Compaq Computer Corporation, Inc.

Exaflop LLC

Google Inc.

Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Brian V Belmont

John P Stautner

Richard J Lawson

Kevin J Brusky

Charles J Stancil

Mark E Taylor

Barry S Basile

Drew S Johnson

Mark P Vaughan

Thomas J Brase

Brian B Tucker

Russell J Wunderlich

Mikal C Hunsaker

A integrated content guide for multiple sources is provided with hyper-text type links to allow for the selection of various programs. The hyper-text links are provided for a transmitted and then stored digital bit stream. This allows for the embedding within the content guide what could be additional commercial information. The embedding may also be as to additional information for other related television or radio shows or the like. Information can be additional television shows, related information or activities on on-line services or automatic telephone ordering of products or services being displayed.

Integrated content guide for interactive selection of content and services on personal computer systems with multiple sources and multiple media presentation

A electronic convergence device system comprising a computer for generating indications of a first mode of operation and for generating indications of a second mode of operation, and an output device coupled to the computer to receive the indications of the first and second modes of operation, which output device is provided for at least alternately outputting the indications of the first and second modes of operation, based on a user/viewer selection.

Device with converged functionality

A TV/PC convergence device, operable in a television mode, a computer mode and a combination television/computer mode, includes a display, a computer and an interface coupled between the display and the computer. The display receives and displays images in all three modes. The computer executes programs and is operable in the computer mode and the combination television/computer mode. The interface includes a access control device for selectively controlling the switching between the television mode, the computer mode and the combination television/computer mode.

Access control for a TV/PC convergence device

A TV/PC convergence device, operable in a television mode, a computer mode and a combination television/computer mode, includes a display, a computer and a tracking device. The display receives and displays images in all three modes. The computer executes programs and is operable in the computer mode and the combination television/computer mode. The tracking device, which is coupled to the display and computer, tracks, records, and reports select uses of the display and the computer during each of the television mode, the computer mode and the combination television/computer mode.

PC/TV usage tracking and reporting device

A memory mapping and module enabling circuit for allowing logical 128 kbyte memory blocks to be defined for any location in any module connected to a memory system. A RAM is addressed by the system address lines defining 128 kbyte blocks, with the output data providing the row address strobe enable signals for a particular memory module and the address values necessary to place the 128 kbyte block within the module. Various other parameters such as write protect status and memory location are also provided by the RAM. Circuits and techniques for programming and reading the RAM are provided. The RAM is only programmed once, with modifications to the RAM-provided write protect status and memory location values being made based on write protect and relocation status information contained in a separate register.

Memory accessing system with portions of memory being selectively write

A method where at power-on and before loading an option ROM the DMA and interrupt controller register values are saved. After option ROM initialization current DMA and interrupt controller register values are compared to saved register values for determining DMA and interrupt controller usage by an expansion board. The usage information is saved in NVRAM until the operating system is booted and a configuration routine is executed. Additionally, each slot on the system bus is individually enabled and each address of an address range is read to determine whether an expansion board is installed in the slot and responding to a read. If the data value read is unequal to the undriven value of the data bus, then an expansion board is responding and information is logged into an I/O map. Otherwise, a second read is performed, and certain control lines are latched for determining whether an expansion board is driving those lines. If so, an expansion board is responding. Otherwise, the system then performs a further special read to determine the data bus response time. If the response time is faster than the response time of an undriven bus, an expansion board is responding. In this way, an address map is created for the system bus. This map is then used with the DMA and interrupt usage to determine the system configuration by comparing the map and usage to standard signatures of known boards. The system configuration is the passed to standard configuration software.

Method of determining the configuration of devices installed on a

A notebook computer system for docking to a motorized expansion base unit. Before the actual docking event occurs, the notebook computer system communicates with the expansion base unit via a sense signal, which is provided by the notebook computer to indicate the power state of the notebook computer. If the expansion base unit determines that the notebook computer is in a proper state for docking, it activates its motor to load the notebook computer. Once docked, the notebook computer runs a resource conflict check routine to determine if resource conflicts occur. A fatal conflict occurs when the resource requirements of bus devices connected to expansion slots in the expansion base unit conflict with the resource requirements of a video controller or hard disk drive connected to the notebook computer. When such a fatal conflict occurs, the notebook computer issues a software eject request to expansion base unit. In response, the expansion base unit undocks the notebook computer. A non-fatal conflict occurs when the resource requirements of the expansion base unit devices conflict with the resource requirements of PCMCIA cards inserted into the PCMCIA slots of the notebook computer. Unlike the case of a fatal conflict, the notebook computer responds to a non-fatal conflict by disabling the expansion slots of the offending devices in the expansion base unit.

Method and apparatus for resolving resource conflicts after a portable

The system bus in a computer system includes a number of slots for individual expansion cards. Generally, input/output and memory operations to those expansion cards enable all the cards when one addressing range is used, but only enable one of the cards when another addressing range is used. According to the invention, any particular card can be disabled, or any combination of cards can be disabled, no matter which address range is used for the input/output or memory operation. This allows each card to be individually checked at start up to determine its I/O address and memory range without the possibility of another card responding, even if that other card is configured to respond to the same addresses.

Method of and apparatus for arbitrarily disabling under processor

In a system that executes the method according to the invention, each slot on the system bus is individually enabled at start-up and each address of an address range is read to determine whether an expansion board is installed in the slot and is responding to a read from that I/O address. If the data value returned by the I/O read is not equal to the undriven value of the data bus, then it is known that the expansion board is responding to that I/O address. Otherwise, a second read of the I/O address is performed, and the values of certain control lines on the system bus are latched to determine whether an expansion board is driving those lines in response to the I/O read. If so, again it is known that an expansion board is responding to a read from that I/O address. Otherwise, the system then performs a further special I/O read to determine the data bus response time. If the response time is faster than the response time of an undriven bus, it is known that an expansion board is responding to this I/O address. In this way, an I/O address map is created for each expansion board. This map is then used to determine the system configuration by comparing the map to standard signatures of known boards. The system configuration is the passed to standard configuration software.

Growing community of inventors

Dallas, TX, United States of America

Brian V Belmont