Abstract: Systems and methods for quantifying and managing financial risks related to a processing agent or transaction acquiror's relationship to a merchant are described. Factor analysis may be utilized to determine one or more principal components from data associated with merchant credit transactions, and such principal components may be utilized in the calculation of cumulative distribution functions and the generation of probability values, which may be averaged and compared with predetermined thresholds to provide a quantitative basis for determining whether a risk management event related to one or more particular merchants should be triggered. Net estimated forward-looking liabilities for particular merchants and groups of merchants may be quantitatively assessed and acted upon.

Abstract: This invention provides fault tolerant capability for a Versa Module Eurocards backplane system design for high reliability applications. An approach of connecting two independent backplanes together electrically, but providing isolation capabilities in the event of a failure was developed. The electrical connection or integrated bridge design provides a virtual connection between the two VME backplanes that is transparent to the end user. The integrated virtual VMEbus design provides a low latency, high bandwidth interconnect between modules whether located on the same local bus or the electrically isolateable bus. This dual-VME fault tolerant backplane design eliminates complete system failures due to single event failures.

Abstract: A configurable video output channel architecture includes a plurality of parallel video pipelines arranged to drive a video display; a device for selecting an output of one of the video pipelines and generating a readback signal representative thereof; and a device for adjusting a display specification of at least one of the video pipelines using the readback signal. The display specification adjusted may include the maximum video level, the blanking level, and the sync level of the video waveform. The adjusting device may also adjust the characteristic impedance of each pipeline. The selecting device includes a multiplexer and an analog to digital converter, and the adjusting device includes a controller which monitors the readback signal and generates a control signal to adjust the display specification if the readback signal is outside of a desired range.

Abstract: A built-in test for dynamic raster video output is described for testing a plurality of analog video signals created from digital raster data, each of the analog signals having a plurality of analog signal components. In the apparatus, an addressing device is provided for selecting one of the analog signals to be tested, and a selector selects a desired analog signal component from the selected analog signal. An A/D converter then converts the selected signal component into a digital signal component, and a characteristic value is extracted therefrom. A memory is provided which stores predetermined characteristic value range data, and the extracted characteristic value is compared with the stored range data by a comparator to produce a result. A combination device then creates a combination of the result and an address of the selected analog signal component, and the combination is then stored for later retrieval.

Abstract: An arched-window shade (1) has a plurality of left-side blades (2) and right-side blades (3) with center ends oppositely disposed and attached pivotally to at least one blade axle (7, 8, 28) positioned centrally on a sill (4) of an arched window (5). The left blades are juxtaposed side-by-side and linked together consecutively with at least one left link line (24) and the right blades are juxtaposed side-by-side and linked together consecutively with at least one right link line (25). A left draw string (11) is attached to a select one of the left blades at a design distance from its center end and a right draw string (12) is attached to a select one of the right blades at a design distance from its center end. The draw strings are routed over a lift support (18, 30, 31) positioned centrally above the at-least-one blade axle, then downward and outward on line supports (19, 20, 22, 23). The left blades of the shade are opened and closed by raising and lowering the left draw string.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for concurrently scanning and filling a memory comprised of at least a first and a second memory partition for use in a video display of the ping-pong type is provided herein. A method according to the present invention includes scanning the first memory partition and concurrently filling the second memory partition, such that a fill pattern is stored in every memory cell in the second memory partition during a time period in which a portion of memory cells in the first memory partition are scanned. A method in accordance with the invention can be incorporated into a video display system with minimal modifications to provide a fast fill or clear of a memory partition.