Abstract: A method and apparatus for direct manipulation of 3-D objects on computer display. This method and apparatus provides for a 3-D bounding region wherein the 3-D bounding region has sensitive areas which the user can select with a reference pointer such that when the user manipulates the reference pointer after selecting a sensitive area the 3-D bounding region and the object within it are manipulated with direct kinesthetic correspondence between the user's manipulation of the reference pointer and the bounding region and object manipulation.

Abstract: A method and system for reconstructing quantized signals is described. Non-linear filtering is applied to a quantized signal to distribute quantum changes over their respective time intervals to provide, for example, a smoother reconstructed signal. The quantization bounds are enforced for each refined signal point to ensure a reconstructed signal that is within the bounded uncertainty associated with the original signal. The process can be applied to selected control points of the quantized signal and non-overshooting splines can be used to interpolate therebetween.

Abstract: The present invention is a printed circuit board design having a configurable voltage supply and a method for implementing a configurable voltage supply PCB with a family of circuit designs. The printed circuit board is designed such that voltage supply planes can be configured to match the device requirements for different ICs inserted into the PCB. The PCB comprises electrically isolated conductive layers that are split into a plurality of electrically isolated fixed and undefined voltage planes. The fixed voltage planes are each coupled to a different supply voltage provided by an external power supply. Undefined voltage planes are coupled to fixed voltage planes with insertable conductive jumpers to obtain the desired voltage supply for each voltage plane. The voltage plane configuration of a particular PCB can be changed depending on where jumpers are inserted to accommodate device voltage requirements over a family of devices.

Abstract: A method for implementing I/O in a frame-based computer system, including the steps of: a) determining whether there is a communication pertaining to a frame-based computer system; b) determining which frame the communication is associated with, if any; and c) causing the frame to implement a script, including sequence of computer-implemented process steps which causes with input to or output from the frame-based computer system. The frame-based computer system includes a CPU, a memory system coupled to the CPU, an input system coupled to the CPU, and an output system coupled to the CPU. A frame system stored in the memory system and implemented on the CPU provides a basic data structure for the frame-based computer system. A mechanism for detecting an output request initiated within the frame-based computer system causes an associated frame to execute a sequence of computer-implemented process steps to cause the output system to make an output.

Abstract: A multi-state, one-button computer mouse includes a housing movable over a reference surface, a tracking mechanism coupled to the housing to provide positional coordinates relative to the reference surface, a single button, and a switch mechanism coupled to the button. The single button is movable between a base position, a first button position, and a second button position by a force exerted on the button. The button is biased to the base position in absence of the force. The switch mechanism is coupled to the button such that it activates a first switch at the first button position and a second switch at the second button position. A computer system with the pointing device includes a processing unit, a visual display, a pointing device as described above, and a computer implemented process for indicating on the visual display when the button of the pointing device is in a locked button mode.

Abstract: A means and method for generating and displaying a content-based depiction of a standard icon on the display of a computer. The depiction is generated upon the occurrence of predetermined events, such as the closure of the document or file associated with the icon, and is displayed in either a static or animated form in place of the standard icon in response to selection signals from a selection device. A single content-based depiction of an icon is generated by creating a representation of the object (file or document) to be depicted, and translating this representation into a scaled-down replica of the representation. This representation may be in the form of a bit-map, a full-scale image, etc.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for marking audio data as it is recorded, and a user interface for the audio data in a computerized system, is disclosed. A recorder, such as a tape recorder, having a plurality of marker buttons is provided. The audio data is recorded on one channel of a magnetic tape. Any time one of the marker buttons is pressed, a distinct tone is recorded on another channel of the tape as a marker. The audio data and markers are then transferred to the computer system. The user interface provides a graphical display of the audio data, and provides graphical markers which correspond to the marker buttons on the recorder. The audio data can be accessed at any random point, including a point marked by a marker. Without changing modes, a user can access the data at any random point, stop play, select a new point to initiate playback and restart playback, and change the speed of playback.

Abstract: An interactive audio-visual (A/V) transceiver is advantageously coupled to a television and/or telephone (T/T) cable, a TV, a video recorder (VCR), and other A/V devices. The A/V transceiver switches data between a program/service provider and the connected A/V devices. In one embodiment, the transceiver includes three primary modules, a main module including a CPU, a system bus, system memory, an infra-red (IR) control unit, an audio-visual bus, an A/V decoder, an A/V processor, and an A/V encoder, an A/V connect module including a number of tuner/demodulators and a switch, and an optional CD ROM module. The A/V transceiver hardware is complemented with an operating system and software program which supports the functions provided in the A/V user interface.

Abstract: A method for resetting a real-time clock of a pen-based computer system characterized by the steps of: displaying an image of an analog clock face with an hour hand and a minute hand on the screen of a pen-based computer system; determining whether a clock-setting stroke has been made with a stylus upon the image of the analog clock face; resetting the real-time clock to correspond to the clock-setting stroke; and moving at least one of the hour hand and the minute hand in response to the clock-setting stroke.

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 apparatus for retaining objects having equal Z-values. 1. A method of retaining objects having equal Z-values in a Z-buffer. The Z-buffer includes a first object. The method comprises the steps of: a) receiving a second object having a second Z-value; b) generating a second tag for the second object; c) storing the second object and the second tag in the Z-buffer; d) receiving a third object causing an overflow (the third object has a Z-value equal to the second Z-value); e) generating a fourth object, the fourth object includes a composite of the first and second objects, the fourth object being stored in the Z-buffer with a fourth tag corresponds to the second tag; f) resubmitting the third object; g) receiving the third object; h) generating a third tag for the third object, and i) storing the third object and the third tag in the Z-buffer responsive to comparing the fourth tag and the third tag.

