Abstract: A process for creating a visible pattern on a frosted glass article to give the appearance of selective frosting of the glass article. A clear glass substrate is uniformly roughened on one surface to create a uniform frosting effect and abrasion layer. Artwork for a desired visible pattern is created on a computer, and a silkscreen is prepared of the artwork. The silkscreen is used to transfer a clear ink to the substrate to fill in the abrasion layer in the desire visible pattern. The clear ink has an index of refraction close to glass, and the abrasion layer is essentially cancelled out or removed. The substrate is then cured in an oven until the ink is dry. The resulting glass substrate or glass article has the same appearance as if it had been entirely frosted, except for the desired visible pattern that appears clear and transparent to light. In another aspect of the present invention, a process is claimed for producing selectively frosted glass articles.

Abstract: An automated system and process for managing paper files, particularly medical records contained in file folders and the like, in a file storage system having a predetermined size or limited expansion capacity. A shelf manager system includes a computer program and database which tracks the thickness of individual file folders, the capacity of storage shelf sections, and the percentage of free space remaining in each shelf section. The thickness of each file folder is measured whenever the file folder enters or leaves the primary file storage facility. File folder thickness is computed by weighing the file on an electronic scale or other caliper-based measure device. When occupied shelf space exceeds a threshold percentage for a shelf section, file folders are purged according to the likelihood that certain files will not be requested in the future by applying purging algorithms to the individual files.

Abstract: A window support apparatus positively supports a glass panel of an automobile side window in its upward or closed position while disconnected from its supporting window regulator mechanism. The support apparatus includes a support frame, a pair of suction cups for clamping the apparatus to the window glass, and a pair of slides which fit in the window channel of the door between the glass panel and the exterior or interior door panel. The window support apparatus opposes sudden downward movement of the window glass panel resulting from gravity, and is removably installed on the automobile door to prevent inadvertent falling of the glass panel into the door cavity while repair work is performed on the door or the door's interior components.

Abstract: An automated system and process for managing paper files, particularly medical records contained in file folders and the like, in a file storage system having a predetermined size or limited expansion capacity. A shelf manager system includes a computer program and database which tracks the thickness of individual file folders, the capacity of storage shelf sections, and the percentage of free space remaining in each shelf section. The thickness of each file folder is measured whenever the file folder enters or leaves the primary file storage facility. File folder thickness is computed by weighing the file on an electronic scale or other caliper-based measure device. When occupied shelf space exceeds a threshold percentage for a shelf section, file folders are purged according to the likelihood that certain files will not be requested in the future by applying purging algorithms to the individual files.

Abstract: A system and method for managing the creation and production of computer generated works permits two or more users to create a work by a collaborative process. The work, or a component of a work, to be created and/or produced is organised into a project structure which includes a plurality of scene structures, each of which can include a plurality of element structures which are used to construct the scenes. A project manager device operates to manage the accessing and modification of elements structures and scenes in the project by the users and manages the relationships between elements structures. The project manager device performs read reference locking of element structures and scenes to ensure that users are always using an appropriate version of the elements and/or scenes and that updates to elements and scenes are correctly propagated to other elements and to users.

Abstract: The problems of latency, flow control and data loss, and data movement within a client system memory are solved in a distributed multimedia system so as to enable real-time transmission of broadcast quality media data over the network. Latency is reduced by an estimation by the server of client needs. Data loss is prevented and flow control is provided by permitting the server to send only as much information as the network interface can reliably receive. Data movement is minimized by copying data directly from the network interface to memory in a display processor or audio processor.

Abstract: A system, method and product are provided for resolution-independent image translation. Such system, method and product convey, through the use of a resolution-independent coordinate system, a description of location, shape, color, spline, and other distinguishing characteristics of images, including edited effects, rendered on a low-resolution image. The low-resolution images upon which the effects are imposed may be user-selected without converting high-resolution, non-digital, images into high-resolution, digital, images. Such resolution-independent information based on low-resolution images may be applied automatically, ie., without human intervention, to reproduce the special effects on a corresponding high-resolution image. In a typical application, the user-selected, low-resolution, images upon which the effects are imposed are analog or digital video images. Also typically, the corresponding high-resolution images upon which the effects are automatically reproduced are film images.

