Abstract: Methods of and systems for entering ambiguous text input via a linear character selection display are provided. A system for entering an alphanumeric string includes presentation logic for displaying on a presentation device an alphabet arranged into a row of letters and indication logic for presenting visual cues grouping a series of letters of the row into a cluster. The system also includes navigation logic for receiving user actions to move the visual cues along the row of letters to change the letters grouped into the cluster. The visual cues move along the row of letters in variable offsets based on a rate of input of the user actions. The system further includes selection logic for receiving user actions to select the cluster of letters to cause at least one of the letters of the selected cluster to be displayed in a string field.

Abstract: A method (400) for online collaboration among users at different locations sharing common motion imagery (302). The method involves storing data defining the motion imagery (MID) in a data store (104) associated with a motion image server (MIS) and communicating the motion imagery to a first client device (FCD). The method also involves generating at the FCD (106) an annotation (304, . . . , 308) capable of being displayed together with the motion imagery. The annotation is defined by metadata distinct from the MID and containing information to associate the metadata with the motion imagery. The method further involves communicating the metadata to the MIS (102), storing the metadata in the data store, and communicating the MID and the metadata to a second client device (SCD). The SCD (108) selectively displays the annotation together with the motion imagery in response to an input command of a second user.

Abstract: A widget engine renders widgets using operating system platform-specific attributes. A widget application written at least partly in platform non-specific code is rendered by the widget engine through a series of system calls and callbacks. Upon interpreting particular code, the widget engine issues a system call to a module for performing a particular type of action. The module, based on the operating system platform, calls a platform-specific library that specifies how to carry out the action according to the operating system platform. Thereafter, using the returned platform-specific data, the widget engine renders the widget.

Abstract: Examples of a method and system for collaborative and private sessions are provided. A cursor movement request may be received from at least two users of a plurality of users of a collaborative session during a time period. The cursor may move on a common interface according to the cursor movement request from a first user selected from the at least two users that has satisfied a movement criterion. A completion criterion and a private session parameter may be designated for a private session. A number of user interactions may be processed from a participant of the private session. The private shopping session may be terminated for the participant when the completion criterion is satisfied.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for providing improved wizard navigation. A roadmap for the wizard is provided that enables non-sequential navigation through the wizard. Wizard steps that are not enabled for user interaction may be available for viewing by the user in a disabled mode, in which the user controls are deactivated and explanatory text may be added. The roadmap may also be dynamically updated according to user interaction with the wizard. Branches or loops of the wizard may be indicated in the roadmap to guide the user as to the structure of the wizard. In response to the user input, the roadmap may be instantly updated to reflect the revised structure of the wizard after the user input. User input may also be used to update a title of a roadmap stop. Enabled/disabled or visited/unvisited status of the roadmap stops may also be indicated.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for presenting digital images using a plurality of digital media frames separated spatially along at least two axes. In one aspect the method comprises the steps of obtaining the digital images to be presented determining the multi-dimensional relationship between the digital media frames analyzing the digital images and any associated metadata to assign an image perspective determination to each of the digital images and determining an arrangement of the digital images for presentation on the plurality of the digital media frames according to the multi-dimensional relationship between the digital media frames and according to the determined image perspectives.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention allows an operator to identify a specific article of online-content to be reconstructed and displayed, and specify a duration of time to be used when graphically representing what areas of the visual stimuli were actually visible to the user. First, the operator selects an article of online-content based on its original network address, or from a substitute name from a database that contains a record of all online-content visited by the original user. Next, the operator enters a specific duration of time to reconstruct, preferably by using slider-bar, a timeline equal to duration, preferably the maximum duration, that the online content was visible to the original user. Next, the user selects from various compositions that can be used to represent the visual stimuli as it was originally displayed to the user.

Abstract: Methods and systems for displaying a network structure using force-directed layout are provided. The network includes a plurality of nodes, each node including an associated slack parameter having a value. The method including selecting a central time-directed axis, positioning each network node along the axis using the associated slack parameter value of the network node to determine a distance from the central time-directed axis, and applying force-directed computations to sets of concurrent nodes.

Abstract: A method, of composing a software application having a user interface, includes receiving input relating to a plurality of tasks and defining a task model of a process, the plurality of tasks including at least one user task to be performed by a user of the application; automatically identifying a plurality of user interface templates by identifying at least one user interface template associated with at least a subset of the plurality of tasks; and creating a user interface model for an application using the plurality of user interface templates.

Abstract: Techniques for anti-aliasing of graphical objects. A graphical object to be displayed on a display image may be modified to include a border region at least partially surrounding the object. The color of the border region may be selected based on the color of the background over which the graphical object is to be displayed. The graphical object is linearly filtered. The linearly filtered graphical object is displayed on a display device.

