Abstract: The present invention is a method, computer-readable medium and an apparatus for protection and recovery of non-redundant computer-readable information stored in a memory having multiple segments that features replacing computer-readable information stored in one of the multiple segments based upon a determination that computer-readable information stored in one of the remaining segments of the multiples segments is in a desired state. To that end, the memory device operates synergistically with a shelf manager, which maintains a state of computer-readable information in the differing address ranges of the memory device, so that any computer-readable information replaced in memory device may be achieved by executing uncorrupted computer-readable information stored in the memory device.

Abstract: A method for managing remote software code update includes receiving a message from a remote device that includes a first code space having at least one segment and a second code space having one or more segment. The method also includes decoding the message to determine the execution mode of the remote device, indicating code in the first code space is corrupted if the execution mode indicates the remote device is executing in the second code space and indicating the code in the first code space is valid if the execution mode indicates the remote device is executing in the first code space.

Abstract: A method for updating code includes receiving an update command for a first program resident in a first code space including at least one segment, transferring program control to a second program executing in second code space including one or more segment, selecting one of the at least one segment, mapping the selected segment to data space and writing the selected segment. A method for detecting corrupt software code includes defining a correlation rule for a program that includes at least one segment that includes multiple markers. The correlation rule defines a relationship between two or more of the markers. The method also includes writing the program to a memory device, reading two or more of the markers from the memory device, determining whether a segment is corrupt by applying the correlation rule to the two or more markers and indicating whether the segment is corrupt based upon the determining.

Abstract: A method for detecting corrupt software code includes defining a correlation rule for a program, writing the program to a memory device and reading two or more of the markers from the memory device. The program includes at least one segment. Each segment includes executable codes and the segments include multiple markers. The correlation rule defines a relationship between two or more of the markers. The method also includes determining whether one of the segments is corrupt by applying the correlation rule to the markers read from the device and indicating whether one of the segments is corrupt based upon the determination.

Abstract: Managing a task in a system management controller may be accomplished by storing information regarding the task in a process control buffer. A state of the task stored in the process control buffer may be examined to determine if it is active. If so, then a task counter contained in the process control buffer can be examined to determine if the task should be run immediately, or at a later time. If it is immediately, the task is immediately executed. If not, then timer fields may be examined to determine precisely when the task should be executed. The task counter may also indicate the number of times the task should be executed, or if it should be executed indefinitely. Thus, the method may be restarted with a new process control buffer if the timer fields are not less than or equal to a current time.

Abstract: A buffer block allocation table as well as a buffer allocation table may be provided to handle a buffer request in a system management controller. When a buffer request is received, the buffer block allocation table may be scanned entry-by-entry to find an available buffer block. once one its located, it is marked as taken. Then, the corresponding buffer block in the buffer allocation table is scanned entry-by-entry looking for one that is available. If one is found, it is used for the buffer request. If one cannot be found, the system may return to the buffer block allocation table and continue with the next entry. This process may repeat until an available buffer is found.

Abstract: The middle of line segments may be drawn on a computer display using an iterative method that reduces the number of calculations required. The process is repeated for each column. The first pixel is plotted according to a formula that allows the first pixel to best represent the location of the line in the column. A second pixel is then plotted either above, below, to the left of, or the right of the first pixel depending on the direction of the line. A normalized intensity value between 0 and 1.0 is then assigned to the first pixel according to the amount of area above, below, to the left of, or the right of the line in the first pixel depending on the direction of the line. This value may be assigned using a variable computed in plotting the first pixel. A normalized intensity value for the second pixel equal to 1.0 minus the normalized intensity value of the first pixel may then be assigned. Finally, the first and second pixels are shaded according to the normalized intensity values.

Abstract: Starting and ending caps of smooth line segments may be drawn on a computer display without complicated calculations and avoiding the use of inverse square root calculations by drawing the caps using rectangles. The direction of the line segment may be determined, and using the direction certain pixels in a four-pixel grouping may be selectively illuminated. The normalized intensity values of the illuminated pixels may be determined by computing an x-fraction and a y-fraction, representing the distance in the x-direction and y-direction between a sample origin point in a corner of the four-pixel grouping and the closest corner of a region covered by the mathematical origin or endpoint corrected for the thickness of the line segment. It is generally preferable for only two pixels to be illuminated for each cap, the pixels chosen according to a formula ensuring that there are no perception problems when two smooth line segments share a common mathematical origin or endpoint.

Abstract: Starting and ending caps of smooth line segments may be drawn on a computer display without complicated calculations and avoiding the use of inverse square root calculations by drawing the caps using rectangles. The direction of the line segment may be determined, and using the direction certain pixels in a four-pixel grouping may be selectively illuminated. The normalized intensity values of the illuminated pixels may be determined by computing an x-fraction and a y-fraction, representing the distance in the x-direction and y-direction between a sample origin point in a corner of the four-pixel grouping and the closest corner of a region covered by the mathematical origin or endpoint corrected for the thickness of the line segment. It is generally preferable for only two pixels to be illuminated for each cap, the pixels chosen according to a formula ensuring that there are no perception problems when two smooth line segments share a common mathematical origin or endpoint.

