Abstract: A main memory (10) comprises a plurality of physical blocks of memory locations. The main memory (10) supports erasing of at least a physical block at a time. Pointer information is stored in a subset (40, 42) of the blocks for use to identify respective ones of the physical blocks that are assigned to respective functions. Successive versions of the pointing information are stored at mutually different memory locations initially in a first block (40) in the subset (40, 42). A subsequent version of the pointing information that is more recent than the successive versions is stored in a second block (42) of the subset (40, 42) at least after the first block (40) has been filled. The first block (40) is erased after storing the subsequent version. On start up of the main memory the pointing information is recovered by testing which of the blocks of the subset (40, 42) contains a most recent version of the pointing information.

Abstract: A logic assembly (400) is composed from circuit elements of a single threshold and single conductivity type and comprises a logic circuitry (410) having at least a set of switches each having a main current path and a control terminal. The main current path forms a series arrangement having first and second conducting terminals coupled to power supply lines. The main current pathes being coupled to a common node that forms an output of logic assembly (400). The control terminals of said switches being coupled to clock circuitry for providing mutually non-overlapping clock signals to said control terminal. The logic assembly further comprises an output boosting circuit (420) for boosting the output of said logic assembly (400) including a capacitive means (421) for enabling supply of additional charge to the output of said logic assembly (400).

Abstract: An amplifier/buffer composed from circuit elements of a single threshold and single conductivity type, comprising an input stage for receiving one or more inputs for buffering/amplification and providing an intermediate to control output of the amplifier/buffer. The intermediate signal is provided to a boosting circuit configured to boosts said signal when said signal has exceeded a predetermined value. The amplifier/buffer further has an output stage for receiving at least said signal and providing an amplified/buffered output.

Abstract: There is provided a method of increasing boot-up speed in a computer system (10). The system (10) includes computing devices (20) for processing data and a data store (60) coupled thereto for providing data to and receiving data from the devices (20). The store (60) is operable to write and/or read data in several regions (T1, T2, T3) of a data medium (200). Access between the regions is subject to associated jump delays (SK1/2, SK2/3; SK1/3, SL3/2). The store (60) includes a cache (320) for temporarily storing data read from and/or for writing data to the medium (200). On initial boot-up of the system (20), a log is made of a sequence in which the regions (T1, T2, T3) are accessed. Moreover, on subsequent boot-up of the system (10), the log is used to store data read from the medium (200) temporarily in the cache (310, 320) so as to provide for a more temporally efficient sequence of accessing the regions (T1, T2, T3) for speeding up said subsequent boot-up.

Abstract: In a device for location positioning, and more particularly, in a system for identifying an environmental source emitting a base frequency and waveform signal, a sensor (101) records an environmental source (105) emitting a base frequency and waveform signal, the signal being amplified (102), digitized (103), processed and compared (104) with a stored unique waveform characteristic. On the basis of the comparison result(s), location positioning and/or a device orientation may be determined.

Abstract: A method for breathing of scheduling algorithms for a storage device (110). The method including: (a) computing a worst-case duration of a breathing cycle (P) for the storage device (110); (b) starting a breathing cycle; (c) determining if one of the following becomes true before the end of P: (i) a number of real-time requests is at least a predetermined threshold based on a number of data streams and performance parameters of the storage device; and (ii) a number of pending requests for any single stream becomes more than one; (d) if at least one of (i) and (ii) remain true during the duration of P, starting a subsequent breathing cycle after completion of the breathing cycle; and (e) if both of (i) and (ii) are not true during the duration of P, waiting P time units from the start of the breathing cycle before starting the subsequent breathing cycle.

Abstract: A data handling device is provided with a data memory (10) with an address input and a data output, for outputting multi-bit words. The data memory (10) has a structure that gives rise to potential errors at correlated positions in words from a group of words. An erasure memory unit (16) stores bit position information associated with a group of the words, and outputs the bit position information when a word from the group for which bit position information is stored is addressed in the data memory (10). An error correction and detection unit (12) is arranged to correct words from the data memory (10), using error erasure for bits at bit positions selected by the bit position information from the erasure memory unit (16) for the groups to which the words belong.

Abstract: A disk drive comprises a turning mechanism (3 to 8) adapted to provide a pulse to the side of the disk (D) resting on a tray (2) in a position outside the center so as to provide an upward and rotating movement to the disk in order to turn it over. The turning mechanism may include a pulse member (3) acting directly on the disk. In an embodiment, the turning mechanism is pneumatic, the pulse member being a nozzle adapted to direct a pressurized gas pulse at the disk. Tests have shown that exerting an eccentric pulse on the disk results in flipping the disk over reliably and quickly.

