Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying, predicting and reporting relationships. The present invention uses a quad structure to describe relationships between dramatic units. Story elements, characters and appreciations are mapped onto the quad structure to reveal and constrain relationships. A storyform whose structure is described by the quad structure configuration and choices is identified and provided to a user.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing equalization for a communication channel is provided. The invention uses edge transition samples, such as those obtained for phase detection in a phase locked loop (PLL) circuit, to determine the amount of equalization to be applied to signals received from a communication channel. By monitoring run lengths of consecutive identical bits received from the communication channel, the invention provides equalization for various frequency components present in the receive signal. One embodiment of the invention subtracts a weighted RC-filtered version of the receive signal from the unfiltered receive signal to provide an equalized receive signal. In this embodiment, a control circuit that monitors the received run lengths and edge transition information adjusts the resistance of the RC filter to adapt the equalization to the data being received and the potentially time varying conditions for the communication channel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for symmetrically compressing and decompressing video information in real time by coupling block and wavelet techniques. In the compression pipeline, the image is divided into blocks comprising 2.sup.k .times.2.sup.k pixels (in the preferred embodiment, k=1). The average color of each block is computed. The system computes an average luminance for each block and differential luminances of each pixel of the plurality of pixels of each block. A first plurality of frequency details of each block are determined by Haar transforming the differential luminances. The system computes an average color difference between each block and the preceding block, and quantizes the average color difference and the first plurality of frequency details using Lloyd-Max quantization. In an alternate embodiment, skip codes are generated for blocks having the same quantized average color difference and second plurality of frequency details.

Abstract: An authentic media protection system is described. Every recorded media includes a digital signature, a list of known counterfeit media identifiers, and counterfeit media response information. The digital signature is a unique encrypted combination of a recorded media serial number and samples of substantive information recorded on the media. The playback unit performs a series of authenticating steps before playing or reading recorded media. The playback unit independently verifies the encrypted digital signature to detect forgeries. The playback unit stores a recorded media identifier for each recorded media that is played in a cumulative list. This cumulative list is compared with the lists of known counterfeit media stored on each recorded media to determine whether the playback unit has played a counterfeit media. If the playback unit determines it has played a counterfeit media then it executes a counterfeit media response routine.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for compressing and decompressing data. In particular, the present invention provides a method for compressing color video data for storage on a CD-ROM for later playback on a computer system. The present invention uses an asymmetrical compression-decompression scheme that provides color compression, temporal compression, and spatial compression. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the color compression is accomplished in three stages. In the first stage, the colors are sampled from the source data. This generates a histogram that contains the colors of the source material. Next, these colors are quantized into the target colors. In the third step of the color compression, the actual colors on the film are mapped to the quantized colors. The temporal compression step specifies a target display rate. Only those pixels that have changed significantly from frame to frame are updated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for handling alpha premultiplication is described. In an embodiment, image data is contained within an instance of an image object that also contains a state variable indicating whether the image data is currently premultiplied or non-premultiplied. A method within the image object responds to requests to coerce the image data into a desired or destination premultiplication state. Based on the value of the state variable, the method multiplies or divides the image data components by the alpha component, or does nothing. The state variable is updated to reflect any change in the premultiplication state of the image data. In one embodiment, the image object is implemented as a buffered image object instance containing a tile object instance and a color model object instance. The tile object instance maintains a reference to a data array(s) containing the image data file, and provides methods for inserting and extracting pixel data from the data array(s).

Abstract: The present invention discloses a system for transparent local and distributed memory management. The invention overcomes the prior art's requirement of keeping track of whether a memory space allocated to a new object or a new program or data structure can be reclaimed. According to the present invention an autorelease pool is created at the beginning of a new duty cycle. The autorelease pool retains the newly allocated memory space during the duty cycle. The autorelease pool is automatically disposed of at the end of the duty cycle. As a result of disposing the autorelease pool, the newly allocated memory space is reclaimed (i.e., deallocated). The present invention is useful in distributed networks where different programming conventions on remote and local machines made the prior art's memory management task particularly difficult. The present invention is also useful in an object-oriented programming environment.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for brokering memory resources. A memory broker cooperates with one or more memory servers and one or more memory clients. The memory servers obtain usable memory space and report the availability of such memory space to the memory broker. The memory clients request and receive memory allocations from the memory broker. In one embodiment of the invention, the memory broker interacts with memory servers that may be unable to guarantee the duration of availability of the memory space they provide. The memory broker can fulfill memory requests from memory clients using portions of memory distributed among multiple memory servers.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for authenticating data related to on-line transactions. The invention utilizes a user-customized certification indicator that informs a user as to the success or failure of one or more authentication and/or security protocols implemented on a user communications access device such as a personal computer, a personal digital assistant ("PDA"), an enhanced function telephone, etc. In one or more embodiments, one of the components of the indicator is user defined, and locally stored, reducing the likelihood of interception and counterfeiting. In one or more embodiments, the indicator components include a centrally provided graphic element and a user defined text overlay. When a user initiates an electronic transaction, a background validation process is initiated that implements procedures for determining the authenticity of data related to the transaction, such as the identity of a transaction party.

Abstract: Efficiencies in searching and matching information in a computer system are achieved using embodiments of the invention. The invention can be used, for example, to build and utilize a dictionary of data for string replication compression. The data matching mechanism can also be applied to other situations where it is necessary to find a sequence of data in a data buffer (e.g. looking for a particular series of words, letters, or numbers in an online document). As a result of processing a current string using the data dictionary, it is possible to find a previously-processed dictionary string that has the greatest number of initial characters in common with the current string, and a location at which the current string can be inserted into the dictionary tree. A count field is used to improve the speed of searching for matched strings.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for television program selection that monitors the viewing preferences of a viewer to create a dynamic viewer profile that is used to rate available programs. Based on the viewer profile, available programs are sorted and presented to the viewer in descending order of predicted interest. The invention allows a viewer to quickly find the program of greatest interest to the viewer without having to tediously search through large numbers of available programs. The invention may also be used for selecting from among a plurality of programs other than television programs, such as, for example, radio programs or audio or video programs stored on digital storage media such as CD's and DVD's.

