Abstract: A door for an automotive vehicle has an inner metal stamping and an outer metal stamping that are secured together along a perimeter to form a shell that includes an upper window frame and a lower hollow body and a window regulator that is part of a window module that is assembled to the shell. The window module includes a structural belt beam, a drive assembly, a rack, a window pane and a window guide channel. The window guide channel has a front run, a header and a rear run, the window guide channel being attached to structural belt beam so that the front run is attached to a forward end of the belt beam and the rear run is attached to a rearward end of the belt beam. The window pane has a front edge that travels in the front run and a rear edge that travels in the rear run. The rack is disposed in the rear run and attached to the rear edge of the window pane. The drive assembly is mounted in a rearward end portion of the structural belt beam by a bracket that supports a reversible electric motor.

Abstract: A vehicle door handle assembly has a support that includes a concave shell having a pair of vertically spaced bosses with pivot holes for two concentric shafts. One shaft is operated by a handle in the shell and moves an operating lever behind the shell. The other shaft is operated by a lock knob in the shell and moves a second operating lever behind the shell.

Abstract: A computer system and method optimized for real-time multimedia applications are presented. The computer system, including a dedicated multimedia engine coupled directly to a real-time data cache, provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The multimedia engine includes at least one DSP engines which couple through at least one I/O channels to I/O ports. Obtaining multimedia commands and data from main memory and/or the real-time data cache, the multimedia engine performs a number of multimedia operations including audio and video functions. A CPU, coupled through a chip set logic or bridge logic to the main memory, generates multimedia commands and data. The CPU groups multimedia commands and data into separate command and data elements, and writes the command and data elements to a multimedia address space in main memory. The CPU also writes element structure information to the multimedia address space.

Abstract: A computer system and method for transferring multimedia commands and data to a dedicated multimedia engine and/or multimedia memory, wherein the multimedia engine provides increased performance for real-time applications over current computer architectures. The system includes a dedicated multimedia engine coupled directly to the main memory which performs real-time operations, including audio and video function, as well as others. The multimedia engine includes multimedia memory and one or more DSP engines. The CPU writes video and/or audio commands and data to the main memory. The CPU also preferably writes data structure information to the DMA engine which includes the main memory address where the commands and data reside. The DMA engine uses this information to retrieve the commands and data from main memory into the multimedia memory. The DMA engine preferably operates concurrently with the multimedia engine, thus allowing for improved performance.

Abstract: A computer system optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The system includes a standard local bus, such as the PCI bus, and also includes a dedicated real-time bus or multimedia bus. The PCI bus and the multimedia bus are comprised on the motherboard and include connector slots for receiving add-in cards. Multimedia device expansion cards each include two connectors which correspond to the PCI bus and the multimedia bus. Thus multimedia devices such as video cards, audio cards, etc., as well as communications devices, transfer real-time data through a separate bus without requiring arbitration for the PCI bus. The computer system of the present invention thus provides much greater performance for real-time applications than prior systems.

Abstract: A computer system including separate digital and analog system chips which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The computer system of the present invention includes a digital system chip which performs various digital functions, including multimedia functions and chipset functions, and a separate analog chip which performs analog functions, including digital to analog and analog to digital conversions. Thus the present invention optimizes silicon use and design by splitting up digital and analog functions on separate chips. The system of the present invention also separates digital noise from analog noise, allowing a higher degree of integration while increasing stability.

Abstract: A computer system optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The system includes a standard local bus, such as the PCI bus, and also includes a dedicated real-time bus or multimedia bus. The PCI bus and the multimedia bus are comprised on the motherboard. One or more PCI devices or multimedia devices are comprised on the motherboard and are coupled to the PCI bus and the multimedia bus. In one embodiment, the motherboard includes PCI bus and multimedia bus connector slots for receiving add-in cards. In this embodiment, multimedia device expansion cards each include two connectors which correspond to the PCI bus and the multimedia bus. Thus multimedia devices such as video cards, audio cards, etc., as well as communications devices, transfer real-time data through a separate bus without requiring arbitration for the PCI bus.

