Abstract: A system and method provide for synchronous operation of linked command objects in a general purpose software application. The software application provides a user with a variety of operations that manipulate available data objects. The software application manages the data objects in a number of contexts. Each context manages the existence and execution of a number of command objects. Each command object operates on one or more data objects in its context. To support synchronous operations that affect the state of data objects in more than one context, command objects are linked to each other. When one command object is executed, the context of the command object identifies a command object linked to the executed command object and initiates the execution of the linked command object via the context that manages that command object. This synchronization allows for synchronous undo and redone operations. The delete states of the command objects are also synchronized.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing information in a data processing system which is coupled to an information storage device having information stored therein. The method includes defining on a first processor a first search request which includes at least one parameter which specifies a first desired type of information, then performing a first search using the first request to determine whether the first type of desired information is stored in the information storage device. While performing the first search the first processor executes another process associated with searching for information in the data processing system. This other process typically includes defining a further search request and performing a further search using the further search request while the first search is being performed. The apparatus of the present invention includes a first processor coupled to the information storage device and a second processor coupled to a network to the first processor.

Abstract: To eliminate artifacts resulting from the quantization of images by means of an error diffusion process, a determination is made whether a current pixel being processed is within a shadow or highlight region of an image. If so, a dot of a complementary value is placed in the region only if a distance constraint between the current pixel and neighbor dots is satisfied. If the distance constraint is not satisfied, the placement of the dot is postponed. The distance constraint is based upon the grayscale level of the current pixel. A road map for determining the distance to other dots is defined in a manner such that it expands further from the location of the current pixel as the grayscale value of that pixel approaches the extreme limits of the grayscale range. As a result, a homogenous distribution of dots in highlight and shadow regions of an image is produced.

Abstract: A method for displaying data items of a data record on a computer display screen of a computer. The method includes the step of displaying, in accordance with a condensed display mode, a condensed data set in a condensed data section on the computer display screen. The condensed data set represents a first set of data items of the record that has been preselected to be displayed in the condensed data section in the condensed display mode. The method further includes the step of displaying, upon receiving a predefined user command and in accordance with a detailed display mode, a detailed data set in a detailed data section on the computer display screen. The detailed data section represents a corresponding detailed version of the condensed data section, and the detailed data set represents a second set of data items of the record that has been preselected to be displayed in the detailed data section in the detailed mode.

Abstract: A method for altering a linked series of image processors capable of manipulation digital image data includes providing a digital image capture device with an image processing chain, and modifying the image processing chain to form a new image processing chain. The modifying further includes deleting an image processor from the image processing chain. Alternatively, the modifying further includes altering the image processing chain with at least one externally provided image processor, inserting an image processor into the image processing chain, or replacing an image processor in the image processing chain.In a system aspect, the system includes a digital image capture device, the digital image capture device capable of processing digital image data through two or more image processors. The system further includes a central processing unit within the digital image capture device and capable of linking the two or more image processors to form an image processing chain.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for simultaneously encrypting and compressing data identifies an encryption key and uses the encryption key to identify one compression algorithm from a set of compression algorithms. The data is then compressed according to the one compression algorithm.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for a speech recognition system that uses a language model based on an integrated finite state grammar probability and an n-gram probability are provided. According to one aspect of the invention, speech signals are received into a processor of a speech recognition system. The speech signals are processed using a speech recognition system hosting a language model. The language model is produced by integrating a finite state grammar probability and an n-gram probability. In the integration, the n-gram probability is modified based on information provided by the finite state grammar probability; thus, the finite state grammar probability is subordinate to the n-gram probability. The language model is used by a decoder along with at least one acoustic model to perform a hypothesis search on an acoustic sequence to provide a word sequence output. The word sequence generated is representative of the received speech signals.

Abstract: A method is provided for converting displayed text from one format to another. Text is input as handwriting in a pen-based computer and then automatically converted to a typeface text of a first text domain. Upon receipt of a conversion gesture that is recognized by the system as such, the system automatically converts the displayed text from the first text domain to a second character. The displayed text may be initially written as Hiragana and/or Katakana characters. Upon receipt of a conversion gesture, the system automatically converts the Hiragana and Katakana characters to appropriate Kanji characters.

Abstract: A system and method for increasing the speed and resource utilization of a computer system in which a personal computer uses a portable computer as an extra hard disk. While the portable computer is in SCSI target mode, the unused memory of the portable computer is converted into a disk cache for the hard disk of the portable computer. This enables the portable computer to perform as a very fast disk.

