Abstract: An interface subsystem for use in a system including one or more simulation systems facilitates simulation of one or more simulation models under control of one or more tests. The interface subsystem allows the tests and simulation systems to transfer information therebetween and enables said tests to control the simulation systems in simulating the simulation model during a simulation run. The simulation systems include transactors which provide information to the simulation model at the beginning of a simulation run, pause a simulation run in response to detection of a selected event, and generate simulation result information. The interface subsystem includes, associated with each test, a simulation information generator, a simulation control indicator generator, and a information receiver; associated with each simulation system an information receiver associated with each transactor and a simulator interface module; and an interface core.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for ordering traps in a multiscalar design to avoid pipeline delays. Execution units which generate their traps earlier in the pipeline are used to build a number of possible enable masks, for indicating which instructions should complete, using the ordering information available from the different execution units. The enable masks cover the different possibilities of trap or no trap for the execution units which produce later traps. The traps from the execution units providing a later trap indication then select from the possible enable masks depending upon whether or not a trap is indicated by such second group of execution units. The enable mask is then used to enable or disable the destination registers used by the different execution units for that group of instructions.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for repairing or improving the behavior of a tunable circuit of an integrated circuit (IC) when a target parameter exceeds a predetermined range due to a design and/or fabrication problem. The tunable circuit includes one or more tuning controllers for tuning a corresponding number of target circuits. Each tuning controller includes one or more registers and an optional decoder. Each target circuit includes a tunable portion and a functional portion. The functional portion can have one or more of a wide variety of functions including but not limited to logical gates, buffers, signal generators and amplifiers. The selectable parameters of the tunable circuit include timing delays, trip voltages, rise/fall times and/or output impedances. When a circuit designer wishes to tune the target parameter, an appropriate tuning pattern is latched into registers of the tuning controller.

Abstract: A variety of methods and apparatus for managing a database in a object oriented environment are disclosed. According to the present invention, a database is provided which includes a database cache and a persistent database portion. Clients of the database are able to write quickly and asynchronously to the database cache, which may be located in transient memory such as random access memory. In order to maintain consistency between the state of the client and the state in the database, the data in the database cache must be written to the persistent database portion. In preferred embodiments a time commit thread executing in a computer process will, in single operations performed at predetermined intervals and when predetermined conditions are met, commit the data in the database cache into the persistent database portion. Thus through the strategies of the present invention, a single client database can have multiple clients.

Abstract: A virtual I/O processor (VIOP) is implemented using a programmed I/O (PIO) unit. The PIO unit is complemented by a VIOP interrupt, a VIOP interrupt handler, and a number of VIOP data structures. Preferably, the PIO unit is further complemented with a set of dedicated I/O global registers, a number of VIOP library read/write routines for various I/O device types, and non-blocking read and write operations. During execution, these elements cooperate with each other to perform multiple sequences of programmed I/Os as if they were being performed by a dedicated I/O processor.

Abstract: In a distributed object computing system, a client makes a call to a daemon process of a host computer in order to communicate with a target object in an object server process. This call uses a particular security mechanism to ensure a secure communication. The daemon process locates the object server and starts it if necessary. The object server provides the daemon process with a list or table of all the particular security mechanisms that it supports. Using a security class identifier provided by the client in the original call, the daemon process selects a particular security mechanism supported by the server, and then returns this new security mechanism along with the server's port to the client. The client constructs a new object reference to the target object and then calls the target object directly using the new security mechanism. The new security mechanism may be different from the original security mechanism used to communicate with the daemon process.

Abstract: When an interpreter on a client computer encounters a symbolic reference to a remotely stored method while interpreting a locally stored method, and the object class for the remotely stored method has not previously been loaded, the client computer, the client computer creates an application specific loader that is then used to load the remotely stored method into the client computer. The application specific class loader contains location information associated with the server computer on which the remotely stored method is stored, and also contains methods for loading onto the client computer the object class for the remotely stored method as well as the object classes for any additional methods referenced by that method. The application specific class loader preferably also includes symbol table for storing information about method references that have been resolved by the application specific class loader.

Abstract: Motherboards and cards (herein "boards") mounted in computer enclosures must be supported on X, Y and Z axes to resist shock and vibration. This requires that four edges of the board be supported. Because of the high cost of such boards their lengths are made as small as possible, and this dimension is the direction of insertion of the board. A guide is attached to the leading edge of the board having a depending foot which engages fasteners formed on the base of the chassis of the enclosure. Thus the inner edge of the board is supported along two axes. Two side edges of the board are held in tracks and the outer edge is held at the point of insertion.

Abstract: A multiport register file memory includes a cross-coupled sense amplifier as a storage element. A buffered switching circuit provides a voltage potential to the storage element in response to a write enable signal for switching-on/off the storage element. Each storage element provides two storage nodes which are coupled to corresponding switched bit lines. Coupling between each storage node and corresponding switched bit lines is provided by a pass transistor that is controlled by a word line attached to a gate of the pass transistor. The write operation begins by powering-off at least one controlled supply voltage rail that provides a voltage potential to the storage element. A small voltage swing of between two hundred and five hundred millivolts (200-500 mV) is supplied from the bit lines to the storage nodes of the sense amplifier through the pass transistors.

