Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a user position information obtaining unit and an input availability control unit. The user position information obtaining unit obtains user position information corresponding to a position of a user. The input/output availability control unit control an availability of information between an input/output unit and a storage unit disposed at a position away from the user based on the obtained user position information, input/output unit being configured to receive information from the storage unit or being configured to output information to the storage unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing a self diagnosis of a device that includes a universal serial bus (USB) host and a USB client. The method includes detecting whether the universal serial bus client of the device is connected to a universal serial bus host, detecting whether the device acting as the universal serial bus client is identical to a device acting as the universal serial bus host when the universal serial bus client is connected to the universal serial bus host, and allowing the self diagnosis of the device to be automatically performed when the device acting as the universal serial bus client is identical to the device acting as the universal serial bus host. Accordingly, a self diagnosis of a device can be automatically performed by connecting a USB client to its USB host.

Abstract: The method of the present invention includes loading a selected set of preset parameters into a source device and a sink device of the DisplayPort device of an embedded system. Link training is then performed between the source device and the sink device utilizing the first set of preset parameter and the link status (bit lock, symbol lock and inter-lane alignment) of the DisplayPort device is then read. If the link status indicates that the link training is successful, a link is established between the source device and the sink device, or if the link status indicates that the link training is unsuccessful, a different set of preset parameters is loaded and link training is then performed again. The steps of loading, performing and reading are repeated with each of the plurality of sets of preset parameters until the link status indicates that the link training is successful.

Abstract: Method and system for latency-independent peripheral device identification. The computer system receives an interrupt from a peripheral device via a communications port. In response, an interrupt notification message is posted to alert a notification handler, and compliant peripheral class is determined. The voltage on a device may sense pin of the communications port for this determination. If the interrupt is indicative of the compliant peripheral class and the communications port is inactive, the port is opened, and an inquiry is sent and a response is received. If a response is received within a predetermined time period, an identification notification message is posted based on the response including information for classifying the peripheral device, so that a software handler registered with the operating system can handle the identification notification message when the software handler receives it. Thus, no time-critical interrupt response requirement is imposed for its successful operation.

Abstract: A system for detecting a peripheral device is used to detect whether the peripheral device is completely inserted into a peripheral interface slot of a mother board before booting. When the peripheral device is inserted into the peripheral interface slot, the system judges whether the peripheral device is completely inserted into the peripheral interface slot according to a potential of fins of the peripheral interface slot. If the system detects that the peripheral device has not been completely inserted into the peripheral interface slot before booting, a booting procedure of the mother board is interrupted and an alarm signal is output.

Abstract: A numerical controller in which group IDs are automatically allocated to I/O units so that the group IDs and addresses can be set automatically even when a system configuration is changed in response to detection of a configuration error. When a power of the numerical controller is turned on, group IDs are successively allocated to I/O units with distance from the numerical controller, and types of the I/O units are stored. Initial values of the group IDs allocated when the power is turned on for the first time after a system of the numerical controller is constructed, and addresses for the allocated group IDs are stored. An alarm is issued if the types and number of units for the group IDs automatically allocated for the second or later time of starting the numerical controller are different from the initial values.

Abstract: A method and a system to generate a user profile and an associated profile manager are described. The user profile, in one embodiment, may comprise identity data such as static information about a user and behavior data comprising dynamic information about the user. The profile manager may be configured to monitor the activities of the user through an interface to collect behavior indicators, and to update the behavior data using the collected behavior indicators. In one embodiment, the user profile also comprises reputation data. The method and system may also be configured to receive an access request from a user and selectively grant the access based on the user profile.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for controlling the operating condition of a peripheral device based on the mode of interconnection of the peripheral device of a host device. The apparatus includes a first connector for connecting the peripheral device, a second connector for connecting the host device and a coupling system operatively interconnecting contacts of the first connector and contacts of the second connector. The coupling system is further configured to provide a supply signal to the peripheral device via the first connector, wherein the supply signal is at least in part indicative of one or more characteristics of the power available to the peripheral device from the host device. The supply signal may provide a means for the peripheral device to control operation thereof in light of the characteristics of the power available.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a sensor for use in automation technology for detecting a measurand, particularly for detecting objects or articles, and a method for configuring a sensor.

