System and method for memory page migration in a multi-processor computer
Granted: September 17, 2002
Patent Number:
6453408
A method for controlling memory page migration in a parallel processor computer (10) is provided that comprises requesting access to a memory page (14) by a requester processor (206). The method then determines whether the requester processor (206) is a local processor or a remote processor. The method then increments a local access counter (52) and identifies the local access counter (52) as an incremented counter in response to determining that the requester processor (206) is a local…
Computer module mounting system and method
Granted: September 17, 2002
Patent Number:
6452805
A rack including a rail for supporting a computer module and a grounding element electrically coupled to the rack and positioned to electrically contact a computer module inserted in the rack such that the grounding element provides a path to ground. The grounding element can be an arcuate bracket attached to the rail to make contact with a side of the computer module. The grounding element can be a conductor extending from the rack and positioned to make contact with a side of the…
Liquid crystal flat panel display with enhanced backlight brightness and specially selected light sources
Granted: September 10, 2002
Patent Number:
6448955
A multiple light source flat panel liquid crystal display (LCD) system having enhanced backlight brightness and specially selected light sources. According to the present invention, brightness in the LCD is enhanced by polarization recycling using a pre-polarizing film to pre-polarize light, and a special reflector for recycling light reflected by the pre-polarizing film. In one embodiment, the pre-polarizing film comprises a layer of DBEF brightness enhancement film, and the rear…
System and method for generating clock signals
Granted: August 27, 2002
Patent Number:
6441666
A system and method of generating a clock signal as a function of a system clock. A plurality of overlapping phases are generated and two or more of the overlapping phases are combined to form the clock signal.
Cable organizer and method
Granted: August 20, 2002
Patent Number:
6438309
A cable organizer having amounting mechanism suitable for mounting the cable organizer on a structure, at least one compartment for retaining at least one cable and a snap mechanism for use in installing the cable within the compartment.
GTL+one-one/zero-zero detector
Granted: August 13, 2002
Patent Number:
6433627
A receiver operable with a single power supply provides, among other things, both differential and single ended signal detection with selectable noise margins. The output signals of differential amplifiers with hysteresis are coupled to logic gates. Internal test circuitry is also provided.
Heat sink attachment clip
Granted: August 13, 2002
Patent Number:
6434007
A heat sink assembly for securing a heat sink to a chip on a circuit board using a clip to secure the heat sink to the chip. The assembly includes a pair of support beams, a clip attached to the pair of support beams, and a heat sink. Optionally, the assembly also includes a plurality of bias members biased between the heat sink and the circuit board and a pair of positioning pins positioned between the heat sink and the circuit board. The clip is biased between the heat sink and the…
Fastenerless circuit board support
Granted: August 6, 2002
Patent Number:
6428352
A circuit board support operable with boards requiring a horizontal motion for engagement of connectors. The support can be exchanged for a traditional standoff and screw combination without modification of the board or supporting structure.
Method and apparatus for broadcasting invalidation messages in a computer system
Granted: July 16, 2002
Patent Number:
6421712
A computer system (10) includes a node controller (12) operable to process invalidation requests. The node controller (12) includes a network interface unit (20), a memory directory interface unit (22), a processor interface unit (24), an input/output interface unit (26), a local buffer unit (28), and a crossbar unit (30). A local processor (16) generates an invalidation request that is processed by the processor interface unit (24) for placement into the local buffer unit (28). The…
System and method for finding preempted threads in a multi-threaded application
Granted: July 9, 2002
Patent Number:
6418460
A system and method for inexpensively detecting preempted execution entities such as threads without kernel involvement. In a computer system having a memory and one or more processors, a shared memory arena is formed in user space within the memory. A preempt bit vector is then formed within the shared memory arena such that the preempt bit vector is accessible to any of a plurality of execution entities running in user mode. The preempt bit vector includes a plurality of rbits, wherein…
Programmable differential delay circuit with fine delay adjustment
Granted: July 9, 2002
Patent Number:
6417713
Circuitry that provides additional delay to early arriving signals such that all data signals arrive at a receiving latch with same path delay. The delay of a forwarded clock reference is also controlled such that the capturing clock edge will be optimally positioned near quadrature (depending on latch setup/hold requirements). The circuitry continuously adapts to data and clock path delay changes and digital filtering of phase measurements reduce errors brought on by jittering data…
