Abstract: A FET band-gap reference generating circuit having a two-branch differential amplifier with a saturation state FETs for equal branch current, independent of power supply voltage, with a feedback connection to a reference FET in one branch, for driving the steady state output to the threshold voltage of the reference FET, also independent of the power supply voltage. A multistage circuit connects a divided down output of a first FET band-gap reference generating circuit to a current bias terminal of similar second FET based differential amplifier so that the steady state output of the second amplifier is equal to the sum of the divided down output and a threshold voltage of a second reference FET in the second amplifier.

Abstract: In a magnetoresistive read transducer, a material which is inert with respect to the soft film magnetic biasing layer is formed at the surface of the substrate prior to soft film deposition. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a substrate surface layer of metal such as Cr or Ta is used. These metals have high resistivity due to partial oxidation when deposited on the substrate to reduce shunting of sensing current through the magnetoresistive layer, and further acts as a barrier to protect the soft film from substrate interface contamination. The surface layer also acts as a seed layer to set the soft film magnetization orientation in a well-defined direction therefore reducing magnetic instability.

Abstract: A hierarchical data storage scheme associatively links a master solid object model in a graphics data processing system to a solid model of a sectioning object. The associative linking provides the capability of automatically generating sectioned views when the master object is modified. These views are generated at the operator's request without the necessity of having to apply sectioning objects to each one of the subsequent views. An interactive facility is provided for creating such structures.

Abstract: A transponder has a resonant RLC circuit with one or more electromagnetic energy storage components that vary in response to an externally applied modulating energy field. In addition to the externally modulating energy field, a base station transmits a carrier signal with a frequency essentially the same as the quiescent resonant frequency of the RLC circuit. As the component(s) vary, the resonant frequency of the RLC circuit changes, modulating the carrier signal with the external modulating energy field. Effects of the modulation are detected by the base station. Information (e.g., the presence of a tag) is obtained by receiving and demodulating the modulated signal at the base station. One or more of the circuit elements (e.g., different preferred embodiments of one or more capacitors, inductors, and resistors) can be varied (e.g. mechanically) to modulate the carrier signal.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for implementation in a computing system (5) which allows the transfer of control from one process (10) to another process (40). The input/output supervisor (20) and a newly provided control mechanism (50) are used to switch control. Transfer of data between the two processes is carried out using a data pool (75). This data pool (75) is accessible to both processes (10, 40) through the control mechanism (50).

Abstract: A disk and a disk drive having a servo start mark for identifying a servo-information start position recorded on the disk is provided. The servo start mark has a plurality of bit patterns unused for other areas in servo information. A method for identifying the position of a signal transducer on a disk is also provided in which it is judged that the signal transducer is present at a predetermined position even if an error is present and the error is a one-bit error. This is accomplished by assuming that the position is correct when the following conditions are confirmed: (a) a parity error occurs in a read servo-information bit pattern and (b) read servo-information bit pattern does not coincide with servo information of an adjacent track.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for efficiently repairing or reworking a printed circuit board having a solder ball grid array thereon efficiently and at minimum cost includes the steps of drilling out a plated-through hole to sever electrical connections between a ball grid array pad on one surface of the printed circuit board and internal circuits and circuits on an opposite surface of the printed circuit board; inserting a pin having an insulated sleeve surrounding a portion thereof into the drilled-out hole, the pin having attached to one end a wire for attachment to the ball grid array on one surface of the printed circuit board and a post at the other end of the pin for attachment of a wire to the post; the pin having a stop along its length to control vertical positioning of the pin in the drilled-out hole, the pin referred to as a via replacement (VR) pin.

Abstract: A central processing unit (CPU) in a computer that permits speculative parallel execution of more than one instruction thread. The CPU uses Fork-Suspend instructions that are added to the instruction set of the CPU, and are inserted in a program prior to run-time to delineate potential future threads for parallel execution. The CPU has an instruction cache with one or more instruction cache ports, a bank of one or more program counters, a bank of one or more dispatchers, a thread management unit that handles inter-thread communications and discards future threads that violate dependencies, a set of architectural registers common to all threads, and a scheduler that schedules parallel execution of the instructions on one or more functional units in the CPU.

Abstract: A cache sub-array method and apparatus for use in microprocessor integrated circuits. A processor unit is disposed within a central region of the microprocessor integrated circuit; a peripheral region is designated as a cache memory array region and surrounds the central region; a predetermined number of cache memory sub-arrays are placed in the peripheral region such that variable size cache memory arrays may be efficiently created. The cache memory sub-arrays contain a fixed fraction of a total cache word. The microprocessor integrated circuit itself has a modular cache memory array of variable size, and includes a central region having a processor unit disposed therein, a peripheral region designated as a cache memory array region surrounding the central region, and a predetermined number of cache memory sub-arrays disposed in the peripheral region such that the cache memory sub-arrays compose a modular cache memory array of variable size.

