Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Curl Corporation

Sumisho Computer Systems Corporation

Stephen A Ward

Robert H Halstead, Jr

David A Kranz

Christopher J Terman

Gill A Pratt

John N Nguyen

John S Pezaris

Norman H Margolus

Murray S Mazer

Patrick J LoPresti

Mary C Murphy

Susan B Hoover

Lori J Fucarile

Robert C Zak

A class includes fields to support values of properties in preallocated memory space and an option data structure which supports, in instances of the class, references to option values without preallocation of memory space. The field and option values are accessed in an instance object of the class using expressions of the same syntactic form. During compilation, the compiler checks the type of an option value against a type description within the option data structure. During compilation, a method call to an object is encoded without regard to the form of the option data structure. When an option value is changed, a change handler identified by an option binding of the data structure is processed. That option binding may be located by first searching a mapping data structure for a previously computed mapping to the option binding or by computing the mapping to the option binding.

System and method supporting property values as options

To support values of properties, a class includes fields to support values in preallocated memory space and with an option data structure which supports, in instances of the class, references to option values without preallocation of memory space. The field and option values are accessed in an instance object of the class using expressions of the same syntactic form. During compilation, the compiler checks the type of an option value against a type description within the option data structure. Different classes may support different forms of data structures such as a linked list or a hash table. During compilation, a method call to an object is encoded without regard to the form of the option data structure. An option value may be set in an option data structure from an initialization expression which includes the name of the option value and, as an argument, the option value.

System and method supporting type checking of options

To support values of properties, a class includes fields to support values in preallocated memory space and with an option data structure which supports, in instances of the class, references to option values without preallocation of memory space. If a value has not been set for an instance object, a get operation results in getting of the default value for the class. Different classes may support different forms of data structures such as a linked list or a hash table. When an option value is changed, a change handler identified by an option binding of the data structure is processed. That option binding may be located by first searching a mapping data structure for a previously computed mapping to the option binding or by computing the mapping to the option binding. Nonlocal option values may be applied to plural objects in a nonlocal option hierarchy such as a graphical hierarchy.

System and method supporting mapping of option bindings

To support values of properties, a class includes fields to support values in preallocated memory space and with an option data structure which supports, in instances of the class, references to option values without preallocation of memory space. The field and option values are accessed in an instance object of the class using expressions of the same syntactic form. During compilation, the compiler checks the type of an option value against a type description within the option data structure. If a value has not been set for an instance object, a get operation results in getting of the default value for the class. Different classes may support different forms of data structures such as a linked list or a hash table. During compilation, a method call to an object is encoded without regard to the form of the option data structure. When an option value is changed, a change handler identified by an option binding of the data structure is processed. That option binding may be located by first searching a mapping data structure for a previously computed mapping to the option binding or by computing the mapping to the option binding. An option value may be set in an option data structure from an initialization expression which includes the name of the option value and, as an argument, the option value. Nonlocal option values may be applied to plural objects in a nonlocal option hierarchy such as a graphical hierarchy.

System and method supporting nonlocal values

The present invention provides a licensing mechanism allowing for different forms of license for use in an environment of interconnected servers providing content. The invention comprises both methods and a system for licensing individual content based upon the nature of the use, thus facilitating the distribution of content without a license for non-commercial purposes and content with a license for commercial purposes. The system utilizes a special form placed within the content, the form containing either a legal assertion of the non-commercial nature of the use, or an identification of the licensee and other related data. If the form includes an identification of the licensee, a license server may be contacted to validate the license. The invention also includes a licensing tool or server to generate the appropriate form for insertion within the content.

Licensing system and method for freely distributed information

The present invention provides for operations on objects in a hierarchy by partitioning the hierarchy into subhierarchies, each subhierarchy being associated with a thread interface frame. Operations of the thread interface frame are executed within threads acting on objects in the subhierarchy. When needed, the effects of an operation are stored in the thread interface frame, allowing the effects to be forwarded to another subhierarchy accessed by another thread.

Interface frames for threads

Circuit supporting modules form a three-dimensional communication interconnect mesh. A first embodiment three-dimensional communication interconnect is a tetrahedral lattice having a regular, isotropic, three-dimensional topology in which each module connects to its four physically closest neighbors. The structure of the tetrahedral interconnect is isomorphic with a diamond lattice structure. In a second embodiment the interconnect is hexahedral. A characteristic of both is embodiments is that, although connections are made to plural other modules, the physical connections are made along the same direction.

Three-dimensional interconnect having modules with vertical top and

An interface controlling digital communication between synchronous systems of unequal clock frequency. A phase locked loop generates one clock F.sub.m from the other F.sub.n by locking the phase of the two clocks at a beating period. Within the beating period, a precompiled set of valid and invalid communication clock cycles for each direction of communication are scheduled into lookup tables. The lookup tables generate outputs to a Set of registers for communicating data between the systems of unequal clock frequency.

Rationally clocked communication interface

Circuit supporting modules form a three-dimensional communication interconnect mesh. Each module has fewer than six sets of connectors, preferably four. The preferred three-dimensional communication interconnect is a tetrahedral lattice having a regular, isotropic, three-dimensional topology in which each module connects to its four physically closest neighbors. The structure of the tetrahedral interconnect is isomorphic with a diamond lattice structure.

Three-dimensional electronic circuit of interconnected modules

In a random access memory, a dynamic memory array is associated with static data buffers. Each static data buffer is connected to the memory array to receive and store a row of data from any addressed row of the array. When an address is received, it is compared with addresses stored in registers and associated with the data stored in the static buffers. Where there is a match, a controller is able to select the data buffer in which the row of data is stored for a column strobe operation without the need for a row address strobe operation. The resultant system provides for a set associative cache coupled to the dynamic memory array. Further, the comparison can be made of virtual addresses for a cache system which responds to virtual addresses.

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Watertown, MA, United States of America

Stephen A Ward