Abstract: A switching power supply apparatus produces an output voltage by smoothing a pulsating voltage obtained by switching an input direct-current voltage with a switching device. The switching power supply apparatus has a current detection circuit that outputs a detection current that varies in proportion to the switch current flowing through the switching device, an overcurrent detection circuit that detects an overcurrent by comparing the detection current with a set current previously set so as to correspond to the overcurrent detection level and that, on detection of an overcurrent, feeds a reset signal to a flip-flop for controlling the switching of the switching device to turn the switching device off, and a second current compensation circuit that superimposes a compensation current on the detection current fed to the overcurrent detection circuit to produce a compensated current.

Abstract: In a control apparatus for a motor, which rotates a fan, a semiconductor device is connected to the motor in series to drive the motor. An analog driver circuit drives the semiconductor device with an analog voltage. A PWM control circuit drives the semiconductor device with a PWM signal of a frequency of less than several tens. A switching control circuit selects the analog driver circuit and the PWM control circuit when the motor is to be rotated at speeds lower and higher than a predetermined speed, respectively.

Abstract: The voltage booster type switching power supply circuit is provided with a drive circuit for controlling a switching element, a start/stop circuit for turning the drive circuit on and off according to a brightness control signal for adjusting a brightness of a light source of a liquid crystal display device, an output voltage detection circuit for detecting whether the output voltage is greater than a predetermined voltage and feeding out a result as a comparison result signal, and a soft-start circuit that does not operate when the comparison result signal is active on the rising edge of the brightness control signal, and that operates so as to increase the output voltage gradually when the comparison result signal is inactive on the rising edge of the brightness control signal.

Abstract: In a control apparatus for a motor, which rotates a fan, a semiconductor device is connected to the motor in series to drive the motor. An analog driver circuit drives the semiconductor device with an analog voltage. A PWM control circuit drives the semiconductor device with a PWM signal of a frequency of less than several tens. A switching control circuit selects the analog driver circuit and the PWM control circuit when the motor is to be rotated at speeds lower and higher than a predetermined speed, respectively.

Abstract: In a switching power supply circuit, completion of discharging of a capacitance provided in a soft-start circuit requires a period longer than a cycle with which an activating/deactivating portion switches switching control operation of a driving portion (which performs switching control to turn on/off a switching device provided in a stepping-up DC-DC converter) between an activated state and a deactivated state. Moreover, the soft-start circuit is prevented from performing soft-start operation until discharging of the capacitance is completed.

Abstract: A pulse width control circuit provided in a drive circuit instructs an OFF drive circuit to operate for a period shorter than an inactive period of a drive control signal. Thus, when the drive control signal is inactive, the OFF drive circuit begins operating, and draws a current from a base of a switching element, thereby turning OFF the switching element. Further, the OFF drive circuit stops operating before the drive control signal becomes active.

Abstract: A method in a computer system for accessing Microsoft Component Object Model (“COM”) objects of varying thread types from a Java-based program. The computer system has a Java virtual machine (“VM”) that executes statements of the Java program and that executes in a multithreaded process. When executing a statement of the Java-based program to instantiate a COM object, the system creates a wrapper object. When the COM object is not thread-safe, the system requests an appropriate thread to instantiate the COM object and stores an identifier of the thread in the wrapper object. When the COM object is thread-safe, the system instantiates the COM object from the current thread and stores an indication in the wrapper object that the COM object can be accessed from any thread. When executing a statement of the Java-based program to invoke a method of the COM object, the system requests the thread identified in the wrapper object to invoke the method of the COM object.

