Abstract: Speech or acoustic signals are processed directly using a hybrid stochastic language model produced by integrating a latent semantic analysis language model into an n-gram probability language model. The latent semantic analysis language model probability is computed using a first pseudo-document vector that is derived from a second pseudo-document vector with the pseudo-document vectors representing pseudo-documents created from the signals received at different times. The first pseudo-document vector is derived from the second pseudo-document vector by updating the second pseudo-document vector directly in latent semantic analysis space in response to at least one addition of a candidate word of the received speech signals to the pseudo-document represented by the second pseudo-document vector. Updating precludes mapping a sparse representation for a pseudo-document into the latent semantic space to produce the first pseudo-document vector.

Abstract: Isochronous data packets transmitted within a digital network having a bus architecture that complies with the IEEE-1394 Standard for a High Performance Serial Bus are stamped with a presentation time stamp value determined according to a computed packet rate for the data. For the case where the presentation time stamp field of a first packet of a second frame of data for transmission in the digital network is set with the presentation time value, the packet rate may be computed by measuring a difference between a desired presentation time value of a first packet in a first frame of the data and an actual transmission time of the first packet of the first frame. The first frame preceding the second frame in time of transmission within the network.

Abstract: The present invention, generally speaking, provides a hardware graphics accelerator for use in a computer system having a data processor, a system bus, and a memory subsystem including both main memory and video memory. The hard-ware graphics accelerator includes a datapath controller connected to the system bus and to the memory subsystem for receiving data from the memory subsystem, performing an operation upon the data, and returning the data to the memory subsystem; and a memory controller connected to the system bus, to the datapath controller, and to the memory subsystem for controlling the memory subsystem such that at one time the datapath controller receives the data from the main memory and at another time the datapath controller receives the data from the video memory.

Abstract: A typical mouse presents great inconvenience to those who have very large hands, very small hands or those who have finger deformity. When the hands are very large, user fingers need to bend over in order to reach the button; when the hands are very small, user fingers need to stretch out in order to reach the button. None of which presents a comfortable position for these users. Furthermore, if there is any finger deformity involved, then there would be even greater difficulty in activating the mouse button for purposes such as data selection and command execution. The present invention provides an improved computer mouse that has a mouse housing having a base member and a top member. The base member is configured primarily to make moving contact with the surface of a computer pad or a table. The top member is an integrated piece having no separate mechanical button disposed thereon.

Abstract: Aspects for achieving enhanced glyphs of a font are presented. In a method aspect, the method includes determining a glyph layer description for a selected glyph, and accessing at least one contour for the selected glyph. The method further includes accessing at least one layer style for the at least one contour of the selected glyph, and rendering the selected glyph in accordance with the at least one layer style to produced an enhanced glyph. In a system aspect, the system includes a mechanism for providing a hinted path. A glyph layer processor is coupled to the mechanism for providing and receives the hinted path. The glyph layer processor outputs enhanced glyph data. A drawing client for receiving the enhanced glyph data from the glyph layer processor for output from a computer system is further included.

Abstract: A system and method of rendering overlapping layers in a computer display, such as a windowing system, employs front-to-back assembly of the displayed image. An arbitrary number of overlapping elements, such as windows, can be presented, without requiring temporary storage space or additional off-screen buffers. The front-to-back assembly technique minimizes the number of memory transfers performed in connection with rendering an image, and avoids unnecessary reading and processing of pixels that will not contribute to the final image. Special effects such as semi-transparency, shadows, and irregular shapes can be accommodated and processed in an efficient manner.

Abstract: A method and device for accessing a broad data field having a fine resolution. The user selects a scale which can be varied. The scale controls a range within the data field. By moving the range to encompass different portions of the data field, the user can scan that portion of the data field. The present invention allows the user to simultaneously select the scale while moving the range over different portions of the data field. Thus, the user can “zoom in” and “zoom out” of different portions of the data field. In one embodiment of the present invention, a particular piece of data within the broad data field can be accessed. First, the scale is selectively varied, thereby controlling a range within the data field. Then, the range is moved to encompass portions of the data field in which the piece of data resides. Next, the scale is successively decreased while, simultaneously, points successively closer to the location are kept with the range. The scale is decreased (i.e.

