Abstract: A method and system is provided for the creation and playback of multiple independently produced and distributed media intended for synchronized playback. One embodiment of the invention overcomes variances in independently produced and distributed media that make accurate synchronization impossible today. The system utilizes both authoring and playback processes. During authoring, a relative virtual time code profile is generated based on the original source media in a defined associated media set. The system employs an extensible framework of multiple synchronization recognizers that analyze the source media to generate a relative virtual time code profile for the associated media set. During playback, the system's client can access the relative virtual time code profile to coordinate the synchronized playback of an associated media set. The system generates an absolute time code using the available associated media and the original relative virtual time code profile.

Abstract: This invention provides an information processing apparatus having a generation function of generating printing data to be transmitted to a printer, including a storage which saves printing data of each original page in an intermediate format together with printing setting data, a printing controller which causes the user to change a printing setting and issue a printing instruction, and a printing data reading unit which reads out the printing setting data from the storage in accordance with the printing instruction, changes the color mode setting of the read printing setting data in accordance with the color mode setting in the printer that is changed by the printing controller, and generates by using the generation function the printing data containing an instruction of changing the color mode on the basis of the printing setting data.

Abstract: An album creating apparatus for automatically designing image frames depending on the kind of subjects is provided. The album creating apparatus includes: an image storage section for storing a plurality of images; an image layout section for laying out the images stored in the image storage section into an album; an amount of designing determining section for determining the amount of designing in the album depending on the kind of object included in the image laid out in the album by the image layout section; and a designing section for designing such that the larger the amount of designing determined by the amount of designing determining section, the more the designing section transforms from a rectangle the frame shape of the image laid out in the album by the image layout section.

Abstract: A determinate spatiotemporal layout specification (20) automatically is generated in accordance with a relative spatiotemporal layout specification (14). The relative spatiotemporal layout specification (14) describes relative spatial positions and temporal order of media object types. The determinate spatiotemporal layout specification (20) describes a layout of media objects (18) in a display area (46) over time. The process of generating the determinate spatiotemporal layout specification (20) includes determining for each of the media objects (18) a respective spatiotemporal slot corresponding to a respective window in the display area (46) over a respective rendering period in which the media object (18) is scheduled to be rendered. The determinate spatiotemporal layout specification (20) is outputted.

Abstract: The present invention provides a unique system and method for facilitating browsing, sorting, clustering, and filtering any number of media objects grouped together in a quick and easy manner. In particular, the invention involves annotating the media objects, which have been clustered, sorted, and/or filtered en masse rather than individually, with metadata. The media objects may be selected by a user and annotated with a plurality of metadata as desired by a user in order to optimize utilization of the media objects. The media objects may also be combined and/or mixed in any number of ways to create new media objects. Media objects may include an audio component, a visual component, a portion thereof, and/or any combination thereof.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for flexibly, safely, robustly, and efficiently serving user interface pages composed of foreign content supplied by a third-party as well as local content supplied by the first party by allowing the cobrander to serve cobranded page templates. The cobrandee server retrieves the cobranded page templates from cobrander server and inserts the cobrandee contents into the cobranded page templates to generate cobranded Web content pages.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method, a system and a computer program for translating an application simulation into a plurality of languages. The method comprises the steps of creating a first simulation having a sequence of frames, in a first language; adding elements in said first language to said sequence of frames; and creating a second simulation having a sequence of frames in a second language. The method comprises the further steps of exporting said elements including frame sequence number, position of each of said elements, and settings to a document; translating said elements in said document into said second language; and automatically placing the translated elements on said frames of said second simulation, using said sequence numbers, said position, and said settings.

Abstract: A system and method for copying formatting information between group editable Web pages is provided. The system includes a web server and devices, such as computers, which can communicate via a network. Users at the computers can access one or more of the Web pages and request that the accessed page's formatting information be copied over to one or more specified target Web pages. The Web server is configured to extract a first set of formatting information, such as HTML formatting templates, from a source web page displayed on one or more computers in the network. Further, the Web server replaces a corresponding second set of formatting information in the target Web page(s) with the first set of extracted formatting information.

Abstract: Media processing methods, systems and application program interfaces (APIs) are described. In but one embodiment, a media engine component, also referred to as a media engine, provides a simple and unified way of rendering media from an origin to a destination of choice without requiring intimate knowledge about the underlying components, their connectivity and management. Clients of the media engine need not worry about how to render the particular media, but rather can simply focus on what media to render and where to render the media. In at least one embodiment, a media session is provided and is used by the media engine and provides a mechanism by which additional components are made transparent to the application and, in at least some embodiment, the media engine. In some embodiments, the media engine and media session provide a simple API for building, configuring, and manipulating a pipeline of components (e.g.

