Abstract: The invention provides an improved method and system for presenting television signals, including anti-aliasing of text with respect to a background. The background color is determined relatively locally for each element to be anti-aliased, and text or other graphics overlaid on that background are anti-aliased with respect to each relatively local background color. Also, anti-aliasing can be applied to blur text and graphics more vertically than horizontally to reduce flicker, and to blur chrominance more than luminance to reduce cross-chrominance artifacts resulting from Y/C separation. Similar techniques may be used for filtering images in addition to anti-aliasing text characters.

Abstract: A microsystem comprises a flexible foil, a plurality of semiconductor elements embedded in said flexible foil, and a connection line arranged substantially on said flexible foil and used for electrically connecting at least two semiconductor elements. For producing the microsystem, electronic components are first integrated in a semiconductor layer provided on a wafer. Subsequently, the semiconductor areas which are not required between the electronic components are etched away, whereupon the flexible foil is applied. A connection line is then applied to the flexible foil so as to interconnect the individual semiconductor elements. Finally, the semiconductor is etched away from the back so as to obtain the microsystem in the case of which the individual semiconductor elements are mechanically connected only by the flexible foil but no longer by the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: In accordance with this invention, a remote control for an interactive media can include a printed publication and/or a storage media and/or a data button. One embodiment of a remote control includes a printed publication (such as a book, magazine or a catalog) and one or more buttons physically attached to the printed publication to allow users to remotely control use of associated electronic content by a host device. Another embodiment of a remote control has a housing capable of removably holding a storage media encoded with electronic content associated with a button of the remote control. Yet another embodiment of a remote control has at least one data button which permits the user to select the data to be displayed by the host device. An autostart driver in the host device detects insertion of a storage media into a peripheral and automatically starts an application. The application interprets button codes transmitted by the remote control and displays the results or initiates other events.

Abstract: A network of point of presence servers sharing a hostname includes a first network probe server configured to determine traffic loads of a plurality of customer web servers, and configured to determine latency of web cache servers in the network of point of presence servers, each of the customer web servers storing a web page, a first domain name server coupled to the first network probe server, configured to receive a request from a user for the web page at a first web address, the first web address including the hostname, configured to determine a customer web server from the plurality of customer web servers that is appropriate for the request, the customer web server having a traffic load lower than traffic loads of remaining customer web servers from the plurality of customer web servers, configured to determine an IP address of the customer web server, configured to return the IP address of the customer web server, configured to receive a request from the user for static content on the web page at a sec

Abstract: A device for detecting X-radiation comprises a scintillator for converting X-radiation impinging thereon into light, a detecting device for detecting the light produced by the scintillator, and a fibre optic system for feeding the light produced by the scintillator to the detecting device. The device for detecting X-radiation is additionally provided with a heating means for heating at least one section of the fibre optic system to a predetermined temperature while the X-radiation is being detected.

Abstract: Name Type Value Storage (“NTV”) provides a very flexible technique for storing data for use in the Internet and in World Wide Web based applications. NTV provides a list of values or names, referred to as triplets, that is used to identify a correspondence. In the triplet, NTV provides both an identifier and a name of a type, where a type can be one of several things, e.g. a type can be an integer, a floating point number, a string, an array of any of those values, or an another NTV object. A third part of the triplet is the actual value itself, which is stored in its native type.

Abstract: An optical detector has at least one image sensor element that generates an image sensor element output signal according to the illumination incident on the element. A readout amplifier for the one or each image sensor element is switchable between a plurality of amplification stages for amplifying the respective image sensor element output signal. An amplification switch is provided for comparing the image sensor element output signal with at least one given threshold value before the signal is amplified by the readout amplifier and for switching between the amplification stages of the readout amplifier depending on the result of the comparison. The optical detector has a first output signal indicating the amplified image sensor element output signal and a second output signal indicating the amplification stage to which the amplifier is switched.

Abstract: A self-test electronic assembly performs self-testing, such as diagnostic or run-in testing of components and circuits, based upon internally stored test procedures. The results of self-testing are stored internally to the device, providing valuable information regarding the self-test electronic assembly, both during the manufacturing process, and preferably for ongoing in-situ operation. A test system is preferably linked to one or more self-test electronic assemblies, and provides loopback circuitry for each installed self-test electronic assembly, whereby the self-test electronic assemblies can further test components, circuitry, and security encoding and decoding operation. The preferred test rack also provides efficient and consistent monitoring and quality control over the self-testing of self-test electronic assemblies.

Abstract: A trusted agent server provides a networked application that assists a customer in managing their online commercial affairs. A user contacts the server using a network access device, such as a browser on a personal computer. The trusted agent client component augments the user's network access device to perform business transactions on behalf of the user. The user controls these transactions through the trusted agent server. A trusted agent service is a trusted agent client component application which operates in conjunction with the trusted agent server. The trusted agent service is an Internet-based mechanism that makes single-click buying available on any commercial Web site. The trusted agent also provides customers with access to personal and credit card information used during single-click transactions, smart receipts used for ongoing customer support, merchant and product preference settings, and direct response product offerings keyed to these preferences.

