Patents Examined by Ellis B. Ramirez
  • Patent number: 5889954
    Abstract: A network manager for configuring and controlling a simulated telecommunications network having a plurality of nodes which communicate in a plurality of communications protocols. The network manager dynamically connects and disconnects each of the plurality of nodes to the network. The network manager also determines which of the plurality of communications protocols is utilized by each of the plurality of nodes, establishes connections between nodes which communicate in compatible communications protocols, and denies connections requested between nodes which communicate in incompatible communications protocols. The network manager includes a Design function and a Supervisory function. The Design function sets up the network, defines nodes, defines which nodes are to operate on which workstations, and establishes connections. The Supervisory function manages and operates the network. This includes launching the network, monitoring the nodes and links, and reconfiguring the network when requested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Ericsson Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Gessel, Thomas Kevin Autrey
  • Patent number: 5887136
    Abstract: A communication system housing a plurality of terminals capable of processing one or more media is provided with an available terminal information storage section for storing a terminal or terminals to be used for each user, an available media information storage section for storing a medium or media or a media realization scheme or schemes to be used for each terminal, a determination section for determining a combination of one or more media or one or more media realization schemes and a terminal combination of one or more terminals to be used by each user in accordance with the contents of the available terminal information storage section and the available media information storage section for each of users engaged in communications according to communication requests and a control section for controlling setting of call/connections based on the media combination and the terminal combination determined by the determination section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Chikara Yasuda, Masahiro Takagi, Tsuguhiro Hirose, Narito Kimura, Ryuji Ito, Kazue Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 5887139
    Abstract: A system for providing a configurable graphical user interface useful in managing network devices connected to a network, the system using one or more servers and one or more clients, each server receiving messages from and sending messages to a set of the network devices via a standard server/device protocol, each client communicating with at least one server via a client/server protocol and providing a graphical user interface for receiving requests from a user and displaying information to the user relating to the network devices, the client initiating a graphical user interface in response to a user input by sending an initiation message to the server, and the server then sending resource information and a data stream relating to the current state of the network devices, the client creating a graphical user interface that provides a display relating to the state of the network devices based upon the resource information and data stream, the resource information providing a context for data in the data str
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: 3Com Corporation
    Inventors: Carl T. Madison, Jr., Richard C. Flathers
  • Patent number: 5884044
    Abstract: A cell of an integrated circuit dedicated to a microprocessor, the cell comprising a data input/output circuit connected to a communications network working according to at least two different protocols called the DDC1 and I2C protocols and a control circuit provided with a sequencer, the control circuit being managed by the sequencer, the control circuit communicating with a control bus of the microprocessor and with the data input/output circuit; wherein the cell comprises a logic circuit which enforces the state of the sequencer as a function of an information element which identifies which of said protocols is being used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.A.
    Inventors: Sebastien Marsanne, Maquin Francis
  • Patent number: 5884037
    Abstract: A reservation based bandwidth management system for a data processing system network allocates network resources to client computer systems requesting access to other computer systems within the network based on a bandwidth predicting algorithm. The bandwidth predicting algorithm utilizes an autoregressive integrated moving average trend analysis to forecast future values of bandwidth capacity at a link or system level used by elements that do not conform to a reservation policy. The bandwidth predictor may utilize a utility that analyzes the bandwidth utilization trend over a previous period of time and generates appropriate seasonal coefficients to be used by the predictor algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Caglan Mehmet Aras, Jeffrey D. Miller, Roderick Keith Scott
  • Patent number: 5881237
    Abstract: Communications network performance is tested utilizing a test scenario simulating actual communications traffic on the network to be tested. A console node is provided on the network for establishing the test scenario and assigning the test scenario to endpoint nodes on the network to be tested. Each endpoint node is assigned an endpoint node specific test protocol. Execution of the test protocols by the endpoint nodes is initiated by the console node. Performance data such as throughput, transaction rate and response time may be monitored at selected ones of the endpoint nodes and reported to the console node either as it is generated or after completion of the test. The test scenario may be terminated when all endpoint node specific test protocols have completed execution or when any one endpoint completes execution of its test protocol. Multiple network protocols may be utilized within a single test scenario.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Ganymede Software, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter James Schwaller, John Quillian Walker, II, Steven Thomas Joyce, Timothy Scott Huntley