Abstract: A method performed by a computer system. The method includes storing a version of a mass-produced printed paper, identifying at least a subset of characters within the version, and in response to the identified subset, forming at least one hyperlink within the version, the version being displayable on a display device as a likeness of the paper including an indicator of the hyperlink.

Abstract: Prominence data resulting from user interaction with a hyperlink on a page may be stored in one or more repositories. Prominence data may be collected automatically when the user views a page or clicks on a hyperlink without requiring separate action from the user to accomplish storage or retrieval. The prominence data may further include a display parameter that denotes a level of prominence that is usable to affect the display of a hyperlink. A prominence score used to determine the display parameter may be calculated by dividing a count of click-throughs by a count of page views of the page containing the hyperlink. Other score calculations may be used. User feedback may be incorporated into the score calculation and may be collected through a toolbar, popup window, or other feedback-collecting mechanism.

Abstract: A file browser output apparatus and method that may display contents two-dimensionally are provided. The file browser output apparatus sets a retrieval object, sets an arrangement condition associated with a time in one of a horizontal axis and a vertical axis, and sets an arrangement condition unassociated with time in the other axis. The file browser output apparatus displays retrieval object contents based on the arrangement condition of the horizontal axis and the arrangement condition of the vertical axis.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus enabling identical editing of a plurality of edit target images includes an edit position designator for designating, for a single image, an edit position as an edit target, an alignment position designator for designating an image alignment position and a edit unit that aligns an edit image and edits a designated area having the edit position for the single image as its reference.

Abstract: A context of media content is represented by context description data having a hierarchical stratum where the lowest hierarchical layer is formed from an element representing a segment of media content which corresponds to a change between scenes of video data or a change in audible tones. A score relating to the context is appended, as an attribute, to individual elements in the lowest hierarchical layer. In a selection step of a data processing method, the context of the media content is expressed, and one or a plurality of scenes of the media content is or are selected on the basis of the score of the context description data.

Abstract: A mechanism is disclosed for providing Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) images, Tree and Tab as drag and drop objects. A page design tool receives an indication that a user wishes to place a metadata-defined image onto a page design canvas. The page design tool further receives an association of metadata defining the image, and in response, parses through the metadata to identify properties and characteristics of the metadata-defined image to expose to a user through a graphical user-interface of the page design tool. The page design tool enables a user to assign conditions to the exposed properties and characteristics of the image, as well as map available data sources to the properties and characteristics in order to dynamically control image properties during display. Hence, the page design tool presents graphical user interface tools for simply incorporating otherwise complex objects into page designs.

Abstract: A method for displaying text of an e-book on an electronic media reader is disclosed. The method includes reading a rate setting that may be input by a user via a human input device. The method further includes reading a magnified text size setting input by the user via a human input device. The method further includes displaying on the electronic media reader a page of the e-book at a first text size that may be smaller than the magnified text size. The method further includes sequentially displaying subsequent words or groups of words of the page of the e-book at the magnified text size and at the rate, wherein only one word or one group of words may be displayed at the magnified text size at one time.

Abstract: An apparatus places contents data of plural records of a database, in a template, which is represented by template data, and outputs the template data in which the contents data are inserted. The apparatus stores the template data defining a field area in which the contents data are placed, and sets replacement information for replacing annotation information to be placed in the template. When the contents represented by the contents data of the plural records are placed in the field area defined by the template data, the annotation information of each record is replaced with the replacement information.

Abstract: To detect captions in a document that includes text fragments and objects of interest, a signature is assigned to each text fragment. The signature is the value for that text fragment of a text fragment representation comprising at least one text fragment attribute. A caption signature is identified as a signature assigned to a substantial number of text fragments that are near at least one object of interest in the document. One or more captions are detected as one or more text fragments each assigned a caption signature.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for efficiently updating rendered content (such as content of a Web page) using a “slow-loading” content element, such as a slow-loading image. A reference is embedded within the markup language notation for the content to be rendered, where this reference identifies the source of the slow-loading content element. Delivery of the slow-loading content therefore begins automatically, when the content is rendered. Event handling attributes are specified with the reference, where values of these attributes identify client-side logic to be invoked when the associated event occurs. If the server determines that the rendered content, or some portion thereof, should be asynchronously updated, it abruptly terminates delivery of the slow-loading content. This termination triggers an event handler, which operates to automatically request reloading of the content.