Abstract: A method for rendering a line segment extending in the positive-x direction and positive-y direction on a computer display given a starting point and an ending point, the starting point having the form (xs, ys) and the ending point having the form (xe, ye). In this method, &Dgr;x and &Dgr;y are computed using the formula &Dgr;x=|xe−xs| and &Dgr;y=|ye−ys|, respectively. Then dt(0)=(yf*&Dgr;x)−(xf*&Dgr;y) is computed, where xf is the fractional portion of xs and yf is the fractional portion of ys, which allows for more precision. If the line segment extends in the postive-x and positive-y directions, then for each column n containing a portion of said line segment the process: plots said current pixel if dt(n)<=0.5*&Dgr;x and plotting the pixel above said current pixel if dt(n)>0.5*&Dgr;x; moves said current pixel to the right one pixel if dt(n)<=0.5*&Dgr;x and moves said pixel to the right and up one pixel if dt(n)>0.

Abstract: A method for managing remote software code update includes receiving a message from a remote device that includes a first code space having at least one segment and a second code space having one or more segment. The method also includes decoding the message to determine the execution mode of the remote device, indicating code in the first code space is corrupted if the execution mode indicates the remote device is executing in the second code space and indicating the code in the first code space is valid if the execution mode indicates the remote device is executing in the first code space.

Abstract: A method for detecting corrupt software code includes defining a correlation rule for a program, writing the program to a memory device and reading two or more of the markers from the memory device. The program includes at least one segment. Each segment includes executable codes and the segments include multiple markers. The correlation rule defines a relationship between two or more of the markers. The method also includes determining whether one of the segments is corrupt by applying the correlation rule to the markers read from the device and indicating whether one of the segments is corrupt based upon the determination.

Abstract: A method for updating code includes receiving an update command for a first program resident in a first code space including at least one segment, transferring program control to a second program executing in second code space including one or more segment, selecting one of the at least one segment, mapping the selected segment to data space and writing the selected segment. A method for detecting corrupt software code includes defining a correlation rule for a program that includes at least one segment that includes multiple markers. The correlation rule defines a relationship between two or more of the markers. The method also includes writing the program to a memory device, reading two or more of the markers from the memory device, determining whether a segment is corrupt by applying the correlation rule to the two or more markers and indicating whether the segment is corrupt based upon the determining.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dithering for color computer display systems includes the addition of a noise component to each of the color components of each pixel in a pseudo-random manner. The noise component is preferably different for each color component. Taking the image as a whole, the noise component repeats on a regular basis but is preferably selected so as not to repeat on adjacent pixels. The image is divided into squares of pixels and the same noise component is added to each of the same relative pixels from square to square. The preferred square of pixels is four pixels wide by four pixels high. The value of the noise component is chosen such that the most significant bit alternates both horizontally and vertically from pixel to pixel within the square of pixels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dithering for color computer display systems includes the addition of a noise component to each of the color components of each pixel in a pseudo-random manner. The noise component is preferably different for each color component. Taking the image as a whole, the noise component repeats on a regular basis but is preferably selected so as not to repeat on adjacent pixels. The image is divided into squares of pixels and the same noise component is added to each of the same relative pixels from square to square. The preferred square of pixels is four pixels wide by four pixels high. The value of the noise component is chosen such that the most significant bit alternates both horizontally and vertically from pixel to pixel within the square of pixels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dithering for color computer display systems includes the addition of a noise component to each of the color components of each pixel in a pseudo-random manner. The noise component is preferably different for each color component. Taking the image as a whole, the noise component repeats on a regular basis but is preferably selected so as not to repeat on adjacent pixels. The image is divided into squares of pixels and the same noise component is added to each of the same relative pixels from square to square. The preferred square of pixels is four pixels wide by four pixels high. The value of the noise component is chosen such that the most significant bit alternates both horizontally and vertically from pixel to pixel within the square of pixels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for drawing at least a two pixel wide antialiased line is described in which the apparatus utilizes an interpolator, having a set up unit and an iterator unit, and a blender. The set up unit determines various parameters of the line to be drawn and selects a pair of pixels adjacent to and straddling an idealized line representing the line to be drawn. The iterator unit determines the coverages of the pair of pixels based on the parameters output by the set up unit. The blender determines the color intensity values of the pair of pixels as a function of the coverages and writes the color values into a memory. The memory is a frame buffer type memory utilized to drive a display and is split into at least four banks so that the color values of the pair of pixels can be simultaneously stored in different memory banks.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for drawing at least a one pixel wide antialiased line on an edge of a filled polygon. The apparatus comprises an interpolator, having a set up unit and an iterator unit, and a blender. The set up unit determines various parameters of the line to be drawn and selects a pair of pixels adjacent to and straddling an idealized line representing the line to be drawn, where the first pixel is claimed by the edge of the polygon as a filled pixel. The iterator unit determines the coverages of the second pixel based on the parameters output by the set up unit. The blender determines the color intensity value of the second pixel as a function of its coverage and writes the color value into a memory. The apparatus also incorporates methods for antialiasing polygon meshes and resolving accumulation error in the derivation of each pixel's position.

Abstract: A method for rendering a three dimensional graphic object in a two dimensional display space by segmenting the object into parallelepipeds and decomposing the parallelepipeds into rods of voxels that are parallel to the depth axis (Z) of the display and by projecting the rods of voxels onto the X-Y plane of the display as lines of pixels and a method for drawing antialiased volumetric images. An apparatus for implementing both methods includes an interpolator, having a set-up unit and an iterator unit, and a blender. The set-up unit determines various parameters of the image to be drawn, including the total number of voxels to be blended together into each pixel to be drawn, and selects a pixel pair adjacent to and straddling an idealized line representing a line to be drawn. The iterator unit determines the coverages of the pixel pair based on parameters output by the set-up unit.