Abstract: There is provided a transfer apparatus having a bridge that transfers a transaction between a first and a second bus, and a data transfer unit that performs a data transfer by DMA between the first and second bus. The transfer apparatus controls a transfer sequence of transaction transfers by the bridge and data transfers by the data transfer unit, in which transaction transfers by the bridge are based on bus sequencing rules and data transfers by the data transfer unit are based on a data transfer activation condition.

Abstract: There are provided an information processing apparatus and information processing method, which can implement a job or printer device monitoring scheme that allows the user to easily detect status of printing apparatus in advance. The status of a physical printer device corresponding to a predetermined logical printer, which is set as an object to be monitored, is monitored, and a result based on monitoring is displayed on a computer display as a resident display. For example, when the resident display is displayed as an icon on the task tray on the computer display, it does not disturb display of windows of other document creation applications. Also, the user need not purposely instruct to launch a monitor utility upon printing. Hence, a job or printer device monitoring scheme which is very convenient for the user can be implemented.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus may include plural media capable of recording data, and a control unit executing operation control of the plural media and at least one medium in the plural media may be a mechanical operation executing medium performing mechanical operations, and the control unit may decide whether the mechanical operation executing medium is selected as an access target, and when the medium is not selected as the access target, perform processing of setting the mechanical operation executing medium to a waiting state.

Abstract: Applications executing on computer systems may execute in a virtual environment, such as a web application executing in a web browser. An application may access the actual computing environment (such as the filesystem), but this accessing may be complicated; e.g., the computing environment may be deployed across many computers and devices, and may be synchronized for offline access via a local cache. A computing environment component may service the complex computing environment (e.g., by managing the cache and retrieving remotely stored data objects) and expose it as a well-organized set of data objects. A virtual environment interface (e.g., a web browser plug-in) may allow applications hosted in the virtual environment to access the computing environment through the computing environment component. Programmatic interfaces may also be implemented to permit such accessing via familiar programming languages and techniques, such as JavaScript libraries exposed to web applications in the web browser.

Abstract: Communication device capabilities may change during an established multimedia session due to connection of a peripheral device. For example, a user listens to an Internet radio service on a mobile phone through a set of headphones. Later, the user connects the mobile phone to stereo system in a car. The mobile phone can leverage the car's stereo system to present higher quality audio than it could present with the headphones. Functionality can be implemented in a communication device to detect connection of a peripheral device and determine multimedia capabilities of the peripheral device. The communication device updates its presence information to indicate the multimedia capabilities of the peripheral device. In response, a multimedia server determines multimedia capabilities indicated in the presence information have changed and optimizes delivery of multimedia content based on the updated multimedia capabilities.

Abstract: In certain, currently available data-storage systems, incoming commands from remote host computers are subject to several levels of command-queue-depth-fairness-related throttles to ensure that all host computers accessing the data-storage systems receive a reasonable fraction of data-storage-system command-processing bandwidth to avoid starvation of one or more host computers. Recently, certain host-computer-to-data-storage-system communication protocols have been enhanced to provide for association of priorities with commands. However, these new command-associated priorities may lead to starvation of priority levels and to a risk of deadlock due to priority-level starvation and priority inversion. In various embodiments of the present invention, at least one additional level of command-queue-depth-fairness-related throttling is introduced in order to avoid starvation of one or more priority levels, thereby eliminating or minimizing the risk of priority-level starvation and priority-related deadlock.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for directing airflow through a computing device. This system comprises an airflow baffle, which includes a set of signal pins and a circuit. The airflow baffle is configured to direct airflow through the computing device, and the set of signal pins are configured to interface the airflow baffle with the computing device. Moreover, the circuit in the airflow baffle is coupled to the set of signal pins, and is configured to use the signal pins to notify the computing device that the airflow baffle is installed in the computing device.