Abstract: A method for computing apparatus to create a page with a plurality of information items laid out upon it is described. A plurality of information items and a definition of one or more groups of information items to be formed on the page are received, as is a candidate layout of the information items on the page. Perceptual distances between information items in the candidate layout are determined, the perceptual distances representing both physical distance and graphical variation between relevant information items. It is determined from the perceptual distances whether the candidate layout satisfies predetermined criteria such that the candidate layout is perceived as visually representing the one or more groups. If the candidate layout is not perceived as visually representing the one or more groups, it is modified or regenerated until it does so.

Abstract: A publisher uses a toolbox to graphically define web forms, by selecting and configuring components such as buttons, text boxes, menus, etc. Underlying code for the web forms (such as Extensible Markup Language, or XML) is automatically generated. The publisher defines transforms (such as Extensible Stylesheet Markup Language Transforms, or XSLTs) that process the exchange of data between the front end and the backend web service. The transforms and the code underlying the web forms is automatically combined into a frontend to the web service. The web based frontend is published on a user site, such that users can access the backend web service through the frontend.

Abstract: In a large storage area network (SAN), many administrative tasks perform various operations. Managing the tasks can be a formidable activity. A network management application, operable to identify and manipulate the tasks, organizes the tasks in a common graphical user interface (GUI) which allows task management from a single operator console. The task manager provides a GUI having display panes for managing the tasks. The task manager allows selection and invocation of tasks, in which the same task is identifiable by each of the plurality of attributes. The task manager displays the hierarchy of tasks in a task tree, including selectable task icons, in a task tree pane. The task icons are expandable into the corresponding subtasks and operations in a task list pane, and status details about the operations and task status are displayed in a context detail pane. An operator traverses the task tree to drill down into the operation and completion status of tasks in the task tree.

Abstract: Multimedia content containing moving pictures and audio is divided into multiple scenes and metadata is generated for each of the scenes obtained as a result of the division. It is possible to generate metadata containing scene structure information metadata that describes the hierarchical structure of the content in addition to scene section information and titles. Also, a name or an identifier of each descriptor contained in the metadata is described as hint information for manipulation of metadata composed of at least one descriptor describing semantic content, a structure, and characteristics of content.

Abstract: There is disclosed an information managing method in which a plurality of information files are set as managing objects, the method includes (a) acquiring one or two classification standards which are standards to classify the information files, (b) selecting one of classification units of each of the acquired classification standards, (c) classifying the information files objects for each of the acquired classification standards and the selected one of the classification units, (d) producing a file object which represents each classified information file, (e) disposing and displaying the file object produced for each classification unit in another one-dimensional direction on a display screen, in a case where one classification standard is acquired, and (f) disposing and displaying the produced file object of the information file in each of two-dimensionally divided regions in a case where two classification standards are acquired.

Abstract: Provided is a display apparatus by which a user can immediately browse necessary information in a large schedule table, and can browse also distributed information such as electronic mail at the same time, without being prevented from browsing the schedule table. The display apparatus includes: a display priority decision unit which decides a priority regarding displaying for each cell included in the schedule table; a time table display unit which decides a row and a column which include a high-priority cell, among rows and columns in the schedule table, and creates and displays a displayed part of the table which includes a part having the high-priority cell in the decided row and column; an information receiving unit which obtains communication information via a communication network; and an information notice place decision unit which displays the obtained communication information on a low-priority cell among cells in the displayed part of the table.

Abstract: A method is provided to display information on a display screen of an electronic device comprising: providing metadata in computer readable storage media that provide indicia of associations between respective subject identifiers and respective subject data items from different ones of multiple categories; and producing a plurality of screen displays that portray the subject identifiers and respective associated subject data items from respective ones of the multiple categories.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automated document layout creation is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving a first layout of document image objects and creating a second layout of document image objects subject to placement constraints corresponding to placement of document image objects, at least one of the placement constraints being based on object content in one or more of the document image objects.

Abstract: An information storage medium includes video data and a markup document to play back the video data in an interactive mode. The markup document includes device-aspect-ratio information which is referred to for displaying of the markup document.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed that enable an interactive voice response (IVR) system to generate video content in addition to audio content (e.g., synthesized speech, etc.). The video content is based on the state of the IVR system, the video display capacity of the calling telecommunications terminal, and information supplied by the user via a telecommunications terminal. The illustrative embodiment generates video content based on the text from which the audio content is generated. In particular, the video content comprises an abridged version of this text that is suitable for display at the telecommunications terminal. In the illustrative embodiment, the abridged version of the text is generated via syntactic and semantic processing. In addition, an abridged version of user-supplied information is generated and incorporated into the video content.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and device for selecting documents, such as Web pages or sites, for presentation to a user, in response to a user expression of interest, during the course of presentation to the user of a document, such as a video or audio selection, whose content varies with time. The method takes advantage of information retrieval techniques to select documents related to the portion of the temporal document in which the user has expressed interest.

