An external signal processor is provided for use with a personal computer. The signal processor incorporates hardware components for receiving external analog or frequency signals and for converting the signals to digital form for retrieval by the computer in nibble mode. Interconnection with the personal computer is through the parallel printer port, with the signal processor installed between the computer and an external printer. Normal printer functions are available when a transparent mode i...

A process data capture and reporting system captures process data values at sensors. A client computer appends absolute-value time stamps to the values to complete records, which are uploaded to a server. The server writes the records to a persistent database. At a later stage, the server retrieves selected records, and performs a very fast conversion of the time stamps to a calendar format with "granular" values for units such as day, month, or minute. The conversion is performed in an optimise...

A connecting device for positioning a plurality of peripheral connectors in relative positions for registration with a plurality of corresponding computer ports. The connecting device has a body having a plurality of peripheral connector holding means for securely holding and positioning a plurality of peripheral connectors, each peripheral connector holding means being located in the body so as to position a peripheral connector held therein in a registering position with respect to a predeterm...

A network for personal computers includes a network arbiter (10) disposed centrally with respect to a plurality of network stations (12), (14), (16), and (18). Each of the network stations (12-18) includes a personal computer (20), a network peripheral (24) and an interface (22). Each of the interfaces (22) interfaces with the arbiter (10) through a communication link. Each of the network stations has associated therewith a network program (82) that is operable to be executed by a central proces...

A console display for personal computers is disclosed. The display device is installed at the back of a face panel on a host computer, comprising a dial meter and a signal detection circuit, wherein the output of the signal detection circuit is connected to the dial meter and the input is connected to a specific hardware component inside the host computer to receive signal outputs from specific hardware components. The signals from specific hardware components are analyzed to determine the magni...

A keyboard for a computer molded from a flexible material, and rollable into a cylinder for transport and storage. In a particular embodiment, the keyboard is assembled in two layers, one having molded dome structures for key, and the other sensors and flexible traces for converting keystrokes to electrical signals.

A compression/decompression (codec) engine is provided for use in conjunction with a fabric agent chip in a multiprocessor computer system. The fabric agent chip serves as an interface between a first memory controller on a first cell board in the computer system and other memory controllers on other cell boards in the computer system. Cell boards in the computer system are interconnected by a system fabric. Memory data read by the first memory controller is compressed by the codec engine prior ...

A locking apparatus for providing security for either unauthorized access or unauthorized removal of portable computers. The portable computer sets on a base tray that has side and rear walls with access ports. A combined assembly of a removable locking member and an adjustable security member fits snugly over the top surface of the computer. The combined assembly is secured to the rear wall of the base tray by a flange and to the front of the base tray by a locking mechanism.

A system for controlling the temperature inside a computer system housing involves determining whether a predetermined temperature set point has been exceeded. If the temperature set point has been exceeded, corrective action is attempted without adversely affecting the performance of the computer system. This may be accomplished by determining whether there are unused devices which are consuming power. If so, these devices may be transitioned to a lower power consumption state which may corresp...

An operating system particularly designed for application programs to be used on embedded computers in appliances and the like is constructed in a modular basis. The application program is scanned for calls to the operating system and the particular modules of the operating system required for the application program are collected into an operating system kernel which may be linked and loaded with the application system into the embedded application.