Abstract: In the astrolabe herein, both the rete and the plate rotate, although around different centers. The stars are drawn onto the plate, and the coordinate system is represented by the rete. In contrast to the conventional astrolabe, where the stars and the coordinate system are projected onto a plane parallel with the earth's equator, the improved astrolabe projects stars and the coordinate system using a stereographic projection onto a plane parallel with the plane of the ecliptic. This projection puts the celestial pole at the center of the rete, and the line orthogonal to the ecliptic is projected onto the center of the plate, which points about 23.5 degrees off the earth's axis. As with a conventional astrolabe, the rete is rotated to represent the sidereal motion of the stars. In contrast to the conventional astrolabe, the plate may also be rotated to represent the precession of the earth's axis.

Abstract: A continuous stream of formatted digital data, such as a video segment, audio segment, or information stream, appears to be a fixed length segment under certain circumstances, defining a virtual segment within the continuous stream which moves forward in time in synchrony with the continuous stream. The virtual segment thus defined can be explored in a non-linear fashion at arbitrary playback rates. For instance, concepts such as rewind, pause, frame advance, and fast forward become meaningful even though the continuous stream never ceases.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for efficiently managing the allocation of available data capacity on a physically shared digital network among devices connected to that network is disclosed. Also disclosed is a method and apparatus for managing the ongoing timely movement of data on the shared network such that precise long-term data rates are achieved between attached devices with minimal additional buffering. The invention further comprises a method and apparatus which allows the use of any remaining network capacity for non time-critical data movement without the need for centralized access management.

Abstract: A multimedia time warping system. The invention allows the user to store selected television broadcast programs while the user is simultaneously watching or reviewing another program. A preferred embodiment of the invention accepts television (TV) input streams in a multitude of forms, for example, National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) or PAL broadcast, and digital forms such as Digital Satellite System (DSS), Digital Broadcast Services (DBS), or Advanced Television Standards Committee (ATSC). The TV streams are converted to an Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG) formatted stream for internal transfer and manipulation and are parsed and separated it into video and audio components. The components are stored in temporary buffers. Events are recorded that indicate the type of component that has been found, where it is located, and when it occurred. The program logic is notified that an event has occurred and the data is extracted from the buffers.

Abstract: An analog video tagging and encoding system is disclosed. The invention inserts an analog tag frame into the analog video stream such that the luminance (Y) values are made to approach zero, i.e., black, allowing a potential tag frame to be quickly identified. Tag information is then encoded as a structured color pattern into the chrominance (Cb and Cr) portions of the frame, making the tag itself invisible to the casual viewer and contains program start/stop information, program segment identification, or data downloads. The color pattern is chosen such that when it is converted into digital form according to the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) standard. In a simple embodiment of the invention, the structured analog color pattern may appear as a pattern of colored blocks aligned with the macroblock segmentation performed on the analog signal by the MPEG encoding process.

Abstract: A collaborative computing system that permits the use of network and platform independent applications, and is easily customized. A conference engine provides a network interface between applications and the network, so that applications can be written independent of the network or platform. The conference engine provides both networking and conference management functions. The applications are organized into application modules, each of which provides a discrete collaborative computing function. The application modules use a library of collaboration commands to provide collaborative computing functions to the conference engine, and connect to the conference engine via inter process control mechanisms. The application modules can, in turn, be customized by user interface modules, which customize the user interface of the application modules and permit application module-independent user interfaces.

Abstract: A session navigation and recording system for a computer environment automatically records every web page that the user visits, thus preserving the context of the paths and allowing the user to view all of the paths traversed in a session which are placed in a file. The user navigates through the saved session paths using a session history toolbar which allows the user to navigate through any selected session path and provides controls for backward, forward, pause, and record commands. Sessions can be automatically executed by the user with a time delay between each task. The user can edit and display any session path. Pages may be marked for different levels of priorities and also for aging, i.e. marked to expire within a certain time span or by a certain date. The user also creates a custom path comprised of web pages, macros, filters, search queries, email, and any object that can be acted upon, including other application programs and may also be combined with all or part of a session path.

Abstract: A digital object ownership system is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of user terminals, where each terminal is accessible by at least one individual user. The system also includes at least one central computer system that is capable of communicating with each of the user terminals. A plurality of digital objects are provided, where each of the digital objects has a unique object identification code. Each of the digital objects are assigned to an owner. The digital objects are persistent, such that each of the digital objects is accessible by a particular user both when the user's terminal is in communication with the central computer system and also when the user's terminal is not in communication with the central computer system. The digital objects have utility in connection with communication over a network in that the object requires both the presence of the object identification code and proof of ownership.

Abstract: A method and system for generating a database query language request for performing a join between a plurality of database tables including a first database table and a second database table. The first table includes a first plurality of fields and the second database table includes a second plurality of fields, where each one of the plurality of fields has a particular meaning. The method and system includes providing a plurality of expressions that communicate the meaning of the each of the fields in the first and second plurality of fields. A user then submits a query requesting information from the tables in the form of a conjunction of literals. Each of the literals are then mapped to all matching expressions to provide a list of fields to be queried. The list of fields includes a first field from the first table and a second field from the second table, such that the mapping indicates that the first and second fields have the same meaning.