Abstract: A multimedia data publishing system including a server connected to a computer network and a plurality of host terminals connected to the computer network, where the server includes a database in which digital files are saved containing descriptors of multimedia pages, and a program for management of the database and of the exchanges with the host terminals, the host terminals being equipped with a random access memory for temporarily saving digital files downloaded from the database of the server, and navigation software for the visual representation of the pages relating to the descriptors of a downloaded file, wherein at least some digital files include descriptors of at least two visual representations of a given digital file.

Abstract: A web designer defines attributes including business rules, properties and standard user interface library components. These attribute definitions allow look and feel specifications of a web page to be dynamically changed without requiring code modifications to any web application. A presentation assembly engine (PAE) receives a Uniform Resource Locator of a web page along with associated attributes and generates a unique identifier associated with a request of the web page. The PAE receives from a web application a web page request that includes the associated unique identifier. The PAE utilizes the unique identifier to identify and access the attributes needed to assemble a presentation of the web page. The PAE uses the attributes to assemble the web page presentation and sends the completed page to the web application.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to enabling a user to easily confirm errors that are generated when an electronic album is created in which a mixture of text and images is laid out on a plurality of pages. An apparatus according to the present invention automatically switches whether to display a text entry field on a list or a dialog screen according to a type of a page on which the text entry field exists and an entry status.

Abstract: A distributed computer network includes at least two computers. Each of the at least two computers runs an application sharing program to enable an image generated by one computer to be displayed by at least one other computer. At least one of the at least two computers executes an image modifying routine to alter the appearance of an image generated by the one computer prior to display on the at least one other computer. In this manner, a user of the at least one other computer can tell at a glance if an image being presented is an image that has been received from the one computer or is its own desktop graphical user interface.

Abstract: A Tag Cloud Customizer (TCC) provides an interactive legend and a tag cloud generator that allows a user to customize a tag cloud. The interactive legend allows users to map custom display characteristics to a plurality of tag attributes. The tag cloud generator creates a custom tag cloud using the custom display characteristics. The user can also sort the order of tags in the tag cloud by any of the plurality of tag attributes. In one embodiment of TCC, the user can define a custom tag attribute.

Abstract: A communications system comprising a first terminal device and one or more second terminal devices communicating with the first terminal device. The first terminal device is configured to associate at least one content item with a given multimedia file, and to send the content item associated with the multimedia file from the first terminal device to the one or more second terminal devices; and the second terminal device is configured to present the received content item in the second terminal device when a multimedia file having the same content as the multimedia file with which the at least one content item is associated is presented in the second terminal device.

Abstract: A software program for creating features for use with a plurality of media objects in a sequence. The program comprises a feature component specifying a feature having parameters affecting at least one variable aspect of the feature. An indicator component identifies a position of the specified feature relative to the media objects in the sequence. The program comprises a sequence generator for modifying the specified feature by varying its parameters of the specified feature as a function of the position of the specified feature relative to the media objects and/or relative to other features in the sequence. The sequence generator also modifies the specified feature by varying its parameters of the feature as a function of the content of the media objects around it or to which it has been applied. A rendering component renders the specified feature according to the varied parameters at the identified position.

Abstract: The system of the present invention allows a user to generate a representation of time-based media. The system of the present invention includes a feature extraction module for extracting features from media content. For example, the feature extraction module can detect solos in a musical performance, or can detect music, applause, speech, and the like. A formatting module formats a media representation generated by the system. The formatting module also applies feature extraction information to the representation, and formats the representation according to a representation specification. In addition, the system can include an augmented output device that generates a media representation based on the feature extraction information and the representation specification.

Abstract: A document sharing system includes producing an updatable collection of multimedia documents. A collection coversheet provides a facile medium for handling and distributing large collections of documents. The system includes techniques for subsequent access to the collection, including printing all or portions of the collection.

Abstract: Techniques for electronic messaging synchronized to media presentation are provided. The techniques include a method for displaying text in connection with an audiovisual production, a method for displaying text in connection with playback of an audiovisual production, a method for synchronizing viewer-inputted messages with playback of an audiovisual production, and others. For example, a method for displaying a message in connection with an audiovisual production includes receiving a signal from a viewer interface to define the message, displaying the defined message adjacent to a first display of the audiovisual production, and displaying the defined message in a second display adjacent to the audiovisual production. In addition, the present invention provides a system for displaying messages in connection with playback of prerecorded media to produce an audiovisual production and a computer-readable medium with instructions for displaying messages in connection with an audiovisual production.

