Abstract: A network match making method and system matches an additional computer executing an instance of a client computer program with one or more other computers executing instances of client computer programs. The computers are linked by one or more communication links. A match maker computer program receives a request from the instance executing on the additional computer to match with an instance executing on another computer. A measurement request is sent to the instance executing on the additional computer. Communication attributes between the additional computer and each existing computer are measured and an existing computer is selected as a match for the additional computer if one of the communication attributes exceeds a minimum performance requirement. Existing computers can be further selected based on further attributes. If none of the communication attributes meets the minimum performance requirement, a match maker program waits for a further request.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to minimize the efforts required to integrate a new communication media and network service into an operating system. These and other objects are accomplished by implementing the link control protocol layer as an operating system service multiplexing a set of network protocol connections to a set of communication media connections routing messages between respective connections. The LCP function is isolated by a set of network interfaces and a set of communication media interfaces. The invention allows the NCP and datagram support to be independent of the LCP support so long as the NCP and datagram implementations conform to the interfaces provided by the LCP operating system service that allow exchanges of state information.

Abstract: A Replication and Synchronization Engine (RSE) provides a user of a mobile computer with a consistent namespace of resources available to a network despite the connection status of the computer. The specifications (names) of the resources as viewed by the user when the computer is connected to the network are identical to the names as viewed by the user when the computer is disconnected from the network. RSE provides such a consistent namespace by maintaining complete, local replicas of a user-selected subset of these resources at the mobile computer, along with local "name-only" representations of the remaining resources. The resources maintained by RSE may include any network resource, such as a server, volume, directory, file, printer queue and other object, that the mobile computer can access.

Abstract: A data buffer includes a number of storing elements, a tree shaped structure of multiplexer elements, a write address generator, and a read address generator. The data storing elements have data inputs connected in parallel to an input for a data stream from a sending clock domain. The tree shaped structure of multiplexer elements is arranged for receiving data from the data storing elements, and emits on an output a data stream to a receiving clock domain. The write address generator generates, controlled by a write clock signal from the clock of the sending clock domain, write addresses for entering data from the sending clock domain into the data storing elements, one at a time. The read address generator generates, controlled by a read clock signal from the clock generator of the receiving clock domain, read addresses for reading out data storing elements in the same order as they were read in.

Abstract: An architecture for an information appliance adapted for a specific application supports a variety of appliance personalities, relying on a single core technology. The information appliance comprises an application-optimized hardware platform, including a processor, a display coupled to the processor, an input/output device coupled to an information source and to the processor, a user input device, and working memory coupled to the processor. Non-volatile memory is coupled to the processor and stores appliance operating software and application software. The appliance operating software includes logic executed by the processor, which manages information flow from the information source through the working memory to the display, and the application software includes logic executed by the processor and responsive to the user input to manage selection of information from the information source.

Abstract: Various operational measurements of a network element are determined in real time. These measurements are used to determine the call carrying capacity of the elements and the reaction of the network element to various call loads. Models of the network elements are generated from the operational measurements. Using an element's model, the network's reaction to various changes in a particular element can be determined without complex and expensive engineering work.

Abstract: A computerized switching system for coupling a workstation to a remotely located computer. A signal conditioning unit receives keyboard and mouse signals generated by a workstation and generates a data packet which is transmitted to a central crosspoint switch. The packet is routed through a crosspoint switch to another signal conditioning unit located at a remotely located computer. The second signal conditioning unit applies the keyboard and mouse commands to the keyboard and mouse connectors of the computer as if the keyboard and mouse were directly coupled to the remote computer. Video signals produced by the remote computer are transmitted through the crosspoint switch to the workstation. Horizontal and vertical sync signals are encoded on to the video signals to reduce the number of cables that extend between the workstation and the remote computer.

Abstract: An improved DMA controller having programmable data transfer timings. Not only is the total cycle time programmable, but the active and inactive period of the cycle are also programmable. An active timing register and an inactive timing register are used in conjunction with a countdown timer to determine the active and inactive periods of the data transfer cycle. The active time period is loaded into the timer during the active phase, with the end of the active phase being indicated by the timer timing out. Next, the inactive time period is loaded into the timer, which similarly times out to indicate the end of the inactive phase of the data transfer cycle.

Abstract: A data structure and method are disclosed for transferring object attributes between platforms in a distributed computing environment. The method includes creating an application description file. The application description file includes a type ID and an object name. The type ID references a type information file. The application file includes an attribute data block and the attribute data block contains data for attributes that are included in the object. The attribute description file is transferred to a platform that includes the type information file and the type information file includes a memory offset map that determines a sequence of attribute data storage in the attribute data block. Thus, the object attributes are received by the platform and the type information file provides a memory offset map for individual attributes in the attribute description file.

