Abstract: When an atomic instruction executed by a computer processor locks a memory location, the locking is performed before the processor has determined whether the instruction is to be executed to completion or canceled. The memory location is unlocked whether or not the instruction will be canceled. Since the locking operation can occur before it is known whether the instruction will be canceled, the reading of the memory location can also occur early, before it is known whether the instruction will be canceled.

Abstract: To cool heat-emitting electronic components, a compact, non-moving-parts compressor, an evaporator in juxtaposition to the electronic components and a condenser are mounted as a unit, preferably within a vacuum can. A heat exchanger is mounted external to the can but in proximity to the condenser. The foregoing comprise a unit which may be detachably connected to a host pump and heat exchanger. The unit may be removed from the system of which it is a part for upgrade and maintenance. All its components are thermally isolated from the ambient atmosphere to prevent water vapor condensation corrosion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of translating and executing native code in a virtual machine environment. Debugging of a virtual machine implementation is made easier through binary translation of native code, which permits greater platform independence and greater control over thread management and scheduling, and provides for identification of memory access errors in the native code. When native code is to be executed within a virtual machine environment, the native code is translated into an intermediate form. This intermediate form is processed to determine where memory access and blocking system calls occur. Validity checks are inserted into memory access calls to determine whether the portion of memory to be accessed by each call is within a permitted range. Wild pointers and other resources of memory access errors associated with the native code may thus be identified. Blocking system calls are replaced with non-blocking variants, and “yield” operations may be inserted into system calls and loops.

Abstract: A receiver is provided which quickly and efficiently recognizes signals by including with the receiver a resolving circuit which is coupled to a signal generation circuit which provides a differential current. The resolving circuit is coupled to a latching circuit. The resolving circuit can operate with supply voltage levels as low as one threshold voltage. Also, the signal setup and hold times are inherently very small due to the high intrinsic bandwidth of the receiver. Other advantages include reduced power consumption, high speed operation, good rejection of input noise and power supply noise, ability to resolve small (e.g., 1.0 m Volt) voltage differences, reduced capacitive loading, and the ability to function with a variety of types of drivers, including HSTL, DTL and PECL.

Abstract: A driver may be provided which controls the output slew rate a driver which includes within the driver a slew rate control circuit. Accordingly, a desired output slew rate can be advantageously established and maintained over a wide range of variations in operating conditions, manufacturing processes and output voltage levels. Such a driver also advantageously limits any crowbar current, thereby reducing the overall power consumption of the driver with little, if any, degradation of driver performance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for generating responses to queries to a document retrieval system. The system responds to a specific request for information by locating and ranking portions of text that may contain the information sought. It locates small relevant passages of text (called “hit passages”) and ranks them according to an estimate of the degree to which they correspond to the information sought. The system minimizes the number of these hit passages that need to be examined before an information seeker has either found the desired information or can safely conclude that the information sought is not in the collection of texts.

Abstract: A Muller C-element comprises two stages. The first stage consists of a NAND and a NOR gate, each driven by all of the inputs to the Muller C-element. In the second stage, the outputs of the two gates are used separately to switch on and off two output transistors, which drive the output of the Muller C-element A keeper flip flop serves to retain the output value between changes. Because current from each gate is applied only to one output transistor, delay is reduced. Furthermore, an unneeded output transistor is switched off as soon as logically possible, often during the otherwise unused interval while the input values differ, which reduces both delay and crossover current. In a preferred embodiment, the NAND and NOR gates each comprise a set of series transistors and a set of parallel transistors.

Abstract: The bits of a data block are assigned to a plurality of logical groups such that at most one bit corresponding to a component is assigned to a logical group. This assignment ensures that a component failure may introduce at most one bit error to a logical group. Each logical group uses a single error correcting code to detect and correct bit errors. A parity bit is appended to a data block that includes a plurality of logical groups. The parity bit may be used in conjunction with the single error correcting codes to determine whether a detected error is a single bit error or a multiple bit error. If the detected error is a single bit error, the error correction codes may be used to correct the error. If the detected error is a multiple bit error, an uncorrectable error may be reported.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for exploiting the power of existing device independent graphics and text manipulations, while providing a high level of client-side performance for interactive applications using an object oriented client-side library of constructs. The client-side constructs are analogous to the constructs of a selected server-side imaging model, so that the power and performance of existing imaging models (for example, constructs of the PostScript language) are exploited. In an exemplary embodiment, the client-side constructs are provided for use with the C++ programming language. By establishing a client-side object model using a library of constructs analogous to server-side imaging model constructs, program execution speed and efficiency can be improved without sacrificing the device independence of the imaging model. Using a common base class (i.e.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a programmable soft fuse for disabling a signal line using an electronic switching circuit, a latch, a control circuit, and a reset circuit. In another preferred embodiment, a precharge device is included.