Abstract: A digital multimedia newsroom production system allows users of the system to create, browse and catalog multimedia assets. The system includes a multimedia capture and encoding system that captures multimedia data, and substantially simultaneously provides a first compressed version of the multimedia data having a first resolution, and a second compressed version of the multimedia data having a second resolution that is different than the first resolution; a multimedia storage system, coupled to the multimedia capture and encoding system, that stores multimedia information including the first and second compressed versions of the multimedia data; and a video editing and playback system coupled to the multimedia storage system.

Abstract: A system is provided for displaying an animated character. The system identifies a character for display and identifies at least one skill associated with the identified character. The system also determines at least one behavior associated with the identified character. The identified character is then animated based on the skill and the behavior associated with the identified character. Animation of the character can also be based on an environment in which the identified character is displayed. The skill associated with the identified character can be used to generate animation in multiple environments. The behavior associated with the animated character is environment-independent and is used to determine the manner in which the identified character responds to an event. A hierarchical finite state machine can be used to represent the behavior associated with the identified character.

Abstract: The invention provides a mechanism and process for changing a color of an image. In this process, a source frame that includes the image is received. An alpha matte that covers an object in the source frame is created. An original color of a pixel in the source frame is changed when the pixel is covered by the alpha matte, and when a color distance between the original color of the pixel and a target color is below a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for managing the storage and use of digital information. The digital information can comprise both time-based information, such as digital video and digital audio, and static information such as 3D geometric models and/or still images. The invention employs data source records, information consumers, digital source information files, quality factor objects and other constructs with an information manager to manage storage and use of the information. All storage and/or use of the information is effected by making an appropriate request to the information manager which returns an appropriate result.

Abstract: An audio-visual editing system includes a universal slave driver (USD) coupled between a timecode-producing device, such as a video tape deck, and a digital audio workstation (DAW). The USD includes a sample counter for counting the audio samples for each timecode frame, and a timecode reader to interpret the tape's location. An audio board of the digital audio workstation includes an identical sample counter. Both counters are driven from a common clock. A serial interface connection couples the digital audio workstation to the universal slave driver. One of the handshaking pins of the serial interface connection is used as a dedicated reset pin. When the dedicated reset pin is pulsed, the running sample counters in both the USD and DAW are set to a common value, typically zero. Resetting the sample counters at precisely the same time ensures that the DAW and the USD are operating in synchronization.

Abstract: A serial to parallel interface for coupling multiple channels of audio input data to a digital audio workstation (DAW) having at least one processor capable of performing digital signal processing functions is formed from a programmable ASIC. The serial to parallel interface includes configuration registers which may be programmed to allow the interface to communicate with external audio devices that are operating in any audio format and bit width format. The serial to parallel interface includes a double buffered input and output serial datapath. The double buffered input and output datapath eases timing constraints between the interface and the DSP, thus allowing the DSP the flexibility of being able to read data at almost any point during an audio data transmission period. In addition, the double buffering mechanism within the serial to parallel interface allows for sample receipt errors to be isolated from the DSP, thereby ensuring the integrity of the audio data before it is propagated to the DAW.

Abstract: The invention provides a mechanism and process for changing a color of an image. In this process, a source frame that includes the image is received. An alpha matte that covers an object in the source frame is created. An original color of a pixel in the source frame is changed when the pixel is covered by the alpha matte, and when a color distance between the original color of the pixel and a target color is below a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: An authoring system provides a realistic rendering that may be updated and displayed continuously while simultaneously allowing full access to all authoring tools. The system is an enhancement to an authoring environment for 3D modeling. The rendering is incorporated in the authoring environment in a way that avoids conflicting with the abstract images and tools useful for working with 3D models such as would obtain in a WYSIWYG implementation. The computational burden of rendering is handled by rendering in an asynchronous parallel thread with respect to that supporting the authoring UI. The number of pixels that must be ray-traced is reduced by several mechanisms including: limiting the number of objects, limiting the resolution of the display, tailoring the size of the field-of-view window (while providing orientation context by placing the rendering on top of a wire-frame view). Also, only portions of the scene that are affected in a visible way by updates are re-rendered.

