Abstract: Selecting a process from an information display by speaking, includes defining a bounded region on the information display, associating at least a part of the bounded region with a color, where the color is used to indicate that the process is speech-enabled and relating a command with at least one of the bounded region and the color. The command causes the process to be selected when spoken.

Abstract: The present invention provides for performing a prescription transaction through a portable healthcare device, including adjudication of the prescription. A prescription proposal is created by the portable healthcare device and transmitted to a benefits manager, where the proposal is immediately adjudicated. The adjudication results are prepared by an access server for reading at the portable healthcare device and are considered by the healthcare professional in generating a prescription. The prescription is sent into an end-to-end communication system that includes a real-time communication channel between the portable healthcare device and a remote prescription site. In addition, other aspects of the present invention relating to the adjudication in a prescription transaction.

Abstract: The present invention provides for controlling health information retrieval by monitoring consent afforded for a requested disclosure through a real-time network pathway. An access server is provided within a user system that receives requests for the health information generated from a portable healthcare device. The access server determines whether a corresponding consent has been provided by an authorization holder, and permits the health information to be accessed if the consent is found. When health information may be provided in response to the request, the access server communicates with a remote site that immediately processes the request and transmits the health information. In addition, other aspects of the present invention relate to the processing of requests for health information and monitoring of consent.

Abstract: The present invention provides for performing a prescription renewal transaction through a portable healthcare device, including providing prescription-related information with a request for renewal of the prescription. A renewal request is transmitted from a pharmacy site to a benefits manager, where the relevant prescription-related information is immediately added. The request is prepared by an access server for reading at the portable healthcare device and is considered by the healthcare professional in generating a decision to allow or disallow the renewal. This response is returned into an end-to-end communication system that includes a real-time communication channel to the remote prescription site. In addition, other aspects of the present invention relating to the renewal of a prescription.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes associating each of a quantity of numbers of a speech-enabled numbered list with an entry of a quantity of entries. The method also includes receiving, through a voice input, a selection of a number of the quantity of numbers. Additionally, the method includes obtaining data for the entry of the quantity of entries that is associated with the number.

Abstract: A method of translating a speech signal into text includes, limiting a language vocabulary to a subset of the language vocabulary, separating the subset into at least two contexts, associating the speech signal with at least one of said at least two contexts, and performing speech recognition within at least one of said at least two contexts, such that the speech signal is translated into text.

Abstract: A handheld device incorporating three (3) dual ported microphones and digital-signal-processing is described. A buffer is used to capture speech that may have occurred prior to a users depressing a press-to-talk switch. Dual switches are used to more readily accommodate both right-handed and left-handed people.

Abstract: An apparatus for converting digital video pixels from YVU format to RGB format includes first, second and third registers each of which is coupled to computer memory by a data bus. The computer memory has a plurality of tables and a plurality of YVU pixels stored therein. A controller is coupled to the registers and to the computer memory by the data bus. The controller converts pixels in YVU format to RGB format by performing a plurality of table look-up operations on the YVU pixels.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, computer system, and computer-readable medium for compressing a two-dimensional array of pixels. A plurality of first column pixel differences is generated by differencing successive pixels in a first column with a first pixel of the first column of the array. A plurality of row pixel differences is generated for each row of the array by differencing successive pixels in said each row with an adjacent previous pixel in said each row and a compressed digital video signal representative of the two-dimensional array of pixels is formed by compressing each first column pixel difference of the plurality of first column pixel differences and by compressing each row pixel difference of the plurality of row pixel differences for each row of the array.

Abstract: Image data to be processed multiple times for display is encoded to provide faster display processing. For example, an original image having pixels that may be either transparent or non-transparent may be displayed multiple times within a single display and/or over successive displays. Rather than having to determine pixel transparency on a pixel-by-pixel basis each and every time the image is to be processed for display, the original image is encoded to generate an encoded image. The encoding process involves grouping the original image pixels into sets and characterizing the transparencies of the pixels of each set. A code signal representing the results of the characterization of each set of pixels is then encoded into the encoded image, along with the original image pixels. Each time the original image data is to be processed for display, the encoded image rather than the original image is used as input to special transparency decode processing.