Abstract: A method in a computer system for accessing Microsoft Component Object Model (“COM”) objects of varying thread types from a Java-based program. The computer system has a Java virtual machine (“VM”) that executes statements of the Java program and that executes in a multithreaded process. When executing a statement of the Java-based program to instantiate a COM object, the system creates a wrapper object. When the COM object is not thread-safe, the system requests an appropriate thread to instantiate the COM object and stores an identifier of the thread in the wrapper object. When the COM object is thread-safe, the system instantiates the COM object from the current thread and stores an indication in the wrapper object that the COM object can be accessed from any thread. When executing a statement of the Java-based program to invoke a method of the COM object, the system requests the thread identified in the wrapper object to invoke the method of the COM object.

Abstract: A switching power supply apparatus produces an output voltage by smoothing a pulsating voltage obtained by switching an input direct-current voltage with a switching device. The switching power supply apparatus has a current detection circuit that outputs a detection current that varies in proportion to the switch current flowing through the switching device, an overcurrent detection circuit that detects an overcurrent by comparing the detection current with a set current previously set so as to correspond to the overcurrent detection level and that, on detection of an overcurrent, feeds a reset signal to a flip-flop for controlling the switching of the switching device to turn the switching device off, and a second current compensation circuit that superimposes a compensation current on the detection current fed to the overcurrent detection circuit to produce a compensated current.

Abstract: The voltage booster type switching power supply circuit is provided with a drive circuit for controlling a switching element, a start/stop circuit for turning the drive circuit on and off according to a brightness control signal for adjusting a brightness of a light source of a liquid crystal display device, an output voltage detection circuit for detecting whether the output voltage is greater than a predetermined voltage and feeding out a result as a comparison result signal, and a soft-start circuit that does not operate when the comparison result signal is active on the rising edge of the brightness control signal, and that operates so as to increase the output voltage gradually when the comparison result signal is inactive on the rising edge of the brightness control signal.

Abstract: A pulse width control circuit provided in a drive circuit instructs an OFF drive circuit to operate for a period shorter than an inactive period of a drive control signal. Thus, when the drive control signal is inactive, the OFF drive circuit begins operating, and draws a current from a base of a switching element, thereby turning OFF the switching element. Further, the OFF drive circuit stops operating before the drive control signal becomes active. Thus, it is possible to reduce power consumption compared with a case where the OFF drive circuit continues to operate during the inactive period, thereby improving power source conversion efficiency. As a result, it is possible to realize a switching power source circuit whose power source conversion efficiency is high.

Abstract: Several electronic parts are mounted on several ceramic substrates in a semiconductor device, and are wire bonded to the respective ceramic substrates through bonding wires. The electronic parts and the bonding wires are covered with an enclosing member on every ceramic substrate, and an inside of the enclosing member is filled with silicone gel for sealing. The ceramic substrates are bonded to a radiation fin together, and are mounted on a motherboard perpendicularly to the motherboard.

Abstract: In a switching power unit for performing an overcurrent protecting operation by shortening a switching pulse, an oscillation frequency changing circuit drops an oscillation frequency of an oscillator when an overcurrent is detected by an overcurrent detection circuit, and an RS flip-flop circuit performs the overcurrent protecting operation. When an output voltage is dropped due to a short circuit etc., the oscillation frequency changing circuit further drops the oscillation frequency of the oscillator. In an arrangement in which a frequency under a normal loading condition is made higher by considering the response delay in the overcurrent protecting operation in this manner, an overcurrent detection output is given to the oscillation frequency dropping circuit via the RS flip-flop circuit, so that it is necessary to provide a time constant circuit which prevents hunting and it is possible to miniaturize chip size of an integrated circuit itself.

Abstract: In a switching power unit for performing an overcurrent protecting operation by shortening a switching pulse, an oscillation frequency changing circuit drops an oscillation frequency of an oscillator when an overcurrent is detected by an overcurrent detection circuit, and an RS flip-flop circuit performs the overcurrent protecting operation. When an output voltage is dropped due to a short circuit etc., the oscillation frequency changing circuit further drops the oscillation frequency of the oscillator. In an arrangement in which a frequency under a normal loading condition is made higher by considering the response delay in the overcurrent protecting operation in this manner, an overcurrent detection output is given to the oscillation frequency dropping circuit via the RS flip-flop circuit, so that it is necessary to provide a time constant circuit which prevents hunting and it is possible to miniaturize chip size of an integrated circuit itself.