Abstract: The present invention employs a generative approach for configuring systems such that a system may be configured based on component or resource requests, or input in the form of need. The present invention provides a constraint-based configuration system using a structural model hierarchy. The structural aspects of the model provide the ability to define a model element as being contained in, or by, another model element. In addition, the structural model provides the ability to identify logical datatype and physical interconnections between elements and establish connections between elements. To configure a system, the present invention accepts input in the form of requests (e.g., component or resource) or needs, such as an expression of a need for a desktop computer system to be used in a CAD (i.e., computer-aided design) environment.

Abstract: An improved method for loading a cache is described. The present invention monitors memory access to identify specific types of memory access, for example, requests to launch executable program code stored in a hard disk drive. The method maps the stored program code into a plurality of memory blocks. The memory block access during the launching of the executable program code is then profiled. When the computer remains idle for a predetermined time the profiling process is stopped. Alternatively, if the computer does not remain idle, for the predetermined time, the profiling process is stopped after a timeout period. The profile is then evaluated to identify the most frequently accessed memory blocks. A list of the most frequently accessed memory blocks is stored. The number of memory blocks stored in the list depends upon the size of the cache. The file access system is monitored to identify the next time that a profiled memory access process is initiated.

Abstract: To prevent piracy or leakage of data content, a cryptography technique and electronic watermark technique are combined together and used. In a data content supplied to a user, a user data is entered as electronic watermark by a data management center, and the data content with an electronic watermark entered in it is encrypted using a crypt key and is supplied. The encrypted data content is decrypted using a crypt key distributed from the data management center and is used. In case it is to be stored, it is encrypted using another crypt key. In case the data content is copied and transferred to other user, a user data of the other user is entered as electronic watermark, and a scenario to enter the user data of the other user as electronic watermark is registered at the data management center, and the data content with electronic watermark entered in it is encrypted using another crypt key and is supplied.

Abstract: An environment is emulated in a host environment. Output generated in the emulated environment is displayed in a window of the host environment. The emulated environment's output is in the form of Postscript commands that map to the entire screen. The host environment emulates the Postscript commands an maps the output to a window. Input associated with the window is retrieved by an event driver running in the host environment. Each instance of input is referred to as an event. Each event is translated into an event of the emulated environment by an event driver. A translated event is stored in shared memory for access by a window server. The event driver notifies the window server that one or more events are queued in shared memory. The window server processes the queued events by, for example, transmitting the event to an application running in the emulated environment.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system to ensure security of data in a computer network system. A center certifies a public-key of user of the system and distributes a secret-key. A first system comprises the center in a network, an information provider and a plurality of users. The center identifies utilization status by requests of the secret-key. The data is encrypted by the secret-key and is stored and transferred, while the data to be stored and transferred is encrypted by a secret-key different from the secret-key of the transferred data. An original data label is added to the original data, and an edit label is added to the edited data, and the center does not store the data and stores only the original data label and the edit label. A second system comprises a center and an information provider in a network, and a plurality of users utilizing the network. The center stores the original data and editing scenario, and also the original data label, user label and edit label.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for pre-processing and packaging class files. Embodiments remove duplicate information elements from a set of class files to reduce the size of individual class files and to prevent redundant resolution of the information elements. Memory allocation requirements are determined in advance for the set of classes as a whole to reduce the complexity of memory allocation when the set of classes are loaded. The class files are stored in a single package for efficient storage, transfer and processing as a unit. In an embodiment, a pre-processor examines each class file in a set of class files to locate duplicate information in the form of redundant constants contained in a constant pool. The duplicate constant is placed in a separate shared table, and all occurrences of the constant are removed from the respective constant pools of the individual class files.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a novel system for managing changes to a graph of data bearing objects In one embodiment, an object graph manager object referred to as an editing context is used to identify changes made to data bearing enterprise objects and to notify other interested objects when changes occur. As a result, data bearing objects need not themselves contain code necessary for monitoring changes. In another embodiment of the invention, the editing context is used to provide event-based "undo" capabilities. In another embodiment of the invention, each enterprise object has a primary key that is used to maintain the identification between an enterprise object instance and a corresponding database row. In another embodiment of the invention, multiple levels of editing contexts are used to provide multiple isolated object graphs, each of which allows independent manipulation of the underlying data bearing objects.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating addresses. The present invention provides for fast generation of a series of addresses in an array where the series comprises a column or diagonal of the array, such as for layered ECC code words in CD-ROM. Whereas each address is computable individually using multipliers and modulo circuits, the present invention operates on the series of addresses as a whole, forming a dependence between successive addresses. The dependence is separated into multiple address indices that may be summed together for the desired address. The present invention is thus able to generate a series of addresses by accumulation processes requiring only selection of the appropriate increment value and addition to a previously stored address index value. Address generation throughput is increased with savings in layout area and power.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for receiving data analysis instructions from a user and for displaying results of the data analysis to the user. In one embodiment, the invention provides a series of interface windows displayed on a computer display screen. A first window allows a user to select one or more specification files comprising reference data specifying capabilities and or resources with which other data is to be compared. A second window allows the user to select one or more data files to be compared to the one or more specification files selected using the first window. A third window allows the user to interactively select the type of analysis to be performed and provides the results of the selected analysis to the user. The third window also allows the user to interactively apply one or more filters to the results and to select the manner (view) in which the results are displayed.