Abstract:
An apparatus for regulating voltage and power in a computer system is disclosed. The voltage and power regulation is performed by voltage regulation circuitry on a voltage regulator module (200). The voltage regulator module (200) is a detachable unit which interfaces with the motherboard (340) through a socket connector (335). The socket connector (335) has a fixed pin definition which allows a variety of voltage regulator modules (200) programmed to regulate voltages and power at different levels to be implemented on the motherboard (340).
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for providing a clock noise filter are described. The clock noise filter uses a transparent latch (10) which has a trigger input and a data input. The data input is coupled to receive an input clock signal (CLOCK) to be filtered. The output of the latch is the filtered clock signal (FCLOCK). The filtered clock signal has a logic state which corresponds to a logic state of the input clock signal when a trigger input has a first logic state, and the filtered clock signal is inhibited from changing logic state when the trigger input has a second logic state.
Abstract:
A memory controller (105) having a data strobe (250) that tracks the column address strobe signal in a computer system having Extended Data Out (EDO) DRAMs (230). The data strobe signal follows, by a predetermined delay, the column access strobe signal, and therefore any skew in the column address strobe signal is inherently included within the data strobe signal. As a result, the data can be latched out, responsive to the data strobe signal, at approximately the center of the valid window.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for enhancing the fault-tolerance of a network finds a set of computing nodes within the network which are available for use in the network upon detection of a faulty component. This set of available computing nodes is found by first determining a set of computing nodes within the network which are physically connected together. A connectivity value for each computing node within this set is then determined. A subset of the set is then generated such that each computing node in the subset is able to transfer data to and from each other computing node in the subset. This subset is then utilized as the set of available computing nodes. In one embodiment, the set of computing nodes which are physically connected together is the largest set of physically connected computing nodes in the system.
Abstract:
A computer system (10) that provides device specific power characterizations for power control and budgeting functions is disclosed. The device driver programs of the computer system (10) or a power characterizer of the system (50) determines device specific power characterizations for corresponding devices (94, 96, 98) under device specific controlled conditions. The device specific power characterizations are stored in persistent storage for subsequent use by power control and budgeting functions.
Abstract:
A system for controlling the power consumption of an add-in PC card (10) operating within a host computer. The host computer includes a power supply (24) that provides all power used by the PC card (10). The PC card includes communication registers required for communication between the host computer and the PC card. The PC card also includes a microcontroller (26) connected to an I/O subsystem (32) and a multi-pin I/O connector (36). A first side of multi-pin I/O connector (36) is connected to the I/O subsystem and second side (38) is connected to a source of I/O signals external to the host computer. An external register module (16) is connected to the microcontroller (26) and communicates with the host computer. The external register module (16) contains the communication registers. A status detector located on the PC card (10) detects whether the I/O subsystem (32) is processing I/O information, and supplies a status signal indicative thereof. A power management module (68) is also located on the PC card (10) and is connected to the status connector. The power management module receives the status signal from the status detector and supplies one or more predetermined power levels as a result of the status signal.
Abstract:
A novel high performance and reliable interconnection structure for preventing via delamination. The interconnection structure of the present invention comprises a via connection (212) which extends into and undercuts an underlying interconnection line (202) to lock the via connection (212) into the interconnection line (202).
Abstract:
An interactive video system is disclosed that processes a video data stream and an associated data stream corresponding to the video data stream. The interactive video system displays a video image defined by the video data stream on a display device (50) and performs interactive command functions specified by the associated data stream. The interactive command functions include commands that specify placement of a video display window (40), commands that specify parameters of graphical objects (44) that are associated with the video image and commands that specify pixel data or graphics description for the graphical object and commands for placement of selection windows (42) and that specify interactive functions for the selection windows.
Abstract:
An integrated circuit component for enforcing licensing restrictions. Such enforcement is performed through remote transmission of access privileges for executing a licensed program from the integrated circuit component to another similar component. The integrated circuit component comprising a non-volatile memory for storing a uniquely designated key pair (11, 12), an authentication device certificate (80) and a manufacturer public key (16) along with cryptographic algorithms, a processor for executing the cryptographic algorithms in order to process information inputted into the integrated circuit component and for transmitting the processed information into volatile memory and a random number generator for generating the uniquely designated key pair internally within the integrated circuit component.
Abstract:
A two-way set-associative cache memory includes both a set array and a data array in one embodiment. The data array comprises multiple elements, each of which can contain a cache line. The set array comprises multiple sets, with each set in the set array corresponding to an element in the data array. Each set in the set array contains information which indicates whether an address received by the cache memory matches the cache line contained in its corresponding element of the data array. The information stored in each set includes a tag and a state. The tag contains a reference to one of the cache lines in the data array. If the tag of a particular set matches the address received by the cache memory, then the cache line associated with that particular set is the requested cache line. The state of a particular set indicates the number of cache lines mapped into that particular set.