Abstract: Portions of multimedia program (presentation) are repetitively broadcast to receiving stations with subsequent portions being broadcast less frequently than preceding portions. Blocks of at least one of the portions are broadcast in varying permutations from one repetition to a next repetition. Further, each portion is of a length which is proportional to a sum of the lengths of all preceding portions. A receiver is provided with selects blocks to be skipped (in a pyramid type broadcast) based on information indicative of the permutation selected by the server. The receiver determines the number of blocks to skip before buffering the next block for the video being viewed.

Abstract: A pipelined set-associative cache data READ/WRITE access circuit advancing the processing performance speeds in microprocessor memories. It provides an apparatus and method to obtain quick access to multi-way cache memory associates for both READ and WRITE operations satisfying the required increased memory access performance speeds for modern microprocessor utilizations. Special methodology is employed to minimize the number of pathways and the pathway through-time of the longest time critical path even with a provision of array built in self test (ABIST) capability.

Abstract: A system, method and apparatus for Video-on-demand (VOD) satisfying the desire of `surfers`. The process entails a server operating in a standard Near-Video-on-demand (NVOD) mode, whereby it repeatedly transmits multiple copies of each program on separate channels. Each copy is delayed by a staggered time interval. The server also repeatedly transmits a beginning portion of each NVOD program of a duration up to the staggered time interval. The invention provides a way to fulfill a VOD user requests asynchronous with the start of a NVOD transmission but which still makes primary use of the NVOD transmission for that requestor. The invention further advantageously provides fixed asset utilization in a predictable manner.

Abstract: A multiple position camera apparatus and method for a three-dimensional computer controlled telepresence camera system useful in surrogate travel type applications. In one embodiment, it enables a telepresence application provider to form multi-view application specific stored image sequences from up to six orthogonally positioned cameras. It furthermore enables a telepresence user to subsequently retrieve for remote viewing particular subsets of the available image sequences and/or groups of sequences via a monitoring and display system. A viewing procedure provides the user with the ability to proceed spatially and/or contiguously along any camera to camera direction. It further uses a wire cage to enable the definition and setting of the field of view of each camera.

Abstract: A self-biased, fully differential, complementary receiver apparatus and method is presented. The receiver accepts differential inputs that can vary over the full rail-to-rail common mode voltage range. It produces double-ended complementary outputs swinging rail-to-rail useful in signal level conversion and comparator applications. The receiver includes a dual, fully complementary and mirror-symmetrical arrangement of a differential input stage, a biasing stage and an output stage. A self biasing voltage is generated with a balanced voltage divider coupled between the outputs of the biasing stages. This frees both biasing outputs for use as analogous but complementary receiver outputs while providing the receiver with all the advantages of self bias. For small signal differential inputs, the input and biasing stages operate in their linear region useful for amplifier applications.