Abstract: A peripheral interface system and apparatus including a pair of integrated circuits, referred to as a system adapter and a socket controller, use a communication protocol, referred to as a windowed-interchip-communication protocol, to interface peripherals, such as PCMCIA cards or infrared devices, and other subsystems having different formats with a CPU system bus. The system adapter communicates to a hard disk drive subsystem using the ATA communication standards to interface an ATA hard disk drive with the CPU system bus. Communication between the system adapter and the socket controller, which communicates with PCMCIA peripheral cards and IR peripherals, is accomplished using the windowed-interchip-communication protocol which may share hardware resources with other communication protocols. Communication between the system adapter and the hard disk drive and between the system adapter and the socket controller may be provided on the same chain of a standard 40 signal ribbon cable.

Abstract: A hardware simulation system is disclosed which includes a high frequency clock which is gated with a system clock to produce a high frequency enabled clock. The high frequency enabled clock is used to clock an edge triggered latch within the hardware simulation system. Thus, the system advantageously emulates level sensitive latches using edge triggered latches.

Abstract: A cubic Bezier curve is converted to a fifth Bezier curve so as to preserve the gradients at the initial and final points of the cubic Bezier curve and in such a manner that the fifth Bezier curve will assume a shape substantially the same as that of the cubic Bezier curve. Parameters giving points on the cubic Bezier curve are calculated at equal intervals. Points on the cubic Bezier curve are calculated using the calculated parameters and control points defining the cubic Bezier curve. Unit tangent vectors at the initial and final points of the cubic Bezier curve are calculated. Control points defining the fifth Bezier curve are calculated using the calculated parameters, the calculated points on the cubic Bezier curve and the calculated unit tangent vectors at the initial and final points of the cubic Bezier curve.

Abstract: An apparatus for synchronously controlling the actual operation of a machine using one or more motors, such as servo motors, by simulating in program form a combination of selectable machine mechanisms, including drivers, connecting shafts, clutches, gears and cams. Each such machine mechanism is represented by a virtual mechanism, preferably as a software module that contains information uniquely identifying the module, operation information that defines the generation of position information and connection information that defines other modules to which connection is made. The software modules comprise drive modules for generating position information, transmission modules for simulating the transmission mechanisms and output modules for outputting motor commands.

Abstract: A method and system for assaying changes to a procedure or practice in processing chickens into saleable chicken meat is disclosed. In particular, the assay determines an impact of (a change in ) a chicken growing and processing related factor on an entire chicken growing and processing system, wherein the chicken growing and processing system includes at least some the following components: a chicken breeder farm, a chicken hatchery, a chicken growing facility, a chicken meat processing plant, and a chicken transportation capability. Such an analysis of the use of the factor provides for an assessment of the impact of the factor according to how it impacts a characteristic of saleable chicken meat output by the chicken growing and processing system. More particularly, the assay determines a change in gross profits of the chicken growing and processing system as a whole due to a change in the factor at one or more of the chicken growing and processing system components.

Abstract: An optimized multiplexer structure reduces the cost in emulation gates in an emulator test system. Extra encoding and decoding logic is added to form a selector with multiple separate subblocks so that the data flow subblock has a reduced input/output (I/O) control path. The circuit reduces the number of control bits from N bits to log.sub.2 N bits.

Abstract: An adjustable damping system (26) for an automotive vehicle (12) having a damper (10) and sensors (28, 30, 32) for determining the movement of the automotive vehicle (12) and generating a signal representing the movement of the automotive vehicle (12). The adjustable damping system (26) further includes a damper control logic unit 40 for automatically adjusting the damping characteristics of the damper (10) in response to the signal. The adjustable damping system (26) further includes a signal compensation unit (42) which is able to improve the accuracy with which signals representing the movement of the automotive vehicle (12) are determined.