System for accessing a large number of menu items using a zoned menu bar
Granted: July 2, 2002
Patent Number:
6414700
A system that includes a pop-up graphical user interface that includes menu bars overlapping marking menu zones. The interface pops up at the current position of the cursor when the space bar is held down. The menu bars are positioned around a central marking zone with the common menu bars located above the central zone and task specific menu bars located below the central zone. The common application menu bar is positioned outer most and the common window menu bar is located inner most.…
Modular air moving system and method
Granted: June 18, 2002
Patent Number:
6406257
A system and method of cooling heat generating components. Heat generating components are placed in an enclosure having an air permeable cover. A mating panel having a mating connector is placed proximate to the air permeable cover. A fan assembly having a hub is coupled to the mating panel, wherein coupling includes wiring the fan to a fan connector, mounting the fan connector along an axial line running through the hub and pressing the fan assembly into the mating panel so as to mate…
Method and apparatus for analyzing buffer allocation to a device on a peripheral component interconnect bus
Granted: May 28, 2002
Patent Number:
6397274
A bridge device (12) in a computer system interconnects with peripheral component interconnect (PCI) devices (14) over a PCI bus (16). The bridge device (12) includes a plurality of read response buffers (10) to provide data to the PCI devices (14). Each of the read response buffers (10) has a plurality of counters/registers (22) associated therewith. The counters/registers (22) measure various parameters associated with the request and retrieval of requested data and speculative data…
Method and device for controlling access to memory
Granted: May 21, 2002
Patent Number:
6393533
A computing device (12) includes a first process (16) and a second process (18) executing thereon in conjunction with a local memory (20). The local memory (20) stores data files retrieved from a database (14). The database (14) maintains the data files in page formats. Each page (22) maintained within the database (14) includes a counter location (24). The first process (16), desiring to write access a particular page (22), increments the counter location (24). The counter location (24)…
Exact evaluation of subdivision surfaces generalizing box splines at arbitrary parameter values
Granted: May 14, 2002
Patent Number:
6389154
A computer-based method for determining a property of a location on a computer surface model where the location is described by a set of parameters and the surface model is described by a set of control vertices having a corresponding set of subdivision rules, and the control vertices admit a parameterization of regular sets of control vertices, includes receiving input specifying coordinates of control vertices that describe the surface model, projecting the specified coordinates of the…
Computer generated paint stamp compensation
Granted: May 7, 2002
Patent Number:
6384835
A system that predistorts a computer generated paint stamp for paint being applied to a 3D computer model of an object. The predistortion is based on a difference in shape and orientation of a texture space polygon, to which the stamp is initially applied, and the corresponding world space target polygon of the model. Because the paint stamps often overlap several polygons of different shapes and orientations, the distortion compensation becomes a weighted average of the distortion…
Packetized command interface to a graphics processor
Granted: April 30, 2002
Patent Number:
6380942
A method and apparatus for transferring commands to a graphics processor is provided. The method and apparatus are intended for use in a host computer system having a memory that is addressable by a host processor and a graphics processor. One or more queues of packet descriptors are maintained in the memory of the host computer system. Each packet descriptor includes a pointer to a region of memory known as a packet buffer. Each packet descriptor also includes a ready variable. To pass…
Carrier for computer peripheral device
Granted: April 30, 2002
Patent Number:
6381139
A peripheral wrapper having a wrapper frame for enclosing the computer peripheral. The frame includes a first end for containing a connecting end of the computer peripheral. The wrapper includes a clip or gripping member attached to the frame near the second end of the frame, wherein the clip for grippedly and removably couples the frame to a dock section of a computer peripheral container chassis. The clip has a first leg coupled to the frame and a second leg generally parallel to first…
System and method for shared memory protection in a multiprocessor computer
Granted: April 30, 2002
Patent Number:
6381681
A memory protection system for shared memory in a multiprocessor computer is provided that comprises a multiprocessor computer (10) having a plurality of processor regions and a plurality of memory pages (16). Each processor region includes one or more processors (12). Each processor (12) includes a cache (18), and each memory page (16) includes one or more cache lines (20) for coupling to the cache (18) of processors (12) within the plurality of processor regions using the memory page…
