Abstract: A deferred graphics pipeline processor comprising a texture unit and a texture memory associated with the texture unit. The texture unit applies texture maps stored in the texture memory, to pixel fragments. The textures are MIP-mapped and comprise a series of texture maps at different levels of detail, each map representing the appearance of the texture at a given distance from an eye point. The texture unit performs tri-linear interpolation from the texture maps to produce a texture value for a given pixel fragment that approximates the correct level of detail. The texture memory has texture data stored and accessed in a manner which reduces memory access conflicts and thus improves throughput of said texture unit.

Abstract: A digital rights management system permits an application owner to cause code to be injected into the application's run-time instruction stream so as to restrict execution of that application to specific hardware platforms. In a first phase, an authorizing entity (e.g., an application owner or platform manufacturer) authorizes one or more applications to execute on a given hardware platform. Later, during application run-time, code is injected that performs periodic checks are made to determine if the application continues to run on the previously authorized hardware platform. If a periodic check fails, at least part of the application's execution string is terminated—effectively rendering the application non-usable. The periodic check is transparent to the user and difficult to circumvent.

Abstract: The invention provides a system and method for performing convolution in a single channel of a vector processing computer system. The invention takes advantage of the parallel computing capability of the vector processing system and the distributed properties of the discrete-time convolution sum by performing convolution on portions of an overall data stream, or data chunks, simultaneously. Partial solutions are thereby obtained and superimposed to achieve an overall solution data stream. To simplify the convolution sum and eliminate the need for calculating products, an embodiment of the invention utilizes a specialized data signal or vector in the convolution operation. Specifically, a specialized vector comprising a series of ones may be used to simplify calculations.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for nonlinear scaling of video images. To match the aspect ratios of a video image and the target display area, at least one embodiment of the present invention scales the video image according to one or more nonlinear functions along the horizontal direction and/or the vertical direction. In one embodiment, the nonlinear functions are such that the original aspect ratio of the video image is preserved near the center region (or strip) of the image and the image is gradually stretched (or compressed) as it is mapped to the edges. In one example, the scaling is implemented by the texture mapping functionality of OpenGL using graphics hardware. In one embodiment of the present invention, the nonlinear mapping is constructed according to a polynomial mapping; and, the coefficients of the polynomial are adjustable by a user to trade off distortion between the image center and the image edges, giving the user control over the location and the amount of distortion.

Abstract: A guard system is provided for a portable computer disk drive slot. A guard is positioned substantially adjacent the computer disk drive slot for movement between an open position and a closed position. The open position is substantially adjacent, and not obstructing access through, the disk drive slot. The closed position is substantially adjacent and across the disk drive slot, and obstructs access through the disk drive slot. The guard is positioned in the closed position across the disk drive slot for at least one of a configuration of the portable computer when the disk drive is not to be used, and a configuration of the portable computer when a disk has been loaded into the disk drive.

Abstract: A low power tracking device and a method of use thereof is described. The method includes receiving first tracking information from a first tracking device and periodically determining accuracy of the first tracking information. A second tracking device is activated and used to acquire second tracking information when said determining indicates that the accuracy of the first tracking information is inadequate. The first tracking device is substantially lower power device that the second tracking device.

Abstract: Windows in a graphical user interface are automatically repositioned and resized in response to changes in a display configuration. If a window is not capable of being fully displayed within the reconfigured display area, it is constrained to fit the available space. In determining the constraints for the window, the window is given a size which permits an integral amount of information to be displayed to the user. If a minimum required size is not already present in the available display area, the window is moved into the available area until the minimum size is attained. If the visible portion of the window already contains the minimum required area, a determination is made whether additional integral components of the window can be displayed. The window is then appropriately shrunk or expanded to permit an integral number of components to be displayed, and control elements are added to the window.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of synchronizing a datum between a plurality of stores is disclosed. A version history is associated with the datum in each store. The version history has one or more entries, and each entry has an identifier and a value. The identifier identifies a store that has modified the datum, and the value indicates a number of modifications to the datum made by the store. When synchronizing the datum between stores, the version histories of the datum are compared to determine whether one version history is subordinate to another version history. The datum in the store having the subordinate version history is then replaced with the datum having the dominant version history. When compared, a conflict resolution by a user is required if the version histories are not identical, if the version histories do not have all the same identifiers, and if one version history does not contain all of the identifiers with equal or greater values of those in the other version history.

