Abstract: A field device management system includes an interface which provides communication between a software application implemented on the system and a set of smart field devices coupled to the system. The interface accesses information from and/or writes information to the smart field devices, a database and device descriptions associated with the smart field devices to provide a consistent communication connection with such devices, database and device descriptions, irrespective of the types of smart field devices connected to the system. The interface is based on a predefined hierarchy of categories of information defining the device data associated with the smart field devices, and is implemented using an OLE object for each of the predefined categories of information.

Abstract: An input-output interface circuit operative in three different modes which utilizes a first signal selector, operative selectively in an external signal output mode and an internal signal transmission mode, having one output terminal to which a signal is transmitted from a signal processor and first and second output terminals, a second signal selector, operative selectively in an external signal input mode and an internal signal transmission mode, having one output terminal through which a signal input to the signal processor is transmitted and first and second output terminals, the first output terminal of the first signal selector being connected to the external input-output terminal by an external output signal transmission channel; the second output terminal of the first signal selector being connected to the first input terminal of the second signal selector by an internal signal transmission channel; and the external input-output terminal being connected to the second input terminal of the second signa

Abstract: A parallel computer using a simply structured network which allows loads on message-transferring routes to be as equally distributed as possible and which eases possible conflict between different types of messages being transferred. Given a message to be transmitted, each processor (PE) on the network references a property setup table to determine property information depending on the message type and places the information into the message. For example, a route bit RB as the property information is set to "0" or "1" depending on whether the message is originated by the sending PE or is a message acknowledging the receipt of another message. According to the RB bit in the received message, a route instruction circuit in each exchange switch (EX) references a route instruction table to determine the message destination that depends on the receiving PE number designated by the message. Each EX has a plurality of virtual channel circuits.

Abstract: In a Local Area Network (LAN) system, an ethernet adapter exchanges data with a host through programmed I/O (PIO) and FIFO buffers. The receive PIO employs a DMA ring buffer backup so incoming packets can be copied directly into host memory when the PIO FIFO buffer is full. The adapter may be programmed to generate early receive interrupts when only a portion of a packet has been received from the network, so as to decrease latency. The adapter may also be programmed to generate a second early interrupt so that the copying of a large packet to the host may overlap reception of the packet end. The adapter may also be programmed to begin packet transmission before the packet is completely transferred from the host to the adapter, which further reduces latency.

Abstract: A system for controlling the rate of flow of data generated by a variable rate data source and fed to a buffer which outputs the data at a constant bit rate. The operating mode, which sets the bit rate of the variable rate data source, is determined not only by the degree to which the buffer is filled, but also by the immediately preceding operating mode. The feedback of the operating mode results in an hysteresis effect on the mode, thus reducing the number of changes of the rate of data generation and thereby increasing the transmission quality of the data generated and output from the system.

Abstract: A method for modifying an information storage library. The invention includes a method for testing a new library storage module (LSM) to be added or included in the library. The method uses a portable simulated Library Management Unit (LMU) to test the new LSM prior to its incorporation into the library. Prior testing reduces down time of an existing information storage library when a new LSM is added.

Abstract: A system and method for time synchronized reconfiguration of a telecommunications network is disclosed. The method first identifies a new configuration for the telecommunications network. After the configuration has been identified, the new configuration is stored with the old configuration for the telecommunications network. Next, the new connection information associated with the new configuration is identified. After the new connection information is identified it is downloaded to the network elements. The new connection information is stored with the old connection information at the network elements. Next, the clocks of the network elements are synchronized through an external clock. An activation time is then downloaded to the network elements specifying an activation time for the new connection information. After the activation time is downloaded, the new connection information is activated at the specified downloaded activation time.

Abstract: An apparatus in a system in which a data source, a server, and the apparatus are connected on a network includes a receiver for receiving a direct command from the data source for requesting direct communication between the data source and the apparatus. The apparatus also includes a judging unit for judging whether a direct command can be accepted when the direct command is received during a data communication with the server, and a controller for interrupting the data communication with the server when it is judged that the direct command can be accepted. The direct command allows a printing/scanning function of a data input/output apparatus connected to the apparatus to be executed without passing through the server.

Abstract: In a communication system which ensures that a slave device can successively transmit a plurality of answer messages without causing collision with another message on a communication line, in response to a request message from a diagnosis tester, control devices transmit their answer messages in the order of their priorities, with a communication blank duration provided between answer messages. If any one of the control devices has first and second answer message to be transmitted successively, the control device transmits the second answer message a communication blank duration after completing transmission of the first answer message. The control device can thereby transmit the first and second answer messages before a control device of a lower priority starts to transmit its answer message. Message collision on the communication line is thus avoided.

Abstract: A method to be used with a programmable controller that can communicate with peripheral devices in two protocols, the method for automatically switching controller communication between the two protocols when the protocol used by a peripheral device is different than the protocol currently being used by the controller.

