Abstract: A display system for concurrently displaying stored display information and received information, having a display monitor, receiver for receiving television signals, and a sub-system having a storage unit and a processor, which sub-system can operate simultaneously with the receiver. The stored display information comprises application information portion and sponsor information portion which may be downloaded via a vertical blanking interval or a portion of the bandwidth associated with digital signals.

Abstract: Improved techniques for rapid and efficient delivery of objects from a network (e.g., the Internet) to users. The improved techniques can be utilized in a variety of apparatuses, including a proxy system or an acceleration apparatus. Such a proxy system operates to produce an accelerated version of content information from the network, cache the accelerated version (and possibly original versions) for subsequent requests for the same information content, and supply the accelerated version of the information content to a requesting user.

Abstract: A computer system, bus interface unit, and method are provided for securing certain devices connected to an I2C bus. Those devices include any device which contains sensitive information or passwords. For example, a device controlled by a I2C-connected device bay controller may contain sensitive files, data, and information to which improper access may be denied by securing the device bay controller. Moreover, improper accesses to passwords contained in non-volatile memory connected to the I2C bus must also be prevented. A bus interface unit coupled within the computer contains registers, and logic which compares the incoming I2C target and word addresses with coded bits within fields of those registers. If the target or word address is to a protected address or range of addresses, then an unlock signal must be issued before the security control logic will allow the target or word address to access the I2C bus or addressed device thereon.

Abstract: A facsimile machine provides firmware to remotely activate and deactivate fax forwarding. The firmware enables a user to remotely activate or deactivate fax forwarding through an email, fax, or a telephone. The facsimile machine may be set by the user to activate and deactivate fax forwarding at a predetermined activation time and a predetermined deactivation time. If fax forwarding with local printing is activated, the facsimile machine locally prints a fax after the fax is forwarded. The facsimile machine may be a multifunctional peripheral.

Abstract: Computer method and apparatus allows instrumentation of program modules while maintaining exception-handling unwinding context. In the case of instrumenting procedure prologues, the invention preserves the calling context. A sanitized copy of the prologue and rewind instructions to reverse the effects of duplicate prologue instructions are employed.

Abstract: A method for executing trusted commands, in which a trusted command is first received from a user at a user terminal and parsed by untrusted code; then passed to a trusted computing base for execution. The trusted computing base displays to the user for confirmation indication of what is to be done. Confirmation of the commands prevents unauthorized modification of the commands and increases system confidence. A randomly (or pseudo-randomly) generated process identifier is employed to verify the existence of a trusted path.

Abstract: A cordless modem system where a mobile station unit (MSU) is located in the computer and a base station unit (BSU) is connected to the telephone line. A radio frequency (RF) link is developed between the two units to allow a cordless connection. A series of commands are used between the two units to allow the MSU to request a channel, the BSU to grant a channel, the BSU to notify of a ring, and the MSU to request the BSU to go off hook. In addition, there is preferably a command sequence to allow authorization of a particular MSU or BSU. There are two full duplex channels in each MSU and BSU. This allows multiple BSUs and MSUs to be utilized in a small area. Communications between the two units are secure based on address values for each unit contained in the various commands. The communications software utilized in the computer is not even aware of the presence of the cordless connection.

Abstract: Improved techniques for remotely accessing account information through the Internet are disclosed. The remote access techniques provide security measures so that unauthorized access is unlikely even though the Internet is utilized. Assuming access is authorized, the requested account information can be acquired and then presented to a requester via the Internet in a format suitable for the type of the requested account information. In addition, as an additional security measure, the invention may also filter out any account holder identifying information from the requested account information such that the account information presented to the requester does not identify the account holder.

Abstract: A computer system has a memory controller for controlling accesses to multiple memory modules, each having multiple memory blocks, and a fail-over circuit for failing-over individual memory blocks from multiple memory modules. The digital information stored in an individual memory block that has experienced memory errors in excess of a permissible threshold is copied to an auxiliary memory location. The memory accesses directed to the failed-over memory block are intercepted and redirected to the auxiliary memory location. Tags are stored to identify failed-over memory modules and corresponding auxiliary memory modules, so a tag look-up for an accessed memory address can generate a hit signal when the memory access is to a failed-over memory module and cause the auxiliary memory module to respond to the memory access.

Abstract: A network provides color translation between a server side application and a web browser application. A color object created on the server side is reduced into the individual color components defining the color property for the object. These discrete color components are then converted into numerical values representing the intensity of the respective component. The color components are then combined into a format usable by a web-based computer application. For objects including text information, the color property for the text is automatically determined, based on the translated color object, to achieve a high contrast between the background color and the foreground or text color.

Abstract: Disclosed is a five-step process for producing closed captions for a television program, subtitles for a movie or other uses for time-aligned transcripts. An operator transcribes the audio track while listening to the recorded material. The system helps him/her to work efficiently and produce precisely aligned captions. The first step consists of identifying the portions of the input audio that contain spoken text. Only the spoken parts are further processed by the invention system. The other parts may be used to generate non-spoken captions. The second step controls the rate of speech depending on how fast the operator types. While the operator types, the third module records the time the words were typed in. This provides a rough time alignment for the transcribed text. Then the fourth module realigns precisely the transcribed text on the audio track. A final module segments the transcribed text into captions, based on acoustic clues and natural language constraints.

