Abstract: A closure system useful for securing a device having a stylus. In a first embodiment, the closure system includes a housing having first and second housing members, the first housing member being configured to matingly contact the second housing member when the device is in a closed configuration. The stylus is received within a channel located in the second housing member. A latch release also located within the second member is controlled by the position of the stylus such that when the stylus is inserted within the channel, the latch release engages a latch located on the first member, thereby preventing the first and second members from separating. The latch release may also be used to block the latch such that the first and second housing members can not be mated when the stylus is removed from the channel. In another embodiment, a blocking device located within the second housing member and separate from the latch is utilized to prevent the device from being closed when the stylus is removed.

Abstract: A modular architecture for storing, addressing and retrieving graphics data from main memory instead of expensive local frame buffer memory. A graphic address remapping table (GART), defined in software, is used to remap virtual addresses falling within a selected range, the GART range, to non-contiguous pages in main memory. Virtual address not within the selected range are passed without modification. The GART includes page table entries (PTEs) having translation information to remap virtual addresses falling within the GART range to their corresponding physical addresses. The GART PTEs are of configurable length enabling optimization of GART size and the use of feature bits, such as status indicators, defined by software. The GART is implemented during system boot up by configuration registers. Similarly, the PTEs are configured using mask registers. The GART may be used in conjunction with a translation lookaside buffer (TLB) to improve address remapping performance.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for skipping a track on a disc in a disc player. Unlike current systems, this system does not rely on identifying tracks to be skipped based upon which slot a disc is located in. Instead, one embodiment of the present invention identifies discs based upon identification data read from discs in the disc player. Thus, one embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for playing discs that skips a track on a disc. The apparatus includes a disc player including a sequencing mechanism that generates a sequence of tracks from discs in the disc player. The disc player also includes an identification mechanism within the disc player that reads identification information from discs in the disc player and determines from the identification information if a specific disc is in the disc player.

Abstract: A method for issuing device requests by proxy in a system using distributed control through a multi-port switch. A device issues a request to a central switch indicating the original requester as the source rather than itself. This passes responsibility for the control of the actual data transfer back to the original requester, and the device is no longer involved.

Abstract: A circuit for sensing when an external pointing device is connected to a portable computer system detects the device's power consumption and automatically switches to it without requiring that the computer system to be power cycled or reset. Further, the circuit can detect when an external pointer device is disconnected and, in response, automatically switch to the computer system's internal pointer device. The sensor comprises a small resistor in series with the power supply for the external device. When the external device is attached, the power consumption of the external device results in a voltage drop across the resistor, which may be detected with a voltage comparator. In one embodiment, when the sensor detects that an external pointer device has been connected it generates a static signal to control the operation of a switch. Based upon input from the sensor, the switch routes all appropriate signals from either the internal or external pointer device to a standard microcontroller device.

Abstract: A PC-based home security system for monitoring the environment surrounding a PC in order to detect suspicious or uncharacteristic events. The PC-based home security system first monitors the environment, listening and watching for a threshold event. When a threshold event is detected, the PC-based home security system then conducts close surveillance of the environment in order to detect and characterize additional events. When the accumulated detected events exceed some threshold value, the PC-based home security system determines that a suspicious or uncharacteristic set of events has occurred, diagnoses those events, and takes a remedial action appropriate to the diagnosed set of suspicious circumstances.

Abstract: A method for handling or manipulating microelectronic components in manufacturing assembly processes. In one embodiment of handling microelectronic components, a microelectronic component handling system may have a base or a support member, a track or platform attached to the base to rotate about a rotational axis, and a linear drive assembly to rotate the track about the rotational axis. The track may have a first end, a second end spaced apart from the first end along a longitudinal axis of the track, a top surface facing away from the base, and a bottom surface facing toward the base. Additionally, the linear drive assembly may have an actuator and a rod driven by the actuator along a displacement axis spaced apart from the rotational axis. In operation, the actuator moves the rod along the displacement axis to rotate the track about the rotational axis to a raised position at an inclination sufficient to slide a microelectronic component down the track.

Abstract: A fault tolerant computer system for resetting a server through either a local or remote client machine. The remote machine accesses the server by use of a dial-in modem connection, while the local machine accesses the server by a local serial connection. The resetting operation brings the server and operating system software to a normal operational state. Reset is used after diagnostics or recovery have been performed without the use of the server operating system software or to restart the server after an unexpected crash.

Abstract: An IDE controller having an IDE interface that includes a primary channel for transmitting primary data from a primary device and a secondary channel for transmitting secondary data from a secondary device; a primary CRC circuit for receiving the primary data, performing an operation on the primary data and generating primary CRC values; a secondary CRC circuit for receiving the secondary data, performing an operation on the secondary data and generating secondary CRC values, wherein the primary data and the secondary data are transmitted to their respective CRC circuits concurrently; and a compare circuit for comparing the primary CRC values with the secondary CRC values and generating compare values.

