Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for providing distributed parties reciprocal information regarding each other's activities. For example, the method of the invention provides selected information regarding the availability of an intended recipient to engage in a communication session with an initiator, and reciprocally informs the intended recipient of the initiator's access to such information. Further, the method of the invention can provide a signal to an intended recipient to indicate an initiator's intention to establish a communication session. Further, the method of the invention provides a signal to each party to indicate whether a communication session has been established. In another aspect, the invention provides a method for informing the participants in a communication session of a party's intention to terminate its participation in the session.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating a cyclic redundancy code with multiple cyclic redundancy code circuits are disclosed. High throughput data protocols can work more robustly if accompanied by high throughput error checking to verify the integrity of the communicated data. One approach of improving the performance of cyclic redundancy code generation hardware that can save money and development time is to combine multiple cyclic redundancy code circuits to perform the error checking. Data received is processed across the multiple cyclic redundancy code circuits. Future cyclic redundancy code circuits can also be combined according to this approach.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for generating and checking a cyclical redundancy check value wherein a first device calculates a cyclical redundancy check value on a full set of bits of input data to produce a first value and a second device calculates a cyclical redundancy check value on a subset of the full set of bits of input data to produce a second value. One of the values is selected for transmission to a register. The value in the register is fed back to the devices for iterating the cyclical redundancy check value calculation until it has been completed.

Abstract: A system and method for determining graphical object visibility by utilizing ancillary geometry. When comparing visibility cones with bounding hulls of scene graph hierarchy leaf nodes, ancillary geometry may be used in place of the bounding hulls and the leaf node's actual geometry. The ancillary geometry may be created through a manual process, or by an automated decimation process. The ancillary geometry may be a simplistic analytic surface (e.g., a sphere or a cylinder), a NURB surface, a collection of polygons, or a combination of surfaces and polygons.

Abstract: A method and mechanism operating within the Application layer of the architectural model for maintaining high availability in a computer network utilizing trunking technology. A backup connection is created wherein a second multi-port network card is added to a node of a computer network. A failover mechanism operating within the Application layer monitors an original, primary trunked network connection. Upon detecting a degradation in performance of the primary trunked connection that exceeds a threshold, the failover mechanism halts monitoring of the primary trunked connection, configures the second multi-port network interface with the parameters of the primary multi-port network interface, and brings up the second interface.

Abstract: A fault tolerant data storage system and related method are described for effectively failing over a storage device from one storage controller to another storage controller. The storage system generally includes at least two storage controllers for coupling to a processor and at least one storage device. A failover manager is in communication with the storage controllers and the storage device. The failover manager assists failing over of the storage device by allowing only one of the storage controllers having ownership to access the storage device at any one time. In one embodiment, the failover manager maintains a list of recent requests that have been committed to the storage device so that it can be used during failover to assist the surviving controller to complete the uncommitted requests properly.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for routing a telephone signal having a call destination indicator via a client-server network to a desired user, wherein a server contains an association between user identifiers and telephone destination identifiers, and the server associates each user having a user identifier with a client machine having a client identifier that is employed by the user. The server directs the telephone signal over the client-server network to a telephone appliance coupled to a client machine having a client indicator associated with the user call destination identifier that matches the call destination identifier of the telephone signal.

Abstract: A method for pipelining variable length decode and inverse quantization operations in a hybrid motion-compensated and transform coded video decoder includes the step of mapping a new code word to a look-up table to retrieve a code word length, a zero-run length, and a quantized level. A new linear, zig-zagged position of a current coefficient is identified from the zero-run length and a previous zero-run length. The code word length is added to a current bitstream position to yield a new bitstream position. A quantization matrix coefficient from the new linear, zig-zagged position of the current coefficient is selected. The quantized level is multiplied by a predetermined value to produce a quantization product. In the case of inter block processing, a quantized level sign value is added to the quantization product. In the case of intra block processing, the quantization product does not include the quantization level sign.

Abstract: A method for determining the setup and hold times of static flip-flops during the design and development of integrated circuits. The method utilizes simulations of an integrated circuit to determine a first amount of time required for a data signal to be transmitted from a first external node to a predetermined node in the register of a static flip-flop, and a second amount of time required for a clock signal to be transmitted from a second external node to the predetermined node. The setup time is determined by calculating a difference between the first amount of time from the second amount of time. Similarly, a hold time for the flip-flop is determined by calculating a difference between the amounts of time required for data and the clock signal to reach a second predetermined internal node of the flip-flop.

Abstract: A system and method for switching between input clock signals from different clock sources without losing lock by providing a supplemental correction signal to the loop filter in a phase locked loop (PLL) circuit. The phase detector includes a supplemental correction pulse generator configured to offset, at least partially, the effects of losing an input clock signal from a first clock source failure. The phase detector is coupled to receive the input clock signal and a feedback signal. The phase detector outputs a phase error signal indicative of a comparison between the input clock signal and the feedback signal. The loop filter is coupled to receive the phase error signal and to output an error correction signal. A voltage controlled oscillator is coupled to receive the error correction signal and to generate the output signal of the PLL, with the feedback signal indicative of the output signal. Switching logic is coupled to monitor the input clock signal from the first clock source for a failure.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that supports inter-process communication through use of a conditional trap instruction. The system operates by allowing a first process to send a communication to a second process by writing to a register that is visible to the second process. The second process then examines a value in the register by executing the conditional trap instruction. If the value in the register satisfies a condition specified by the conditional trap instruction, the system executes a trap handling routine that takes an action in response to the communication from the first process. If the value in the register does not satisfy the condition, the system takes no action and proceeds with execution of the code. In one embodiment of the present invention, the first process writes to the register by causing an interrupt that writes to the register.