Abstract: The invention is directed towards a system and method that utilizes external memory devices to cache sectors from a rotating storage device (e.g., a hard drive) to improve system performance. When an external memory device (EMD) is plugged into the computing device or onto a network in which the computing device is connected, the system recognizes the EMD and populates the EMD with disk sectors. The system routes I/O read requests directed to the disk sector to the EMD cache instead of the actual disk sector. The use of EMDs increases performance and productivity on the computing device systems for a fraction of the cost of adding memory to the computing device.

Abstract: Detection of remote computing devices triggers a wakeup signal that subsequently activates a remote computing environment. The remote computing environment can be utilized at substantially the same time as a local computing environment or at a different time. A list of available remote peripheral devices can be gathered automatically and/or based on a user request. One or more of the peripheral devices can be chosen by the user and/or chosen automatically based on various criteria. After selection of one or more devices, a wakeup trigger is sent to activate a remote computing environment that includes the one or more devices. The remote computing environment can be monitored and if the devices are no longer available, deactivation of the remote computing environment is performed automatically.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for preparing a mirror batch within a data processing system. Upon determining that a first open batch is approaching or has reached a completion criteria, a controller may cause system elements contributing data to the first open batch to cease acknowledging transaction requests while not ceasing to execute the transaction requests.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a Keyboard-Video-Mouse (KVM) cable capable of indicating at least one switching status of a KVM switch for at least one computer coupled thereto. The KVM cable further comprises a set of transmission lines for transmitting indicating signals from the KVM switch to the indicator. The KVM cable comprises a plurality of connectors. A first indicator may be disposed on a first connector for indicating a console switching status. A second indicator may be disposed on a second connector for indicating a peripheral switching status. Alternatively, both the first and second indicators can be disposed on the same connector for indicating the console switching status and the peripheral switching status respectively. Moreover, a color mixing LED may also be disposed on either of the first and second connectors for indicating the console switching status and the peripheral switching status by different colors.

Abstract: A system and method for the provision for the auto detection and data exchange within different data transmission environments, such as those involving serial devices, Bluetooth-based devices, ZigBee-based devices, WiFi-based devices and/or WiMax-based devices is provided for in the present invention.

Abstract: An IEEE 1394 device detecting circuit includes a south bridge chip, a control device, an IEEE 1394 interface, and a resistor. The control device includes a power reset pin, a bus reset pin, and a cable power pin. The control device is connected to the south bridge chip through the bus reset pin, which is further connected to the power reset pin. The cable power pin is connected to a direct current power through the resistor. The control device is further connected to the IEEE 1394 interface, which is connected to an IEEE 1394 device.

Abstract: Method, device and computer program product for determining a characteristic of an identifiable component. The method includes: receiving identification information representative of an identity of components that belong to a group of components, determining at least one characteristic of an identifiable component in response to the received identification information, and performing at least one characteristic responsive operation. The device includes an identifiable component and a component characteristic determiner. The component characteristic determiner is adapted to receive identification information representative of an identity of components that belong to a group of components and to determine at least one characteristic of the identifiable component in response to a relationship between the received identification information and reference identification information. The device is adapted to perform at least one characteristic responsive information.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a corresponding device for controlling a memory access, wherein a number of waiting states is established for the memory access to a storage device (FLASH/ROM, RAM, IO module) for a central control unit (CPU). A memory access is made possible in that the number of waiting states for the memory access is established individually as a function of an analysis of an instantaneous state (status) of the central control unit (CPU) and/or a type and/or address of the storage device (FLASH/ROM, RAM, IO module) being accessed.

Abstract: A drive icon display device of the present invention includes: a drive connection detecting section for detecting that a drive is connected; a drive identification information obtaining section for obtaining drive identification information about the drive; a drive identification information determining section for determining whether or not the drive stores the dedicated icon; an icon obtaining section for, when it is determined that the drive stores the dedicated icon, obtaining the dedicated icon from the drive, and for, when it is determined that the drive does not store the dedicated icon, obtaining a predetermined icon stored in advance in the drive icon display device; and a display section for displaying on a screen one of the obtained dedicated icon and the obtained predetermined icon.