Abstract: Rotatable door lock with an integrated security feature is used in a housing having a lockable door panel. The housing has an opening therein. The lockable door panel includes a lock cylinder having a passage extending substantially radially therethrough. The lockable door panel further includes a door panel of sufficient size to cover the opening, the door panel having a door panel opening therein for receiving the lock cylinder, and at least one door panel recess in an outside of the door panel and leading to the door panel opening such that, when the lock cylinder is turned to a locking position relative to the door panel, the passageway is accessible through the at least one door panel recess. When the door panel is moved to a closed position to cover the opening, the lock cylinder in the door panel is received in the opening and is turnable to the locking position to lock the lockable door panel to the housing.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for improved duration modeling of phonemes in a speech synthesis system are provided. According to one aspect, text is received into a processor of a speech synthesis system. The received text is processed using a sum-of-products phoneme duration model that is used in either the formant method or the concatenative method of speech generation. The phoneme duration model, which is used along with a phoneme pitch model, is produced by developing a non-exponential functional transformation form for use with a generalized additive model. The non-exponential functional transformation form comprises a root sinusoidal transformation that is controlled in response to a minimum phoneme duration and a maximum phoneme duration. The minimum and maximum phoneme durations are observed in training data. The received text is processed by specifying at least one of a number of contextual factors for the generalized additive model.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing heat from heat generating elements is disclosed. The apparatus is a thermal management system having a thermal distribution assembly in either one of or both of conductive and radiative communication with heat generating elements. The thermal distribution assembly has thermal zones, each of which is associated with at least one heat generating element. The thermal distribution assembly includes a heat spreading frame and a heat conducting frame. Heat passes from the heat generating elements to the heat conducting frame and then to the heat spreading frame, from which the heat is removed via convection.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for functionally testing integrated circuit chips for the particular design for which they are intended. The techniques operate to automatically and intelligently transform a test designed for verifying the design of a simulation model of an electronic system to test patterns for an isolated test on an Automatic Testing Equipment (ATE) system, of a particular integrated circuit chip within the simulation model.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for creating high quality virtual reality panoramas is disclosed that yields dramatic improvements during the authoring and projecting cycles, with speeds up to several orders of magnitude faster than prior systems. In a preferred embodiment, a series of rectilinear images taken from a plurality of rows are pairwise registered with one another, and locally optimized using a pairwise objective function (local error function) that minimizes certain parameters in a projective transformation, using an improved iterative procedure. The local error function values for the pairwise registrations are then saved and used to construct a quadratic surface to approximate a global optimization function (global error function). The chain rule is used to avoid the direct evaluation of the global objective function, saving computation.

Abstract: Improved housing for a computing device is disclosed. The improved housing is provided with one of an illuminable connector, a touch pad arrangement, and a palm rest stiffening plate. Normally, the illuminable connector and the touch pad arrangement are provided on external portions of a housing of the computing device such that they are available for user interaction. The palm rest stiffening plate is provided internal to a housing to provide stiffness or rigidity to a palm rest region of the housing.

Abstract: A method and system for providing multiple typographic glyph data items to a requesting client from a font scaler sub-system. The method and system includes accepting a request from the client that describes multiple glyphs and a destination memory in which to store the glyphs. From the request, a transaction message is formed and transmitted to a scaler server using an application program interface. The scaler server then generates the multiple glyph data items from the descriptions of the multiple glyphs, and stores the glyph data items directly into the destination memory.

Abstract: A method for the dynamic presentation of the contents of a plurality of documents on a display is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a plurality of documents and providing a plurality of topically rich capsule overviews corresponding to the plurality of documents. The method also includes dynamically delivering document content encapsulated in the plurality of capsule overviews. In so doing, the method in accordance with the present invention can present thematic capsule overviews of the documents to users. The capsule overviews, delivered in a variety of dynamic presentation modes, allow the user to quickly get a sense of what a document is about, and decide whether they want to read it in more detail.