Abstract: A design method for structures is invented, taking into account the effects of fluid temperature fluctuations, comprising: numerical calculations of time-averaged solutions for the motion equation and energy equation for fluids; a Process 1 in which the low-cycle components of the temperature fluctuations occurring on the surface of a tentatively designed structure are analyzed; a Process 2 in which an artificial high-cycle component is superimposed on the low-cycle component of the temperature fluctuations; numerical calculations of accurate solutions for the motion equation and the energy equation for fluids, with the new temperature fluctuations obtained from Process 2 serving as boundary conditions; and a Process 3 in which the high-cycle components of temperature fluctuations occurring at structure surfaces are analyzed. Process 1 and Process 3 are performed by a numerical calculation apparatus equipped with a control section to control time step sizes.

Abstract: In a computer operating a bootable CD-ROM or other bootable media having the capability of emulating one or more real drives, BIOS emulation parameters, such as drive number, memory partitioning and mapping are moved from BIOS and stored in a protected region of main memory. Upon a change of media, e.g., hard file, diskette, etc., as the computer undergoes a warm boot with new BIOS emulation parameters to enable DOS to process the change, the protected region of memory is not cleared. This preserves the BIOS emulation parameters which are restored to BIOS for the remainder of the boot sequence.

Abstract: A data conversion apparatus includes a plurality of computers connected to a network, a storage section, a retrieval section, data conversion processing sections, and a control section. The storage section stores plural sorts of information on the converter including a name of a computer equipped with a converter, a way of using the converter. A retrieval section retrieves information on the subject converter from the storage section according to a conversion request from a computer which requesting data conversion. The data conversion processing sections are connected to the respective computers and converts data into data of a format to be used with the converter on the basis of the result retrieved by the retrieval section. The control section controls the retrieval processing of the retrieval section and the conversion processing of the data conversion processing section to output converted data to the computer which requests data conversion.

Abstract: A vehicle navigation system. A road map is displayed on a screen. The present position of the vehicle is displayed on the road map displayed on the screen. A guide route connecting a start point of the vehicle and a destination of the vehicle which are set in advance is determined, and indicated on the road map. A return route for returning the vehicle to the guide route is selected in response to a deviation of the vehicle from the guide route. A cost required for the vehicle to return to the guide route via the return route is calculated, and the vehicle is prevented from entering the return route depending on the cost calculated.

Abstract: A method for designing an integrated circuit involves a four step process. First, a behavioral circuit model (BCM) is read which contains assignment statements which identify the logical operation of an integrated circuit (IC). The BCM is translated to a data file which described a plurality of interconnected logic gate functions to duplicate the operation of the BCM. The gates in the data file are then assigned a specific Vdd and ground rail size, a specific drive strength for speed considerations, and a cell pitch or height to optimize physical layout, in any order. The result in a physical design file which may be used to form masks and integrated circuits having optimized speed and optimized circuit area in a short design cycle.

Abstract: Methods for designing a programmable interconnect matrix having reduced connectivity to achieve maximum routability for the reduced connectivity. An array of multiplexors, each having a multiplexor width w.sub.mux that is less than number of input conductors for the programmable matrix, are coupled to the input conductors of the programmable interconnect matrix such that the number of input signals shared between any two multiplexors is less than the multiplexor width w.sub.mux and such that each input signal has approximately the same number of chances to route. To better ensure the successful routing of input signals by a programmable interconnect matrix designed according to the present methods, improved routing methods are also described. According to a first embodiment, routing is accomplished by swapping successfully routed input signals with a blocked input signal and determining whether the input signal that has been swapped out may be routed through available multiplexors.

Abstract: A sensor system for initiating deployment of an occupant protection apparatus in a motor vehicle, such as an airbag, to protect an occupant of the vehicle in a crash. The system includes a sensor mounted to the vehicle for sensing accelerations of the vehicle and producing an analog signal representative thereof; an electronic converter for receiving the analog signal from the sensor and for converting the analog signal into a digital signal, and a processor which receives the digital signal. The processor includes a pattern recognition system and produces a deployment signal when the pattern recognition system determines that the digital signal contains a pattern characteristic of a vehicle crash requiring occupant protection. A deployment initiation mechanism is coupled to the processor and, responsive to the deployment signal, initiates deployment of the occupant protection apparatus.