Abstract: A specially designed cooling device is proposed comprising of a light weight plate with apertures. Thin walled coolant passage tubes are provided in the apertures for the passage of a coolant. The coolant passages are made out of a material, preferably different than the plate itself and are to provide better heat dissipation than the plate and also prohibit liquid leakage. The cooling device is specially designed to accommodate an electronic assembly's geometry.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for a system having a database and a plurality of application software interfaces, the method including steps of reading a control type from a plurality of control types stored in the database, selecting an application software interface having a pointer based on the control type, defining an identification code for the control type, storing the pointer and the identification code and linking a first node to a second, subsequent node of control types and creating a linked list of the plurality of control types.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture directing a computer system, having at least a processor, memory, and touchscreen, to create at least two virtual pointing devices. The method includes the steps of detecting at least two hands placed on the touchscreen, determining if pre-defined characteristics exist for each hand based on the shape of each hand, if pre-defined characteristics exist for each hand, creating a virtual pointing device under at least a portion of each hand in accordance with the pre-defined characteristics, and if pre-defined characteristics do not exist for at least one of the hands, creating a generic virtual pointing device under at least a portion of the hand or a unique pointing device.

Abstract: A method and system for mining data in a transaction database using a progressive approach is presented. A portion of the transaction database is initially scanned with a relaxed selection criterion to generate a candidate item set to count. The remainder of the transaction database is then scanned to determine a number of occurrences of the candidate item set.

Abstract: A method and system for flexibly managing a presentation data stream which includes an ordered stream of uniquely identified data objects and associated elements which specify format and presentation parameters for those data objects for utilization within a specified application. An include object structured field is provided within the data stream which identifies a particular data object and specifies alternate presentation parameters for utilization with that data object. Thereafter, the data object reference within the include object structured field can be presented utilizing the alternate presentation parameters, which override the presentation parameters associated with the referenced data object, obviating any requirement for providing alternate versions of that object for each of multiple diverse applications.

Abstract: In a client/server environment, a method and means for reducing the storage requirement in the backup subsystem and further reducing the load on the transmission bandwidth where base files are maintained on the server in a segmented compressed format. When a file is modified on the client, the file is transmitted to the server and compared with the segmented compressed base version of the file utilizing a differencing function but without decompressing the entire base file. A delta file which is the difference between the compressed base file and the modified version of the file is created and stored on a storage medium which is part of the backup subsystem. Alternatively, a copy of frequently accessed base files are maintained on the client in a compressed format. Whenever the client detects that a frequently accessed file has been modified, the modified version of the file is differenced against the base version of that file without decompressing the entire base file and a delta file is generated.

Abstract: A body-coupled gated diode for silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology is disclosed. The body-coupled gated diode is formed from an SOI field-effect transistor (FET). The body, gate and drain of the SOI FET are tied together, forming the first terminal of the diode. The source of the SOI FET forms the second terminal of the diode. Both NFETs and PFETs may be used to create the diode. An SOI circuit comprising at least one body-coupled gated diode formed from the SOI FET provides electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection and ideal diode characteristics.

Abstract: A multilayer module for packaging at least one electronic component 50. The module includes a plurality of thickfilm layers, and a wiring structure 45 to permit the connection of on-module capacitors. The multilayer module is fabricated such that the wiring structure includes a partial mesh plane 46, 47, 48, and 49 between the topmost and second topmost layers of the thickfilm. Logic noise is reduced in the multilayer module by maximizing the mutual inductance between adjacent mesh planes.

Abstract: A system and method for destaging changed data from a shared cache castout in a shared data environment distributes castout ownership for a dataset among a plurality of systems having an update interest in the dataset. One system is designated as having castout ownership of the dataset in a primary state. All other systems having an update interest in the dataset hold castout ownership for the dataset in a backup state. When the primary owner relinquishes ownership, primary ownership is passed to one of the backup systems. A structure castout owner for the entire cache assumes the responsibility of castout of changed data for a dataset for which the primary castout owner has had a failure.

Abstract: A method for detecting deviations in a database is disclosed, comprising the steps of: determining respective frequencies of occurrence for the attribute values of the data items, and identifying any itemset whose similarity value satisfies a predetermined criterion as a deviation, based on the frequencies of occurrence. The determination of the frequencies of occurrence includes computing an overall similarity value for the database, and for each first itemset, computing a difference between the overall similarity value and the similarity value of a second itemset. The second itemset has all the data items except those of the first itemset. Preferably, a smoothing factor is used for indicating how much dissimilarity in an itemset can be reduced by removing a subset of items from the itemset. The smoothing factor is evaluated as each item is incrementally removed from the itemset, thereby allowing a data item to be identified as a deviation when the difference if similarity value is the highest.