Abstract: Access to digital content may be controlled by receiving a rights locker enrollment request from a user device associated with a user, where the rights locker enrollment request comprises a digital content request and enrollment authentication data. A determination of whether the user is authorized comprises determining the rights of the user to access the rights locker and the rights of the user to digital content specified by the digital content request. If the user is authorized, the rights locker is initialized with rights to the digital content. If a first token used to create the authenticated rights locker access request has been fully redeemed, a new token that authenticates future access to a rights locker corresponding to the digital content is obtained. An authenticated rights locker access request that is based at least in part on the new token is created and then sent.

Abstract: Access to digital content may be controlled by determining digital content to be made accessible via a rights locker, determining enrollment authentication data, and sending a rights locker enrollment request to a rights locker provider, where the rights locker enrollment request comprises a digital content request and the enrollment authentication data. One or more authenticated rights locker access requests are received in response to the sending, where the one or more authenticated rights locker access requests are for subsequent use in accessing digital content associated with the rights locker. When an indication of a selection of one of the one or more authenticated rights locker access requests is received, the authenticated rights locker access request is sent to a rights locker provider, and a result is received in response to sending the authenticated rights locker access request.

Abstract: A field and/or customer replaceable packaged refrigeration module with capillary pumped loop is suitable for use in standard electronic component environments. The field replaceable packaged refrigeration module portion is self-contained and is specifically designed to have physical dimensions similar to those of a standard air-based cooling system, such as a fined heat sink or heat pipe. The field replaceable packaged refrigeration module is coupled to a capillary pumped loop and serves to lower the base temperature of the capillary pumped loop sub-system, thereby allowing intermittent operation of the field replaceable packaged refrigeration module with the capillary pumped loop sub-system.

Abstract: Access to digital content may be controlled by determining a digital content specification and associated authenticated rights locker access request, sending the authenticated rights locker access request and the digital content specification, and receiving a new authenticated rights locker access request and a Web page with clickable links in response to the sending, where at least one of the clickable links is associated with an authenticated digital content request. When an indication of a user selection of one of the clickable links is received, an authenticated digital content request associated with the user-selected clickable link is sent to a digital content repository. The digital content is received in response to the sending of the authenticated digital content request.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer implemented method for sharing data between networked applications is provided. The system includes at least a whiteboard space, a single server mode library, and a client mode library. The single server mode library provides access to the whiteboard space, where the access is to read or post data to the whiteboard space. The client mode library is provided for one or more processes. The client mode library is in networked communication with the single server mode library, and the client mode library is capable of managing one or more reader objects and one or more posting objects. The single server mode library is further capable of managing one or more reader objects and one or more posting objects.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for operating a computer system, wherein the computer includes at least two storage units. A boot routine from an operating system on a first storage unit of the at least two storage units designated as the primary storage unit is executed. A second storage unit of the at least two storage units comprises a spare storage unit, wherein both the storage units maintain copies of the operating system and file system in the computer. If the boot routine does not succeed, then the second storage unit is designated as the primary storage unit, wherein the first storage unit is the spare storage unit after the second storage unit is designated as the primary storage unit. After designating the second storage unit as the primary storage unit, the boot routine is executed from an operating system on the second storage unit designated as the primary storage unit.

Abstract: The analysis of the lifetime of objects in a garbage-collected system may be accomplished quickly and effectively using reference counts and cyclic garbage analysis. A reference count is maintained for each of the objects to indicate the number of incoming pointers. Each time the graph structure is altered, the reference counts are updated. Timestamps are recorded each time the reference count for objects change. If a reference count goes to zero, the corresponding object may be indicated as dead. A garbage collection need only be run once (perhaps at the end), and after it is run the system may indicate which objects are cyclic garbage. The timestamps for objects which are cyclic garbage are then reviewed in reverse chronological order. For each timestamp found, the corresponding object and any object reachable from the corresponding object are indicated as dead. These objects are then removed from the set of cyclic garbage.

Abstract: An apparatus for testing an integrated circuit chip includes a printed circuit device having connector pads, contacts, and traces extending between at least some of the connector pads and the contacts. The printed circuit device has openings therethrough, intersecting the contacts, that are adapted to receive the pins extending from the integrated circuit chip so that the contacts may electrically contact the pins extending from the integrated circuit chip. The apparatus further includes a connector electrically interconnected with at least some of the connector pads. The apparatus is adapted to be disposed between the integrated circuit chip and a chip socket, such that the pins extending from the integrated circuit chip may be inserted through the printed circuit device and into the chip socket.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for creating compressed versions of regular objects are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for creating a compressed version of an object that stores a first representation of a set of data on a heap structure of an object-based computing system includes determining when the first representation of the set of data is suitable for compression. If the first representation of the set of data is compressible, it is compressed to form a second representation of the set of data, and a second portion of memory is allocated on the heap structure. The second portion of memory is substantially smaller than a first portion of memory occupied by the object. Finally, the method includes writing the second representation of the set of data into the allocated second portion of memory. In one embodiment, the method includes resetting a pointer that identifies the object to identify the allocated second portion of memory, and removing the object from the heap structure.