Abstract: A register file bit includes a primary latch and a secondary latch with a feedback path and a context switch mechanism that allows a fast context switch when execution changes from one thread to the next. A bit value for a second thread of execution is stored in the primary latch, then transferred to the secondary latch. The bit value for a first thread of execution is then written to the primary latch. When a context switch is needed (when the first thread stalls and the second thread needs to begin execution), the register file bit can perform a context switch from the first thread to the second thread in a single clock cycle. The register file bit contains a backup latch inside the register file itself so that minimal extra wire paths are needed to or from the existing register file.

Abstract: A memorabilia container includes a box-like receptacle to the memorabilia. The receptacle has opposite upstanding side walls and an upstanding rear wall joining the side walls. The side walls and the rear wall have respective upper edges. A side lid is hingedly connected to each side wall. The side lid hinges are attached to the side walls below the upper edges of the side walls so that the side wall upper edge stops the side lid from opening beyond a predetermined angle. Each side lid has an interior surface, an exterior surface, and an outer edge. The side lids close together with their outer edges abutting. A rear lid is hingedly connected to the rear wall. The rear wall hinge is attached to the rear wall below the upper edge of the rear wall, so that the rear wall upper edge stops the rear lid from opening beyond a predetermined angle. The rear lid has an interior surface and an exterior surface. The rear lid closes first, and the side lids close together over the rear lid.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus implementing and using techniques for rendering a stroke (e.g., a line or glyph). An initial adjustment value can be calculated for the stroke, and an offset amount calculated based on the initial adjustment value, such that a minimum number of device pixels will be marked by the stroke after adjusting density values of device pixels representing the stroke. A high resolution representation of the stroke (e.g., a set of device pixels each having an initial density value) is rendered so that one or more edges of the stroke is offset from a device resolution grid by the offset amount. A length of an edge of the stroke that passes through a device pixel can be calculated, and the density value of the device pixel adjusted by a final adjustment value based on the initial adjustment value and the length of the edge of the stroke.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor (10) has an actuator (14) for unlocking and locking the seat belt retractor (10). An inertial sensor (18) detects changes in vehicle acceleration and interacts with the actuator (14) to lock and unlock the seat belt retractor (10). The inertial sensor (18) has one inertial sensor mass, each mass (26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33) has a wide portion (70) and a narrow portion (72). Preferably each inertial sensor mass (26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33) has a high density body (31) embedded in the wide portion (70) of the elastomeric material (34). The inertial sensor mass (26, 27, 29, 36, 32, 33) has a greater density than the elastomeric material (34). Moreover, the elastomeric material (34) at least partially surrounds an exterior circumferential surface (38) of the inertial sensor mass (26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33).

Abstract: A container includes a rigid insulated body-portion that defines a first enclosed space, a base lid adapted to be reattachably fastened to an edge of the sides that is proximal to the opening, thereby covering the opening so as to at least substantially prevent fluid communication between the first enclosed space and the area outside the container, a contents-container, a contents-container lid that is adapted to be reattachably fastened to edges of the contents container that are proximal to the opening of the contents container, thereby substantially preventing fluid communication between the second enclosed space of the contents container and the space outside the contents container, the first enclosed space including an interior portion adapted to receive the contents container and a coolant portion adapted to receive at least one coolant container.

Abstract: Articles are magnetically tagged by a spatial distribution of passive magnetic elements. Each such magnetic element comprises a layer of soft magnetic material characterised by high permeability, low coercivity and a non-linear B-H characteristic, and formed as a discrete region of such material. Each such magnetic element also has at least one second layer of magnetic material capable of being permanently magnetised at least in a region adjacent the first layer to provide a magnetic bias for the magnetic element. The bias of individual such magnetic elements in the spatial distribution and the particular spatial nature of the distribution enables the article to be magnetically encoded.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that in an embodiment detect an event that will cause idle cycles in the processor and issue diagnostic instructions to the processor during the cycles that would be idle. In another embodiment, the processor is periodically interrupted and diagnostic instructions are issued to the processor, where the diagnostic instructions are selected based on a history of activity at the processor and a log of previous errors at the processor. In this way, errors may be detected at the processor without undue cost and impact on performance.

Abstract: A drive assembly for a combine head includes a hub and a bearing received over a portion of the hub. The bearing defines a rotational axis of the hub. A plane passes radially through the bearing relative to the axis. A sprocket is coupled to the hub and is coaxial with the bearing. The sprocket has a plurality of teeth located around a perimeter of the sprocket, the plurality of teeth being located so that the plane passes radially through the plurality of teeth.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus implementing and using techniques for scaling a character having stems. A character including stems and having an associated output resolution and an associated bit depth can be received. The counters defined by the stems can be grouped into one or more chains of counters. The stems of the character can be aligned based on a stem alignment policy while the chains of counters are balanced based on the output resolution. A pixel map can be created at the output resolution and the output bit depth based on the aligned stems.