Abstract: A system in which line reflections in a clock distribution network are cancelled by providing the clock distribution network with a branching point and suitably arranging recipient devices with respect to the branching point to provide for clock pulse reflection cancellation and attenuation. Moreover, the system can be arranged so that clock pulse reflections are not received as pulses which are discrete from legitimate clock pulses. The system also provides capability for reducing electromagnetic interference.

Abstract: A method for synchronously sharing data among a plurality of computer systems includes the step of determining the initiation of a shared space session. Upon initiation, a message is transmitted to remote computer systems to announce the initiation. A shared space view is then displayed on a screen of the computer system. The input into the shared space view of data is then determined and this data is shared among the computer systems in the shared space session. The method further includes determining whether a message has been received from remote computer systems and incorporating these messages into the shared space view. A further method of the present invention resynchronizes a participant into communication with a shared space session. The method includes the steps of selecting a close box in the shared space view, closing the view to terminate participation in the session and reinitiating participation to reestablish synchronous communication.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recognizing a gesture input on a display screen of a computer system. A method of recognizing an ellipse gesture comprises the steps of receiving a stroke input by a user onto a computer screen, smoothing the stroke by reducing the number of points that represent the stroke, determining whether the smoothed stroke includes at least a predetermined minimum number of points, and, if so, calculating angles between adjacent segments of the smoothed stroke and calculating derivatives of the angles. It is determined if the stroke substantially represents an ellipse by utilizing the angles and the derivatives of the angles. The method preferably includes selecting an ink object on the screen if the ink object is substantially overlapped by the smoothed stroke.

Abstract: An appliance such as a personal computer includes an outer housing, including a front bezel which frames a monitor screen of the computer. The bezel carries speakers which are secured to the bezel by snap arms that are integrally molded with the bezel from a plastic material. The bezel also includes locator pins which engage locator holes of the speakers, and ribs which engage the speakers to resist speaker vibration.

Abstract: In a computer system having two processors both of which are used to process frames, a method for synchronizing a first set of frames corresponding to the first processor with a second set of frames corresponding to the second processor. A value stored in a register is initialized at frame boundaries of the second set of frames. This register value is repeatedly incremented during the frames of the second set of frames so that it increases within the frames. The value in the register is read. A timer value which provides a timing reference for each frame of the first set of frames is read. The value stored in the register when a frame boundary of the second set of frames had occurred is computed, based on the read register value and the read timing value. Based on the computed values, a frame length of the first set of frames is adjusted to maintain or improve frame synchronization between the two frame sets. Furthermore, data synchronization is provided in a similar fashion.

Abstract: A computer system for manipulating notes on a screen of a computer display is provided. Each note area may include graphical, text, and data objects. An initial note area is provided with a header bar which includes the date of creation, the note number, and/or other indicia. When a user desires to make a new note, a division gesture is made on the computer display by moving a stylus horizontally across the screen. Once a division gesture is detected, the height of the preceding note is determined, and the height of the new note is considered to be indefinite or infinite. Each new division gesture creates a new header bar for the new note indicating the date of creation, the note number, and/or other pertinent information.

Abstract: A memory management unit (MMU) for controlling a CPU's right to access a memory in order to initiate performance of an operation. The MMU includes a translator for translating a virtual address issued by the CPU into a physical address, a domain number and a permission, and an environment controller for determining if a portion of the memory corresponding to the domain number can be accessed by the CPU. The translator includes a translation look-aside buffer (TLB) for generating the physical address, the domain number and the permission, provided an entry in a translation table of the TLB matches a page number component of the virtual address. The translator also includes translation table look-up logic which supplies entry information to the translation table of the TLB by finding a match for the page number component in the memory if a match cannot be found in the TLB.

Abstract: Briefly, a method and apparatus for mixing a plurality of channels of digital audio samples using a non-linear clipping function which has a variable scaling factor is disclosed. The non-linear curving function is capable of being graphically represented by a curve which is sloped at the edges before reaching the maximum values. In a first embodiment, the non-linear clipping function is applied to the samples and values are calculated in real-time. Preferably, inputs to the non-linear clipping function are modified depending upon any significant trends, e.g. increasing or decreasing, in the sums of samples over time. In a second embodiment, to reduce processor overhead, prior to real time application of the non-linear clipping function, the calculations are performed and a lookup table is generated. This lookup table is then used during real time to apply the clipping function to the input data so that the non-linear function is not recalculated whenever multiple channels are mixed.

Abstract: A method for automated preparation of a formal communication, in a format such as a facsimile transmission, a letter or a memorandum, from an text object, a graphics object or a general object received by a computer system. The computer system examines the object information and determines (1) the desired format for the communication and (2) the information to be included in the body or substance of the communication. A given format, such as a facsimile transmission, has a corresponding template and a set of associated information queries to be answered to "fill in" the template information items. The computer system determines as many answers as possible for the information queries by examining the object. Any unanswered queries may be answered by the writer or supplier of the object. The computer system then prepares the body of the communication, including identification of people, geographical locations, events, times and dates referred to in the object.