Abstract: The present invention provides a facility for performing self-patching of computer code in memory. The facility patches a segment of executable code at runtime under the control of the code segment. The code segment has a selected entry point, a patching section, and a patched section. The patching section is provided to patch the patched section in order to change the contents of the patched section. When the code segment is executed a first time at the selected entry point, execution jumps from the beginning of the patched section to a point beyond the patched section to execute the patching section. When the patching section is executed, the patching section patches the patched section. Finally, when the code segment is executed at the selected entry point after the patching section has patched the patch section, the patched section is executed rather than the patching section.

Abstract: A method in a computer system for accessing Microsoft Component Object Model (“COM”) objects of varying thread types from a Java-based program. The computer system has a Java virtual machine (“VM”) that executes statements of the Java program and that executes in a multithreaded process. When executing a statement of the Java-based program to instantiate a COM object, the system creates a wrapper object. When the COM object is not thread-safe, the system requests an appropriate thread to instantiate the COM object and stores an identifier of the thread in the wrapper object. When the COM object is thread-safe, the system instantiates the COM object from the current thread and stores an indication in the wrapper object that the COM object can be accessed from any thread. When executing a statement of the Java-based program to invoke a method of the COM object, the system requests the thread identified in the wrapper object to invoke the method of the COM object.

Abstract: A method in a computer system for accessing Microsoft Component Object Model (“COM”) objects of varying thread types from a Java-based program. The computer system has a Java virtual machine (“VM”) that executes statements of the Java program and that executes in a multithreaded process. When executing a statement of the Java-based program to instantiate a COM object, the system creates a wrapper object. When the COM object is not thread-safe, the system requests an appropriate thread to instantiate the COM object and stores an identifier of the thread in the wrapper object. When the COM object is thread-safe, the system instantiates the COM object from the current thread and stores an indication in the wrapper object that the COM object can be accessed from any thread. When executing a statement of the Java-based program to invoke a method of the COM object, the system requests the thread identified in the wrapper object to invoke the method of the COM object.

Abstract: A method in a computer system for accessing Microsoft Component Object Model (“COM”) objects of varying thread types from a Java-based program. The computer system has a Java virtual machine (“VM”) that executes statements of the Java program and that executes in a multithreaded process. When executing a statement of the Java-based program to instantiate a COM object, the system creates a wrapper object. When the COM object is not thread-safe, the system requests an appropriate thread to instantiate the COM object and stores an identifier of the thread in the wrapper object. When the COM object is thread-safe, the system instantiates the COM object from the current thread and stores an indication in the wrapper object that the COM object can be accessed from any thread. When executing a statement of the Java-based program to invoke a method of the COM object, the system requests the thread identified in the wrapper object to invoke the method of the COM object.

Abstract: A method and system for threaded resource allocation and reclamation are provided. In a preferred embodiment, a threaded resource allocation and reclamation facility (“the facility”) provides available instances of a resource in response to requests from resource consumers. The facility maintains both a central pool for holding available instances of the resource for use by any consumer and individual pools for holding available instances of the resource for use by each consumer. When the facility receives a request for an available instance of the resource from a consumer, it provides one from the individual pool for the requesting consumer. If the individual pool is empty, the facility provides an available instance of the resource from the central pool.

Abstract: Several electronic parts are mounted on several ceramic substrates in a semiconductor device, and are wire bonded to the respective ceramic substrates through bonding wires. The electronic parts and the bonding wires are covered with an enclosing member on every ceramic substrate, and an inside of the enclosing member is filled with silicone gel for sealing. The ceramic substrates are bonded to a radiation fin together, and are mounted on a motherboard perpendicularly to the motherboard.