Abstract: The present invention provides an automated solution for generating a question document and an answer document from a database of questions and answers. The solution utilizes an extensible markup language to define the database. The database is then converted into a first Document Object Model (DOM) tree. The first DOM tree may then be used in prompting a user to enter the number of questions from each section to be generated. Once this input is received, nodes from the first DOM tree are randomly selected using the data received from the input. These randomly selected nodes are then used to create a second DOM tree representing the quiz or test. This second DOM tree may then be converted to a readable or printable format using a transformation, such as an stylesheet language transformation.

Abstract: A platform independent B2B messenger is described. The B2B messenger includes a subscribing portion coupling a first partner and a second partner. The subscribing portion further includes a subscription manager arranged to receive a message from the first partner and a subscription message adapter coupled to the subscription manager arranged to convert the first partner message from a first partner message format to a second partner message format. The subscribing portion of the B2B messenger also includes a partner adapter coupled to the subscription manager adapter arranged send the appropriately formatted message to the second partner.

Abstract: A system including a memory controller conf figured to perform pre-fetch operations including dynamic pre-fetch control. The system includes a memory coupled to a memory controller. The memory controller may be configured to fetch data from the memory in response to memory read requests. Further, the memory controller may be configured to dynamically adjust pre-fetching of data from the system memory dependent upon a bandwidth utilization of the memory.

Abstract: A system and method of operating a client network computer in a disconnected mode. A client computer system includes a client storage device, a processor, a network interface, a failover server and a software manager. The processor is configured to execute software instructions stored in the client storage device. The network interface is configured to connect the client computer system to a remote network server unit. A failover server implemented on the client computer system is configured to provide functionality similar to the remote network server unit by accessing a copy of a network database file stored on the client storage device. A software manager stored in the client storage device is configured to cause the client computer system to connect to the remote network server unit if the remote network server unit is available or to cause the client computer system to connect to the failover server if the remote network server unit is not available.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a proximity I/O switch, which is configured to transfer data between the components in a computer system. This proximity I/O switch is comprised of multiple switch chips, which are coupled together through capacitive coupling. This enables the multiple switch chips to communicate with each other without being constrained by the limitations of conventional non-capacitive communication mechanisms. The multiple switch chips in the proximity I/O switch are also configured to communicate with components in the computer system through conventional non-capacitive communication mechanisms.

Abstract: A system and method for managing a scalable list of items for display in a display device of a small footprint device. A client program running in a small footprint device may instantiate a “list container object” and add “list item data objects” to the list container object. The list container object may instantiate a fixed number of “item renderer objects”, which are responsible for appropriately displaying the list item data objects. Each item renderer object may correspond to a row in the displayed list. The list container object interfaces with the set of item renderer objects, in order to manage the display of the list. In one embodiment, the item renderer objects are instances of a class that supports an “item renderer interface” that includes methods for interacting with the item renderer objects.

Abstract: A system and method for memory structures for efficient tracking and recycling of physical register assignments are disclosed. The method and system provide the necessary functionality to allow the number of physical registers assigned to incoming instructions to equal the number of physical registers that are returned to the list of free registers each cycle, thereby maintaining a substantially constant number of physical register pointers in the list of free registers. The system and method reduce the size of the memory structures utilized to track the usage of physical registers and the recycling of these registers.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling the use by caller objects to a restricted method of a resource object in an object-oriented computing environment are provided in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The method is based on associating an access-token with a caller object which is to be allowed to access the restricted method and sharing this access-token with the resource object. When subsequent calls to the restricted method are made by a caller object, access is made contingent on the caller object providing the access-token as part of the call procedure. Where no access-token is provided, or an invalid access-token is provided, access to the method is denied or restricted. The method provides protection against innocently made wrong calls to a restricted method by a caller object, for example due to coding errors. The method also provides protection against maliciously made calls to a restricted method by caller objects that should not have access to it.

Abstract: Techniques for implementing virtual machine instructions suitable for execution in virtual machines are disclosed. The operations performed by conventional instructions can be performed by relatively fewer inventive virtual machine instructions. Furthermore, the virtual machine instructions can be used to perform operations that cannot readily be performed by conventional Java Bytecode instructions. Thus, a more elegant, yet robust, virtual machine instruction set can be implemented.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating motion blur, depth of field, and screen door effects when rendering three-dimensional graphics data are disclosed. A graphics system configured with a graphics processor, a super-sampled sample buffer, and a sample-to-pixel calculation unit is disclosed. The graphics processor may be configured to use a sample mask to select different subsets of sample coordinates to be rendered for a particular frame. Each subset may be rendered applying a different set of attributes, and the resulting samples may then be stored together in the sample buffer. The sample-to-pixel calculation unit may be configured to filter the samples into output pixels that are provided to a display device.

