Abstract: An in-line method for optically inspecting transparent or translucent containers (3) comprises illuminating each container with a light source that presents light intensity variation in a periodic pattern along at least a first variation direction. A number N greater than or equal to three of images of the container traveling in front of the light source and occupying N different respective positions along the travel path is taken. Between taking successive images, a relative shift between the container and the periodic pattern is created. A geometrical transformation is determined and applied in order to put the pixels belonging to the container in the N successive images of the same container into coincidence. A phase image for each container is constructed using the N registered images of the container. The phase image is analyzed in order to deduce therefrom at least the presence of defects or the quality of the container.

Abstract: A business intelligence (BI) document preserves references to identities and formats of remote data sources and allows a local computing device to offload analytical operations to remote data sources. The BI document specifies a graph of entities connected by directed edges from the output of one entity to an input of another entity. An entity, for example, can represent without limitation a data structure, an external data source, a control element, an external event source, a visualization, or an update service. The entities of a BI document at a local computing device can reference data at an original data source—rather than extracting data from the original data source to a preferred local datastore. An entity of the BI document can direct a remote data source to execute transformations on the remote data before returning a solution to the local computing device.

Abstract: Interactive and dynamic exploring of filter criteria for large amounts of numerical data having multiple dimensions is described. Exploration occurs without excessive amounts of computation or querying of a database based on a data set summary that may be obtained from a server in a search system and applied by a client device. A data set is summarized so as to capture relationships between distributions of items in the data set along multiple dimensions. To explore filter criteria, a user may interactively adjust a range of values that act as a filter criteria along a dimension and determine an effect on a distribution of items along another dimension. The client device may apply the data summary in reverse to determine, based on user input specifying aspects of a distribution along one dimension, filter criteria for another dimension that would result in the specified distribution.

Abstract: The compilation a transformation chain of a recalculation user interface that displays an electronic canvas that contains one or more displayed result of a transformation chain. The transformation chain includes transforms between a respective data source and data sink. User editing of the recalculation user interface could cause one or more of the transforms to be re-executed, thereby causing recalculation. The compilation involves analyzing the transformation chain of the recalculation user interface for dependencies to create a dependency graph of dependencies between entities. For instance, some dependencies might be between entities so as to indicate that if one entity is evaluated, then the other should be also. The dependency graph is then used to create a lower level of execution steps. The dependency graph is further provided to a runtime for the program, so that the dependency graph may be available during operation of the recalculation user interface.

Abstract: The incremental compiling of a recalculation user interface. As an example, the recalculation user interface may be a spreadsheet program although the principles may apply to an visualization of data sinks that are interconnected to data sources via a transformation chain. The transformation chain includes multiple declarative transformations. A dependency graph is generated through analysis of the declarative transformations of the transformation chain. As the user interacts with the recalculation user interface, the user may cause one or more changes to the transformation chain. The dependencies associated with the transformations may be identified and may be largely isolated. The compiler may then compile that one or more affected dependencies, without compiling the entire recalculation user interface.

Abstract: Applications are managed in an interactive media environment by the creation of a logical model for the lifetime of an application. The model is applicable to concurrently and/or consecutively running applications and governs the creation of applications, manipulation of applications by other applications, resource consumption, visibility of an application to a user, and application shutdown in the interactive media environment using the construct of application “state.

Abstract: An interactive multimedia presentation has a predetermined presentation play duration, a video content component (which may include video, audio, data, or any combination thereof), and an interactive content component. Methods and systems for playing the presentation include specifying a time when a particular media object is renderable. The time is specifiable using an application instruction that references either a first timing signal having a rate that is based on the play speed of the presentation, or a second timing signal having a continuous rate. One example of an application instruction usable as described above is an element associated with an XML data structure. An attribute of the element, such as the clock attribute, may be used to provide time values for the element that reference either timing signal. The attribute is used to maintain frame-accurate synchronization between the video and the interactive content components of the presentation.

Abstract: An arrangement is provided where all applications in an interactive media environment run on a single application thread in a media player. Event queues are utilized to schedule the application thread's processing of workitems corresponding to events that occur in the environment. Workitems include methods to be invoked when the workitem is processed and arguments for the method. Workitems further include a begin time and an end time and are ordered in the event queue first by begin time followed by the order in which they were inserted into the queue. The application thread marks workitems whose begin times corresponds to the current or previous time and then processes marked workitems from the queue in order. Such processing is committed so that once the application thread begins processing of a workitem it does not stop. Workitems are dropped from the event queue if their end times have been passed.

Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for assisting users with presenting data using cinematic techniques. Embodiments of the invention can be used to infer and generate cinematic techniques or combinations thereof based on a model and user action. Cinematic techniques can be used to meet the data exploration and analysis requirements of a user. As such, embodiments of the invention assist users (including non-programmers) to employ cinematic techniques (possibly in combination with other techniques) to gain insights into their data and also convey appropriate emotional messages.

Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for using cinematic techniques to present data. Embodiments of the invention can be used to infer and generate cinematic techniques or combinations thereof based on a model and user action. Cinematic techniques can be used to meet the data exploration and analysis requirements of a user. As such, embodiments of the invention permit users (including non-programmers) to employ cinematic techniques (possibly in combination with other techniques) to gain insights into their data and also convey appropriate emotional messages.

Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for using cinematic technique taxonomies to present data. Embodiments of the invention can be used to infer and identify cinematic techniques or combinations thereof based on a model and user action. Cinematic techniques can be used to meet the data exploration and analysis requirements of a user. As such, embodiments of the invention permit users (including non-programmers) to employ cinematic techniques from a cinematic technique hierarchy (possibly in combination with other techniques) to gain insights into their data and also convey appropriate emotional messages.

Abstract: In an interactive media environment, a model is provided where applications, each comprising zero or more script components and zero or more markup components, are themselves handled as visual elements having a Z order. A resource-efficient rendering order is provided where the application that has focus in an interactive media environment (by virtue of its receipt of user events) is rendered first. The remaining applications are rendered in top down order, i.e., in reverse Z order. Rendering is performed by drawing into one or more graphics buffers associated with respective applications. Frames for applications are composited from the graphics buffers bottoms up, in Z order, to provide the display with the correct appearance.

Abstract: Techniques for representing and publishing an interactive document useful for analyzing data. The document may be represented as a directed acyclic graph of entities interconnected by edges. The entities may be of multiple types. Yet, a broad range of interactive documents may be represented by a limited number of types of entities and the capabilities to interconnect entities of different types and to share a data schema across entities of different types. A tool may enable a user to author such documents. The tool may also facilitate publishing of the document. For publishing, the document may be converted to an executable form. Prior to such a conversion, the graph may be modified for more efficient processing. The graph may also be partitioned such that portions of the graph, when distributed across tiers of a computing system, such as a cloud-based platform, execute on computing devices that provide efficient operation.

Abstract: A business intelligence (BI) document preserves references to identities and formats of remote data sources and allows a local computing device to offload analytical operations to remote data sources. The BI document specifies a graph of entities connected by directed edges from the output of one entity to an input of another entity. An entity, for example, can represent without limitation a data structure, an external data source, a control element, an external event source, a visualization, or an update service. The entities of a BI document at a local computing device can reference data at an original data source—rather than extracting data from the original data source to a preferred local datastore. An entity of the BI document can direct a remote data source to execute transformations on the remote data before returning a solution to the local computing device.

Abstract: Techniques for representing and publishing an interactive document useful for analyzing data. The document may be represented as a directed acyclic graph of entities interconnected by edges. The entities may be of multiple types. Yet, a broad range of interactive documents may be represented by a limited number of types of entities and the capabilities to interconnect entities of different types and to share a data schema across entities of different types. A tool may enable a user to author such documents. The tool may also facilitate publishing of the document. For publishing, the document may be converted to an executable form. Prior to such a conversion, the graph may be modified for more efficient processing. The graph may also be partitioned such that portions of the graph, when distributed across tiers of a computing system, such as a cloud-based platform, execute on computing devices that provide efficient operation.

Abstract: A graphical manipulation tool to create and/or make modifications to a graphical object suitable for visually representing data. The graphical manipulation tool analyzes the graphical object to determine parameters of visual characteristics of the graphical object that can be used to visually represent data. A computing system, through the graphical manipulation tool, may generate metadata that defines a capacity for visual characteristics to represent data. In some cases, a preview is displayed on a user interface indicating to a user how the metadata, if incorporated with the graphical object, may result in the visual characteristics of the graphical object being used to visually represent data. If incorporating the metadata with the graphical object is desirable, the user may provide to include the additional metadata with the graphical object.

Abstract: A complex solver that is able to solve a diverse variety of model analytics. Upon identifying the various input variable(s) and output variable(s) of the model variables, if a straight forward solve is not to be performed, it is determined whether the model analytics is to be inverted such that a forward solve can be performed. For instance, it might not be known generally, or at least to the solver, how to invert a particular equation of other model analytics. If the model analytics is to be inverted, the model analytics is inverted, and the forward solve is performed. On the other hand, if the inversion of the model analytics is not to be performed, then a numerical analysis solve is performed.

Abstract: The invention relates to an illumination device for a control station for determining the presence of defects on the image of the surface(s) of the collar of a transparent or translucent container. The inventive device comprises at least one illumination system quasi-constantly illuminating each point of a surface encompassing the collar surface(s) according to the totality or parts of incidences included in at least one part of a 2?-steradian solid angle and means for blocking at least one part of light beams which illuminate outside of the surface(s) of the collar and can bring about stray reflections in the collar image.

Abstract: In an interactive media environment, input events are distributed to a plurality of applications where each application includes zero or more script components and zero or more markup files and has a Z order which corresponds to the position of the applications' visual elements on a display. An input event processing order is utilized where the application that has focus in an interactive media environment (by virtue of its receipt of user events) is provided with the first opportunity to consume the input event. If the focused application does not consume the input event, it is then delivered to the remaining applications in top down, inverse Z order. Each application is enabled with the ability to consume an input event, pass it on to lower Z ordered applications, hide it from lower Z ordered applications, or otherwise handle it. Input event processing stops when an application consumes the input event.

Abstract: Interactive and dynamic exploring of filter criteria for large amounts of numerical data having multiple dimensions is described. Exploration occurs without excessive amounts of computation or querying of a database based on a data set summary that may be obtained from a server in a search system and applied by a client device. A data set is summarized so as to capture relationships between distributions of items in the data set along multiple dimensions. To explore filter criteria, a user may interactively adjust a range of values that act as a filter criteria along a dimension and determine an effect on a distribution of items along another dimension. The client device may apply the data summary in reverse to determine, based on user input specifying aspects of a distribution along one dimension, filter criteria for another dimension that would result in the specified distribution.