Abstract: A client device receives streaming content from a host device. The streaming content is placed in one or more buffers prior to processing. Monitoring as to the capacity and fullness of the buffers is performed at the client device and information is sent to the host device. The host device adjusts the rate or flow of the streaming content based on the information provided by the client device.

Abstract: A method for managing outputs to peripheral devices in medical systems devices is described. The method includes providing an instruction to provide an output, creating a data object based on the instruction, and storing the data object in a first memory if a peripheral device that provides the output is not available to accept the data object, where the first memory stores the data object for a longer term than a second memory.

Abstract: Apparatus having corresponding methods and computer programs comprise a plurality of interfaces to pass control frames; a memory to store configuration information; a select circuit to select one of the interfaces according to the configuration information; and a timing circuit to determine a time of passage of each control frame passing through the selected one of the interfaces.

Abstract: A cellular phone. The cellular phone comprises a connector, a first memory module, a second memory module, and a controller. The connector is used for physically connecting the cellular phone to an external device. The first memory module stores phone data. The second memory module stores application data received from the external device. The controller determines whether the connector is connected to the external device. If the connector is not connected to the external device, access right of both the first and second memory modules is granted exclusively to the cellular phone. If the connector is connected to the external device, access right of the first memory is granted exclusively to the cellular phone, and access right of the second memory module is granted exclusively to the external device.

Abstract: According to the present invention, an information processing apparatus which has a recognition function for recognizing connected peripheral devices and can make the connected peripheral devices available, comprises a holding unit adapted to hold the upper limit of device drivers to be installed, and an install controlling unit adapted to install device drivers by the upper limit held by the holding unit when device drivers corresponding to peripheral devices recognized by the recognition function are installed.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system and program for selecting storage clusters to use to access storage. Input/Output (I/O) requests are transferred to a first storage cluster over a network to access storage. The storage may be additionally accessed via a second storage cluster over the network and both the first and second storage clusters are capable of accessing the storage. An unavailability of a first storage cluster is detected when the second storage cluster is available. A request is transmitted to hosts over the network to use the second storage cluster to access the storage. Hosts receiving the transmitted request send I/O requests to the storage via the second storage cluster if the second storage cluster is available.

Abstract: A communication converter includes: a first communication interface making capable of communicating with a medical control device through a predetermined communication cable; a second communication interface making capable of making a connection to a signal distribution unit which is provided in a housing device capable of housing one or more communication converters, and distributes a signal from the medical control device to each of the communication converters; a switch unit for switching communication lines to either a communication line through the first communication interface or a communication line through the second communication interface; a detection unit for detecting whether or not the signal distribution unit is connected to the second communication interface; a switch control unit for controlling the switch unit based on a detection result; and a third communication interface making capable of performing communications with a medical device.

Abstract: A method of initiating re-enumeration of a USB device without manual intervention is provided. The method involves a sequence emulating detachment and re-attachment of a device to the host while the device remains attached to the host. As the device remains attached to the host throughout the sequence, the host OS is manipulated to receive a plurality of preset device states in order for it to perceive a device change and to eventually initiate device enumeration. The sequence, which involves a series of command exchanges between the device and the host, may be initiated by a software application residing in the host upon an event requiring device enumeration.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a content transferring method for use with a first and a second apparatus interconnected by a communicating device. The method includes the steps of: if a storage medium managed by the second apparatus is larger in capacity than content data to be transferred from the first apparatus to the second apparatus, then performing a synchronizing process synchronizing the content data stored in the first apparatus with the content data to be stored onto the storage medium managed by the second apparatus; and if the storage medium managed by the second apparatus is smaller in capacity than the content data to be transferred from the first apparatus to the second apparatus, then performing a selective transferring process causing the first apparatus preferentially to select content data different from the content data stored on the storage medium managed by the second apparatus and to transfer the preferentially selected content data to the second apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing a plug and play function, a digital image processing system using the same, and a method thereof are provided. The apparatus includes: a device searching module for searching a connected device; a connection state analyzing module for determining whether the searched device is previously connected by comparing the type of device and a previous connection state; a storing unit for storing information about the type and the previous connection state; an information managing module for searching detail information of data stored in the connected device; a reproducing function verifying module for determining whether the data stored in the connected external device is processable; and a plug and play module for displaying the determination result and a selection menu for controlling the connected device to perform a target function according to a user's input.

