Abstract: Methods and data structures which permit information to be stored as objects in target containers and update containers. A target container defines a first state of the information, and the update container, which can point to the target container, identifies changes to the information in the first state which would be sufficient to update the first information state to a second information state. Update containers may be nested to any depth. When an application program opens an update container, the procedure searches down the chain until it finds the ultimate target container. It then creates in-memory structures for providing access to the objects and value data represented in such container. The procedure then works its way back up the chain, performing the changes on the in-memory structure, which are called for in each of the update containers.

Abstract: A method for object based color matching when printing color documents. Objects are anything that can be drawn, and include text, rectangle, oval, region, polygon, and PixMaps. Color matching is performed on each object in a page prior to rendering the object into a pixel map. This is accomplished by setting up multiple concurrent color matching sessions that have different rendering intents. Depending upon the object type, a color matching session with a particular rendering intent is used to perform color matching on the object.

Abstract: A computer system and computer implemented method automatically classify video sequences into categories. A set of categories is defined either manually through the association of selected video sequences with user supplied category designations, or automatically through segregation of a set of video sequences into groups of similar sequences. Input video sequences are then classified by either pixel decomposition or primitive attribute decomposition; the former analyzing each image on a pixel basis, the latter employing extracted image information. Categories can be trained as new video sequences are input into the system, or new categories can be created to accommodate such new sequences that are dissimilar from existing categories.

Abstract: Text entry and information retrieval are combined in such a way as to automatically offer an author continuous retrieval of information potentially relevant to the text he is authoring. The author enters text in one portion of the user interface. Keywords are extracted from the text as the author enters them and are used as query words for an information retrieval mechanism to a document collection. Those queries return relevant information from the document collection in a second portion of the user interface. The user can then read or ignore the returned information or he can select the returned information to view the full context from which it came.

Abstract: A high resolution computer visual display monitor employing a cathode ray tube (CRT) having a vertical aperture grill intended for personal computer systems and integrating a high quality stereophonic speaker system and a directional microphone, and methods for construction of same. The aperture grill has a natural frequency centered within the musical scale. The stereo speaker system comprises a ported speaker enclosure within which are mounted two conventional cone speaker assemblies. A stereo audio amplifier and control unit for controlling the audio signals delivered to the speakers is mounted within the speaker enclosure. The speaker enclosure is internally mounted within the monitor with a minimum number of attachment members incorporating vibration isolation material to remove vibration components near the natural frequency of the aperture grill.

Abstract: Enclosure panel for a mobile computer, the enclosure panel including a panel housing coupled to a portion of the mobile computer. In one embodiment, the panel housing is non-detachably coupled to an attachment plate that is coupled to the mobile computer. The enclosure panel can have cosmetic or functional attributes or both. To achieve cosmetic individuality, the enclosure panel housing is made of a durable substance like transparent or colorful plastic or stainless steel, or is covered by a textile, vinyl, leather, or elastomeric material. Functional attributes include enclosure panels with pouches for storage, additional electronic component configurability, a solar power source, or a transporting means. The enclosure panel housing is interchangeable with other enclosure panel housings, providing the user with reconfigurability of a mobile computer design.

Abstract: A data structure and associated data management methods for highly flexible storage of data for a wide variety of application programs. Data is stored as a plurality of Blops, each of which has a list of Properties associated with it. Each Property contains zero or more elements. Elements are Values, each of which has a Basic Type and consists of a variable length sequence of bytes. The Basic Type defines the format of the Value, as well as meta-information such as compression and encryption. Elements can also be Compound Types, which nestably refer to another list of Properties. Blops are stored in Containers, which map to the physical medium on which the data is stored. Containers associate respective Container Handlers which are specific to the Container's physical medium. Related Blops in a Container are organized into Pools of Blops. Each Container contains one or more Pools, each Pool having a unique name within the Container. A Pool contains multiple versions of a Blop.

Abstract: A method and system for retrieving information in response to a query by a user. The method includes the steps of receiving a signal s having a value corresponding to a relevance-ranking algorithm score of a retrieved document, receiving a signal q having a value corresponding to the number of words in the query and a signal v having a value corresponding to the coordination level of the retrieved document and query (i.e., the degree of overlap between the document terms and the query terms), and generating an adjusted score s1 dependent on the signal s, the signal q and the signal v. The adjusted score s1 takes the coordination level into account for small values of q and gradually decreases the importance of the coordination level as q increases. The system of this invention includes a computer-based system for carrying out the method of this invention.

Abstract: An apparatus for increasing a digital camera image capture rate comprises an imaging device for capturing raw image data, a frame buffer for receiving the image data, a first RAM spooler for transferring the raw image data to a RAM disk, a first flash spooler for transferring the raw image data from the RAM disk to a flash memory, an image processor for processing and compressing the raw data, a second RAM spooler for storing the compressed image data into the RAM disk, and a second flash spooler for transferring the compressed image data from the RAM disk to the flash memory.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sharing a single storage device among an arbitrarily large number of parallel processes with typically no wasted memory space and continued operations even when an error or interrupt occurs is disclosed. In a networked computer system having a communication network connecting a primary storage device between one or more computer devices and a secondary storage device, when some type of interrupt is generated or an error condition occurs or is otherwise indicated, a transfer of data from primary to secondary storage is indicated. A state indicator having at least a non-backup and a backup state may be set to the backup state to indicate that a data transfer from the primary storage device to the secondary storage device should occur. Alternatively, the transfer from the primary to the secondary storage device can begin without the use of a state indicator.