  • Patent number: 5881229
    Abstract: An installable performance accelerator for computer network distributed file systems is provided. A cache subsystem is added onto, or plugged into, an existing distributed file system with no source code modifications to the operating system. The cache subsystem manages a cache on the client computer side which traps or intercepts file system calls to cached files in order to obtain an immediate and substantial performance increase in distributed file system performance. Additionally, a refresh agent may be installed on the server side to further speed up cache accesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Shiva Corporation
    Inventors: Jagdeep Singh, Chandrashekhar W. Bhide
  • Patent number: 5878222
    Abstract: A signal processing unit is provided with at least one analyzing unit to analyze channel data generated for a number of channels of a communication signal indicative of its channel contents to determine if channel contents of the channels are among channel contents defined by selection data. The signal processing unit is further provided with an arbitrating unit for arbitrating display and/or recording resource contentions among channels having channel contents that are defined by the selection data. The channel data may be texts, uniform resource locators, images as well as numeric data, and the like. The signal processing unit is suitable for incorporation in a stand-alone as well as a client computer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Edward R. Harrison
  • Patent number: 5872927
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for enabling user interaction with a branch-structured narrative entertainment (90) in which branch path selection (A,B,C) is made at least partially in response to user input. A user is provided with a non-volatile memory, such as a smart card, in which memory is stored data specifying a record of past user interactions. This data is periodically checked and updated by the apparatus and, at one or more branch points (92) of the narrative, access to one or more branch paths (A,B,C) is enabled or denied on the basis of the stored user history.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Martin A. Shiels, Richard S. Cole, Paul J. Rankin, Rosa Freitag
  • Patent number: 5872721
    Abstract: A system adapted for removable placement in a security enclosure fitted into the wall of a refrigerated container for respiring perishables, and for monitoring and controlling, continuously and dynamically, over a programmed, desired time, the concentration of oxygen, and the concentration of dioxide, in such a container atmosphere where the concentrations of these gases vary over time as the perishables respire, includes devices for sensing, separately, the concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the container atmosphere, devices for establishing setpoints or desired values of oxygen and carbon dioxide atmospheric concentration within the container, and for changing those setpoints, over time, depending on the nature of the perishable and other variables, and for maintaining the atmospheric concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide at desired setpoints for desired programmed times by admitting outside air into the container, as a source of oxygen, and by scrubbing to remove carbon dioxide, as necess
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Assignee: Transfresh Corporation
    Inventors: Clifford R. Huston, Karrie R. Finkel-Kernberg, Samuel Harris, James R. Lugg, Kevin J. Reeder, Robert H. Lashley, Daniel P. Garland, Gregory Justice, Derek Orme, William F. Dresselhaus, Dennis P. Kerkhoff
  • Patent number: 5872925
    Abstract: A "Reply to All" command may be selectively blocked by a sender in an electronic mail system. The "Reply to All" command may be disabled in response to selection and enablement of a "Block Reply to All" option when the message is composed by the sender. After the sender transmits the message, the message is displayed in a window on a computer operated by a receiver. If the "Block Reply to All" option has been enabled, then the "Reply to All" command is disabled at the computer operated by the receiver. The disabling of the "Reply to All" command may be visually represented by a change in the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventor: Charles S. Han
  • Patent number: 5870715
    Abstract: A logistical network has nodes and edges, or transport links, which permit mailed articles that are being set from a sender to a receiver to be transferred, processed, and forwarded in a sequence which is predetermined in terms of time and place. The network includes devices for determining differences between nominal data describing the state of the logistical network and actual measured data. A controlled system is provided for minimizing differences in a predetermined period of time by shifting the processing of mailed articles from one node or a plurality of nodes of which the capacity is reduced with respect to the nominal data to one or a plurality of other nodes such that minimal additional expenditure is incurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-GmbH
    Inventors: Beate Belitz, Andreas Berends, Tobias Eychmueller, Franz Kreitmeier
  • Patent number: 5867402
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, binding sites are defined based upon the individual information content of a particular site of interest. Substitutions within the binding site sequences can be analyzed to determine whether the substitution will cause a deleterious mutation or a benign polymorphism. In addition, new binding sites can be identified using individual information content. Further a computer system is described for determining and displaying individual information content of a binding site sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services
    Inventors: Thomas D. Schneider, Peter K. Rogan
  • Patent number: 5867662
