Richard B Ward

US Patent:

49339362, Jun 12, 1990

Filed:

Aug 17, 1987

Appl. No.:

7/085833

Inventors:

Robert D. Rasmussen - Monrovia CA
Robert M. Manning - Pasadena CA
Blair F. Lewis - Altadena CA
Gary S. Bolotin - Sierra Madre CA
Richard S. Ward - Pleasanton CA

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Washington DC

International Classification:

H04J 302

US Classification:

370 859

Abstract:

This is a distributed computing system providing flexible fault tolerance; ease of software design and concurrency specification; and dynamic balance of the loads. The system comprises a plurality of computers each having a first input/output interface and a second input/output interface for interfacing to communications networks each second input/output interface including a bypass for bypassing the associated computer. A global communications network interconnects the first input/output interfaces for providing each computer the ability to broadcast messages simultaneously to the remainder of the computers. A meshwork communications network interconnects the second input/output interfaces providing each computer with the ability to establish a communications link with another of the computers bypassing the remainder of computers. Each computer is controlled by a resident copy of a common operating system. Communications between respective ones of computers is by means of split tokens each having a moving first portion which is sent from computer to computer and a resident second portion which is disposed in the memory of at least one of computer and wherein the location of the second portion is part of the first portion.

US Patent:

50927752, Mar 3, 1992

Filed:

Nov 5, 1986

Appl. No.:

6/927281

Inventors:

Rudolf E. Wolf - Yorba Linda CA
Glenn E. Eversole - Manhattan Beach CA
Richard A. Ward - Santa Ana CA

International Classification:

G09B 1900
A63H 3300

US Classification:

434118

Abstract:

A freestanding visual aid is disclosed which includes instructional material displayed on multiple sufaces of a geometric object to allow the selective display of indicia representing information, on at least one of the surfaces, in a resting position of the geometric object. The indicia displayed by each face of the freestanding object is preferably related to one of a plurality of modes of operation of an apparatus or system with which the visual aid is used. Each surface, for example, may include an explanation of the key functions and command language applicable to a different computer program when the visual aid is used in connection with the operation of a computer or microprocessor system. The freestanding object allows immediate selection of the appropriate instructional information represented by the indicia on a given surface for the particular program employed by the computing system.