Abstract: A solid modeling system for combining a plurality of geometric model elements to form a whole model. The whole model is represented as a collection of non-manifold boundary elements. A data file maintains a record of the correspondence between each non-manifold boundary element and each geometric model element of the whole model, to permit easy and fast modification of the whole model.

Abstract: A method and system are described for increasing quantitative database retrieval processing speed by minimizing access to the sequential file to the smallest possible value by use of score calculations using only the transposed file to rank the retrieval objects and terminating the process at a specified number of retrieval objects. Access to the transposed file is minimized by avoiding accessing unnecessary parts as much as possible, through the calculation of an anticipated score value which is used to make decisions about the optimum time for stopping the retrieval process. Further efficiencies are described through the use of relaxed order-ranking conditions which allow the process to be logically terminated even before the specified number of retrieval objects have been absolutely determined.

Abstract: A method of validating a label translation configuration file (TC) is disclosed. Once the validity of a TC is verified, a set of test case characters (Test Set) is automatically generated if requested by the user.

Abstract: Fast scheduling mechanism of tasks to be performed in a communication system, like a modem, and the scheduler for implementing the mechanism.The communication system receives, synchronously to a rate determined by a high priority program, data to be processed by the tasks of a lower priority main program.Instead of scheduling the tasks immediately upon requests generated by an interrupt program, said tasks are scheduled with a controled delay relatively to their corresponding requests. Thus, free processing windows are created for execution of asynchronous tasks or synchronous transient overloads. Overall, more synchronous and asynchronous tasks can be performed without increasing processing power.

Abstract: The subject invention is directed to a database system for organizing large amounts of data to be accessed by a digital computer. More particularly, a free form type database, in the form of a summarized, multikey tree, is built from files stored on the computer. After a building operation, the user obtains specified information by using the summarized database. Information in the files is divided into three categories; that is, a dimension field which comprises data to be organized, a summary field which comprises a numeric quantity on which calculations can be performed, and a non-summary field which comprises other information associated with an input record. The internal nodes of the tree summarize and organize sets of input records. Methods are provided for reducing the amount of storage space used by cutting off the tree when the size of sets go below a given threshold, and sharing parts of the tree so that each record does not appear n! times in the database.

Abstract: A system of loading and dumping data in an information processor includes a program control portion, a paired data detecting portion and an operation processing portion. An execution packet applied to the program control portion has a destination information field showing the destination of the execution packet, an identifier field for identifying data having the queue address of the paired data detecting portion, and an address information field for identifying paired data, together with the identifier, in the paired data detecting portion and for informing the program control portion of the next instruction to be fetched. The identifier field is used as a part of an address for sending data and a number for identifying the information processor. The number is contained in a part of the queue address so that a structure of the packet is converted and the packet after conversion is used for loading and dumping data.

Abstract: Annotations to data objects are stored in the object instance and may be stored in an annotation file or a reference may be store in a reference file. Once annotated, a cell displaying the data object will provide a notation indicating that the data object has an annotation associated therewith. Retrieval of annotations which are not stored in an annotation file or reference file occurs through a search of the object instances. Retrieval of annotations having a reference in a reference file occurs through use of the reference to access the object instances. Retrieval of annotations in an annotation file occurs through retrieval of the annotation file. Once retrieved, the annotations may be in a final form, such as the nursing progress notes, or may be on a scratch pad to allow the user to electronically transfer annotations from a scratch pad to a permanent record.

Abstract: Data is retrieved from a database, whose physical organization (indexed matrix) is similar to the logical organization (spread sheet) of the data, by requesting the parameters and the desired time interval. A data interface locates pages in the database containing the requested parameters. Entries from page indexes relating to desired parameters are consolidated into a master composite index. Pages relating to the time period requested are then bound and searched to find the desired data. This data is then returned to the requesting application.

Abstract: A method and system is disclosed for efficiently managing the transformation of a document from a first document type to a second document type within a data processing system. It is often necessary for a document within a data processing system to be transformed into a second document type which is recognizable by a second entity upon a transfer of that document. In accordance with the method and system of the present invention, a transform information object is created for each object within a data processing system. An indication of each document type which has been created as a result of a transformation of that document and an identification of the application which can perform the transformation are then stored within the transform information object along with an indication of selected entities within the document which were not transformable by the application.

Abstract: A process of software installation over a data processing network is described. New pieces of software being installed over a data processing network require changes to the configuration of the workstation upon which they are being installed. The configuration file associated with the use of the new software being installed specifies the changes to the configuration of the workstation upon which the new software is being installed. This configuration build file is combined with configuration build files associated with the software files already upon the workstation to produce the composite build file. The composite build file is then used to reconfigure the workstation. The process allows for clashes between changes required by each piece of software to be resolved on a priority basis. Configuration change statements within each of the configuration build files can be combined into single configuration change statements.

Abstract: An electronic dictionary apparatus which is capable of actively supporting the thinking of the user during its use, and which has the improved maneuverability and the wider utility. In the apparatus, each letter pattern series in the entered input document is automatically extracted and recognized in order to obtain a corresponding letter code series; then the entered input document superposed with an enclosure image enclosing each letter pattern series for each of the extracted and recognized letter pattern series is displayed; then a user specifies a desired one of the displayed letter pattern series enclosed by the enclosure image; and then information on the letter code series corresponding to the specified letter pattern series is looked up in the data-base containing prepared information on a number of letter patterns in terms of letter codes.

Abstract: A method of distributing status information is described, regarding a digraph in a logically organized system of groups of entities related to each other and to be represented by digraphs, and a device for using such a method. In a system which comprises a number of groups which may be represented by digraphs, the lacking of a node having a particular status in a group is detected by the method. When applying the method to a distributed object-oriented system, in which a root is such a node having a particular status, incremental distributed garbage collection is realized. The invention is also effective in the case in which cycles or subcycles occur in graph of objects referring to each other. Upon realizing garbage collection, inaccessible data information occupying memory space is removed from memory to thereby free previously occupied memory space.

Abstract: A merging network which receives three or more simultaneous input lists of sorted numbers and merges the input lists to form a single sorted list at its outputs. The merging network comprises three stages of interconnected comparator modules, the merging network inputs being connected to the inputs of the comparator modules of the first stage with a mod shuffle interconnection pattern. The outputs of the third stage form the network outputs of the merging network. The first, second, and third stages include one or more comparator modules which are larger than two-by-two. The inventive merging network may be utilized recursively to form a sorting network.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for loading BIOS stored on a direct access storage device into a personal computer system. The personal computer system comprises a system processor, a system planar, a random access main memory, a read only memory, and at least one direct access storage device. The first portion of BIOS initializes the system and the direct access storage device to read in a master boot record into the system from the direct access storage device. The master boot record includes a data segment and an executable code segment. The first BIOS portion vectors the system processor to execute the executable code segment of the master boot record. The executable code segment loads in the remaining BIOS portion from the direct access storage device into random access memory.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for decreasing the memory requirements of BIOS in a personal computer system includes storing a first portion of BIOS in memory and a second portion on a direct storage access device. The personal computer system comprises a system processor, a random access main memory, a read only memory, and at least one direct access storage device. The first portion of BIOS only includes routines for initializing the system and the direct access storage device to read in a master boot record into the system from the direct access storage device. The master boot record includes a data segment and an executable code segment. The first BIOS portion vectors the system processor to execute the executable code segment of the master boot record. The executable code segment loads in the remaining BIOS portion from the direct access storage device into random access memory superseding the first BIOS portion.