Abstract: A computer system optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The system includes a standard local bus, such as the PCI bus, and also includes a dedicated real-time bus or multimedia bus. The PCI bus and the multimedia bus are comprised on the motherboard and include connector slots for receiving add-in cards. Multimedia device expansion cards each include two connectors which correspond to the PCI bus and the multimedia bus. Thus multimedia devices such as video cards, audio cards, etc., as well as communications devices, transfer real-time data through a separate bus without requiring arbitration for the PCI bus. The computer system of the present invention thus provides much greater performance for real-time applications than prior systems.

Abstract: A computer system including separate digital and analog system chips which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The computer system of the present invention includes a digital system chip which performs various digital functions, including multimedia functions and chipset functions, and a separate analog chip which performs analog functions, including digital to analog and analog to digital conversions. Thus the present invention optimizes silicon use and design by splitting up digital and analog functions on separate chips. The system of the present invention also separates digital noise from analog noise, allowing a higher degree of integration while increasing stability.

Abstract: A computer system optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance for real-time applications over current computer architectures. The system includes a dedicated multimedia engine coupled directly to the main memory which performs real-time operations, including audio and video functions, as well as others. The multimedia engine includes one or more DSP engines which couple through one or more I/O channels to respective video, audio and communication ports. The multimedia engine includes video ports for coupling to a video monitor, audio ports for coupling to speakers and one or more communication ports. Multimedia memory is coupled to the local memory bus and stores data for the multimedia engine. The multimedia memory in the multimedia engine comprises a portion of the main memory address space. Thus the multimedia is used for real-time or multimedia data and is also used by the CPU as overflow memory space.

Abstract: A computer system optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance for real-time applications over current computer architectures. The system includes a dedicated multimedia engine coupled directly to the main memory which performs real-time operations, including audio and video functions, as well as others. The multimedia engine includes multimedia memory and one or more DSP (digital signal processor) engines. The DSP engines may comprise either dedicated audio or video engines or general purpose DSP engines. The DSP engines couple through one or more I/O channels to respective video, audio and communication ports. The multimedia engine includes video ports for coupling to a video monitor, audio ports for coupling to speakers and one or more communication ports. The multimedia memory in the multimedia engine comprises a portion of the main memory address space. Thus the multimedia is used for real-time or multimedia data and is also used by the CPU as overflow memory space.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a computer system and method optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The system includes a dedicated multimedia engine and dedicated multimedia memory coupled directly to the main memory. The computer system includes a data path to the main memory and the multimedia memory, and includes a separate command path to the multimedia engine. In one embodiment, the CPU includes a separate command path through the chipset logic to the multimedia engine. In an alternate embodiment, the CPU includes a separate command path to the multimedia engine through the PCI bus. In this alternate embodiment, the multimedia engine includes a PCI interface which couples to the PCI bus. The multimedia engine executes commands and data from the multimedia memory to perform a number of real-time operations, including audio and video functions, as well as others.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a method and apparatus for the ncontact inspection of workpieces having a plate-like portion of the first part joined via an inertia weld to the end of a second part extending away from the plate-like portion. The apparatus and method are particularly apt for the non-contact inspection of driver inflator igniter canisters for airbag applications, such canisters having a spool-shaped structure with outer walls which restrict access to the internal inertia welds for inspection. To achieve non-contact inspection, the invention comprises electromagnetic acoustic transducer means which generate a pulsed inspection signal and a detection signal. In one embodiment, the inspection signal comprises shear acoustic waves which are polarized parallel to the outer surface of the second member (e.g., the central web member of an inflator igniter canister), and a pulse/echo detection approach is employed.

Abstract: A seat belt buckle 10, having a pivoted locking member 26 adapted to releasably engage with a cross-bar 34 of an apertured latch plate 24 insertable within a latch passage 22 in the seat belt buckle, includes a rigid frame 12 having an apertured rectangular base plate 14, upstanding side walls 16 extending from longitudinal edges of the base plate 14, and a fixed bar 18 extending across the width of the base plate 14, parallel to, and spaced apart from, the base plate, the fixed bar 18 being secured at each end thereof to a respective side wall 16.