Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for generating at a computerized workstation a special effect that is derived by numerical processing of the digital sample values associated with an analog signal. The analog signal is partitioned into wavefragments which are crossfaded at both a micro and macro level to generate the effect.

Abstract: A user-interface (UI) device allows the assignment of multiple parameter values to a multiple-selection of objects through a familiar UI mechanism. A multiple selection of objects is made. A object inspector is opened such as would normally be used to enter single values to be applied to properties of all the selected objects. For example, a group of graphical objects is selected and a line-weight parameter is adjusted to make the lines of the objects heavier. According to the invention, the same type of inspector device may be used to apply multiple values by providing for the indication of a function definition instead of an explicit value in a field normally used to enter a single value. The text boxes normally used for entry of values are provided with the ability to accept symbolic notation, e.g, a string, to indicate value ranges instead ofjust discrete values.

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: 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: 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: Apparatus is disclosed which is advantageously used in local area, metropolitan-area, and wide-area optical networks having a dual bus architecture, permitting significantly increased distance before termination or regeneration of the optical signal. A portion of the received optical signal is tapped from a fiber, converted to an electrical signal, before presentation to a node. That remaining portion of the received optical signal enters a fiber delay line and is amplified by an optical amplifier. Data to be transmitted from a node is converted from an electrical signal to an optical signal and transmitted on the bus.

Abstract: A host acting as an optical emitter and a process of making the same for the .sup..about. 1.3 .mu.m to .sup..about. 1.55 .mu.m spectral region utilized in optical communications is disclosed. The host is Cr-activated willemite (Zn.sub.2 SiO.sub.4). Efficient band-emission at room temperature, with peak at 1.42 .mu.m, is observed on exiting the material in the near infrared, typically at 730 nm and 829 nm.

Abstract: A Y-junction optical switch includes an input branch and two output branches optically coupled to the input branch at a junction. A single one of the output branches has an electrode. The two output branches are designed to have dissimilar optical refractive indices under a non-biasing condition.

Abstract: A cryptography-based entity authentication device (EAD) operated by a remote entity located at a subscriber site enables a telephone switch or computer system to identify and verify the authenticity of the entity. In one embodiment, the EAD encrypts a random digital sequence transmitted by a host facility and returns the encrypted signal to the host for comparison with another encryption signal generated locally by the host. If a match is detected, this serves as confirmation that the remote entity possesses the same encryption key as the host, therefore verifying the authenticity of the remote entity. Otherwise, the entity is deemed fraudulent and access is denied. In another embodiment, the host and subscriber site each include a respective time generation means which are maintained in relative time synchronicity. The EAD generates and encrypts a time signal for comparison with another encrypted time signal generated locally by the host.

Abstract: A waferboard assembly incorporates mechanical registration features into a substrate platform to facilitate the passive alignment of lasers integrated on a chip to fibers in integral contact with the substrate. The waferboard includes two front pedestal structures and one side pedestal structure, and two vertical post structures within a mounting region defined by the pedestal struutures. The laser chip is mounted on the vertical post structures, and placed in concurrent abutting contact with the pedestal structures. The waferboard is fabricated by etching the substrate to form the front and side pedestal structures, and etching the substrate to define the grooves. In order to form the post structures, a polyimide material is deposited on the substrate using an appropriate mask.

Abstract: Apparatus for and method of communicating over a local area network is disclosed. Multiple nodes are connected by an optical fiber in a ring architecture. The cable supports multiple subcarrier multiplexed data communication channels for transmitting and receiving message data between the nodes and a control channel for partitioning nodal access to the individual data channels. Tokens are circulated on the control channel indicating the status of each data channel. A node desiring to send, acquires an open data channel by marking the corresponding control channel token to show that the selected data channel is no longer available, inserts the node destination address into the control channel token, and transmits data on the acquired data channel. A node recognizing its address in the control channel token's destination address field for a particular data channel tunes its receiver to accept data on that channel.

Abstract: In an optical heterodyne communication system for transmission of multiple optical channels at different wavelenths, the optical channels are grouped into blocks for increased utilization of the available bandwidth. The spacing between optical channels within a block is typically equal to or somewhat greater than the channel bandwidth. The spacing between blocks is such that when the optical signal is heterodyned with a local oscillator lightwave, the interference with a selected optical channel from adjacent blocks does not exceed a predetermined level.

Abstract: A process for scheduling a processor, in a stored program digital switch of a telecommunications network having heterogeneous types of task, utilizes preassigned probability parameters to schedule the tasks for the processor to serve to meet a system objective. For n types of tasks, each having one of n probability parameters P.sub.i where 0<P.sub.i <1, the system first serves a type i task, then if queue i is empty, it serves a type i+1 modulus (n) task. If queue i is not empty, with a probability P.sub.i it serves another type i task and with a probability 1-p.sub.i it serves a type i+1 task modulus (n) until a type i+1 task modulus (n) until a type i+1 task is served. Thus the processor continually cycles through all types of tasks.

Abstract: A method for producing a superconducting copper oxide based helical resonator coil exhibiting improved quality factor, Q. A copper oxide based superconductor powder is mixed with a binder melt at about 45-65% solids by volume. The binder is an RCOOR' ester wax with R and R' each a long chain hydrocarbon group of at least 6 carbons. The ester wax has a melting point of about 40.degree.-100.degree. C. and a viscosity of about 94-2000 centipoise at its melting point. The binder/powder mixture is extruded and wrapped around a mandrel to form a helical coil. The coil is embedded in a setter powder and heated in an oxidizing atmosphere at up to about 2.degree. C./min to about 450.degree.-650.degree. C., and held for a time sufficient to remove the binder. The coil is then heated in the oxidizing atmosphere at up to about 3.degree. C./min to at least about 920.degree. C., and held at about 920.degree.-990.degree. C. for a time sufficient to achieve a density of at least about 93% of theoretical density.

Abstract: An adaptive record ranking method for full text information retrieval, which quantifies the relevance of retrieved records to query terms occurring in said record. The method utilizes a multilevel weighting technique which permits user input to affect record weighting at each level of the ranking process. The method utilizes weighted attributes of properties of terms occurring in the records of the data base and compensates for the distance between adjacent words of complex terms. The method has been implemented on large full text data bases and the resulting rankings achieve a relatively high level of precision in ranking the relevance of retrieved records to a user query.

Abstract: A wireless communication device using a verification protocol for verifying the identification of the wireless device by a wireless network control station in the presence of eavesdroppers is disclosed. Upon receiving a call request from a wireless device claiming a particular identity, the wireless network control station sends a mask consisting of binary digits in a random order. The wireless device is expected to respond to this mask with a reply that is consistent with both the password contained in the device and the mask. Specifically, the bits of both the password and the mask are "ANDed" and the result transmitted to the wireless network control station as the reply.