Abstract: The current invention describes a virtual machine designed to run on a variety of platforms of varied capabilities, and in particular describes support in the coding and development environment for assessing and managing the variation in capability and performance among the platforms.

Abstract: Method, system and computer program product for replacing a portion of a digital signal by applying a first difference correction that, after range limiting, converts the samples in the replacement portion to extremum values; then applying a second difference correction based on the difference between the extremum values and the desired replacement values. The first and second sets of correction values are thus independent of the original values in the first digital signal.

Abstract: Method, system and computer program product for replacing a portion of a digital signal by applying a first difference correction that, after range limiting, converts the samples in the replacement portion to extremum values; then applying a second difference correction based on the difference between the extremum values and the desired replacement values. The first and second sets of correction values are thus independent of the original values in the first digital signal.

Abstract: A computer implemented graphical user interface and data processing method is provided that facilitates manipulation of objects on a display by directly manipulating a graphic representation of an active area of data. The user can select an active region of a larger information area, reposition it relative to the information area, resize it and zoom in or out by directly manipulating the graphic representation of the active area.

Abstract: Methods and systems of using a single MPEG frame to produce a fade effect that extends over more than one frame period. An example system includes a computer-based device that includes a receiver that receives an MPEG formatted image from a source system over a network, a component that modifies a sequence header of the received MPEG formatted image based on a predetermined fade event, and a decoder that decodes the MPEG formatted image with the modified sequence header. Also, the system includes a display device that displays the decoded image.

Abstract: Systems and methods for encoding a sub-image, using conventional MPEG encoding technique, to generate a special image file that is smaller than the equivalent full-frame image file. This special image file can be used to regenerate any of a multiplicity of full-sized encoded image files, each of which results in the display of the sub-frame image at one of a multiplicity of positions within the full-sized image frame.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer-program products for encoding an image so that a portion of the image can be extracted without requiring modification of any of the encoded data. A valid MPEG I-frame sequence is generated from the portion of the image, then fed directly to an MPEG decoder for decompression and display.

Abstract: Thin horizontal lines and edges are vulnerable to flickering on an interlaced monitor. To reduce flickering filtering is adaptively applied to the pixels of lines or edges to reduce the flicker energy or contrast of the pixel to a level less than a threshold energy or contrast necessary for flickering under the local conditions. The flicker energy or contrast is a function of the luminance of the line pixel and vertically adjacent background pixels, the number of intensity transitions in the vertical vicinity of the line, and the line length. Adaptive filtering by the described method is computationally conservative and does not adversely effect the detail in the remainder of the image.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing synopsis information to a program recipient for a program currently being presented. Synopsis information is provided for a program currently being presented from a starting point of the program to at least a point of the program currently being presented. The synopsis information is received and decoded so that the synopsis information is provideable to the program recipient. The synopsis information is provided to the program recipient when the program recipient indicates the program recipient wishes to have the synopsis information provided.

Abstract: The current invention describes a virtual machine designed to run on a variety of platforms of varied capabilities, and in particular describes support in the coding and development environment for assessing and managing the variation in capability and performance among the platforms.

Abstract: The current invention describes a software methodology for simulating a virtual machine based upon a platform configuration which specifies in detail the capability of the qualitatively and quantitatively variable features of the hardware and software platforms being simulated. The configuration is used during the execution of the simulator to control the simulation process to faithfully mimic the behavior of a variety of platforms.

Abstract: A method for inserting an identification modulation code into a printed image. The method has the steps of inserting a start code modulation sequence, followed by the code modulation sequence, and then a stop code modulation sequence. The code is preferably repeated several times throughout the printed image. The modulation sequence can have several levels of subpixel modulation magnitude.

Abstract: A method for processing saturated video intervals in a video sequence. The method either removes or retains the saturated interval. If the interval is removed, the sequence is altered to accommodate the removal. The accommodation is either complete elimination, substitution of a derived interval, or substitution by repeating adjacent intervals. If the interval is retained, information is extracted while limiting the effects of the saturation. The interval can either be encoded with lower data rates, with increased data rates being applied to subsequent intervals, the temporal prediction encoding can be forced to a B interval, an I interval can be inserted, or the sequence restarted, or a coupled encoder decoder system can be set up that uses the same transform and clipping steps to limit the effects of saturation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for low-delay conversion of 3:2 pulldown video to progressive format with field averaging is disclosed. The method considers 3:2 pulldown interlaced video that represents a four-frame motion picture film sequence as a ten-field interlaced video field sequence of three, two, three, two video fields per motion picture frame respectively for the four-frame sequence. One step of the method is the step of creating a ten-frame progressive video frame sequence, having a delay of approximately one field time with respect to the ten-field interlaced video sequence. This step is achieved by combining at one field time intervals a top field and a bottom field from the ten-field interlaced video sequence, where, at the time of combination, the top field and the bottom field are the most recently available top and bottom fields corresponding to the same motion picture film frame.

Abstract: An image parameter adjustment system for use with a video display having a display surface area. A video image processing unit is connected to the video display and adapted to control the appearance of a video image displayed on the video display. The appearance of the image is controlled, at least in part, by the value of at least one user-adjustable display parameter. The video image processing unit includes an adjustment mode in which the image processing unit is configured to control the appearance of the video image by varying, over the display surface area, the value of the user-adjustable parameter in a range around a current value so that a viewer can see the effect that changing the value of the adjustable parameter in either direction would have on the displayed video image.