Abstract: An improvement on the standard bi-directional liquid sample handling system mechanism is provided. The improvement comprises a mechanism for sealing 24 pipettes arranged in a row. When the industry went from 12 wells to 24 wells, the construction of the pipettes, plungers and seals and the means for locating the pipettes had to be changed. This improvement comprises stainless steel plungers and pipettes that are much smaller in diameter, as well as an external sealing mechanism comprising an O-ring, a flange, and a biasing spring. Another improvement comprises replacing the rack-and-pinion table drive mechanism with a belt and pulley mechanism for more precisely locating the 24 pipettes over the corresponding 24 microtitre wells.

Abstract: A laptop computer system includes a protected mode microprocessor capable of operating in restricted and unrestricted modes, and an arrangement which in response to a predetermined condition saves information from the processor and then forcibly switches the processor to its unrestricted mode of operation. When running a multi-tasking operating system where an application program is being executed in a restricted mode, a suspend/resume operation can be carried out in which the system is substantially powered down and then powered back up, and will resume the interrupted application with the restricted mode back in effect. Further, set-up changes such as adjustment of the processor speed can be made without exiting the application program running in the restricted mode.

Abstract: A laptop computer system includes a protected mode microprocessor capable of operating in restricted and unrestricted modes, and an arrangement which in response to a predetermined condition saves information from the processor and then forcibly switches the processor to its unrestricted mode of operation. When running a multi-tasking operating system where an application program is being executed in a restricted mode, a suspend/resume operation can be carried out in which the system is substantially powered down and then powered back up, and will resume the interrupted application with the restricted mode back in effect. Further, set-up changes such as adjustment of the processor speed can be made without exiting the application program running in the restricted mode.

Abstract: A laptop computer system includes a protected mode microprocessor capable of operating in restricted and unrestricted modes, and an arrangement which in response to a predetermined condition saves information from the processor and then forcibly switches the processor to its unrestricted mode of operation. When running a multi-tasking operating system where an application program is being executed in a restricted mode, a suspend/resume operation can be carried out in which the system is substantially powered down and then powered back up, and will resume the interrupted application with the restricted mode back in effect. Further, setup changes such as adjustment of the processor speed can be made without exiting the application program running in the restricted mode.

Abstract: A computer system has a processing unit with suspend/resume capability, a memory, and a hard disk drive. In response to a first command from the processor, the hard disk drive sends its status to the processor and the processor stores it in the memory. In response to a second command from the processor, the hard disk accepts from the processor the status retrieved by the processor from the memory, and restores itself to this status. In an alternative embodiment, the hard disk drive response to the first command by storing its status on its own hard disk, and responds to the second command by restoring this status from the hard disk. In each case, an output line from the hard disk used to control a light emitting diode is also selectively used to create an interrupt to the processor which facilitates the systems entry into the suspend mode.

Abstract: A laptop computer system includes a protected mode microprocessor capable of operating in restricted and unrestricted modes, and an arrangement which in response to a predetermined condition saves information from the processor and then forcibly switches the processor to its unrestricted mode of operation. When running a multi-tasking operating system where an application program is being executed in a restricted mode, a suspend/resume operation can be carried out in which the system is substantially powered down and then powered back up, and will resume the interrupted application with the restricted mode back in effect. Further, set-up changes such as adjustment of the processor speed can be made without exiting the application program running in the restricted mode.

Abstract: A laptop computer system includes a protected mode microprocessor capable of operating in restricted and unrestricted modes, and an arrangement which in response to a predetermined condition saves information from the processor and then forcibly switches the processor to its unrestricted mode of operation. When running a multi-tasking operating system where an application program is being executed in a restricted mode, a suspend/resume operation can be carried out in which the system is substantially powered down and then powered back up, and will resume the interrupted application with the restricted mode back in effect. Further, set-up changes such as adjustment of the processor speed can be made without exiting the application program running in the restricted mode.

Abstract: A laptop computer system includes a protected mode microprocessor capable of operating in restricted and unrestricted modes, and an arrangement which in response to a predetermined condition saves information from the processor and then forcibly switches the processor to its unrestricted mode of operation. The system includes a first interrupt mask register having a bit for indicating whether an interrupt is to be recognized by the processor, a second interrupt mask register having a bit for indicating whether the interrupt is to be recognized by a further circuit, and an arrangement responsive to a load of the first mask register for conforming the bit of the second mask register to the bit of the first mask register in a manner invisible to an application program being executed by the processor.

Abstract: A laptop computer system includes a protected mode microprocessor capable of operating in restricted and unrestricted modes, and an arrangement which in response to a predetermined condition saves information from the processor and then forcibly switches the processor to its unrestricted mode of operation. When running a multi-tasking operating system where an application program is being executed in a restricted mode, a suspend/resume operation can be carried out in which the system is substantially powered down and then powered back up, and will resume the interrupted application with the restricted mode back-in effect. Further, set-up changes such as adjustment of the processor speed can be made without exiting the application program running in the restricted mode.

Abstract: A computer system has a processing unit with suspend/resume capability, a memory, and a hard disk drive. In response to a first command from the processor, the hard disk drive sends its status to the processor and the processor stores it in the memory. In response to a second command from the processor, the hard disk accepts from the processor the status retrieved by the processor from the memory, and restores itself to this status. In an alternative embodiment, the hard disk drive response to the first command by storing its status on its own hard disk, and responds to the second command by restoring this status from the hard disk. In each case, an output line from the hard disk used to control a light emitting diode is also selectively used to create an interrupt to the processor which facilitates the systems entry into the suspend mode.