Abstract: An auxiliary computing device wakes an associated main computer system to obtain data as needed, on-demand and/or in anticipation of demand. The wakeup operation is ordinarily temporary to fetch data, whereby only a small amount of power is consumed by the main computer system. In one implementation, a control channel between the auxiliary device and the main computer system is used to signal a wakeup. A main data channel is used to obtain the data, whereby the auxiliary device has access to a larger amount of data than it can cache. Moreover, the components of the main computer system may be leveraged, such as to use the main computer system's digital rights management mechanisms. Additional data may be intelligently requested by the auxiliary device while the main computer system is powered up, e.g., to buffer media, and/or request a synchronization of calendar data, email data, and so forth.

Abstract: A method of interacting with data at a wireless communication device is provided. The wireless communication device has access to a first set of capabilities. Data is received at the wireless communication device via a wireless transmission. The data represents visual content that is viewable via a display device. A graphical user interface, including a delayed action selector, is provided via the display device. An input is received within a limited period of time after displaying the delayed action selector. The input is associated with a command to delay execution of an action with respect to the data until the wireless communication device has access to a second set of capabilities. The action is not supported by the first set of capabilities but is supported by the second set of capabilities. An indication of receipt of the input is provided at the wireless communication device.

Abstract: A remotely programmable device includes a message store for receiving messages over a radiolink from a controller and forwarding the messages to a local application resident in the device, writable registers for controlling operation of the device, a command interpreter for interpreting commands embedded in thessages to write data to the register, and a lock for inhibiting writing of data to the registers. The local application is responsive to an authorization code embedded in the messages to release the lock and thereby allow writing of data to the registers.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus and an information selecting method are disclosed which can easily restore an original state after checking the result of executing predetermined processing based on different information. If an operator of an operation unit is pressed in an already processed state where a processing execution unit is executing predetermined processing using already selected information set in a selected information memory, information assigned to the operator is newly set in the selected information memory to execute the predetermined processing with the processing execution unit. After that, if the pressed operator is released, the processing execution unit is restored to the already processed state. With this operation, after checking a new processing state using different information from already selected information by pressing an operator, the already processed state can be restored simply by releasing the pressed operator.

Abstract: This invention enables a disk subsystem that employs the FC-AL connection to grasp the operation status of each disk drive, quickly locate a disk drive that has failed, and promptly carry out blocking processing. In a disk subsystem including plural drive enclosures which store disk drives, and a disk controller which controls transfer of data stored in the disk drives between the drive enclosures and a host computer. The drive enclosures each comprise a backend switch which is connected to the disk drives and to the disk controller, the backend switch comprises a status monitoring port through which operation status of switch ports of the backend switch is outputted, and the disk controller monitors a fault of the switch ports through the status monitoring port.

Abstract: An information processor that is connected to at least one other information processor via a network, includes a detecting unit that detects an optional device to be used for information processing, as a target optional device, installed on the other information processor, an issuing unit that issues an access request to use the target optional device to the other information processor, a receiving unit that receives an access permission for access to the target optional device from the other information processor, and a processing unit that performs the information processing with the target optional device.