Abstract: An apparatus for converting digital video pixels from YVU format to RGB format includes first, second and third registers each of which is coupled to computer memory by a data bus. The computer memory has a plurality of tables and a plurality of YVU pixels stored therein. A controller is coupled to the registers and to the computer memory by the data bus. The controller converts pixels in YVU format to RGB format by performing a plurality of table look-up operations on the YVU pixels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying an image in a system having an image generation subsystem and an image display subsystem. The image generation subsystem provides digital data corresponding to the image. The image generation subsystem writes the digital data directly to a memory of the image display subsystem. The image display subsystem displays the digital data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying an image in a system having an image generation subsystem and an image display subsystem. The image generation subsystem provides digital data corresponding to the image in a first color format. The image generation subsystem then copies the first color format digital data to a memory of the image display subsystem. The image display subsystem converts the digital data from the first color format to a second color format and displays the converted digital data.

Abstract: A file-processing subsystem exports functionality to an application to select optional preloading of a file by the file-processing subsystem. The application optionally selects preloading of the file and the file-processing subsystem preloads the file in accordance with the optional selection by the application. In one embodiment, video frames may be preloaded from a video file, where preloading may include decompressing the video frames. In addition, the preloaded video frames may be retained in memory for repeated display.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying an image in a system having an image generation subsystem and an image display subsystem. The image generation subsystem provides digital data corresponding to the image and interrogates the image display subsystem to determine image display subsystem capabilities for at least one of (1) color format support, (2) access to an image display subsystem memory, and (3) window management. The image generation subsystem and the image display subsystem then process the digital data in accordance with the results of the interrogation. The image display subsystem then displays the processed digital data.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for decompressing a digital video signal representative of an input sequence of digital video frames, a digital video signal is provided to a video decompressor having a target frame decompression rate which is initially set at the maximum possible frame rate. The output of the video decompressor is monitored to determine whether the video decompressor is timely generating the output sequence of digital video frames. If the video decompressor is not timely generating the output sequence of digital video frames, then the video decompressor output is adjusted by omitting from the output sequence at least one frame from the input sequence. A frames missed value is generated in response to each group of one or more omitted frames, and deviations in the frames missed value are monitored. The target decompression rate of the video decompressor is selectively adjusted downward in response to deviations in the frames missed value.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for processing pixel images using conventional non-parallel processors. At least two values corresponding to at least two different pixels of the image are loaded into a register of a conventional non-parallel processor. An operation is then performed on the register, whereby the operation is applied to the multiple values in the register in parallel. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, vector dequantization is implemented on either 32-bit or 16-bit conventional non-parallel processors by (1) loading two (or more) pixel values corresponding to a previous image into a first register, (2) loading two pixel differences corresponding to a current image into a second register, and (3) generating two pixel values corresponding to the current image by generating the sum of the values in the first and second registers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying an image in a system having an image generation subsystem and an image display subsystem. The image generation subsystem is provided information regarding image display subsystem capabilities (i.e., image color formats and data transfer modes). The image generation subsystem generates for display test images based on permutations of those capabilities and generates image color priority lists based on the display results. The image generation subsystem is then provided digital data and image display parameters corresponding to the image. The image generation subsystem selects an image color format and a data transfer mode for the image based on the priority lists and the image display parameters, and then processes the image for display using the selected image color format and data transfer mode. The image display subsystem then displays the image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying an image in a system having an image generation subsystem and an image display subsystem. The image generation subsystem provides digital data corresponding to the image. The image generation subsystem then copies the digital data to a memory of the image display subsystem. The image display subsystem performs window management on the digital data and displays the digital data.

Abstract: In a system for forming a decompressed digital video signal representative of a digital video image, first and second pixel signals respectively corresponding to first and second pixels are provided, and first and second quantized pixel difference value signals respectively representing first and second quantized pixel difference values are provided. First and second values corresponding to the first and second pixel signals are loaded into a first register of a non-parallel processor, and third and fourth values corresponding to the first and second quantized pixel difference signals are loaded into a second register of the non-parallel processor. First and second current pixel values are concurrently generated by adding the contents of the first and second registers in a single operation, wherein the quantized pixel difference values have been predetermined to ensure that the additive result of the first and third values does not spillover into the additive result of the second and fourth values.