Abstract: The client portion of a distributed client-server network management system uses an interface designed with, and written in, a platform independent language, such as Java. This allows management application programs to be written in the platform independent language and insures their portability. The inventive interface caches most of the management information at the server so that only a small client program is necessary. This program can run on a system with minimal resources, thereby allowing a network manager to manage a network from virtually any location on the network. For example, the client management application could be written as a Java applet which could then be run on any Java-enabled browser. The inventive distributed management system can also connect with, and use, the services and structure of existing distributed network management systems.

Abstract: A system separately designates security requirements for each of a plurality of methods invoked on a server. The system includes a security class library and an execution unit. The security class library stores a plurality of security objects that correspond to the plurality of methods. Each of the security objects stores the security requirements for the corresponding method. The execution unit receives from a client a method invocation request that includes security requirements of the client. From the request, the execution unit identifies one of the security objects in the security class library that corresponds to the requested method, and determines whether to invoke the requested method based on a comparison of the client security requirements and the security requirements stored in the security object.

Abstract: A method for selecting a candidate to mark as overwritable in the event of a cache miss while attempting to avoid a write back operation. The method includes associating a set of data with the cache access request, each datum of the set is associated with a way, then choosing an invalid way among the set. Where no invalid ways exist among the set, the next step is determining a way that is not most recently used among the set. Next, the method determines whether a shared resource is crowded. When the shared resource is not crowded, the not most recently used way is chosen as the candidate. Where the shared resource is crowded, the next step is to determine whether the not most recently used way differs from an associated source in the memory and where the not most recently used way is the same as an associated source in the memory, the not most recently used way is chosen as the candidate.

Abstract: Heat emitting electrical components are encased in a refrigerated package within a housing which may be under vacuum. Power for the components is supplied through a transformer within the vacuum housing, the secondary of which is in thermal contact with the package and has heat transmitting electrical connections to the components. To reduce conduction or convection of heat from the primary of the transformer to the refrigerated package, a small gap of about 1 mil is provided. For pot core transformers the core may be split, with the gap between the split portions. For toroidal transformers, the secondary is spaced from the primary as well as from the core by such gap.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing communication between different implementations of object request brokers are provided. A bridge including a proxy object allows communication between the object request brokers. The proxy object within the bridge stores the server object reference in its reference data. The proxy object translates messages (e.g., requests and responses/exceptions) to the transfer protocol of the server object and redirects these messages according to the server object reference stored in the proxy object's reference data.

Abstract: A processor implements a local stall functionality in which small, independent circuit units are stalled locally with the condition causing a stall being first detected locally, then propagated to other small independent circuit units. Stall conditions for a functional unit are detected locally with reduced logic circuitry and also without waiting to receive condition information from other functional units that is transmitted over long wires. Local stall logic circuits are distributed over diverse areas of an integrated circuit so that stall conditions are detected locally. A local stall is expanded into a global stall by propagation to logic circuits beyond a local region in subsequent cycles. Local detection of stall conditions and local stalling eliminates many critical paths in the processor.

Abstract: When retrieving documents over a network, such as the Internet, the font size imposed by default or by a style sheet is sometimes not the right size for comfortable viewing by a user. A database of font size changes made by a user to particular documents is maintained and used to infer a font size preference for a document. A document is displayed using a recorded preference. If no preference is found for a document, a check is made to determine if a preference has been specified for a different document related to that document by having a common portion of a network address. That is, if a preference had been specified for one chapter of a document having a particular network address, a preference would be inferred for other chapters of the document based on a common portion of a hierarchical address.

Abstract: A combination heating and cooling apparatus which comprises a compartment into which an item to be heated or cooled may be placed; an electromagnetic wave generator; wherein during a first mode of operation of the apparatus, the electromagnetic waves are directed into the compartment to heat the item; at least one sorber having a housing defining an enclosure; a sorbate/sorbent compound located within the enclosure; a waveguide for coupling electromagnetic waves generated by the electromagnetic wave generator to the sorber; wherein electromagnetic waves transmitted by the electromagnetic wave generator are propagated through the enclosure to desorb the sorbate from the sorbate/sorbent compound; a condenser connected to the sorber; an evaporator connected to both the condenser and the sorber and positioned in heat exchange relation with the compartment; and a controllable valve interposed between the condenser and the evaporator; wherein sorbate which is desorbed in the sorber is condensed in the condenser and

Abstract: A method for a driver may be provided which controls the output slew rate of a driver which includes within the driver an impedance control and a slew rate circuit. Accordingly, a desired output slew rate and a desired output impedance can be advantageously established and maintained over a wide range of variations in operating conditions, manufacturing processes and output voltage levels. Such a method also advantageously limits any crowbar current, thereby reducing the overall power consumption of the driver with little, if any, degradation of driver performance.

Abstract: A graphical user interface on a computer system is provided for displaying objects in an object-oriented application and data stored in tables of a database. The graphical user interface displays a class view corresponding to one or more classes in the object-oriented application that in turn corresponds to tables in the database and displays a table view having one or more tables in a database corresponding to classes in the object-oriented application. In addition, the graphical user interface also displays a combination table-and-class view having database elements from the database adjacent to the object-oriented elements from the object-oriented application.