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: Source code to be protected, a software application writer's private key, along with an application writer's license provided to the first computer. The application writer's license includes identifying information such as the application writer's name as well as the application writer's public key. A compiler program executed by the first computer compiles the source code into binary code, and computes a message digest for the binary code. The first computer then encrypts the message digest using the application writer's private key, such that the encrypted message digest is defined as a digital "signature" of the application writer. A software passport is then generated which includes the application writer's digital signature, the application writer's license and the binary code. The software passport is then distributed to a user using any number of software distribution models known in the industry.

Abstract: An improved method and system for creating a link in an original hypertext document to a target hypertext document when a link creating icon is dragged from the target hypertext document to a specified location in the original hypertext document. The title of the target hypertext document is inserted at the link text.

Abstract: A computer system and a computer-implemented method are described which may be used in a distributed client/server computing environment to convert an exception identifier received by a host computing system from a remote device to a more readable message string that corresponds to the exception identifier. The exception identifier is arranged to uniquely identify the exception. Initially, the exception identifier is used to help identify an exception tag that includes a domain name and a message identifier. The message string that corresponds to the exception identifier is then found based at least in part upon the domain name and the message identifier. More specifically, the domain name is used to identify an exception message file that corresponds to the remotely located device. The message identifier is then used to locate a message string within the exception message file that corresponds to the exception indicated by the exception identifier.

Abstract: A cover for a rectangular enclosure is pivoted to the rectangular base at the front, swings rearwardly-downwardly and engages the back of the base. A CD drive installed in the base is accessible from one side. For the purpose of inserting CDs and providing access for CD controls and jacks, a base window is formed in the side of the base and its edges are framed with a bezel which projects slightly outward from the base side. The cover has a cover window in one side congruent to the base window but spaced outward so that, as the cover is swung closed, the cover window is displaced outwardly relative to the bezel and the bezel does not interfere with closing the cover.

Abstract: A computer system including a central processing unit (CPU) and a power management circuit (PMC). The CPU has an active mode where it is responsive to interrupt and direct memory access requests, and a standby mode where it is in a low power state and is not responsive to the interrupts and direct memory access requests. The PMC monitors the interrupts and direct memory access requests in the system when the CPU is in the standby mode, and causes the CPU to enter the active mode upon the detection of either an interrupt or a direct memory access request.

Abstract: Cold termination is provided at the bus output port of a last device coupled to a bus. Each device includes a termination integrated circuit ("TIC") that receives operating voltage from bus-provided V.sub.TERM potential. The TIC includes a series-coupled resistor-capacitor ("R-C") connected between V.sub.TERM and ground. The "R-C" junction defines a SENSE node that is coupled to a groundable pin on the device bus output port and to a SENSE input node on the TIC. If a bus cable connector is attached to the device bus output port, attachment grounds the groundable pin, and thus the TIC SENSE node is "0", which disables TLC bus termination. But if no connector is attached, the groundable pin floats to a potential approximating V.sub.TERM, and is a logical "1", which enables TIC bus termination. Preferably an inverter is series-coupled between the TIC SENSE node and input SENSE node to accommodate a TIC that enables termination with a "0" input SENSE signal. A visual indicator coupled between V.sub.

Abstract: Installation of a multi-package distribution software pack is split into installation of each dominant, or primary, package and installation of the dependent, or secondary, packages dependent on that dominant package. The dependent packages are installed before or after installation of the dominant package depending upon the constraints of the target system for the installation. As the dominant package is installed or delayed for later installation, an action list of dependent packages to be installed is built, and a trailer script executable by the installation utility is created to install the dependent packages on the action list. Since a dependent package may also be a dominant package, the flow of operations in the invention are layered to add additional entries on the action list for additional dependent packages dependent from a dominant package that is dependent from another dominant package.

Abstract: A register window file method and apparatus is disclosed. A register file is formed from a plurality of registers. The registers are grouped into a plurality of logical windows. Window selection logic selects among the logical windows and thereby limits access at any given time to the selected logical window. Because access is limited to only one window at a time, an individual register can be selected by specifying its virtual register number. Therefore, there is no need to translate from virtual address numbers to physical address numbers when accessing registers. This means that virtual register number to physical register number translation logic of the prior art is no longer required. Thus, the area on the integrated circuit chip formerly occupied by the translation logic is no longer required. Furthermore, the translation delays per instruction introduced by the translation logic are also eliminated. Moreover, each register only shares read and write lines with the other registers of its window.

Abstract: Programmable options for a mount command are checked for compatibility with file system types when attaching a media file system to a existing file system in a computing system. The options are programmed into a mount entry in a configuration file. The configuration file is used to generate the mount command. The mount entry defines file system types for the media file system and programmable options to control operation of the computing system with the media file system. The file system types, the programmable options and the compatibility of the programmable options with the file system types are all verified.