Abstract: A dynamic group registry for organizing information created by a client entity for sharing, having a plurality of publication computers networked together inside the client, each publication computer having a disk for storing a dynamic group registry and resource locators containing function names, a web server which causes the publication computer to respond to resource locators by loading the function name indicated, a database management program for organizing the dynamic group registry; a client side communications server to respond to resource locators directed to it and to direct the database management program in organizing the dynamic group registry; a client side communications resource locator list stored in each publication computer that causes functions to be selected for execution in the client side communications server so that the dynamic group registry indicates how information is to be shared amongst the designated individuals and groups with the client entity.

Abstract: A computer system includes multiple processing nodes, each of which is divided into subnodes. Transactions from a particular subnode are performed in the order presented by that subnode. Therefore, when a first transaction from the subnode is delayed to allow performance of coherency activity with other processing nodes, subsequent transactions from that subnode are delayed as well. Additionally, coherency activity for the subsequent transactions may be initiated in accordance with a prefetch method assigned to the subsequent transactions. In this manner, the delay associated with the ordering constraints of the system may be concurrently experienced with the delay associated with any coherency activity which may need to be performed in response to the subsequent transactions. In order to respect the ordering constraints imposed by the computer system, a system interface within the processing nodes employs an early completion policy for prefetch operations.

Abstract: A video server includes a plurality of input/output devices coupled to a plurality of memory arrays via a commutator. Within each memory array, a buffer is operative to collect data for transfer to and/or from an array controller. Each memory array includes an error correction system providing parity-based RAID type error correction. A plurality of disk controllers each having a FIFO buffer and respective pluralities of disk memories are commonly coupled to a communication bus which in turn is coupled to the error correction system by a FIFO buffer. A segment buffer having a plurality of low cost memory devices which are configured to provide a plurality of ring buffers is coupled to the data bus. An access logic circuit controls the data flow through the FIFO buffer and a central processing unit is operative to provide address sequence upon the communication bus for controlling data transfer to and from the segment buffer.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and protocol to enable a simple, reliable and highly scaleable data transfer facility in a digital data network. A connectionless, unacknowledged data transfer protocol minimizes resource utilization at a data server and is combined with source rate control to reduce congestion in the intervening network. The data transfer server implementing the protocol, operates by defining a circular ordering of individual scheduling timeslots having zero or more download records. The server selects in sequence, at a predetermined rate, the individual scheduling timeslots, and services, responsive to the selected timeslot having at least one download record, each record therein according to parameters in that record.

Abstract: Two methods are disclosed for storing multimedia data that reduces the amount of disk I/O required by the system and cache misses experienced by the system. The first method determines the future access of each data buffer in a cache memory. Once the future of the data buffer is determined, the data buffer with the maximum future is allocated to store new blocks of data. The method approximates an optimal method of data buffer allocation, by calculating the future of a data buffer, relative to clients that will access the data buffers. The second method orders the clients based on the increasing distance of each client from the previous client; clients release the buffers in this order into a LIFO queue; if a buffer is selected to load a new block of data, the buffer at the head of the LIFO queue is selected.

Abstract: A server computer connectable to a network and having a plurality of processors (20, 30, 40) arranged to provide a service to one or more client computers connected to the network. The service Involves the provision of blocks of information to a client computer (50), and the processors have access to a data storage (120) in which data for the blocks of information is stored. Each processor in the server has block retrieval means (80), employed in response to a request from a client computer (50) for a particular block of information from that processor, to retrieve data from the data storage (120) to construct a file representing the requested block of information, the file including references to subsequent blocks of information requestable by the client (50). Additionally, load determining means (100) periodically determines activity data for the processor for inclusion In a load distribution record maintained for all of the processors of the server.

Abstract: In response to the issue of a request for processing long data from an application node to a server A, the server A sends a message requesting a server B for the processing of the long data. The server B requests the application node to transmit the long data to the server B by using a message, and receives the long data directly from the application node without passing through the server A. As a result, the overhead caused by transferring the long data from a server to a server of another node is eliminated, and the load of the network is reduced.

Abstract: An activity based system for long-lived transactions between disconnected servers and clients. The invention utilizes activities for processing information between occasionally connected servers and clients by executing code or both. The activity is a distributed object which executes the system script, extracts data from a database, and assigns tasks to be prepared by the client. The activity includes program code which provides failure recovery, restart from a termination and ACID interaction with a database.

Abstract: A computer system having at least two subsystems which generate video signals and which share the same video display terminal. Provision is made to allow disabling of the current output of each system and controlling line reflections.

Abstract: There is provided herein a method, apparatus, and storage medium for processing data. According to one embodiment, encoded data is received by a playback engine of a computer system. A decoder of the playback engine decodes the encoded data. A capture engine of the computer system is notified to encode the decoded data. The decoded data is encoded with an encoder of the capture engine.

Abstract: A smart delivery system is provided for transmitting video, audio, hyper-text and web documents to end users via the internet over telephone lines, fiber optics, satellite link, or other direct communications on a non-realtime discontinuous basis in which the server providing the information periodically ascertains whether the end user terminal is busy. If so, the transmission to the end user is terminated and the information is stored until such time as the "busy" indication is terminated. In one embodiment, the indication for the end user of incoming information is in the form of an icon generated on-screen on which the user can click to obtain the sought-after information.