Abstract: Convergent playback of buffered content to real-time content play. A content viewing system is provided including a content player operative to receive a content stream from a content source, a content viewer operative to receive the content from the content player, and a buffer into which the content player may store the received content and from which the player may provide the stored content to the content viewer, where the content player is operative to buffer the content stream to the buffer responsive to a request to pause play of the content stream, and retrieve the content from the buffer for playback of the buffered content stream responsive to a request to resume play of the content stream, thereby emptying the buffer, where the buffer is emptied at a faster rate than the rate at which the content stream is buffered, and the rate at which the buffer is emptied varies.

Abstract: Provides convergent playback of buffered content to real-time content play A content viewing system includes a content player to receive a content stream from a content source, a content viewer to receive the content from the content player, and a buffer into which the content player may store the received content and from which the player may provide the stored content to the content viewer, where the content player is operative to buffer the content stream to the buffer responsive to a request to pause play of the content stream, and retrieve the content from the buffer for playback of the buffered content stream responsive to a request to resume play of the content stream, thereby emptying the buffer, where the buffer is emptied at a faster rate than the rate at which the content stream is buffered, and the rate at which the buffer is emptied varies.

Abstract: Convergent playback of buffered content to real-time content play. A content viewing system is provided including a content player operative to receive a content stream from a content source, a content viewer operative to receive the content from the content player, and a buffer into which the content player may store the received content and from which the player may provide the stored content to the content viewer, where the content player is operative to buffer the content stream to the buffer responsive to a request to pause play of the content stream, and retrieve the content from the buffer for playback of the buffered content stream responsive to a request to resume play of the content stream, thereby emptying the buffer, where the buffer is emptied at a faster rate than the rate at which the content stream is buffered, and the rate at which the buffer is emptied varies.

Abstract: Determining image block significance based on region contrast, including partitioning an image into multiple regions of at least one pixel each, pairing any region with an unpaired, adjoining region, calculating a similarity value for any region pair, merging paired regions of any pair into a single region, where the region pair to be merged has a predefined similarity value, thereby creating a new image partition of multiple regions, repeatedly performing the preceding steps, thereby obtaining a sequence of image partitions, selecting within the image an image sub-area of a predefined size and shape, identifying a partition in the sequence in which the image sub-area is covered by any region to the extent of a predefined coverage measure, and calculating a region contrast significance value of the image sub-area as a value which is proportional to the position of the identified partition in the sequence.

Abstract: A method for adapting a game session on a first device for continued play on a second device, the method including establishing a game session on a first device, scaling the functionality of the game within the game session, and continuing the game session with the scaled game functionality on a second device.

Abstract: A method for analyzing an image includes constructing a graph to represent an object appearing in the image, and generating a string of symbols corresponding to the graph. The string is processed so as to classify the object.

Abstract: Provides convergent playback of buffered content to real-time content play A content viewing system includes a content player to receive a content stream from a content source, a content viewer to receive the content from the content player, and a buffer into which the content player may store the received content and from which the player may provide the stored content to the content viewer, where the content player is operative to buffer the content stream to the buffer responsive to a request to pause play of the content stream, and retrieve the content from the buffer for playback of the buffered content stream responsive to a request to resume play of the content stream, thereby emptying the buffer, where the buffer is emptied at a faster rate than the rate at which the content stream is buffered, and the rate at which the buffer is emptied varies.

Abstract: Determining image block significance based on region contrast, including partitioning an image into multiple regions of at least one pixel each, pairing any region with an unpaired, adjoining region, calculating a similarity value for any region pair, merging paired regions of any pair into a single region, where the region pair to be merged has a predefined similarity value, thereby creating a new image partition of multiple regions, repeatedly performing the preceding steps, thereby obtaining a sequence of image partitions, selecting within the image an image sub-area of a predefined size and shape, identifying a partition in the sequence in which the image sub-area is covered by any region to the extent of a predefined coverage measure, and calculating a region contrast significance value of the image sub-area as a value which is proportional to the position of the identified partition in the sequence.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing fast forward and backward preview in an incoming sequence of video frames automatically select the representative frames from the video in accordance with the video content Respective representative frames FR are displayed for a longer time period than that dictated by the display speed. The representative frames are selected sufficiently rarely to facilitate the user's perception and to reduce the effect of fatigue. On the other hand, the selected frames adequately represent the initial video content. In a preferred embodiment, the method does not demand the preprocessing of the video, possesses a small buffer memory, and allows selection of the representative frames in streaming fashion. This reduces the blinking that commonly occurs with hitherto-proposed approaches.

Abstract: A method for analyzing an image includes constructing a graph to represent an object appearing in the image, and generating a string of symbols corresponding to the graph. The string is processed so as to classify the object.