Abstract: A system and method for implementing a hierarchical policy for computer system administration which is extremely flexible in assigning policies to managed objects. Policies are defined to be rules for the values of the attributes of managed objects. Policy groups comprise the basic building blocks and they associate a set of policies with a set of managed objects. Policy groups can also be members of other policy groups and a policy group inherits the policies of its parent policy groups supporting the hierarchical specification of policy. A given policy group may have multiple parents which allows the "mix-in" of policies from the parents. Cloning and templates in conjunction with validation policies and policy groups provide standardization and a concomitant reduction in system administration complexity.

Abstract: An object synchronization module and corresponding method used in a computer system that includes a plurality of threads of execution and a set of objects that each can only be synchronized with one of the threads at a time. The object synchronization module comprises a cache of synchronization constructs, a free list of un-allocated synchronization constructs, and a cache manager. For each respective thread that seeks synchronization with a respective object, the cache manager allocates a respective synchronization construct in the free list for synchronizing the respective thread with the respective object when none of the synchronization constructs is currently allocated for synchronizing the respective object with any of the threads.

Abstract: A phase detection signal is generated with a phase detection logic pipeline and its associated tapped pipeline signal combinational logic circuit. The phase detection logic pipeline generates phase detection logic pipeline output signals from a first input clock signal and a second input clock signal. The first input clock signal is applied to a first flip-flop of a set of serially connected flip-flops to generate a pipeline signal. The pipeline signal is driven through the set of serially connected flip-flops by the second clock input signal. Logic pipeline output nodes connected between the serially connected flip-flops carry the phase detection logic pipeline output signals. The phase detection logic pipeline output signals are applied to the tapped pipeline signal combinational logic circuit, which logically combines the signals to generate the phase detection signal.

Abstract: A client computer system and associated method in a computer network over which is provided programs with methods in architecture neutral code. The client computer is capable of executing the programs with reduced run-time memory space requirements when the methods are in architecture specific code generated from the architecture neutral code of the methods. Specifically, a network communications interface receives the methods in architecture neutral code. A network communications manager loads uncompressed in available space in the run-time memory the architecture neutral code of the methods when received. A code generator then generates in the run-time memory uncompressed architecture specific code of the methods from the loaded architecture neutral code of the methods. An execution controller controls execution of the programs so that the methods are invoked and not invoked at different times.

Abstract: A system and method provides each networked computer user with a user interface displaying visual representations of selected other computer users, generally of those workers in the user's workgroup, and further provides communication mechanisms for efficiently and easily contacting any of the displayed workers. The visual representations of the other users are frequently updated to indicate the activity level of these users. These activity level cues help users predict if the other users are likely to be available for an interaction. The user interface also includes a display portion and mechanism for storing data files and the like so that all workgroup members may accumulate a set data files commonly used by the workgroup, and may transfer files in this manner to other workgroup members. The data files may be stored in association with specific interactive discussion windows, known as chat rooms, or directly in the user interface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a secure remote password graphic interface. In an embodiment of the invention, an improved password changer provides the capability to securely change a user's password at a remote location without the necessity of the user executing commands to the remote machine. A local graphic interface is provided for entry and initial validation of the user's proposed new password. Once validated, the user's login and password data is securely stored in temporary memory allocated during operation of the invention, and communication is initiated with the remote machine. All commands necessary to change the user's password at the remote machine are handled by an embodiment of the invention without the requirement of user intervention. The present invention improves remote password updating by eliminating the user's need to understand the command structure of the operating system running at the remote machine.

Abstract: A network adapter for allowing packet data to be separated over multiple bus targets without impact to input/output bus bandwidth or network performance, having: a bus interface circuit; a bus protocol circuit coupled to the bus interface circuit; a burst dispatcher circuit coupled to the bus protocol circuit; a network interface coupled to a read processing circuit and a write processing circuit, wherein the read processing circuit and the write processing circuit are coupled to the burst dispatcher; and, a synchronization and buffering circuit coupled to the bus protocol circuit, the burst dispatcher circuit, the read processing circuit and the write processing circuit.

Abstract: A secure program interpreter performs a special check the first time it executes a method call to determine if the sole purpose of the called method is to access the value of private variable, modify the value of a private variable, or return a constant value. If this is the case, the interpreter's internal representation of the method being executed is modified so as to directly access the private variable of the called method, or to directly access the stored constant of the called method. The modified method representation uses special "privileged" load and store instructions, not available in normal source code programs, that access private variables and constants outside the method being executed without causing a security violation to be flagged.

Abstract: In a compression system, three-dimensional geometry is first represented as a generalized triangle mesh, a data structure that allows each instance of a vertex in a linear stream to specify an average of two triangles. Individual positions, colors, and normals are quantized, preferably quantizing normals using a novel translation to non-rectilinear representation. A variable length compression is applied to individual positions, colors, and normals. The quantized values are then delta-compression encoded between neighbors, followed by a modified Huffman compression for positions and colors. A table-based approach is used for normals. Decompression reverses this process. The decompressed stream of triangle data may then be passed to a traditional rendering pipeline, where it is processed in full floating point accuracy.

Abstract: A method of checking the type of an object located on a remote computer in a distributed object environment computing system is disclosed. Initially, a type checking method to determine whether a remotely located object is of a specified type is invoked. In the invocation, a target interface identifier is included as an argument. A determination is then made as to whether the target interface identifier is equal to or a base for an apparent interface identifier held by a proxy object located on the first computer. If the target interface identifier is determined to be equal to or a base for the apparent interface identifier, an affirmative indication to that effect is returned to the client process. If not, then the target interface identifier is then compared to a real interface identifier. In many embodiments, a call to the server host will have to be made in order to determine the real interface identifier.

