Abstract: A system comprises a movie clip environment in which a movie clip object is defined, and a native application that is external to the movie clip environment. The native application renders an image to an off-screen surface of the system. A composition manager is responsive to communications from the movie clip object to control where the off-screen surface is to be rendered on a display screen. The composition manager may be responsive to communications from the movie clip object to direct the native application to control one or more properties of the image of the off-screen surface.

Abstract: A system aids composited graphics rendering. A script and corresponding virtual machine engine code may be stored in memory. An off-screen buffer is generated in the memory by the script. The off-screen buffer includes an extended stage having first a buffer portion. The buffer portion may include pre-rendered graphical object. An on-screen buffer may include a composition of the pre-rendered graphical objects of the extended stage. The script renders a graphical change to the on-screen buffer using independent block copying, from the extended stage to corresponding target areas in the on-screen buffer, of one or more of the pre-rendered graphics of the extended stage area affected by the graphical changes.

Abstract: A system aids composited graphics rendering. A script and corresponding virtual machine engine code may be stored in memory. An off-screen buffer is generated in the memory by the script. The off-screen buffer includes an extended stage having first a buffer portion. The buffer portion may include pre-rendered graphical object. An on-screen buffer may include a composition of the pre-rendered graphical objects of the extended stage. The script renders a graphical change to the on-screen buffer using independent block copying, from the extended stage to corresponding target areas in the on-screen buffer, of one or more of the pre-rendered graphics of the extended stage area affected by the graphical changes.

Abstract: A system comprises a movie clip environment in which a movie clip object is defined, and a native application that is external to the movie clip environment. The native application renders an image to an off-screen surface of the system. A composition manager is responsive to communications from the movie clip object to control where the off-screen surface is to be rendered on a display screen. The composition manager may be responsive to communications from the movie clip object to direct the native application to control one or more properties of the image of the off-screen surface.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for automatic camera health monitoring, such as for a camera in a video surveillance system. The system preferably provides substantially continuous monitoring and detection of camera malfunction, due to either external or internal conditions. Camera malfunction is detected when a computed camera health measurement exceeds a malfunction threshold. The camera health measurement is computed based on a comparison of a current camera health record to a plurality of stored camera health records obtained in a learning mode, which characterize known states of normal camera operation. Aside from monitoring camera health, methods of the present invention can also be used to detect an object being added to or removed from a scene, or to detect a change in lighting in a scene, possibly caused by a defective light fixture.

Abstract: A method and system for encoding and recording data in a multi-stream format when the data is initially captured. The multiple streams of data can be combined to provide a high quality, or high resolution, representation, while a reduced subset of the streams can provide a lower quality, or lower resolution, representation. Data storage requirements can be reduced, by deleting one or more of the streams, when there is no longer a need for retention of the data at the higher quality.

Abstract: A method and apparatus forming a user interface for examining and retrieving audio/video/data content from digital video recorders. This includes an improved time period selection mechanism, a rich array of temporal data presentations, such as timelines, lists, and thumbnail images, and a unified method of displaying content from either a direct stream or downloaded files. Summary information is provided relating to undownloaded content based on a selected time period.

Abstract: A system for monitoring broadcast channels, includes a device for receiving a plurality of broadcast channels, a central search engine operable to search the received channels for a match with a pre-stored profile, a central memory connected to the search engine for storing the profile, and a plurality of user terminals connected to the search engine over a network. The search engine is responsive to commands from the user terminals to store the profiles to be searched in the memory in association with the identity of the user terminal from which the command was received. A device sends an alert signal over the network when a match is found with a pre-stored profile to the user terminal associated with the pre-stored profile. The alert signal identifies the broadcast channel matching the pre-stored profile.

Abstract: A method of detecting video sequences involves creating on-the-fly candidate digital signatures uniquely characteristic of successive groups of frames in accordance with a predetermined algorithm. The candidate digital signatures are compared with at least one signature of a stored sequence created in accordance with the predetermined algorithm. A candidate is identified as corresponding to the stored sequence in the event of a positive match.

Abstract: A method of processing a video stream, involves contemporaneously selecting first and second pairs of frames in the video stream with a predetermined period. The second pairs of frames have a longer period than the first pair. For each of the first and second pairs of frames, there is determined a difference value representing the number of pixels whose value has changed between the first and second frames of the pair. A particular logic level is generated depending on whether this difference value exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A system for monitoring standard broadcast signals, comprises a device for receiving the broadcast signals, a user-operable selection device for inputting criteria identifying program content of interest to the user, a database for storing data representing the criteria, and a recognition device for generating from the broadcast signals a program data stream representative of the program content. A comparator for compares the program data with the stored data, and an output device carries out a predetermined action, such recording a segment of the program, when the program data matches the stored data. The system will, for example, activate a window on a multimedia PC when preselected program material is present in the broadcast signals.