Abstract: A variety of mechanisms are disclosed for a dynamically binding native methods in an interpreted bytecode program to functions that are contained in compiled code, such as a dynamically linked library. In one implementation, a shared function is specified by means of a naming convention that is appropriate for the bytecode interpreted program, such as a package of classes. When a native method is to be resolved during loading of a class, the name of the package is examined to see if the method resides in a shared library. If so, it is loaded using techniques that are specific to the compiled code in which the library exists. In another embodiment, a designated base class, or interface, is used to identify the method by which the shared library is to be loaded. In a third type of implementation, a given method requests a class to specify which libraries it needs to be linked to, as it is being loaded, after which the libraries are loaded and the class methods are linked to them.

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: A method and apparatus for manipulation of data in a computer-controlled display system. A user may select data from a first application program and drag it to an area on the computer system display representing a third application program. The first application program creates a series of formats into which the data may be provided and, in some instance, the data itself. Moreover, a second process appends to that list of formats a series of formats that it can provide the data in. Then, upon receipt of the list of formats and/or data of the first item, the third process can request the data in any of the formats from either the first or second processes, if required.

Abstract: A new behavior in a graphical user interface allows the user to open and close enclosures, while dragging an object. When the user pauses, gestures, or rolls over a hot spot on top of an icon or text representing a closed enclosure, a temporary window for the closed enclosure is "sprung open" to allow the user to browse inside the enclosure and possible open another enclosure contained within the temporary window. This process can be carried on throughout a hierarchy of windows as the user browses for a destination window for the drag operation. All of the temporary windows except the destination are closed when the mouse button is released, signaling the end of a drag. The user may close sprung open windows by simply moving the cursor out of the sprung open window, or by making some other gesture.

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: An antenna arrangement of sufficiently small size to be accommodated in the housing of a portable communications device includes a pair of spaced folded monopole antennas. Each antenna includes a first printed circuit board having a conducting surface that forms a ground plane. Mounted on the first circuit board is a second printed circuit board having a right-angled strip of conducting material, which forms a folded monopole radiating element. The folding of the monopole reduces its height, to thereby enable it to fit into small casings and the like. To compensate for the effects of the folded monopole on the electrical match, frequency bandwidth and electromagnetic fields, a shunt inductance is introduced between the monopole and the ground plane. The antennas are mounted within cavities that can be lined or coated with metallic material, to improve the radiation patterns of the antennas and isolate them from the electronic components of the communications system.

Abstract: A system and method for processing stroke-based handwriting data for the purposes of automatically scoring and clustering the handwritten data to form letter prototypes. The present invention includes a method for processing digitized stroke-based handwriting data of known character strings, where each of the character strings is represented by a plurality of mathematical feature vectors. In this method, each one of the plurality of feature vectors is labelled as corresponding to a particular character in the character strings. A trajectory is then formed for each one of the plurality of feature vectors labelled as corresponding to a particular character. After the trajectories are formed, a distance value is calculated for each pair of trajectories corresponding to the particular character using dynamic time warping method. The trajectories which are within a sufficiently small distance of each other are grouped to form a plurality of clusters.