Abstract: Described are techniques for request processing. A request may be received from a requester for first data to be returned to the requester. The request may be in accordance with an application programming interface. The first data may include a plurality of objects each including a value for a first property. The request may include a parameter of the application programming interface indicating to return the plurality of objects sorted in accordance with natural ordering based on the first property of each of the plurality of objects. The natural ordering may be performed as the default ordering. With natural ordering, one or more consecutive digits in a string are treated as a single numeric value rather than individual characters. First processing may be performed to service the request and obtain the first data. A response, including the first data, may be generated in accordance with the first processing.

Abstract: Systems and methods of storing previously transmitted data and using it to reduce bandwidth usage and accelerate future communications are described. By using algorithms to identify long compression history matches, a network device may improve compression efficiently and speed. A network device may also use application specific parsing to improve the length and number of compression history matches. Further, by sharing compression histories and compression history indexes across multiple devices, devices can utilize data previously transmitted to other devices to compress network traffic. Any combination of the systems and methods may be used to efficiently find long matches to stored data, synchronize the storage of previously sent data, and share previously sent data among one or more other devices.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for determining an alternative character string, in response to an invalid character string being received by a consumer application, wherein the invalid character string is derived from the selection of a series of keyboard keys in combination with a modifier key and wherein each key is associated with at least one glyph. An embodiment includes: a converter component for converting each glyph of the invalid character string into a first format; a converter component for parsing each of the converted first formats into a second format; an alternatives engine for determining from each of the second formats a third format which can be derived from a combination of a selection of the key and an alternative modifier key; and a converter component for converting each of the determined third formats into their associated glyphs for compiling into a list of alternative character strings.

Abstract: A dynamic element matching (DEM) scheme is implemented in a crawling code generator for converting a b-bit binary input code into a (2b?1)-bit digital output code. A random generator determines for every conversion step a direction. A decimal difference between the current and previous binary input is calculated. The new crawling output code is determined based on the previous crawling output code, the direction and the decimal difference. The DEM scheme is used in a digital-to-analog converter such that the crawling output code switches digital-to-analog converting elements that output analog signals that are then summed to be the final analog signal.

Abstract: Datawords encoded using a first-order Reed-Muller code are decoded using a Fast Hadamard Transform (FHT). Where the dataword is known to comprise a number of unused bits at one end, the soft decisions of the codeword are reordered. Majority polling is then performed on groups of the soft decisions to produce a series of soft decisions which make up a new codeword. The new codeword is then decoded using an FHT of lower order than the FHT applicable to the originally received codeword.

Abstract: Character conversion methods for converting characters from a source character code set to a destination character code set. The source and destination character code sets are analyzed to establish a mapping table indicating relationships therebetween. A target character encoded in the source character code set is converted to destination code encoded in the destination character code set by searching the mapping table.

Abstract: A scalable physical coding sublayer (PCS) can be adjusted to provide different combinations of communication channels and data widths. The PCS can use 8B/10B encoders having a disparity input connection and at least one disparity output connection. In one embodiment, the encoder has both a synchronous and an asynchronous disparity output connection. The encoder can be coupled with additional encoders to provide an expanded width channel of 16B/20B encoding. Additional configurations are possible. In expanded operation, only one of the encoders needs to output special codes. The encoders, therefore, include a slave input connection to place the encoder in a slave mode so that a special code is replaced with an inert special code. All but one encoder in an expanded system are slave encoders. An idle input connection is also provided in the encoders to place the encoder in an idle mode where pre-defined data is output from the encoder.

Abstract: A sampling system includes an input terminal for receiving a data signal having a signal component and possibly a noise component. A sampler samples the data signal at a sample rate set in responsive to a control signal. A noise detector detects the presence of a noise component, and if a noise component is detected, generates the control signal conditioning the sampler to sample the data signal at a first sample rate satisfying the Nyquist criterion for the data signal including the noise component, and otherwise generating the control signal conditioning the sampler to sample the data signal at a second data rate satisfying the Nyquist criterion for the data signal including only the signal component.

Abstract: A system and method for the on-demand transcoding of media content from a source type to a destination type is provided, wherein the system includes a plurality of transcoders for transcoding from a plurality of source types to a plurality of destination types, and wherein the system receives a transcoding request for media content, fetches the media content in response to the transcoding request, sends the media content to one of the plurality of transcoders based on the source type and destination type, transcodes the media content from the source type to the destination type, thereby generating transcoded media content, and transmits the transcoded media content. The system fetches, sends, and transcodes the media content and transmits the transcoded media content in a pipelined fashion. The system also provides for the publication of media content as a file or stream of digital data, for the archiving of media content, and the caching of transcoded media content to improve system efficiency.

Abstract: A fast n-bit to k-bit mapping or translation method and apparatus avoiding the use of content addressable memories (CAMs) is described. It essentially is characterized by using two conventional storage (RAMs). In the first storage (3), the n-bit words are stored preferably in an order determined by the binary search key. The second storage (4) holds the corresponding k-bit translations. Both storages are addressed by essentially the same address, which is established during the (binary) search performed to find a match between an input n-bit word and the contents of the first storage. In variants of the invention, the use of parallel comparisons and of pipelining is demonstrated.

Abstract: A method and system for formatting numerical information. An object-based operating system provides various number formatting services. Some objects scan text and convert the text to numerical information, and convert non-text numerical information to text, and convert between different numerical formats and languages. The system provides a common ground from which application programs can speak a seemingly common numerical language without specifying the details of converting numerical information between systems of representation. The present system relieves application developers of the burden of handling details of numerical information, and provides ease of information transfer between monetary systems and cultures having differing languages. The system also provides for conversion between number formats to allow for easier processing and/or comprehension of the numerical information, and normalization and alignment of any textual representation of numeric information.

Abstract: A dual stage data lossless compressor for optimally compressing bit mapped imaged data. The first stage run length compresses data bits representing pixel positions along a scan line of a video image to data units of fixed length. The units alternate to represent runs of alternate video image data values. The run length compressed data units are subject to second stage compression using a sliding window Lempel-Ziv compressor. The output from the Lempel-Ziv compressor includes raw tokens of fixed length and compressed tokens of varying lengths. The combination of a run length precompressor and a sliding window Lempel-Ziv post compressor, in which the run length compressor output is a succession of data units of fixed length, provides an optimum match between the capabilities and idiosyncracies of the two compressors, and related decompressors, when processing business form data images.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for converting a numeric representation of a number stored in a memory into a string representation of the number. Numeric representation includes an integer portion and may include a fractional portion. The numeric representation is rounded to a specified amount of precision. Each digit of the integer portion is converted to a string character in accordance with the invention. Each digit of the fractional portion, if any, is also converted to a string character. Appropriate "negative" signs and decimal points are created as required. The invention is also embodied as an article of manufacture.

Abstract: A method and system generate a compacted binary coded decimal (BCD) data set from a BCD digital data stream. The invention uses a translation matrix to translate blocks of data extracted from the BCD digital data stream. The BCD blocks are read to determine the number and position of 1's or 0's in the BCD block. The invention then generates a unique identifier number from a set of identifiers associated with either each of the 1's or each of the 0's. The result is a BCD number that has fewer BCD digits than the original BCD block. This process may be repeated numerous times to result in a compacted BCD data set that has fewer BCD digits but that can be translated back to the original BCD blocks that form the original BCD data stream.