Abstract: A file placement process operates to respond to requests for creation of a file, accompanied by file statistics, such as storage space needed by the file, to locate a storage volume having space best fitting the file statistics.

Abstract: A computer system for flashing Extended System Configuration Data (ESCD) and associated variables to a flash read-only memory (ROM) is provided. During Power-On-Self-Test (POST) code, a ROM image is copied from an ESCD sector of a read-only memory to an ESCD original buffer and an ESCD write buffer. The ESCD write buffer may be updated by POST code. Following the POST operations, the contents of the ESCD write buffer are copied to an ESCD runtime buffer. The contents of the ESCD original buffer or the ESCD sector are compared to the contents of the ESCD runtime buffer. If the contents of the ESCD runtime buffer differ from the contents of the compared buffer or sector, SMI code flashes the ROM image in the ESCD runtime buffer to the flash ROM. If the ESCD runtime buffer is the same as the contents of the compared buffer or sector, a ROM flash it not performed. POST is then exited and the computer system is booted.

Abstract: For use with a computer system having an intelligent mass storage disk array subsystem, including a microprocessor controller, a method for the distribution of data within the disk array based upon logical commands issued by the computer system. The disk controller reads a logical command and translates the commands into multiple drive specific commands, including drive physical parameter information such as head, sector and cylinder selection. The calculation of these physical parameters is based upon a number of factors including the operating system installed in the computer system, the type of interleave scheme, if any, specified by the computer system configuration, and disk specific parameters. The physical drive requests are then placed in a queue and executed by the microprocessor controller.

Abstract: A home entertainment appliance includes a computer system and a television system. A video monitor or television monitor of the home entertainment system shows a sequence of video frames generated in the appliance based upon at least one received sequence of interlaced video fields each containing a number of scan lines. A video system of the appliance receives a first field, temporarily stores the first field in an input buffer, and then in a loop, while video fields are being received, performs various other steps.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for allowing surprise insertion and removal of a peripheral device from the bays of a portable computer system. The peripheral device may be inserted or removed when the portable computer system is powered off, powered on, or in standby or sleep mode. The peripheral device may be any one of a multitude of devices corresponding to the IDE, ATAPI or FLOPPY standard. Insertion or removal of the device is operating system and BIOS independent. A constantly executing detection process determines when a peripheral device has been inserted into or removed from a bay. A multilevel device driver allows layered functionality and simplified interfacing between the operating system and computer system and peripheral hardware. Layering of the multilevel device driver allows simplified BIOS firmware. Identification and configuration of the peripheral device is handled by a IDE/ATAPI bridge device driver that is capable of recognizing any IDE, ATAPI or FLOPPY device inserted into a bay.

Abstract: A computer system includes an adaptive memory arbiter for prioritizing memory access requests, including a self-adjusting, programmable request-priority ranking system. The memory arbiter adapts during every arbitration cycle, reducing the priority of any request which wins memory arbitration. Thus, a memory request initially holding a low priority ranking may gradually advance in priority until that request wins memory arbitration. Such a scheme prevents lower-priority devices from becoming “memory-starved.” Because some types of memory requests (such as refresh requests and memory reads) inherently require faster memory access than other requests (such as memory writes), the adaptive memory arbiter additionally integrates a nonadjustable priority structure into the adaptive ranking system which guarantees faster service to the most urgent requests.

Abstract: An efficient solution to transform an output from a single ended source to a pair of differential signals that are provided to a differential receiver. The differential receiver is any number of devices including a differential clock receiver. The differential signals may be referenced to voltages used to receiver power supply voltages. The present invention obviates the need for an additional differential driver and its required additional devices that are needed to perform transformation of a single ended signal to a pair of differential signals. In one embodiment, two independent power and ground planes are communicatively coupled via a transmission line, or transmission line-like traces on a printed circuit board, and are used to provide uniform impedance control for all return paths within a system.

Abstract: An audio system for multimedia computer systems and method for use are provided including an audio module having speakers, a microphone and associated circuitry. The audio module is adapted to be interposed between a monitor and a monitor pedestal such that the audio module swivels and tilts in concert with the monitor. The circuitry is adapted to drive the audio module speakers and to drive only one speaker and the microphone in a speaker phone mode.

Abstract: A system for providing a signal indicating whether a process is installed and providing improved voltage regulation. A contact is selected and isolated from an array of ground contacts and is further coupled with circuit for generating an INSTALL signal. A capacitor and pull up resistor coupled to a supply voltage, ground and the isolated contact form a signal line at a common node such that a circuit to ground is completed through the processor and the isolated contact when the processor is plugged in and a direct signal indication of the presence or absence of the processor is provided. Voltage sense lines of a Voltage Regulation Module (VRM) are coupled directly to processor contacts isolated from an existing voltage supply contacts coupled to the supply plane of a supply voltage within the circuit board providing improved regulation without adversely affecting power supply current capacity considerations.