Abstract: A system for viewing and manipulating information of various data types within a single document in an integrated computer system environment is disclosed. Each data type is maintained within a dataset. Datasets comprise logical information of a common data type along with the functions or processing logic to view and manipulate that data type. The logical types of information managed by datasets in the preferred embodiment include graphical objects, blocks of text, spreadsheet cells, and database records. Datasets also manage frames. Frames provide a means by which datasets are viewed and manipulated. Each dataset is responsible for managing the display of information inside one of its frames. Significantly, the present invention provides a logical independence between the information contained in a dataset and the manner in which the information is viewed and manipulated (i.e. frames). This independence provides a significant improvement in the ability to manipulate various types of information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for initiating a teleconference between two or more digital processing systems. A method according to one aspect of the invention comprises retrieving information containing an address and configuration data for the teleconference and retrieving a teleconference application program and using the information to initiate a teleconference with the teleconference application program where the information is independent of the teleconference application program and may be shared or used by another teleconference application program and is typically stored independently of the teleconference application program. A method according to another aspect of the present invention includes the steps of transmitting a representation of an image to a second processor and prior to receiving a confirmation of an acceptance to begin the teleconference, displaying the image at the second processor. Various examples of apparatuses which may perform these methods are also described.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for an improved stack comprises an advantageous indexing scheme and stack arrangement allowing more efficient performance of stack operations. The most-recently-used stack item appears at the top of the stack and the least-recently-used item is at the bottom of the stack. Values in between the top and bottom items are ordered from top to bottom with succeedingly less recently used items. An indexing scheme is used to indirectly reference locations of the stack items in the stack. A set of registers is used to reference the locations of the stack items in an embedded memory array. The registers function as pointers to the memory array locations. To promote an item to the top of the stack, the item is identified as the most-recently-used and the contents of the other registers are changed to specify the new locations, e.g. these pointers are shifted down one.

Abstract: A method for controlling a screen display of an electronic book. The contents of the book are displayed on a screen of the computer system as pages with which the user interacts by a pointer such as a pen or stylus. The content engine performs various functions including one or more of the following: (1) creating page displays for content of the book, (2) providing a navigation interface for identifying material in the book and moving to desired locations, (3) finding character strings located within the book, and (4) accepting handwritten information on pages of the book. The electronic book includes a "bookmark" button which when selected displays a bookmark icon and inserts a bookmark in the book at the page that is currently displayed. Thereafter the user can close the book or move to another page and automatically return to the marked page by selecting the bookmark icon.

Abstract: A method and system for maintaining coherent image relationships within identified image groups in a memory system of a digital image capture device includes storing a plurality of groups of related images on a removable storage device in a hierarchical manner, and providing an alias identifier for an image file when the removable storage device has reached its storage capacity, wherein the alias identifier identifies the image file stored in a storage device of the digital image capture device. The method and system further includes providing the image file with a same file name and a substitute extension designation to correlate the image file on the storage device with an empty file of the same name on the removable storage device.

Abstract: A multiple function peripheral connecting device that allows more functionality in the limited port space of a computer is disclosed. The connecting device provides the capability for external devices having different functions to be connected to the computer through a single port. This is accomplished by wiring a first function, internal to the computer, to certain pins of a modular connector, and wiring a second function, also internal to the computer, to a certain different combination of pins on the same modular connector. Because differently sized plugs can fit with the modular connector, peripherals associated with different types of systems can connect with the computer through the same single jack. Also, an adapter may be connected to the computer to allow simultaneous use of the two internal functions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for halftoning where at most one halftoned gray, or multi-level, pixel will occur in those halftone cells having a constant area of ink. The method and apparatus includes placing a threshold array and the pixel tonal values within the same range if the threshold array and pixel tonal values are in different ranges. The elements in the threshold array are then compared to the pixel tonal values in order to determine a resulting output value.The preferred apparatus for halftoning includes a memory for storing the threshold array; a multiplier for multiplying one 8-bit value representing the number of pixels in a halftone cell by a second 8-bit value which is a pixel tonal value; a comparator for comparing the results of the multiplier with an element from the threshold array; and a multiplexer for selecting a resulting output value based upon the output generated by the comparator.

Abstract: A method and system for processing active AFP sessions by a multithreaded file system process. The file server is coupled to entities on a network, wherein an open AFP session is created when the file server and an entity on the network establish communication, and an active AFP session is created when an AFP session has a pending request. The method and system comprises monitoring the file server for active AFP sessions. When a first active AFP session having at least one AFP request becomes available, the method and system assigns a first one of the threads to the first active AFP session for processing. The method and system preempts the processing of the first active AFP session by the first one of the threads when additional active AFP sessions are available so that the first one of the threads becomes available to process additional active AFP sessions, whereby equal processing time is provided to each one of the active AFP sessions.