Abstract: System and method for distributed execution of a graphical program. First and second icons associated with respective execution targets are displayed on a display. Each icon has an interior and specifies execution of a respective graphical program portion positioned in the interior of the icon on the respective execution target. First and second graphical program portions are respectively displayed in the interiors of the first and second icons, where each graphical program portion comprises a respective one or more interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program portion. One or more wires connecting the first graphical program portion and the second graphical program portion are display. During execution of the graphical program, the first and second graphical program portions execute respectively on the first and second execution targets, and the first graphical program portion and the second graphical program portion communicate as specified by the one or more wires.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that replace a separate reset pin in a bus with a reset command that guarantees a system recovery. The system comprises a host component circuitry residing on a first chip and a client component circuitry residing on a second, different chip. A bus connects the host component circuitry to the client component circuitry. The host component circuitry is configured to transfer an initial client value associated with a client component time period to the client component circuitry over the bus on a periodic time basis. The periodic time basis is dictated by a host component time period and the client component time period is greater than the host component time period. The client component circuitry is configured to initiate a reset procedure if the client component time period expires which indicates that the initial client value was not received at a next time on the periodic time basis dictated by the host component time period.

Abstract: A method is performed by an electronic communication device. The method includes storing electronic messages, and storing criteria for determining whether a stored message is related to a current message. A current electronic message is displayed to a user of the communication device, including the current message's outside address and message body. The relevance of each of the stored messages to the current message is assessed based on the previously-stored criteria. Those messages that meet the criteria are selected and displayed along with the current message.

Abstract: There is provided a method for customizing a customizable theme of a user interface of a communication device. The user interface includes a plurality of screens having one or more modifiable screen attributes.

Abstract: Radio client/server architectures and graphical user interfaces for toolbars and explorer bars utilized in conjunction with Web browsers providing streaming-media content are disclosed. In one aspect of the present invention, the graphical user interface is of a Web browser with a radio toolbar that displays one or more buttons capable of controlling a source of streaming media. The graphical user interface can also include a menu bar, a standard-buttons toolbar, an address toolbar, horizontal or vertical explorer bars, a links toolbar and/or a status bar. The architecture aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of computer-executable components. One component is a radio server that plays a radio source of streaming-media. Another component is an interface for communicating with the radio server. A third component is at least one radio-client that communicates through the interface in order to provide instructions to the radio server.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for scheduling and reserving virtual meeting locations in a calendaring application. Participants use a calendaring application to schedule meetings. If the meeting takes place in a location within the virtual persistent world, then the calendaring application sends the meeting information, including virtual user IDs of the invitees, meeting location, and other virtual world requirements or parameters for the meeting, to a software agent. The software agent receives the meeting information and generates a script for creating the meeting location and a script for destroying the meeting location.

Abstract: A method includes retrieving a plurality of data extractors to extract data across a plurality of business applications. The plurality data extractors are executed to generate a plurality of individual results sets. The plurality of individual results sets are combined into a combined result set. A rule is applied to the combined result set to detect a procedural deficiency across the plurality of business application.

Abstract: A display device may include a display unit, a touch detecting unit that detects a touch on the display unit, a touch-position detecting unit that detects a touch position on the touch detecting unit and outputs coordinate data of the position, a display control unit that causes the display unit to provide dual view display of an image and display a menu image, a menu generating unit that generates first and second top menus, and a control unit that performs control to display the top menus in different positions on a screen of the display unit, to determine, on the basis of the coordinate data from the touch-position detecting unit, which of the top menus has been touched, to enable operations on one of the top menus that has been touched, and to disable operations on the other one of the top menus.

Abstract: A resource manager receives selection of a particular icon from an expandable tree of icons displayed in a first region of a display screen. The selected particular icon represents a corresponding group of resources associated with a storage area network. In response to receiving the selection, the resource manager displays a set of selectable view mode icons in a second region of the display screen. The set of selectable view mode icons enable a user to select different subsets of resources from the corresponding group of resources in the first region for viewing in a table. The table is also displayed in the second region of the display screen. After initially populating the table, the resource manager provides the selectable view mode icons in the second region of the display screen along with the table to enable further selection of different subsets of resources for viewing in the table.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing flash based online identities is disclosed. For example, the present invention applies a multimedia animation component such as a Flash component in the present avatars architecture. In one embodiment, each avatar is represented using a plurality of layers, where each layer employs at least two objects. Using two objects for each layer allows the present invention to minimize flicking when the avatar is animated.