Abstract: Improved techniques for rendering a peripheral device removable (e.g., unpluggable) are disclosed. According to one aspect of the invention, the peripheral device is rendered removable from a host computer without preparatory user actions. In effect, the peripheral device can be automatically prepared for removal in the event that its user removes (unplugs) it from its host computer. According to another aspect of the invention, the peripheral device includes a data storage device that is mounted to a file system of the other computer when the other computer desires access to the data storage device. Otherwise, the data storage device is normally unmounted so that if the peripheral device were to be removed (e.g., unplugged) no harm or damage to data stored therein would occur. These aspects of the invention can be utilized alone or in combination with one another.

Abstract: Automatic protocol migration when upgrading operating systems includes checking, after upgrading at least a portion of an operating system of a host device, whether a new driver supporting enhanced functionality for a portable device is now available, where a driver supporting base functionality would have been previously used for communicating with the portable device. If such a new driver supporting enhanced functionality for the portable device is now available, then the host device installs the new driver supporting enhanced functionality for the portable device.

Abstract: According to the present invention, is allowed to store, in a hard disk drive, only a driver and an application which are necessary for a peripheral device connected a personal computer, the area in use of the hard disk drive is reduced.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for processing database triggers having delay attributes. In general, delay attributes may selectively introduce a delay between the firing of a trigger and the execution of the triggered action. The delay may be based on waiting for a specified time interval, waiting until a specified time, or reaching a predetermined threshold of a measure of system performance. The use of delay attributes may enable greater control over the timing of the execution of the triggered action, resulting in reduced impact on the performance of an underlying system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a computer docking station and a switching method thereof. The method comprises: monitoring whether a wired input/output module is connected to a host computer, and outputting a monitoring result; controlling a first data processing module to be connected to the wired input/output module when the monitoring result indicates that the wired input/output module is connected to the host computer, or otherwise controlling the first data processing module to be connected to a wireless input/output module when the monitoring result indicates that the wired input/output module is not connected to the host computer. According to the present invention, an extended interface can be provided to the host computer in either of a wireless way and a wired way.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for detecting the presence and activity of a mass storage device. A resistor divider circuit generates a voltage indicating whether a mass storage device has been mated to a mass storage backplane and whether the device is active. The circuit provides a voltage within a first range when the device is not mated to the storage backplane, and provides a voltage within a second range when the device is mated to the storage backplane but is inactive. The circuit also provides a voltage within a third range when the device is mated to the storage backplane and is active. The circuit can be connected to an integrated circuit that can determine, based on the output of the resistor divider circuit, whether the device has been mated to the storage backplane and whether the device is active.

Abstract: A method for automating configuration of devices in a network having a network bus for communicating with the devices, wherein the network is implemented in a physical environment the method comprising detecting a device assembly that is connected to the network bus, wherein the device assembly includes a plurality of devices assembled thereon in a predetermined physical order; upon detecting a device assembly connected to the network bus, determining whether the detected device assembly is of a predetermined first type; upon determining that the detected device assembly is of the first type, reading data from the plurality of devices assembled thereon in an order corresponding to the predetermined physical order of the plurality of devices as assembled on the device assembly; and identifying a physical location in the physical environment of each of the plurality of devices on the first-type device assembly based on the order in which data of the plurality of devices is read from the first-type device assemb

Abstract: Systems and methods for allocating transmission resources within a computer network are provided. In some embodiments of the invention, communication links may be assigned based on predefined preferences or system configuration to facilitate the transfer of data from one point in the network to another. In other embodiments, system operation may be monitored and communication paths be assigned dynamically based on this information to improve system operation and provide improved failover response, load balancing and to promote robust data access via alternative routes.

Abstract: A method for programming programmable devices includes monitoring a status pin for each of the programmable devices, maintaining state information for the programmable devices indicating whether each programmable device is programmed, and transitioning each programmable device from a programmed state to an operating state. A monitoring module includes detectors, a memory and a processor. The detectors detect indications on the status pins of programmable devices that the programmable devices are programmed. The memory stores state information about the programmable devices. The processor communicates control signals to the programmable devices instructing them to transition from the programmed state to the operating state.