Abstract: A portable oven for holding shielded metal arc welding electrodes prior to their use. The holding oven utilizes the heated exhaust gases of a welding machine engine to maintain welding electrodes at an elevated temperature to prevent the absorption of moisture, which would adversely affect the quality of welds. The holding oven includes an insulated outer housing, which is positioned on or near an engine-driven welding machine. An interior rack for the electrodes is mounted in the upper portion of the housing and is accessible through a hinged door. A heat exchanger in the lower part of the housing is coupled to the exhaust pipe of the welding machine and radiates the exhaust heat into the interior of the housing before transferring the exhaust gases to a directional exhaust port. The holding oven may include means for measuring and regulating the interior temperature of the housing to keep the electrodes within a predetermined temperature range.

Abstract: A cel image is rendered by a computer to have a "toon" look that simulates a traditional hand-drawn cartoon cel. The toon appearance of a cel image is characterized by the use of areas selectively colored with a fill, a highlight, or a shadow color. The present invention uses a material shader modified to return a value defining the color applied to each area in the scene being rendered as a function of a predetermined highlight threshold angle, which is compared to the angle of each light ray intersecting surfaces in the image. An edge detection convolution filter is applied to define color lines between the different color areas in the colored image. Contour lines defining the shape of an object and lines on its interior surfaces are determined by applying an edge detection convolution filter to surface normal data for the colored image. Additional smoothstep or gain filters may be applied to improve the contrast of the color lines and contour lines and to thicken the color lines.

Abstract: An equipment transport rack is mountable on the roof of a vehicle, and provides easy access for loading equipment thereon. The equipment payload is carried on a payload carrier mounted on a movable carriage assembly which has two operational positions. In the transport position, the payload is carried above the roof surface, thus avoiding interference with vehicle doors or windows and preventing safety hazards to passers by.In the loading position, the carriage assembly extends outwardly and pivots downwardly from the roof area to project the payload carrier at least partially below the height of the roof edge and roof surface. In the loading position, the equipment payload may be easily and conveniently loaded and unloaded from the rack by a user of average height standing next to the vehicle. When the loading or unloading is completed, the carriage assembly pivots upwardly and slides inwardly to be returned to the transport position, where it is latched in position prior to vehicle movement.

Abstract: A form document editor having a form descriptor table defining editable graphics and text areas with a page comprised of a background bitmap image of a background of the page, a graphics bitmap image of graphics appearing in a graphics area of the page, and a text buffer of text appearing in a text area of the page. The editor includes a graphics editor operating on the graphics bitmap image and a text editor for editing the text in the text buffer. The background and graphics bitmap images and text buffer are combined into a composite page image for display and storage of the form document. A document is retrieved from storage for editing is provided to the editor as a background bitmap. An area of a page may contain autofill data and the editor includes an intelligent autofill data import mechanism for inserting user provided data into the autofill data upon detecting a user data import indicator, with the user data replacing the indicator in the autofill data.

Abstract: An integrated circuit has a plurality of interface pins and includes a first circuit block that is comprised of a plurality of gate-equivalent circuits; the first circuit block being a first partition of a data processing system. The integrated circuit further includes at least one other circuit block comprised of a plurality of gate-equivalent circuits; the second circuit block being a second partition of the data processing system. The first and second circuit blocks are capable of operating independently of one another, with each performing an associated function. At least one mode select interface pin is provided, in conjunction with gating circuitry that is interposed between the first and second circuit blocks and the interface pins for selectively coupling, in accordance with a logic level applied to the at least one mode select interface pin, only one of the circuit blocks to the interface pins.