Abstract: A computer-aided method and an apparatus generates and displays, on a display device, an accurate predictive simulation of the appearance of a color pattern of a hypothetical heather yarn fabric, such as a tufted carpet, comprised of multiple candidate heather yarn components. Starting from a set of user-selected initial conditions a model is generated representing the appearance of a hypothetical heather yarn and the appearance that would be imparted to a hypothetical fabric made from that yarn. Parameters are incorporated into the model that relate appearance properties to actual yarn manufacturing process conditions. The resulting simulated-color coordinates are transformed into the typically radiometrically nonlinear color space of the particular display device to permit the colors to be accurately displayed so as to be properly perceptible to a viewer.

Abstract: A method for passively shimming a magnet having a magnetic field with an inhomogeneity and having N possible passive shim locations. The magnetic field is mapped. A function is defined related to the mapped field as affected by N shim variables of positive shim strength and M shim variables of negative shim strength. A computer optimization code is run which calculates the positive strengths of the N shim variables and the negative strengths of the M shim variables which minimizes the defined function. Positive strengths of passive shims are added to the magnet corresponding to the calculated positive strengths of the N shim variables and positive strengths of passive shims are removed from the magnet corresponding to the calculated negative strengths of the M shim variables.

Abstract: A method of generating power vectors to calculate power dissipation for a circuit cell is provided. The method involves formulating the Boolean equations (30) that describe the logical operation for a circuit cell (10). Primitive power vectors that cause an output to transition are generated (32) using Boolean difference functions. Internal power vectors that cause an internal node to transition without transitioning the output are generated (34) using Boolean difference functions. Static power vectors with all possible steady state inputs are also generated (36). The power vectors are minimized (38) to eliminate redundant vectors. The resulting power vectors can be used in a circuit simulation in evaluating (40) the power dissipation of a designed logic circuit.

Abstract: In a method for hierarchic logic verification of VLSI circuits a hierarchic layout circuit (1234') is acquired from the physical layout of the respective VLSI circuit using an extraction program is compared to a hierarchic logic plan circuit (1234) defined by an appertaining logic plan. They are being compared such that both the layout circuit as well as the logic plan circuit are transformed independently of one another into equivalent circuits (1234") having a respectively minimum plurality of terminals for all sub-circuits and non-isomorphic hierarchies are brought into coincidence during the circuit comparison by temporary, partial expanding. The advantage thereby achieved is that no explicit user rules with respect to the method execution are required, and that substantially less memory space and a significantly shorter processing time are required for the implementation of the method than given non-hierarchic methods.

Abstract: A backup RAM for storing pieces of diagnosis data regardless of the cut-off of an electric power is provided in a portion of a RAM. In cases where the detection of an unusual condition by a throttle sensor or a water temperature sensor is judged by a CPU in a current processing routine, a first checking value indicating that the backup RAM is in a renewing period is stored in a checking region of the backup RAM, and pieces of previous diagnosis data stored in a data access region of the backup RAM in a previous processing routine are copied to a temporary refuge region of the backup RAM. Thereafter, pieces of updated diagnosis data obtained in the current processing routine are stored one by one in the data access region in place of the previous diagnosis data, and a second checking value indicating that the backup RAM is in a renewal finishing period is stored in the checking region.

Abstract: A software system simulates and optimizes a processing plant design. The software system includes a plurality of equipment models for simulating each piece of equipment in the processing plant design. A sequential modular simulation routine executes the equipment models in a first mode to define a first set of values of the operating parameters of the processing plant design. An optimization routine executes the equipment models in a second mode. The optimization routine utilizes the first set of values for the operating parameters from the sequential simulation routine and subsequently determines values of the operating parameters at which the processing plant design is optimized. The equipment models after execution by the sequential simulation routine and optimization routine store the first and second sets of values for the operating parameters in a common plant model file.