Abstract: The present invention provides a special structure of magnetic elements, e.g. MRAM elements, as a security device for IC's containing magnetic memory cells. In an example embodiment, the structure may comprise a combination of two or more associated magnetic elements with pre-set anti-parallel magnetization directions. By determining the polarisation directions of the magnetic elements, exposure to an external magnetic field can be detected. Inverse polarisation directions indicate a normal situation, aligned polarisation directions indicate that the MRAM-array has been exposed to an external field. In this way it can be detected whether a user has tried to erase or alter the data stored in the MRAM in an illegal way. The IC can regularly check the resistance of the security system during operation. Upon detection of a field exposure, the IC can erase all MRAM data, reset itself or, block its functioning.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a data storage apparatus having a plurality of spare area arrays may be provided additional to remote spare areas or alone and each of the spare area arrays respectively may be assigned to essentially each of a plurality of format features of the data storage medium and thereby serve as a contiguous free region in the user area. As a format feature on a data storage disc comprised by a disc drive may be understood in particular a zone, a track or a cylinder in case of multitude discs, a block on a track or as well a sector.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ad-hoc network (100) comprising a network device (201) for configuration management. The network device (201) comprises a traffic monitoring processor (211) which monitors traffic between different network elements. The network device (201) further comprises a configuration processor (213) which determines combined configuration information for at least a first and second network element in response to the monitored traffic. The combined configuration information is stored in a data store (215) and may be communicated to other network elements. The network device (201) may thus derive combined configuration information which relates to more than one network element and may specifically determine combined configuration information in the context of location, connections and history of the ad-hoc network (100). The stored combined configuration information may be used to initiate a replacement network element or to emulate the functionality of an existing network element.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method, a device, a server and a system of/for peer to peer transfer of content.

Abstract: A computer system includes a system memory (SM) and a non-volatile memory (NVM). The computer system is arranged to copy at least a part of the system state, stored in the system memory during a clean boot-up procedure, into the non-volatile memory (209, 329). During subsequent start-ups of the computer system, the system state is copied from the non-volatile memory into the system memory (205, 305), resulting in a significantly faster system start-up. In case the configuration of the computer system has changed, the complete boot-up procedure is executed again and the new system state is copied into the non-volatile memory, overwriting the previously stored system state.

Abstract: Real-time audio video applications require guaranteed request service times from a hard disc drive. This requirement is not always fulfilled due to some unexpected delays in service times. Re-allocated sectors are one of the causes of such delays. A scheme for conversion of re-maps into slips in a hard disc drive is suggested. Converting re-allocated sectors into slipped or skipped sectors can prevent such a delay, since slipped sectors cause much less or even negligible performance loss than re-allocated sectors.

Abstract: A system (100, 300) like a video on demand server has a storage medium (106) with a number of files (200) from which data can be fetched or in which data can be stored. A file contains a number of clusters (202, 204, 206) and each cluster contains a number of storage sectors (208) that are physically successively organized on the storage medium. When a new stream is requested, either for reading or writing, a block size (210) is determined for the new stream. The block size is large enough to support the rate of the stream and is chosen such that a cluster can be read with an integer number of blocks by evenly partitioning the size of the cluster into the size of the blocks reading the cluster.

Abstract: A universal memory device is presented that provides adaptability to existing hardware and software environments. The memory can “mimic” existing memory technology combining the advantages of integration all memory capacity in to one single technology and still providing the implicit protections and access characteristics known from the different existing memory technologies.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a write controller (10) for a memory with a plurality of non-volatile storage cells, a read controller for a memory with a plurality of nonvolatile storage cells, to a combined write/read controller, to a solid state device comprising a memory with a plurality of non-volatile storage cells, a programmer device for writing a binary code to a non-volatile memory, to a method for writing data comprising at least one input bit to a memory having non-volatile storage cells, and to a method for controlling the integrity of data comprising at least one input bit stored in non-volatile storage cells of a memory. The invention provides a reliable detection of changes that have occurred to the content of a non-volatile memory. The basic concept of the present invention is to extend information stored in a non-volatile memory by at least one checking bit. The checking bit is allocated to one code bit, or to each of a plurality of code bits.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing power consumption of consumer electronic devices that run on a battery or an accumulator, particularly portable applications such as mobile phones, laptops or MPEG players or recorders. They consist essentially of a host and a storage medium like a disk or means for receiving a storage medium like a disk drive that are coupled with an interface. Power management is very important because long battery life enhances user convenience. The invention determines whether it is more efficient either to leave the disk drive in the idle mode or to switch the drive to standby until the next data request appears. The disk drive is entered into the most efficient power mode. The time until the next request is determined by the host.

Abstract: The present invention provides a special structure of magnetic elements, e.g. MRAM elements (10, 11), as a security device (30) for IC's containing magnetic memory cells. The structure may comprise a combination of two or more associated magnetic elements (10, 11) with pre-set anti-parallel magnetization directions. By determining the polarisation directions of the magnetic elements, exposure to an external magnetic field can be detected. Inverse polarisation directions indicate a normal situation, aligned polarisation directions indicate that the MRAM-array has been exposed to an external field. In this way it can be detected whether it has been tried to erase or alter the data stored in the MRAM in an illegal way. The IC can regularly check the resistance of the security system during operation. Upon detection of a field exposure, the IC can erase all MRAM data, or can reset itself or block its functioning.

Abstract: Method for writing a label on a recordable record carrier (1), the record carrier adhering to a predefined, standardized condition with respect to a physical parameter. The method retrieves label information, parameter information on the physical parameter, which parameter information is of a higher precision than the precision of the physical parameter mentioned in the pre-defined, standardized condition (22), and writing the label information on the optical disc using the parameter information (26). The invention further relates to a device for performing the method. Retrieving parameter information on the physical parameter with a higher precision than the precision of the physical parameter mentioned in the pre-defined, standardized condition enables writing such a label without a significant distortion in the label.