Intel Corporation

Tektronix, Inc.

James C Stanley

David A Sandage

Arland D Kunz

Stewart W Hunt

Regis J Crinon

Brian D Diehm

Robert Conrad Knauerhase

David W Aucsmith

Dan H Nowlin

A carousel having multiple instances of at least one data or object module. The carousel may be encapsulated into a transmission, such as an MPEG-2 transport stream, for periodic transmission to a receiver.

Carousel exhibiting multiple occurrences of a module

An apparatus for generating one or more carousels. A carousel includes a plurality of modules, at least one of which exhibits multiple instances, that are arranged in a module schedule. The apparatus may create, through multiple iterations, two or more module schedules for a carousel, and the optimum module schedule may then be selected and implemented on the carousel.

Method and apparatus for generating carousels

A method of determining a goodness metric of a module schedule. The module schedule comprises a plurality of modules, at least one of which exhibits multiple instances, that are arranged within the period of a carousel. The goodness metric is based, at least in part, upon the interval difference associated with each instance of all modules on the carousel. The interval difference for an instance of a module is the difference between the actual interval of the instance and a desired interval for that module.

Method of measuring goodness of a module schedule for a carousel

A method and apparatus for arbitrating access to a shared memory is disclosed. A memory marking unit in the shared memory is read to determine whether the shared memory is currently being accessed by another processor. If the shared memory is not being accessed by another processor, a processor seeking access is granted access. The processor changes the contents of the memory marking unit to lock out other processors from the shared memory. The last task performed on the shared memory space is identified and used to determine whether a task with high priority exists. If a task with high priority exists, the task is performed. If a task with high priority does not exist, the processor having access to the shared memory space accesses the shared memory space for its intended purpose. After the processor is finished accessing the shared memory space, it records the identity of the task performed and unlocks the shared memory space.

Protocol for arbitrating access to a shared memory area using historical state information

A method for managing idle processing in a computer system is described. An Idle Chain Manager virtual device driver (VxD) address is registered on an idle callback chain on the computer system. An Idle Chain Manager callback function corresponding with the Idle Chain Manager VxD address is hooked with a registration service on the computer system. This allows the Idle Chain Manager callback function to intercept a request from a VxD to register a VxD idle callback address onto the idle callback chain and registers the VxD idle callback address with the Idle Chain Manager callback function. The Idle Chain Manager VxD address is called when the idle processing is required.

Method and apparatus for ensuring CPU halts during idle processing

An implementation of PCMCIA Card Services for the Windows operating system in enhanced mode. A Card Services dynamic linked library (DLL) was written which contains a library of C functions which perform the Card Services functions. The Card Services DLL maintains a Card Services database of the Card Services resources available such that the Card Services DLL can share the Card Services resources among clients of Card Services. Windows applications can call the functions in the Card Services DLL directly to access Card Services functions. The Card Services DLL posts messages to a Card Services Windows application to request a Card Services function be performed with background processing. The Card Services Windows application processes the Card Services function at a later time. A Card Services virtual device driver (V.times.D) provides system functions to the Card Services DLL. The Card Services V.times.D hooks the INT 1A software interrupt such that Card Services requests which use the register based binding in the PCMCIA Card Services specification are intercepted and directed to the Card Services DLL. The Card Services V.times.D also traps interrupts caused by PCMCIA socket adapters and calls the appropriate interrupt handling routine in the Card Services DLL.

Architecture for implementing PCMCIA card services under the windows

A library of C functions to perform PCMCIA Card Services. A PCMCIA Card Services specification defines a set of functions which allow applications and device drivers to access PCMCIA Cards. The PCMCIA Card Services specification provides a register based software interrupt binding to access the Card Services functions. A library of C functions is defined which can be called to perform the Card Services functions. The library of C functions can reformat the function parameters and then call a Card Services provider with a standard register based software interrupt binding. Alternatively, the library of C functions can be a fully protected mode implemenation of Card Services.

Protected mode C binding for PCMCIA card services interface

Background processing for PCMCIA card service functions for registered Card Services clients includes a Card Services Background Processing Application and a Card Services dynamic link library (DDL) residing in the system VM, and a Card Services VxD residing in priority ring 0. A request for a Card Services function is generated by a Card Services function requester. The Card Services function requester is either a Card Services Client or a PCMCIA socket adapter. In response to the request, the Card Services VxD sets-up a path between the Card Services function requester and the Card Services DLL. The Card Services DLL contains the Card Services functions, and the appropriate Card Service function is executed. If the Card Service function requested requires background processing, the Card Services DLL posts a message with the Card Services Background Processing Application. The Card Services DLL then acknowledges the request for Card Services function to the Card Services requester. Upon selection of the Card Services Background Processing Application as an active process, the message posted is processed by executing the appropriate card services function in the Card Services DLL and providing any necessary callbacks.

Method and apparatus for background processing for PCMCIA card services

A computer system contains an Intel.TM. 80386 or later microprocessor as a central processing unit (CPU) and a system memory coupled to the CPU. The computer system runs Microsoft.TM. Windows v. 3.1 operating system in enhanced mode. The system memory contains a system virtual machine (VM) and at least one DOS VM. A target VM contains shared code routines for use by all VMs loaded in the computer system. When access to the shared code routine is desired from a calling process in a calling VM, the calling VM transfers control and calling data parameters to a shared code virtual device driver (VxD). The shared code VxD performs data translation for the calling data parameters so that the target VM can access the data parameters. The shared code VxD invokes calls to a Windows Process scheduler to schedule the target VM and block selection of the calling VM. The target VM, upon invocation by the scheduler, executes the shared code routine and generates return parameters. Upon completion of the shared code routine, the thread of execution is transferred to the shared code VxD, and address translation is performed on the return parameters. The translated return data parameters are transferred to the calling process. The shared code VxD unblocks selection of the calling VM so that the calling VM is free for selection by the Windows process scheduler. When the calling VM is selection, the calling processes resumes execution.

Method and apparatus for sharing a common routine stored in a single

Operation of a microcomputer-based instrument is controlled by software including a control interface system, a command execution system, and a steady state system. The steady state system includes a group of subsystems operating as concurrent tasks, each carrying out various instrument operations. The control interface system includes a set of subsystems, each responsive to configuration control input signals from a separate control signal source, and each converting configuration control signals into 'configuration commands'. Each command identifies a particular procedure for configuring the operating state of one or more instrument hardware or software steady state subsystems of the instrument. Each command is stored in memory in one of several queues (one for each control interface subsystem) until the procedure it invokes is carried out. The command execution system includes an arbitrator routine which selects commands stored in the queues according to a predetermined priority scheme and invokes command execution subroutines for carrying out procedures identified by the selected commands. When a command execution subroutine is invoked, it reconfigures one or more instrument hardware or software subsystems according to configuration parameters included in the command.

Flexible instrument control system

Menus displayed on a screen of an instrument permit an operator to adjust and monitor the operating state of the instrument. Various menus are added and removed from the display in response to changes in the operating state of the instrument so that those menus appropriate for the operating state of the instrument are automatically displayed while inappropriate menus are automatically removed from the display. Displayed menu items may be added, removed or modified in response to changes in the operating state of the instrument, as evidenced by changes in the configuration parameters, so that only those menu items which are appropriate to a given operating state are displayed.

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Portland, OR, United States of America

James C Stanley