Abstract: A computer component carrier isolates components from vibration, reduces noise, reduces assembly time, improves airflow to critical components, and reduces EMI. The component carrier is fabricated from a vibration damping material such as urethane foam. The component carrier contains cavities to accommodate electronic components. These cavities are interconnected via airways that direct airflow between the cavities. The component carrier includes two or more pieces. Components are placed in the cavities of the component carrier designed to accommodate the components and the pieces of the component carrier are mated and secured. In this manner, the components are firmly held in position by the component carrier. The component carrier can be fabricated with a hard exterior finish that replaces a computer casing or cabinet. The component carrier can also be fabricated from a recyclable and/or recycled material.

Abstract: A method interfaces a plurality of bus requesters with a computer bus. The method apportions the bus bandwidth among the bus requesters by assigning to each bus requester a bus bandwidth portion that is based on the bandwidth of the bus requester. The method identifies a requester bandwidth for each of the bus requesters and sums the requester bandwidths to obtain a total bandwidth. The method determines, for each of the bus requesters, a weighting value representing the ratio of the bus requester bandwidth to the total bandwidth. The method apportions the bus bandwidth among the bus requesters by assigning each bus requester a bus bandwidth portion that reflects the weighting value of the bus requester. Apportioning the bus bandwidth based on the weighting values causes the requester bandwidth of each bus requester to be reduced by the same percentage when the bus saturates.

Abstract: A system for efficiently testing and diagnosing memory arrays. One embodiment of the testing system efficiently identifies faulty memory cells in a memory chip, and subsequently removes the memory chip containing the faulty memory cells from the testing process. The system includes a testing module and an active port list which includes an identifier for each of a plurality of memory chips.

Abstract: A data management method supports hot plug operations on a computer by defining, organizing, and maintaining hot plug variables which identify components of a computer that may be involved in hot plug operations, and which also identify capabilities and operational states of those components as well as control their operation and interface to the computer. The hot plug variables identify a component as well as represent states and capabilities of a component, and thus the hot plug variables advantageously operate as commands to predetermined components. The method generally selects a plurality of variables to support adding a component to or exchanging components of a computer while the computer runs, and collects in a computer readable medium, hot plug variable data representing capabilities, characteristics or states of components of the computer, the hot plug variable data is related to the plurality of variables.

Abstract: A system and method for assembling components onto a circuit board is disclosed. The system includes: a thermal chamber for receiving a plurality of components therein and for heating the plurality of components at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined length of time; an outfeed slot located on a wall of the thermal chamber which allows at least one component from the plurality of components to pass therethrough and emerge externally of the thermal chamber; and a pick and place machine, located adjacent to the thermal chamber, which automatically retrieves the at least one component which has passed through the outfeed slot and automatically places the at least one component onto a designated circuit board.

Abstract: A bi-directional buffer circuit for transferring data between clock boundaries in a computer system is described. The circuit is divided into halves, with one half being controlled by a first clock and the second half being controlled by a second clock. The incoming data that is synchronized to the first clock is compiled into data blocks and stored into registers before being synchronized and transferred to the other half of the circuit. The data blocks that are stored in the register sent across a the clock boundary the then synchronized into matched registers within the second half of the circuit. In addition, the signals that control the synchronization of data blocks between the halves of the circuit are synchronized by two stages of registers to avoid the problem the metastability.

Abstract: An adaptor tool for mounting components on printed circuit boards. The adaptor tool has two capture members that define an opening sized to receive the component. The capture members are linked together such that the application of torque to the adaptor tool by a torque tool via a connector results in the two capture members frictionally engaging the component and transferring the torque to the component. This allows the component to be mounted to the printed circuit board to a desired degree of torque. The adaptor tool can be sized so as to be able to mount a cylindrical heat sink to a bracket on a printed circuit board to a desired degree of torque.

Abstract: A system for monitoring a computer system with an external status monitor during the power-on self test (POST) of the computer system. The computer system has tasks to be performed during the POST process. Each task has a token corresponding to an original message or a subsequently added message. Each subsequently added message is stored in the computer system, and each original message is stored in the external status monitor. Under the control of the computer system, the system identifies a task for the computer system to perform. The system then retrieves the token for the identified task and determines whether the retrieved token corresponds to an original message or a subsequently added message. If the retrieved token corresponds to an original message, the system sends only the retrieved token to the external status monitor.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention is a method for locating an electronic device capable of sending e-mail. The method includes identifying that an e-mail is being sent from the electronic device. Next, the sender address is compared to an owner address. If the sender address does not match the owner address, the e-mail is redirected. In some embodiments, the method is performed by a computer. In other embodiments, the method is performed by a modem.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for mounting an element on a chassis. The method comprises several steps. The element is stopped from sliding in at least one direction when the element is placed on the surface of the chassis. A clip is pivotably connected to the chassis. The clip pivots between first and second position holding the element in place in the second position. The clip is locked in the second position.

Abstract: A computer system includes a memory requester that interfaces with a memory module that includes memory portions. An error map that identifies the defective memory portions of the memory module is created and stored in the computer system. Using the error map, a remapping table that maps each of the defective memory portions to a non-defective memory portion in the memory module is created and then stored. In response to receiving from the memory requester a request for access to a requested memory portion of the memory module, a determination is made from the error map whether the requested memory portion is one of the defective memory portions. If the error map indicates that the requested memory portion is one of the defective memory portions, then a determination is made from the remapping table the non-defective memory portion to which the requested memory portion is mapped.