Abstract: The content description of multimedia content contains a plurality of descriptor values that pertain to specific events within the media. A Transport Hint Table (THT) provides a set of synchronization events that indicate the relation between timed events in the media and their representation in the content's description data. The THT allows for synchronized delivery of presentation of content description data with the associated events in the media. The THT provides a set of sync events based on the existence of “time” related events obtained from the content description data, which are relevant to particular events in the media. The THT allows the transport layer encoder to use the time-related events to synchronize the scheduled delivery times of media content segments and their associated descriptions. The THT also provides information for fragmenting a description for delivery and for managing resources at the decoder.

Abstract: An electronic paper file is generated from an enhanced metafile such that data may be converted from multiple applications with different data descriptions to a single electronic paper format having a particular data description. The enhanced metafile includes a series of individual records that provide a sequence of graphic instructions to render properties associated with objects in the document in an output format. The enhanced metafile is parsed into a series of state independent objects to generate an intermediary representation of the document. The objects and corresponding identifying information are temporarily stored in an object storage structure before using the objects to generate the electronic paper file. The object storage structure provides a stateless model of the enhanced metafile such that the objects may be randomly accessed and applied to any output format.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a system, method, and computer-readable medium for viewing Web pages on small form factor computing devices. More specifically, the present invention layers Web browsing in a system where a Web page is first displayed in an overview mode at a predetermined magnification. From a Web page displayed in overview mode, the user may issue adaptive viewing commands that cause relevant content to be displayed using additional screen space.

Abstract: A media receiving apparatus capable of preventing media from being positioned in an invalid display area or a program from being temporarily stopped, even if the vertical/horizontal ratio of the resolution of the display section is switched while a broadcast or streaming program is being displayed. In this apparatus there are a plurality of display sections D1 and D2 with different resolutions, and a display directive section (303) directs a display section to be set as active in accordance with the mode of use of the user.

Abstract: Selecting and formatting warped text is disclosed. Text effects such as an underline effect and/or a strikethrough effect may be transformed along with rectangular text to form a warped text element. In such a situation, the text effects are warped with the characters of the text. Also, warped text may be accurately selected or “hit.” The coordinates of a selection of warped text are inversely transformed to map the selection to the rectangular text. The inverse transform provides an accurate manner to determine the scope and location of the selection. When the scope and location are determined, the graphical representation of the selection may be transformed to provide a user with an accurate representation of a warped selection.

Abstract: A system for representing the state of an enterprise software architecture is disclosed. The system comprises a datastore that contains a plurality of attributes of applications and of interfaces, including a state attribute. The system also comprises a plurality of stencils operable to define a graphic. The stencils are each associated with a script: that links back to the datastore, an application stencil operable to define an application graphic and associated with an application stencil script and an interface stencil operable to define an interface graphic and associated with an interface stencil. The system also comprises a template operable to define a drawing of an enterprise software architecture using the stencils.

Abstract: Updates to a content description represented as a tree are contained in a series of fragment update units. Each fragment update unit includes an update command and a navigation path, and may include a fragment payload depending on the update command. The update command is applied to a set of nodes in the tree that are selected using the navigation path. The fragment payload may contain a fragment, a fragment reference, or an attribute. The update command may be an add, delete or replace command. More than one fragment payload may be present in the fragment update unit, with each fragment payload applied to a different one of the nodes from the set selected by the navigation path.

Abstract: Architecture that defines a document or portions thereof as data elements that are related and categorized. A data catalog is created that uses a schema for the data elements and a set of relationships, attributes and values that further define the data elements, all stored as metadata about the data elements. The metadata is employed to enable the application, display surface, and user to see only data relevant to the task at hand. The positioning and grouping of controls, control characteristics, and control behavior at the display surface is facilitated by forms which are dynamically populated for presentation and which are driven directly by the data catalog. The catalog can be made aware of device parameters, for example, the display size and resolution thereby enabling data to be displayed differently based upon the device parameters.

Abstract: A system and method that enables a user to efficiently manage graphical information is disclosed. In one embodiment, tools are provided that enable a user to creatively assemble, chronicle and modify photo album pages having a variety of graphical elements.

Abstract: A method for storing electronic documents can include associating a digital seal with at least one electronic document. An image within a user interface can be displayed, wherein the image is a user selectable representation for the digital seal. At least one metadata attribute can be stored as a characteristic related to the digital seal. A storage characteristic of at least one electronic document can be modified based on one or more of the metadata attributes.