    Abstract: A communications driver is provided for establishing communications sessions between a computer system and a remote device, such as another computer system. The computer system includes a plurality of ports which are connected to a number of diverse types of communications media. At least one of the ports comprises a network port controlled by a network socket driver, so that the communications driver can be used in connection with lower-level networking drivers which may be provided by a variety of manufacturers. The communications driver selectively establishes a communications session such that the computer system will operate as a terminal with the remote device over one of the communications media, as selected by an operator. The communications driver initially enables the operator to identify a communications medium and a remote device, and the driver thereafter selects one of the ports in response to identification by the operator of a communications medium and a remote device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Justin A. Riggs
  • Patent number: 5862330
    Abstract: Computer users may utilize different web browsers to access a server system on the World Wide Web (WWW) to create or join a collaborative browsing session. The users or collaborators in a session are connected by one or more controllers in the server system. When a collaborator creates or joins a session, mobile code is transmitted from the system to the collaborator's computer to create a surrogate thereon, which monitors the collaborator's interaction with a web browser on the computer. The controllers communicate with all the surrogates of the collaborators to coordinate the collaborative browsing effort. When one of the surrogates detects a change by a collaborator of a uniform resource locator (URL), the new URL is communicated through the controllers to the surrogates of all other collaborators in the session. As such, the collaborators are able to move from one URL to another to browse information in a synchronous manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Vinod Anupam, Narain H. Gehani, Kenneth R. Rodemann
  • Patent number: 5862338
    Abstract: A multiport polling system for a network switch including a plurality of network ports, each including receive and transmit buffers. Each port includes port status logic for providing status signals indicative of whether a corresponding port has received data from a network device and whether a corresponding port has available space to receive data to transmit to a network device. The network switch further includes a switch manager for controlling data flow between the ports. The switch manager includes polling logic for periodically polling the port status logic of each port for receiving the status signals, and a memory for storing values indicative of the status signals for each port. In this manner, all of the ports are simultaneously polled in a singe query and the receive and transmit status of each port is maintained in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventors: William J. Walker, Gary B. Kotzur, Michael L. Witkowski, Patricia E. Hareski, Dale J. Mayer
  • Patent number: 5862341
    Abstract: A method of identifying computer screens is disclosed. The method is particularly useful in identifying IBM host screens in script creation and playback. According to the method, a signature is composed for a given screen. The signature comprises characteristics of a given screen which differentiate that screen from substantially different screen displays. For an IBM host screen, signature composition is based upon the screens protected fields. The protected fields are further processed by removing transient information such as the date and time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Net Manage, Inc.
    Inventor: Hanna Hsia
  • Patent number: 5857073
    Abstract: A data communication apparatus having a connection unit for connecting an information processing terminal, a memory for storing predetermined registration data, a detector for detecting a change in the registration data stored in the memory, and a transfer unit for, if the detector detects a change in the registration data, transferring the changed registration data to change registration data in the information processing terminal connected by the connection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Tsukamoto, Seishi Ejiri, Soichi Yamamuro, Masaya Kondo, Takekazu Kumagai, Kazuomi Oishi, Masaru Saruwatari, Masaki Toyama
  • Patent number: 5856930
    Abstract: According to the present invention, when image data high-efficiency-coded based on the MPEG standard or the like is clustered at every sector of a predetermined number, a link sector is provided at a connected portion of each cluster and the image data is interleaved and recorded on a mini disc, the image data is recorded on each cluster at the unit of 1GOP. When the mini disc is a preformatted one and a P picture or B picture exists at the starting portion of the cluster, a picture which becomes a predictive standard is encoded as an I picture and recorded on the link sector of the immediately-preceding cluster independently of an original P picture. Upon decoding, when the I picture was not recorded on the link sector of the immediately-preceding cluster, the P picture or the B picture recorded at the starting portion of the cluster is inhibited from substantially being decoded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshimasa Hosono
  • Patent number: 5856928
    Abstract: Natural numbers are assigned to represent DNA and mRNA nucleotide bases (n-numbers 0, 1, 2, 3), base pairing numbers in RNA (p-numbers 0, 1, 2, 3), and amino acids in protein (z-numbers with seventeen prime numbers and odd numbers 1, 25, 45; all smaller than 64). These numbers reflect intrinsic properties of the nucleotide bases, their triplet-base codon combinatorics and chemical bonding properties (hydrogen bonds, hydrophobicity, codon positions, and molecular sizes). Gene and protein sequences may be represented, characterized and interpreted by their specific n-sums and z-sums. Base dimers/oligomers and dipeptides/oligopeptides are found to correspond to their sums, as verified by using statistical and other methods. Utility rules are devised for applications in base dimers distribution, RNA base pairing, oligomer repeats and the encoded oligopeptide repeats. Conserved base pairs in four stems of a given mitochondrial tRNA correlate well with the z-number in the encoded hydrophobic amino acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Inventor: Johnson F. Yan