Abstract: A system and method for automatically creating information useable to access functionality of a backend computer system coupled to an application server. The method may operate to connect to the backend computer system and obtain information specifying functionality of the backend system. The information obtained may be analyzed programmatically, and new information may be programmatically created based on the analysis, wherein the programmatically created information is useable for accessing the functionality of the backend system. For example, where the functionality comprises a programmatically callable function, the information created may include information specifying the function name, names of input and output parameters, data types of the parameters, etc. The programmatically created information may be stored in a repository for use in accessing the functionality of the backend computer system from the application server.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for upgrading both hardware and software components of a digital media server without disrupting media delivery services. In a preferred embodiment, the present system and method employ an object-oriented model that allows system servers to remain fully operational while software upgrades at both the operating system and application levels are installed. Additionally, the system and method use redundant or partitionable programmable logic devices to perform firmware upgrades without disrupting media delivery services.

Abstract: A single atomic instruction is used to change up to four disjoint areas in memory concurrently in an extended compare and swap operation, replacing traditional locks for serialization and providing recovery for all queue manipulations. Use count-based responsibility passing is employed so that any number of tasks can read the various message queue chains, concurrent with queue updates being made. A summary queue update sequence number is maintained to provide concurrent chain update detection, so that any number of tasks can add elements to the end, or remove elements from the middle (i.e. any where in the chain) concurrently. Concurrent footprinting is used with chain manipulation, so that all (or none) of the chaining indicators and a footprint are set with a single, non-interruptible instruction, making it possible for recovery to always take the correct action.

Abstract: A method and system for communicating across heterogeneous networks having components with dissimilar data structure definitions is disclosed in which determinations are made as to whether the sender is up-level or down-level and whether the up-level data structure size is greater or lesser than the down-level data structure size. According to these determinations, data fields for the decoded data structure may skip data or assign default values. The invention reduces upgrade costs and system down time.

Abstract: A method for facilitating execution of a remote method, that is originated from a Remote Procedure Call system, in an Event Driven Execution Environment system, including receiving from a Remote Procedure Call system a message expressed in Remote Procedure Call system primitives. Mapping Remote Procedure Call system primitives of the message to Event Driven Execution Environment system primitives. Transmitting primitives of the mapped message to the Event Driven Execution Environment system for execution. Receiving a result of the execution from the Event Driven Execution Environment system, and transmitting the result to the Remote Procedure Call system.

Abstract: When an external device (not shown) is connected to a matching connector of a variety of connectors (235–260), a microcontroller 205 detects the matching connector (235–260) and the external device, then accesses a memory (210) to get an appropriate connector core, device driver and an application, in accordance with the detected requirements of the external device. The microcontroller (205) uses the connector core, device driver and application to configure a programmable logic device (PLD) 230 to support communication with the external device through the matching connector (235–260).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for utilizing graphical representations of programming objects to reflect the state of programming objects. State reflection is unique in that it reflects the state of programming objects at the time of programming, rather than during execution, in a visual programming language. The visual programming language comprises a set of graphic aspects which are associated with data element states via a set of graphic aspect references. Each programming object used in the visual programming language comprises a set of data elements. The programming objects may be related via super and subclass objects structures. The method detects when a data element has changed its state and reflects that state change in the visual representation of the programming objects and their respective graphic aspects. A list of graphic aspect references points to a number of graphic aspects which may or may not be applicable to the detected state change.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention includes an information appliance system (100) having an information appliance device (102) with a focus manager (206). Among other things, the focus manager is disposed to manage a plurality of asynchronous entities (214). Focus manager (206) receives an asynchronous request (209), stores it in a queue (250) and assigns it a priority level (252, 254, 256). Based on the priority level (252, 254, 256), an asynchronous entity (214) takes over control of user interface device resources from an entity (210), utilizes the resources, and returns them to the entity (210).

