Abstract: A user game apparatus configured to facilitate game playing according to which first and second separate supplies of game data are received from a remote game distribution server and combined during game play responsive to game playing events, the apparatus comprising: a request module arranged to receive a first supply of data from a first data path and a second supply of data from a second data path and operable to combine said first and second data to produce a natural game play experience; and a game synchroniser configured to control timing of supply of the first supply of data and the second supply of data from respective data buffers.

Abstract: A computer game conversion apparatus for reducing the size of a computer game comprising a plurality of game elements, the apparatus comprising: a game element similarity checker for identifying game elements of the plurality of game elements which are at least similar to a first game element of the plurality of game elements; and an optimisation module for replacing the similar game elements with a reference to the first game element and deleting the similar game elements.

Abstract: A game distribution server configured to separately distribute game data comprising active game data and passive game data to a plurality of remote computers each provided with a client application, comprising: storage for active game data and passive game data configured to be distributed separately and recombined at a remote computer by a client application, wherein passive game data comprise files having a larger average file size than the average file size of active game data; an active data controller configured to control supply of active game data to said remote computer responsive to events occurring during game play; a passive data controller operable to control supply of passive game data separately from said active game data; and a communications interface.

Abstract: The invention relates to a controllable light modulator (M) whose transmission can be controlled by the intensity of electric fields, wherein it is exposed to an intensity-controlled microwave field. Furthermore a device for laser projection is illustrated which is controlled by a light modulator of this kind.

Abstract: A method for compressing and decompressing video image date, wherein the contours of image structures are determined in a basic analysis of the video data contained in a video image by means of sudden modifications of brightness and/or tristimulus value in adjacent pixels; the contours thus found are respectively described in segments by means of a parameterized mathematical function and are defined as objects; a color dominance and a color characteristic is determined for the individual objects, in addition to the position and extension of the individual objects and a structural function, such that differential modification in brightness, size, position and orientation of said objects are determined in sequential analyses of video images, taking into account common contours of contiguous objects. The objects thus defined are placed in a structured base frame or sequential frame and are prepared. Contour analysis and structural analysis is carried out by means of neuronal networks.

Abstract: The invention relates to a communication system comprising a central station (1), provided with a memory (MEM) and a connection device (COM) to at least one communication network (NET). Said communication system provides video information, in particular digitalized images and films, which are transmitted via said communication network (NET) to each remote station (2), connected to said network. Said video information is optionally buffered into said remote station (2) and displayed on a visual display terminal (VID2). According to said invention, the memory (MEM) of said central station (1) is an electronic memory (MEM), in which several video information blocks (VIDB) are to be memorized, which are recorded in an index (CONT). Said memory transmits one of the selected information blocks (VIDB) to the respective communicating remote station (2) by means of a management program (ADM) depending on the demand and keeps a record thereof in a statistical and/or accounting memory area (AS).