Abstract: Graphical user interface material map objects are specified by a collection of attribute-value pairs, the collection of which comprises a complete description of the material map and may be used by a rendering engine to create a visual representation of the material map at any resolution. That is, material map representations in accordance with the invention are resolution independent. Another benefit of representing material maps in accordance with the invention is that they may be encrypted to prevent unauthorized inspection or use.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and apparatus for evaluating and correcting rhythm of audio data. Embodiments of the invention are capable of obtaining preferred rhythm in audio data, and strategically correcting the portions of audio data resulting an enhancing rhythm. A system embodying the invention may detect each transient in audio data, compute an ideal time for the transient and determine the time deviation from the expected ideal time. The system may correct for the time of the transient by altering the audio data before or after the transient. The system utilizes one or more methods to correct for the timing while preserving the audio quality of the signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for command recognition using semantic inference and word agglomeration is described herein. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for recognizing a voice command comprises recognizing a sequence of words received as the voice command. The sequence of words is further agglomerated into a sequence of word n-tuples. Semantic inference is applied to the sequence of word n-tuples to recognize the voice command.

Abstract: The present invention is a computer controlled display device. In one embodiment, the display device includes a flat panel display having an input for receiving display data. Additionally, a moveable assembly may be coupled to the display. The moveable assembly may provide at least three degrees of freedom of movement for the flat panel display device. Additionally, the moveable assembly may have a cross-sectional area, which is substantially less than a cross-sectional area of a display structure of the flat panel display.

Abstract: A discrete cosine transform (DCT) level enhancement to Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) video encoding is described that results in a more concise bitstream than MPEG encoding without the enhancement. One degree of freedom provided by the MPEG encoding specifications is whether a frame- or field-based DCT operation will be used. In the field-based DCT operations, luminance sub-blocks are built from even or odd rows of the original image, which correspond to the top and bottom fields in field-based video. This allows the encoder to take advantage of the higher correlation between rows for the same field, especially in field-based video with a high level of motion. In one embodiment, both field- and frame-based DCT operations are performed and the results are quantized. On a macroblock-by-macroblock basis, the option that results in the fewest non-zero coefficients is selected and those coefficients are used for run-time encoding.

Abstract: Improved techniques for rendering a peripheral device removable (e.g., unpluggable) are disclosed. According to one aspect of the invention, the peripheral device is rendered removable from a host computer without preparatory user actions. In effect, the peripheral device can be automatically prepared for removal in the event that its user removes (unplugs) it from its host computer. According to another aspect of the invention, the peripheral device includes a data storage device that is mounted to a file system of the other computer when the other computer desires access to the data storage device. Otherwise, the data storage device is normally unmounted so that if the peripheral device were to be removed (e.g., unplugged) no harm or damage to data stored therein would occur. These aspects of the invention can be utilized alone or in combination with one another.

Abstract: A computing device is disclosed. The computing device includes a data capture device such as a camera. In one aspect, the data capture device may integrated with the housing of the computing device and further detachable therefrom. In another aspect, the data capture device may swivel and/or a translate relative to the housing of the computing device. In another aspect, the computing device may include a positioning device for controlling the movement of the data capture device relative to the housing. IN yet another aspect, the computing device may include a latch that is automatically positioned in a home position when a housing component of the computing device is positioned in first position, and is automatically positioned in a lock position when the housing component of the computing device is positioned in a closed position.