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for skipping a locking process for an object in memory when a thread accesses an object that only it will access in order to reduce the load imposed on a system and to improve the overall system performance. A program executing in a computer system has multiple threads that share and access objects stored in memory. The objects have thread locality flags associated therewith that indicate the presence or absence of thread localities. The threads examine the thread locality flags for the objects they attempt to access to determine whether the corresponding objects, which are to be accessed, have localities for the threads. If, so the, threads skip the locking process and access objects immediately. If not, the object is locked prior to being accessed.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods, systems and apparatus implement techniques for generating custom coclasses. A runtime environment includes a client application implementing an object model, which includes a hierarchy of object classes that can be instantiated in the client application. The object model includes class templates, each having an associated class type, and includes class functionality information—including required class functionality and elective class functionality—for custom classes that can be implemented in the client application. When a user requests the creation of a custom class of a specified type, a design-time environment is launched and class functionality information is retrieved for a class template associated with the type. A custom class is created, based on a class definition defining a class having the required class functionality and the specified elective class functionality.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for enabling the reuse of algorithms in multiple application frameworks with no alterations required of the algorithm once it is developed. An inverted memory allocation mechanism enables various algorithm modules to be integrated into a single application without modifying the source code of the algorithm modules. An algorithm module is designed in a manner that renders the algorithm module reentrant within a preemptive environment. Each data access instruction of the algorithm module is coded in a manner that renders the algorithm module and all of the data access instructions relocatable. A memory interface is provided within the algorithm module that supports both design-time object instantiation and dynamic object instantiation.

Abstract: A software system having a multi-layer architecture for controlling a hardware system including a latch layer, a hardware control layer, an access layer, and an orchestration layer. The latch layer includes a latch object for each of a set of control points of the hardware system. Each latch object provides a common interface in the software system for accessing the corresponding control point. The hardware control layer includes a hardware control object for each of a set of sub-portions of the hardware system. Each hardware control object coordinates accesses to the control points of the corresponding sub-portion through the latch layer. The access layer includes an access object for each of a set of groupings of the sub-portions. Each access object coordinates accesses to the corresponding grouping of the sub-portions. The orchestration layer includes an orchestration object for each of a set of functional features of the hardware system.

Abstract: A common gateway architecture designed to be generic across different types of network elements and different network protocols, permitting network elements to be added incrementally without recompilation of the entire network element manager, thus reducing overall software maintenance overhead.

Abstract: A system and method of synchronizing at least one variable such as a counter among a network of distributed computers where the computers communicate via asynchronous message passing. The distributed computers are organized as nodes in a tree. Each computer in the tree is capable of functioning as a parent, child, or both. For each variable to be synchronized, each parent receives a contribution from a child which includes contributions from any children of the child and returns other contributing values to the child. The child then updates the local value of the variable with the returned contributing values. The returned contributing values include contributions to the variable from all computers in the tree other than the child and other than any children subordinate to the child in the tree. Each computer can have multiple children.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the user-defining, configuring and starting of an application or software components to form an application by means of a token and in particular a chip card. Via the service identifiers stored in the chip card which represent applications or software components to form applications, the chip card user can install the desired application. The card agent accepts the request for an application, checks the register to see if the application is present and if it is not, makes a connection to communicate with the server in order to download the application to the user system.

Abstract: A device interface for use in a receiver/decoder for a broadcast digital television system in which received signals are passed through a receiver to the receiver/decoder and then to a television set. The receiver/decoder decodes a compressed MPEG-type signal, and is controlled by a remote controller handset, through an interface in the receiver/decoder. The operation of the receiver/decoder is controlled by a virtual machine (VM) which includes a run time engine (RTE). The receiver/decoder includes a plurality of interfaces to external units. The device interface enables an application run by the RTE to access an IEEE 1394 interface.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and article of manufacture for allocating use of an access device between a host operating system and a guest operating system. In one embodiment, a source of the received request to use the access device is determined as either the host operating system or the guest operating system. A determination of whether the host or guest operating system has a key for the access device is performed. The key enables either the host operating system or the guest operating system to use the access device. A determination of whether the received request is an altering request to change a state of the access device or a passive request to read the access device is also performed. The processing of the request from the host and guest operating systems is similar except when the request is an altering request and neither the host operating system nor the guest operating system has the key.

Abstract: As far as multimedia processing is concerned, a plurality of computations of a same type are often executed concurrently and hence a plurality of computing units having a same function are used and mode information for controlling the plurality of units by an instruction unit for one computing unit is prepared in each instruction to execute a plurality of computations with a single instruction.

Abstract: An operating system includes APIs developed in part to support recent innovations in computer hardware and in part to provide enhanced services to application programs. Among their other features, these APIs provide access to operating system functionality in a manner that is comprehensive, efficient, usable, extendible and, in some cases, reusable.

Abstract: A dual instruction set processor can decode and execute both code received from a network and other code supplied from a local memory. Thus, the dual instruction set processor is capable of executing two different types of instructions, from two different sources, permitting the dual instruction set processor to have maximum efficiency. A computer system with the foregoing described dual instruction set processor, a local memory, and a communication interface device, such as a modem, for connection to a network, such as the Internet or an intranet, can be optimized to execute, for example, JAVA code from the network, and to execute non-JAVA code stored locally, or on the network but in a trusted environment or an authorized environment.