Abstract: An enclosure contains, among other components, hard drive cartridges, graphics or other option cards, power supply and a CPU and its support chips. The total power in the whole enclosure is about 325W and the CPU consumes about 30W of this total. For design purposes the components are closely positioned and hence heat dissipation is an important problem. Plural fans, as hereinafter disclosed, are used to circulate air. For the hard drive cartridges a fan snapped into a sidewall of the enclosure draws air from apertures in the bottom through the cartridge and into a plenum. For the CPU, an impingement fan discharges air directly downward on a heat sink positioned over the chip and into the plenum. Bulk flow fans discharge air from air intake vents in side walls of the enclosure as well as air discharged from the hard drive and CPU through an internal wall into a separate sub-enclosure for the power supply and thence to the exterior.

Abstract: A network navigation and viewing system is disclosed for use in managing a network. The network includes a plurality of digital devices interconnected by communication links in at least one domain, with each device having a device identifier and each domain having a domain identifier. The network navigation and viewing system facilitates generation of a graphical image depicting a logical organization of the network. The network navigation and viewing system in one aspect retrieving device identifier and domain identifier information for the devices connected in the network and uses them to generate a network organization graphical image for display to an operator, the image comprising a plurality of icons each representing a device, with the icons being aggregated in the network organization graphical image by domain thereby to depict the logical organization of the network.

Abstract: A computer process determines that processing by a resource manager of all previously sent event structures has been completed by sending a tag event structure after having sent the previously sent event structures and waiting for the tag event structure to be returned to the computer process by the resource manager. Since the resource manager processes all received event structures on a first-in-first-out basis, the tag event is only returned to the computer process once all previously sent event structures have been processed by the resource manager. The tag event structure is an event structure which is a custom event type and which includes data which identifies the tag event structure as such. Accordingly, the computer process recognizes the tag event structure as such when the tag event structure is received from the resource manager.

Abstract: An identification interface that transfers control information between a controller and an option module coupled to a motherboard of a computer. The identification interface supports the propagation of a plurality of bit fields containing information pertaining to the characteristics of the option module including, but not limited to, its speed, type and other information about its characteristics.

Abstract: Method, system and article of manufacture for connecting multiport object oriented components for use in an object oriented based applet or application. The component's ports are all polled to determine if a connection to any one of them has been initiated or ended. Port and variable information is stored and updated as connections are made or broken. If a connection is made, the type and suitability of the ports involved is checked as is the type and suitability of the variable they are to respectively transmit or accept. If the ports and/or the variable are mismatched, the intended connection is prevented and an error message to that effect is posted. If the ports and/or the variable are suitable, the intended connection is permitted and the stored port and variable information updated accordingly.

Abstract: A personal calendaring system includes a portable calendaring system and a complementary office calendar system, each synchronizing calendar entries by two-way wireless transmission. The portable calendaring system includes a GPS receiver interface providing location data. The office calendar system and the portable calendar system each includes a calendar memory storing calendar entries, a wireless paging interface for exchanging schedule change requests and location data, a traffic receiver interface receiving wireless traffic data from an external source, and a perceptual software agent that automatically updates stored calendar entries in response to detected events. The perceptual agents of the respective portable and office systems communicate using the two-way wireless paging interfaces to ensure the stored schedules are synchronized, and to minimize conflicts between schedule change requests entered at respective locations.

Abstract: A dependency checking method includes a scoreboard which records destination operands of instructions outstanding within the pipeline of a microprocessor. Each single precision register maps to an indication within the scoreboard. Each double precision register which does not overlap with single precision registers maps to an indication within the scoreboard. Double precision registers which overlap single precision registers map to the set of indications corresponding to the overlapping single precision registers. Dependency checking for a source operand is performed by forming a first set of indications corresponding to the double precision registers and a second set of indications corresponding to the single precision registers, then selecting a dependency indication from these sets of indications in response to the source precision and the source register address.

Abstract: A media server system including a media server coupled through a SCSI bus to one or more MPEG decoder boxes. Each of the MPEG decoder boxes includes a plurality of data channels and is adapted to receive encoded MPEG data from the computer system. The computer system generates data transfers to the respective MPEG decoder boxes for transfer on the selected channels. The computer system is configurable according to various file storage formats, including file systems which prepend a header comprising channel information to the video data, and file systems which do not prepend a header comprising channel information to the video data. According to the present invention, the computer system assigns a first SCSI logical unit number, preferably LUN 0, to a SCSI bus data transfer if the data being transferred includes a header comprising channel information.

Abstract: A method and system for reordering sections of a computer program are disclosed. The computer program is executed during an experimental execution period. During the execution period, an access record is made. The access record identifies when each section of the computer program is accessed. After the execution period, the sections are reordered based on when the sections were accessed during the execution period. The sections may be code sections, data sections, or a sections that contain a combinatin of code and data (e.g. objects). According to one disclosed technique, the execution period is divided into time intervals. Each time interval corresponds to the time period in which a discrete high level operation of the computer program was performed. A data matrix is created where each row corresponds to a section, and each column corresponds to a time interval. Values are stored in each cell of the data matrix based on whether the corresponding section was accessed during the corresponding time interval.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved method and apparatus for generating executable computer code for an application program written in C++ source code. In typical prior art systems, application program source code that has not itself been modified must still generally be recompiled in the event that object-oriented class definitions used by the application program and contained in separate header files have been modified. The methods and apparatus of the present invention reduce the need for such recompilation, by using procedural interfaces to implement object-oriented interfaces at the compiled code level. Thus, in accordance with the present invention, compiled header file code is generated that includes accessors for accessing object instances of the class definitions, each of the accessors being a procedure operative to access the object instances of the corresponding class definition.