Abstract: A more efficient method of handling instructions in a computer processor, by associating resource fields with respective program instructions wherein the resource fields indicate which of the processor hardware resources are required to carry out the program instructions, calculating resource requirements for merging two or more program instructions based on their resource fields, and determining resource availability for simultaneously executing the merged program instructions based on the calculated resource requirements. Resource vectors indicative of the required resource may be encoded into the resource fields, and the resource fields decoded at a later stage to derive the resource vectors. The resource fields can be stored in the instruction cache associated with the respective program instructions. The processor may operate in a simultaneous multithreading mode with different program instructions being part of different hardware threads.

Abstract: A high speed computer processor system has a high speed interface for a graphics processor. A preferred embodiment combines a PowerPC microprocessor called the Giga-Processor Ultralite (GPUL) 110 from International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) with a high speed interface on a multi-chip module.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of creating a multimedia book.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method that involving receiving a plurality of multimedia books, each multimedia book comprising: a plurality of pages, each page belonging to a corresponding chapter of a plurality of chapters, each chapter having a chapter name, each page further having a text description, wherein at least one of the plurality of pages includes a playable digital medium; a searchable table of contents whose entries comprise the chapter names; and a searchable index, wherein each entry in the searchable index is associated with pointers to one or more of the plurality of pages having at least one of a page title, a description, a keyword, or a chapter title that includes the index entry.

Abstract: Techniques are described for eliminating the potential continuity errors in fluid connection devices, such as tubes, which can arise in complex systems where many tubes are used. The techniques are based upon the use of ultrasound, light or pressure waves being transmitted along the connecting device using a transmitter and a receiver at either end. Methods are described to cover the external coupling of the transmitter and/or the receiver into the tubing thereby eliminating the need to compromise the connection. The described apparatus can be external to the system or integrated within it. The potential to carry information along the connection device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A processor having the capability to dispatch multiple parallel operations, including multiple load operations, accesses a cache which is divided into banks. Each bank supports a limited number of simultaneous read and write access operations. A bank prediction field is associated with each memory access operation. Memory access operations are selected for dispatch so that they are predicted to be non-conflicting. Preferably, the processor automatically maintains a bank predict value based on previous bank accesses, and a confirmation value indicating a degree of confidence in the bank prediction. The confirmation value is preferably an up-or-down counter which is incremented with each correct prediction and decremented with each incorrect prediction.

Abstract: The present invention extends to configuring detection zones in a traffic monitoring system and to association of detection zones with corresponding traffic signal phases. One or more sensors detect targets within a roadway intersection. The sensors integrate acquired sensor data for the targets into track files. The track files are subsequently used to identify common target paths. A histogram is used to identify common target positions for stationary targets. From the common target positions and the common target paths detection zones are configured. Detection zones are associated with traffic signal phases so that specific detections can be created. Lane boundaries within the roadway intersection are inferred from the common target paths. Permanent stationary target locations are identified from the common target positions.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method involving receiving a plurality of multimedia books, each multimedia book including: a plurality of pages, each page having a text description and belonging to a chapter, at least one of the pages including a playable digital medium; a searchable table of contents; and a searchable index. The method also involves: including information about the plurality of multimedia books in an online electronic store; enabling a customer of the online electronic store to view the information about the plurality of multimedia books and to purchase access to a selected one or more of the plurality of multimedia books; and after the customer has purchased access to the selected one or more of the plurality of multimedia books, enabling the customer to search and view the selected one or more of the plurality of multimedia books using a web browser.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that in an embodiment detect an error, disable selected functions of a computer system via inhibit switches in response to the error, issue a set of diagnostic instructions to a processor, and incrementally enable the selected functions until the error is reproduced. In this way, the source of the error may be determined.

Abstract: A high-frequency compound instruction mechanism and method allows performing a common compare immediate function before an add function has completed, thereby reducing the number of cycles to perform the add-compare function. By increasing the speed of performing the add-compare function, a branch mispredict signal may be provided to an instruction pipeline before data registers are affected by the pipelined instructions. The compound instruction mechanism of the preferred embodiments may be implemented within space that is primarily unused within arithmetic logic units, resulting in an implementation that only marginally increases space requirements on an integrated circuit.

Abstract: A height adjuster (200) for a vehicle safety restraint comprising: a rail (230) for providing a vertical path guide for a carrier (220); the carrier (220) configured to be vertically movable along the rail to one of a plurality of locations, the carrier also configured to rotationally support the web guide (210). The height adjuster also comprises a lock mechanism (240) movable between a locked and an unlocked condition, when in a locked condition the carrier is prohibited from moving down the rail and when in an unlocked condition the carrier is free to be moved; and a return spring mechanism (300) comprising a coiled return spring having an interior or coiled end (372) and a distal end (376), the internal end configured not to rotate as the carrier is moved and a distal end of the return spring secured to one of the carrier and release mechanism.