Abstract: An integrated circuit package includes EMI containment features. The EMI containment features may include a plurality of pins on a substrate of the integrated circuit package. The pins may be a peripheral row of pins in an array of pins. The pins may couple a lid of the package to at least one ground plane of a circuit board.

Abstract: In a chassis for holding drawers containing computer components or the like, accurate alignment of each drawer in its corresponding slot is provided by a plurality of alignment features along an edge of an opening for the drawer. Mating alignment features are provided in each drawer, that engage with the alignment features on the chassis to ensure alignment of the drawer in the chassis. Various different types of alignment features are provided. Mating alignment features may additionally be provided along an opposing edge of the chassis and drawers. After being aligned, the drawers may be fastened to the chassis in a conventional fashion.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for selecting a node to host a primary server for a service from a plurality of nodes in a distributed computing system. The system operates by receiving an indication that a state of the distributed computing system has changed. In response to this indication, the system determines if there is already a node hosting the primary server for the service. If not, the system selects a node to host the primary server using the assumption that a given node from the plurality of nodes in the distributed computing system hosts the primary server. The system then communicates rank information between the given node and other nodes in the distributed computing system, wherein each node in the distributed computing system has a unique rank with respect to the other nodes in the distributed computing system. The system next compares the rank of the given node with the rank of the other nodes in the distributed computing system.

Abstract: Methods and systems consistent with this invention analyze the performance of a program executed in a data processing system. Such methods and systems assign a semantic to the performance of the program, and measure the level of performance of the program based on the semantic. As part of assigning a semantic, such methods and systems indicate a class of processing of which to measure performance, and may define a suctitude associated with the class. Such methods and systems define the class as a processing function that could contribute to the poor performance of the program. As part of measuring the level of performance, such methods and systems measure the suctitude of the indicated class during program execution.

Abstract: A method and system for managing cache levels based on battery backup level are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises measuring the level of charge stored in an exhaustible power source. The method further comprises monitoring the level of charge stored in the exhaustible power source. The method further comprises adjusting the storage level of the cache in response to a detected change in the level of charge. In this way, the method ensures that adequate battery power is available to transfer the contents of the cache to a non-volatile data storage medium.

Abstract: A distributed computer system uses a single interface at the client site to handle calls to call both active and passive remote objects. Accordingly, the calling process does not need to be aware of distinctions between active and passive objects. Further, remote objects are aggregated into common groups of objects, thereby providing greater security between objects of disparate groups and efficiency between related objects of the same group. Preferably, different groups are run on different Java virtual machines.

Abstract: The propagation of a feedback signal, such as a DQS signal generated in response to a read request in a Double Data Rate (DDR) memory system, into a digital host system, such as an ASIC, is controlled by using delay tracking to compensate for variable I/O delay. The memory system includes a controller and an interface, both on the ASIC, and memory units coupled to the controller through the interface, all configured on a printed circuit board (PCB). The interface uses the read request signal, sent by the controller to initiate read operations, to generate a read-enable signal, which is transmitted to a trace on the PCB one-half cycle of the system clock before DQS is expected to reach the interface. The trace tracks the total delay encountered by the system clock and DQS between the interface unit and memory units, and is routed back to the interface unit, where read-enable is used to generate an enable signal that allows DQS to propagate into the ASIC only when DQS is a valid digital signal.

Abstract: A method for controlling a processor array by a host computer involves creating a graph of a plurality of nodes using a data connection component, configuring a broadcast tree from a spanning tree of the graph, propagating a first command from the host computer to a member of the processor array using the broadcast tree, configuring a reply tree from a spanning tree of the graph, transmitting a response from the member of the processor array to the host computer using the reply tree, and configuring the data connection component to send at least one message selected from the first command and the response on at least one run mode communication path.

Abstract: A carry look-ahead adder capable of adding or subtracting two input signals includes first stage logic having a plurality of carry-create and carry-transmit logic circuits each coupled to receive one or more bits of each input signal. Each carry-create circuit generates a novel carry-create signal in response to corresponding first bit-pairings of the input signals, and each carry-transmit circuit generates a novel carry-transmit signal in response to corresponding second bit-pairings of the input signals. The carry-create and carry-transmit signals are combined in carry look-ahead logic to generate accumulated carry-create signals, which are then used to select final sum bits.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates determining whether a disk drive is likely to fail. The system monitors a first acoustic signal emitted from the disk drive during operation of the disk drive. Next, the system compares characteristics of the first acoustic signal against characteristics of a first baseline acoustic signal that reflects normal operation of the disk drive. If the first acoustic signal differs by a predetermined amount from the first baseline acoustic signal, the system indicates that the disk drive is likely to fail.