Abstract: A system includes an operating system capable of providing a first operating environment and a first routine running outside the first operating environment. The first routine is adapted to selectively load the operating system or to present an interface through which a user may access and change or update predetermined information. The routine is adapted to transition the system to an off state without loading the operating system.

Abstract: The invention provides compiler loop optimization techniques to take advantage of a zero overhead loop mechanism (ZOLM) in a processor, e.g., a ZOLM in the form of a zero overhead loop buffer (ZOLB). In an illustrative embodiment, a compiler generates a first set of code, and then applies optimizations to the first set of code so as to generate a second set of code configured to operate efficiently with the ZOLB. The optimizations are designed to increase the number of loops of the first set of code that can be accommodated in the ZOLB, to further reduce the overhead of the loops placed in the ZOLB, and to eliminate redundant loading of the ZOLB. Optimizations for increasing the number of loops that can be accommodated in the ZOLB include, e.g., conditional instructions, loop splitting and function inlining. Optimizations for further reductions in loop overhead include, e.g., loop collapsing and loop interchange. Data flow analysis and loop peeling may be used to avoid redundant loading of the ZOLB.

Abstract: An information processing system having signal processors that are interconnected by processing junctions that simulate and extend biological neural networks. Each processing junction receives signals from one signal processor and generates a new signal to another signal processor. The response of each processing junction is determined by internal junction processes and is continuously changed with temporal variation in the received signal. Different processing junctions connected to receive a common signal from a signal processor respond differently to produce different signals to downstream signal processors. This transforms a temporal pattern of a signal train of spikes into a spatio-temporal pattern of junction events and provides an exponential computational power to signal processors. Each signal processing junction can receive a feedback signal from a downstream signal processor so that an internal junction process can be adjusted to learn certain characteristics embedded in received signals.

Abstract: A method for arithmetic expression optimization includes receiving a first instruction defined for a first processor having a first base, the first instruction including an operator and at least one operand, converting the first instruction to a second instruction optimized for a second processor having a second base when all operands do not carry potential overflow or when the operator is insensitive to overflow, the second base being smaller than the first base, and converting to a wider base a third instruction that is the source of the overflow when the at least one operand the potential for overflow and when the operator is sensitive to overflow.

Abstract: A method of updating firmware between an imaging device and a host system is disclosed. The host system detects that the firmware on the imaging device is incompatible with a configuration of the host system. In response to detecting the incompatibility, an updated firmware image is transferred from the host system to the imaging device.

Abstract: A body-mountable display system having a first structure for receiving an input signal and producing a video output in response thereto, a garment wearable by a user, and a second structure for operatively connecting the first structure to the garment to allow the first structure to be universally repositionable relative to the garment. The first structure includes a hand-holdable portable display including a housing having a viewing aperture for viewing the video output. The second structure includes a flexible element having spaced ends with one end mounted to the garment and the other end including a structure for detachably mounting the portable display to the flexible element. The portable display may include a portable virtual image display for focusing the video output at one of (a) infinity and (b) a desired finite distance viewable by an observer. The body-mountable display system may include, in combination, a computer producing the input signal.

Abstract: A macro for use by an application program is described. The macro is embedded in a macro file including at least two versions of executable configuration code corresponding to two different operating systems to interface the macro file to an application program. Attached to the macro file is a sequence of actions to apply to an application file produced by the application program. Also attached is application identification information that identifies an original host application corresponding to the macro. The sequence of actions in the macro file can be produced by storing commands, applied to a data file opened in the application program, into a log file and transferring at least one stored command from the log file to the macro file.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for monitoring a process involve development and application of a statistically qualified neuro-analytic (SQNA) model to accurately and reliably identify process change. The development of the SQNA model is accomplished in two stages: deterministic model adaption and stochastic model modification of the deterministic model adaptation. Deterministic model adaption involves formulating an analytic model of the process representing known process characteristics, augmenting the analytic model with a neural network that captures unknown process characteristics, and training the resulting neuro-analytic model by adjusting the neural network weights according to a unique scaled equation error minimization technique. Stochastic model modification involves qualifying any remaining uncertainty in the trained neuro-analytic model by formulating a likelihood function, given an error propagation equation, for computing the probability that the neuro-analytic model generates measured process output.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for programming installed memory integrated circuits. A temporary connection is made between an external processor and a printed circuit board containing one or more installed memory integrated circuits and an on-board processor. At a suitable time, e.g., when the on-board processor is idle, the external processor takes control of the on-board processor and accesses the memory integrated circuits via temporary connections. In the disclosed embodiment, the control is caused by a held reset signal from the external processor to the on-board processor, which causes control signals from the on-board processor to the memory integrated circuit to enter a tri-state condition. Data is downloaded from the external processor to the memory integrated circuit while the external processor maintains control of the on-board processor.

Abstract: Matching (e.g., via correlation or similarity process) entities having attributes, some of which have associated values. The values of the attributes may be adjusted based on number of entities that have values for a particular attribute so that the values decrease as the number increases. The attributes of the entities may be harmonized and provided with default values so that entities being matched have common attributes defined by the union of the attributes of the entities being matched. The attributes of the entities may be expanded and provided with default values so that the entities being matched have attributes that neither had originally. Match values may be normalized to provide a weight value which may be used to predict an attribute value of a new entity based on known attribute values of known entities. The weight values may be tuned such that relatively high weights are amplified and relatively low weights are suppressed.

