Abstract: The present invention relates to a multipurpose drill system, the multipurpose drill system comprising: a drilling rig adapted to drive a drilling assembly; and two or more power sources, wherein at least one of the two or more power sources is a high pressure power source, wherein the drilling assembly is adapted to be in communication with either or both of the two or more power sources.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods for progressive corrosion detection are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a query generator to query a multiplexer channel to receive an output voltage, the multiplexer channel linked to a fin group of an electrode array, the fin group forming an open circuit in the absence of conductive crystal formation, a quantifier to determine, using a reference voltage, a difference between the reference voltage and the output voltage from the queried multiplexer channel, and a contamination level comparator to identify presence of conductive crystal formation based on the difference between the reference voltage and the output voltage.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods for progressive corrosion detection are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a query generator to query a multiplexer channel to receive an output voltage, the multiplexer channel linked to a fin group of an electrode array, the fin group forming an open circuit in the absence of conductive crystal formation, a quantifier to determine, using a reference voltage, a difference between the reference voltage and the output voltage from the queried multiplexer channel, and a contamination level comparator to identify presence of conductive crystal formation based on the difference between the reference voltage and the output voltage.

Abstract: Systems and methods utilize a configurable and fault-tolerant baseboard management controller (BMC) arrangement in a multi-node system. In one example, the method may include designating a first BMC of the plurality of BMCs in a role of master BMC, determining that the first BMC can no longer serve the role of master BMC, and designating the BMC other than the first BMC to serve the role of the master BMC.

Abstract: Systems and methods utilize a configurable and fault-tolerant baseboard management controller (BMC) arrangement in a multi-node system. In one example, the method may include designating a first BMC of the plurality of BMCs in a role of master BMC, determining that the first BMC can no longer serve the role of master BMC, and designating the BMC other than the first BMC to serve the role of the master BMC.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for blending process materials. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are directed to a process material contacting system to increase wetted surface area for liquid contact as well as increase forced convective mixing efficiency of the liquid mixture. Use of a novel process material contacting apparatus allows one solid feeding element to serve multiple process material tanks, thus reducing overall system costs and decreasing set-up time/process variability while increasing operational efficiency. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, rather than adding a process material to a volume of liquid held in a blending tank, the added process material is remotely blended with the liquid outside the process material tank.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for blending process materials. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are directed to a process material contacting system to increase wetted surface area for liquid contact as well as increase forced convective mixing efficiency of the liquid mixture. Use of a novel process material contacting apparatus allows one solid feeding element to serve multiple process material tanks, thus reducing overall system costs and decreasing set-up time/process variability while increasing operational efficiency. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, rather than adding a process material to a volume of liquid held in a blending tank, the added process material is remotely blended with the liquid outside the process material tank.

Abstract: A secure method for updating computer firmware online is described. The firmware storage locations are write protected prior to loading the operating system. Updating the firmware after loading the operating system helps to reduce downtime.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for serial port redirection using a management controller. A serial controller is selectively coupled with a management controller to facilitate the redirection of serial information. The management controller includes a packetizer to packetize the serial information. The packetized information may be communicated to remote computing devices over a network connection or a management bus. The management controller receives both redirection and non-redirection packets from the communication channel. If the management controller receives redirection packets from a remote computing device, it formats the redirection packets as a stream of serial information and communicates the stream of serial information to the serial controller.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for serial port redirection using a management controller. A serial controller is selectively coupled with a management controller to facilitate the redirection of serial information. The management controller includes a packetizer to packetize the serial information. The packetized information may be communicated to remote computing devices over a network connection or a management bus. The management controller receives both redirection and non-redirection packets from the communication channel. If the management controller receives redirection packets from a remote computing device, it formats the redirection packets as a stream of serial information and communicates the stream of serial information to the serial controller.

Abstract: A secure method for updating computer firmware online is described. The firmware storage locations are write protected prior to loading the operating system. Updating the firmware after loading the operating system helps to reduce downtime.

Abstract: A device and method to enable a plug and play operating system to load the appropriate device for either a SCSI I/O device or a RAID adapter and direct interrupts from storage devices to the appropriate device driver. This device and method has a SCSI I/O device connected to several storage devices. The SCSI device can generate several interrupt signals and an identification selection signal. Further, this device and method has a PCI slot, to accept a RAID adapter, connected to the SCSI I/O device. The PCI slot can receive and generate several interrupt signals, as well as an interrupt disable signal, and an identification disable signal. Several tristate units are connected to the interrupt signals from the SCSI I/O device, the identification selection, the interrupt disable signal, and the identification disable signal.

Abstract: A system for controlling initialization and self test operations in a multiprocessor system facilitates the use of central processing units based around differing microprocessor types. More specifically, the present invention involves storing configuration information, initialization self-test code, and boot code specific to each processor, memory module, or I/O circuit board in non-executable form in a non-volatile memory, on the respective circuit board, and storing the executable portion of the boot code needed by the initial boot processor in a centrally accessible non-volatile memory.

Abstract: A small computer system interface (SCSI) disk array subsystem has removable disk drive units that can be removed while the subsystem has power applied to it and is operational. In order to prevent malfunctions of other disks in the disk array, and in order to prevent rapid fluctuations in the current in the power circuits of the subsystem, the power and the data and control signals are applied to the inserted disk drive unit in a phased sequence. Initially, the ground of the disk drive unit is connected to the ground of the subsystem along with precharge power which connects the power buses of the disk drive unit to the power buses of the subsystem through resistors so that capacitances connected to the power buses of the disk drive unit are charged gradually through the resistors rather than abruptly. Thereafter, power is applied directly from the power buses of the subsystem to the power buses of the disk drive unit.

Abstract: A system for controlling initialization and self test operations in a multiprocessor system facilitates the use of central processing units based around differing microprocessor types. More specifically, the present invention involves storing configuration information, initialization self-test code, and boot code specific to each processor, memory module, or I/O circuit board in non-executable form in a non-volatile memory, on the respective circuit board, and storing the executable portion of the boot code needed by the initial boot processor in a centrally accessible non-volatile memory.

Abstract: An interrupt controller for use in a computer system capable of utilizing multiple processors provides a system for automatically distributing interrupts among processors installed in the system. More specifically, in the present invention, each processor has a corresponding interrupt controller. In one embodiment, one interrupt controller acts as a master to acknowledge interrupts at the system level and manage the distribution of interrupts, and any other interrupt controllers act as slave interrupt controllers. The master and slave interrupt controllers also provide an interface for a processor to interrupt another processor, to transfer an interrupt to another processor and to interrupt itself under local software control. Finally, the interrupt controllers provide different masking levels that allow a corresponding processor to temporarily mask interrupts assigned to the processor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for expanding a backplane interconnecting bus provides an architecture in which the width of a data bus can be expanded without new byte select control lines on the backplane bus. In the present invention, data lines and corresponding parity lines are added to the backplane bus, and control signal lines connect devices capable of utilizing the expanded bus capabilities. The control signal lines do not affect the operation of devices which are designed according to the narrower bus width, and therefore, these devices can be installed in the expanded bus backplane along with devices designed to utilize the expanded width data bus.

Abstract: A system for controlling daisy-chain testing of removable printed circuit boards installed along a backplane bus facilitates the use of serial testing methods for circuit boards which are designed according to boundary-scan testing standards. The system automatically controls propagation of serial test data from a serial data pattern generator to a removable circuit board and then from circuit board to circuit board as installed consecutively along the backplane bus, and from the last circuit board installed on the bus to a pattern comparator which determines whether the pattern matches an expected pattern to isolate components on the circuit boards which are not functioning properly.