thereby forming the printed circuit assembly. The printed circuit assembly can only be removed from its host system after the actuator is turned to an unlocked position and then the sliding members are slid toward the actuator thereby causing the rotating lock members to disengage from their locked position. Turning the actuator also causes a signal to be asserted to the host system to disable power to the PCA. Upon installing the PCA, no power is provided to the PCA until it has been fully installed and the actuator locked.

Abstract: A computer includes a processor, an input device and a read only memory (“ROM”). One or more passwords are flashed in the ROM in encoded form. The encoding process may include any well-known encryption or hash process. The password may include a power-on password usable to change the operating state of the computer and/or an administrator password. Such configuration data preferably also is stored on the ROM in encoded form. The encoded nature of the passwords makes it difficult for an unauthorized entity to gain access to the usable form of the passwords. Further, by storing the passwords and configuration in ROM, such as the computer's main system ROM, it is possible to control write access to the ROM because a computer's ROM can generally only be flashed using SMI code which operates outside the control of the computer's operating system and requires entry of a correct password.

Abstract: The specification discloses a server system implementing hot pluggable memory boards in an architecture using X86 processors and off-the-shelf operating system, such as Windows® or Netware, which do not support hot plugging operations. Thus, the specification discloses systems and related methods for hot plugging main memory boards transparent to, and without the help of, the operating system. The operating system need only have the ability to recognize additional memory in order to use it. Moreover, the specification discloses a related set of memory error detection and correction techniques, again which are implementing transparent to, and without the help of, the operating system.

Abstract: A printer driver integrates local and remote printing. A computer is coupled to a local printer. The computer also has access via a network connection to one or more remote printers or printing services. The computer may access the remote printers via the Internet or other wide area network. Using the printer driver, a user can send print jobs either to the local printer or a remote printer. Preferably, the coordination of the local and remote printing capabilities of the computer and printer driver is transparent to the user. That is, the user can initiate a print job from any authoring application (e.g., word processor) and have that print job sent either to the local or remote printer via a common user interface provided by the printer driver.

Abstract: A router is provided. The router comprises a modem, a switch, a first set of connectors, a second connector, and a controller. The switch is movable between first and second operating positions. The first set of connectors is adapted to be coupled to a first plurality of external devices. The second connector is adapted to be coupled to a second external device, and the controller is adapted to route data between the first plurality of external devices and the modem in response to the switch being in the first operating position, and to route data between the second external device and the modem in response to the switch being in the second operating position.