Abstract: A method of back-tracing execution of a computer program, where the computer program comprises a plurality of blocks, comprises instrumenting an original version of the program by adding instrumentation code to some or all of the blocks to form an instrumented program. Instrumentation can be added at the binary or source level, or at link time. The instrumentation code records execution sequence information upon execution of the corresponding instrumented block to create a trace record of the executed program. The execution sequence information for each block comprises a block identifier which identifies the corresponding block. A detailed back-trace is generated, after the program has executed, by replacing each recorded block identifier with program counters associated with each instruction in the corresponding block. The application may comprise several programs or subprograms, in which case separate regions of memory can be maintained.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is apparatus and a method of installing a computer operating system on a data storage medium of a computer system. The computer system includes a processor and the data storage medium. The apparatus and method includes reading the data storage medium for a set of storage medium characteristics including the partition boundaries of each existing partition on the data storage medium. An identification of the operating system to be installed on the data storage medium is then received, typically in the form of a user input signal. The installation characteristic set of the identified operating system is then retrieved from an operating system rule database of the computer system, which rule database can contain a set of installation characteristics for each of a plurality of identified operating systems including a space required by each operating system on the storage medium.

Abstract: A method for rendering an animation object, including a plurality of sub-objects, on a display of a client computer under control of a remote server. The method includes transferring from the server to the client, program code which describes a structure of the object, accessing within a local memory associated with the client a program description of at least one of the sub-objects of the object, and displaying the object such that the sub-object is coupled to the structure in accordance with the program code.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention assist a programmer in the optimization of an application program by displaying information about memory use in a manner useful to the programmer. A programmer selects an application program that he wishes to optimize. The application program is submitted to an instrumentation process that inserts additional instructions into the code of the application program so that, when executed, the instrumented code produces an output file, called a trace output file. The trace output file contains information about memory accesses. The trace output file is then submitted to a second program, or visualizer, that visually displays the memory accesses using a different visual effect for each type of memory access operation. The visualizer may be run at different speeds, forwards or backwards, paused, or may step through the memory accesses frame-by-frame.

Abstract: Optimization of a FNN (FNN)-based controller is described. The optimization includes selecting which input signals will be used by the FNN to compute a desired control output. Output parameters are identified and computed by fuzzy reasoning using a neural network. Adjustment of fuzzy rules and/or membership functions for the FNN is provided by a learning process. The learning process includes selecting candidate input data signals (e.g. selecting candidate sensor signals) as inputs for the FNN. The input data is categorized and coded into a chromosome structure for use by a genetic algorithm. The genetic algorithm is used to select an optimum chromosome (individual). The optimum chromosome specifies the number(s) and type(s) of input data signals for the FNN so as to optimize the operation of the FNN-based control system. The optimized FNN-based control system can be used in many control environments, including control of an internal combustion engine.

Abstract: To improve the efficiency for an update process in a software processing device with a plurality of memory partitions (4,14) it is proposed to continue the execution of old software on original data stored in a first memory partition (4). In case the same state for data of old and new software is achieved (S4) an instant switch of services to the new software as far as the same state is achieved (S5) takes place. This processing is repeated (S6) until no data to be transferred remains (S6) in the first memory partition. Thus, the present invention allows for a considerable improvement of the update efficiency with reduced disturbances during data transfer.

Abstract: An install system, method, and program for installing a given program utilizes a containment structure having a fileset object for the program or several fileset objects for various parts of a program. Each fileset object contains install objects. An install object may be a file object, registry object, shortcut object, directory object, permissions object, library file object, dependency object, folder objects or other objects. Each fileset and install object contains the means for installing itself, uninstalling itself, logging itself to a file and recreating itself from a log file. The install process includes defining and building up a program object, for the program, which contains fileset objects which contain install objects. Install is called on the program object which effectuates an install call on each of the filesets and install objects. For each fileset object, a log is created. Then, each install object for a fileset logs itself to the particular log file of that fileset.

Abstract: The invention employs mixtures of Bayesian networks to perform clustering. A mixture of Bayesian networks (MBN) consists of plural hypothesis-specific Bayesian networks (HSBNs) having possibly hidden and observed variables. A common external hidden variable is associated with the MBN, but is not included in any of the HSBNs. The number of HSBNs in the MBN corresponds to the number of states of the common external hidden variable, and each HSBN is based upon the hypothesis that the common external hidden variable is in a corresponding one of those states. In one mode of the invention, the MBN having the highest MBN score is selected for use in performing inferencing. The invention determines membership of an individual case in a cluster based upon a set of data of plural individual cases by first learning the structure and parameters of an MBN given that data and then using the MBN to compute the probability of each HSBN generating the data of the individual case.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for controlling the execution of a software program. According to one embodiment, control flow information including multiple states associated with a software program is made accessible. Each of the states includes information indicative of desired control flow of the software program and information indicative of desired behavior of the software program. A determination is made if a current status of the software program has a predetermined relationship with an expected state of execution of the software program. Based upon the result of the determination and the information indicative of desired behavior, the software program is caused to perform an action and caused to transition from the current state to a next state. According to another embodiment, specification of a control flow architecture associated with a software program is simplified to the provision of certain control flow information that is accessible to a control flow engine.

Abstract: A storage unit for recording on a portable recording medium identification information which is peculiar to the portable recording medium, includes a number generation part for generating a firmware management number based on a version number of a firmware of the storage unit and a number of times the firmware is installed in past in the storage unit and other storage units, an information generation part for generating the identification information based on at least a medium generation consecutive number which indicates a number of times the identification information is recorded on portable recording mediums and the firmware management number, and a recording part for recording the identification information on the portable recording medium.