Abstract: A messaging facility in a multiprocessor computer system includes assembly circuitry in a source processing element for assembling a message to be sent from the source processing element to a destination processing element based on information provided from a processor in the source processing element. A network router transmits the assembled message from the source processing element to the destination processing element via an interconnect network. A message queue in a local memory of the destination processing element stores the transmitted message. A control word stored in the local memory of the destination processing element includes a limit field designating a size of the message queue and a tail field designating an index into the corresponding message queue to indicate a location in the message queue where the transmitted message is to be stored. Shell circuitry in the destination processing element atomically reads and updates the tail field.

Abstract: An improved access control system for a memory system in which memory locations can be allocated to virtual output queues dedicated to output ports from the system. The virtual queues can be used to handle data of different priorities. Thresholds are defined for the occupancy of the overall memory and of each virtual queue. The access control system regulates the acceptance of data stored in input adapters by determining whether a back pressure situation exists for the data's target output adapter for the class of traffic to which the data belongs. A single-bit access-controlling back pressure signal is generated as a function of the occupancy level of either the overall memory or of the virtual queue defined for the target output adapter.

Abstract: A system allowing a user of a browser program on a computer connected to an open distributed hypermedia system to access and execute an embedded program object. The program object is embedded into a hypermedia document much like data objects. The user may select the program object from the screen. Once selected the program object executes on the user's (client) computer or may execute on a remote server or additional remote computers in a distributed processing arrangement. After launching the program object, the user is able to interact with the object as the invention provides for ongoing interprocess communication between the application object (program) and the browser program. One application of the embedded program object allows a user to view large and complex multi-dimensional objects from within the browser's window. The user can manipulate a control panel to change the viewpoint used to view the image.

Abstract: An MPEG video decompression method and apparatus utilizing a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system, including memory addressing, transforming data using a common processing block, time synchronization, asynchronous swing buffering, storing of video information, a parallel Huffman decoder, and the like.

Abstract: A network match making system and method is used to match users of a multi-user networked application. Each user is associated with a client computer connected to the network. Clients are selected based on attributes of their users, the clients, servers, and/or communication links. The network match maker works with three different forms of network applications: peer-to-peer, multiple clients to a single server, and multiple clients to multiple servers. In one late server binding method, a set of computer objects is created. The set of computer objects has a plurality of client instances of client computer programs together with a server instance of a server computer program selected from a set of server instances. A match maker receives from a first client instance a first request to be joined into the set of computer objects. The first request has first client attributes associated with the first client instance.

Abstract: An MPEG video decompression method and apparatus utilizing a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arrangedas a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass ovef the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system, including memory addressing, transforming data using a common processing block, time synchronization, asynchronous swing buffering, storing of video information, a parallel Huffman decoder, and the like.

Abstract: Disclosed is a networked multimedia information system which may be utilized to record, store and distribute multimedia presentations together with any supplemental materials that may be referenced during the presentation. The recorded presentation, together with the associated supplemental materials, may be simultaneously presented on a display containing two separate viewing windows. The effects of network congestion are minimized by prefetching audio and video data for storage in audio and video buffers. An adaptive control algorithm compensates for network congestion by dynamically varying the rate at which video frames are retrieved over the network, in response to network traffic conditions. The audio playback speed is reduced if the audio data does not arrive fast enough over the network to maintain the desired size of the audio buffer after the amount of video data transmitted across the network has been reduced to a minimum value.

Abstract: A basic system of an NC unit and a distributed type remote I/O unit executes time division signal transaction through a half-duplex serial communication line, and in case where the distributed type remote I/O can not detect a receiving start state of a transmission frame from the basic system of the NC unit for a specified period of time, output is reset, and the basic system of the NC unit checks a type of and data setting in the distributed type remote I/O unit, and also checks a result for an input/output test and the current situation of communication according to a header pattern of a transmission frame.

Abstract: In a communication network structure, a communication network system using the communication network structure and a communication method for the communication network system, a plurality of user stations which are connected to one another through bidirectional communication means, and at least one host station which is connected to each of the user stations through bidirectional communication means. The host station holds a data base containing consciousness information in which only each user station's intention of entering the communication network is collected, and communication connection in formation which is required for each user station to directly or indirectly select another user station without going through host station to perform a direct communication therebetween, and each user station holds knowledge information to be delivered between the user stations without going through the host station by the direct communication therebetween.

Abstract: A system, method and program for adjusting a resource reservation for multimedia and normal traffic. An initialization file is used for storing data concerning a resource including a current maximum resource reservation for multimedia traffic. The user is presented the current maximum resource reservation, preferably in a graphical user interface to allow the user to adjust the resource reservation to a new maximum resource reservation in the initialization file. One preferred graphical user interface presents a range of resource reservations is represented as a scale and the current maximum resource reservation as a point on the scale. The resource reservation is used by the operating system or other software for reserving a portion of the resource. The remainder of the resource is allocated to normal traffic.