Abstract: A run-time data type extension mechanism describes the kinds of performance information collected within a registry located in a main memory of a computer. The data type extension mechanism comprises a base node of a multi-linked tree data structure having associated therewith a buffer portion for storing the collected performance information and a description portion for describing that information. Writer entities specify the contents of these latter portions, i.e., the collected information and its description, at run time to provide an arrangement for dynamically extending the kinds of information collected at the registry.

Abstract: A real-time interactive document summarization system which allows the user to continuously control the amount of detail to be included in a document summary.

Abstract: The transfer of video and graphic data from a frame buffer to a display system is interleaved in a manner which permits operation with a reduced memory bandwidth. For those scan lines of a display in which the video information appears, video data is retrieved from the frame buffer during the horizontal blanking time of the scan. Graphical data is retrieved from the memory during the active portion of horizontal scan line. By alternating the retrieval of data in this manner, a lower bandwidth operation can be employed, thereby reducing the expenses of the memory. An address translator permits video and graphic data that is stored in different respective formats to be retrieved with a consistent addressing approach. The use of multiple color look-up tables permits full-color video to be displayed even if limited-color graphics are being employed.

Abstract: A printing system is provided for interfacing one or more session level protocols within the system to achieve an enhanced communications between the host computer and the network printer. A client server connection protocol (CSCP) facilitates this connectivity by providing a symmetric protocol for connections between servers and clients over connection-based stream-oriented protocols such as AppleTalk Data Stream Protocol (ADSP) and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). CSCP resides in the presentation layer of the OSI seven-layer model and interfaces with one or more session level protocols. The dynamic port negotiation of CSCP facilitates concurrency for server applications by off-loading the port negotiation that would otherwise have to take place by the server and its clients. Thereby, CSCP allows the printing system to be easily extended and integrated with new protocol/ports as they are developed and introduced.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting and reporting flow imbalance of a data stream. A grab rate signal is generated measuring the rate at which a source machine can sequence and compress data from an input. Next, an outflow rate is generated measuring the rate at which the source machine can transmit the compressed data out to a network. When the compressed data arrives at a destination machine from the network, an arrival rate signal is generated measuring the rate at which the destination machine can re-sequence the compressed data for playback and decompression. Finally, a play rate signal is generated measuring the rate at which the destination machine can decompress and play the data to an output. The four rates are used in determining a flow imbalance signal and reporting the imbalance so that the user may correct any deficiencies in the data stream by modifying the quality/size or compression method used for the data transaction from the source.

Abstract: A system comprises a structure editor, a structure library, an extractor and a user interface, which are stored in computer memory and create structures for recognizing patterns in computer text. The structure editor via the user interface enables a user to input a text string called a model pattern, and uses previously-created structures such as lexical category structures for parsing the model pattern into default definition items. Each default definition item includes attributes specifying the patterns recognizable by the definition item and relationships with other definition items. The structure editor enables and facilitates user modification of the default definition items by generating attribute choices for user selection and allowing a user to generate a new structure if none of the choices is adequate. The resulting definition items form a new definition of a new structure, which is stored in the structure library.

Abstract: An opening part of an extensible and replaceable network-oriented component system opens asynchronous information by maintaining a placeholder until an actual data type determination is made. While this placeholder is being maintained, the progress of the opening process may be monitored and displayed. Upon determining the actual data type of the asynchronous information, the appropriate display part for the data type may be obtained. The network-oriented system includes a novel application programming interface for the opening part that facilitates integration with an underlying software component architecture. Such a highly-modular cooperating layered-arrangement between the network component system and the component architecture allows the opening part to be replaced, extended or modified by other opening-type components, while ensuring that these latter components "seamlessly" interact with existing components and component editors of the system.

Abstract: A method for enhancing a user interface with a computer based training tool comprising the steps of listing domain objects on a display; listing domain object values in response to a selection of one of the domain objects; generating a plurality of inquiries in response to a user selection of one of the domain object values; replying with a predetermined answer; identifying a new domain object value in the predetermined answer; and adding to the plurality of inquiries a new inquiry which incorporates both the selected domain object value and the new domain object value.

Abstract: A system and method for multicasting control signals to selectively operate one memory device or groups of memory devices comprises a memory controller coupled to a plurality of memory devices by a command bus and a data bus. Each of the plurality of memory devices has a unique identification number. The system provides an addressing scheme in which an individual memory device or groups of memory device can be selected for operation by addressing the devices with a command packet. The memory controller broadcasts a command packet over the command bus to the plurality of memory devices. The packet includes an identification number. At each of the memory devices, selection logic is included to make the memory device operational if the identification number in the packet matches the identification number assigned to the memory device.