Abstract: An apparatus for enabling an object-oriented application to access in an object-oriented manner a procedural operating system having a native procedural interface is disclosed. The apparatus includes a computer and a memory component in the computer. A code library is stored in the memory component. The code library includes computer program logic implementing an object-oriented class library. The object-oriented class library comprises related object-oriented classes for enabling the application to access in an object-oriented manner services provided by the operating system. The object-oriented classes include methods for accessing the operating system services using procedural function calls compatible with the native procedural interface of the operating system. The computer processes object-oriented statements contained in the application and defined by the class library by executing methods from the class library corresponding to the object-oriented statements.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing graphical user interfaces are described. To provide greater access and consolidation to frequently used items in the graphical user interface, a userbar is established which includes a plurality of item representations. To permit a greater number of items to reside in the userbar, a magnification function can be provided which magnifies items within the userbar when they are proximate the cursor associated with the graphical user interface.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for the dynamic configuring of profiles used for the control of the frequency of clock signals. At least one embodiment of the present invention provides a means of dynamically generating, storing, updating and using spread spectrum profiles in a clock circuit to provide spread spectrum modulated clock signals and to slew clock frequency.

Abstract: A thermal contact arrangement. The thermal contact arrangement may mitigate or reduce migration over time of a thermal interface material positioned between a chip and a heat sink. The thermal contact arrangement may include a first zone formed on a first area of the heat sink and a second zone formed on a second area of the heat sink. The processor may overlap or overlie the first zone, with the second zone generally outside the footprint of the processor and optionally surrounding the processor's footprint. The first zone may have a generally smooth surface, while the second zone may have a surface rougher than the first zone. The first zone may be finished to a specific smoothness while the second zone may be finished to second particular smoothness that is generally less than the first zone.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for displaying pixel images to provide visual-based emphasis in a graphical user interface. In one aspect of the invention, a method to display a pixel image for a Graphical User Interface (GUI) on a data processing system includes: detecting one or more outlines in a first image to generate a second image from pixel values of the first image that represents a GUI component; receiving input which indicates switching the GUI component from a first mode to a second mode; and displaying a combination of the first and second images to indicate that the GUI component is in the second mode. The combination of the first and second images shows an outlined version of the first image. In one example according to this aspect, the GUI component does not have keyboard focus in the first mode; and the GUI component has keyboard focus in the second mode.

Abstract: Methods and system for transferring images between devices is disclosed. For example, differently scaled images by a host device may automatically and/or selectively be transferred to a media player for display. In turn, appropriately scaled images may be transferred automatically and/or selectively to another display device for example a TV, camera or printer. The selectivity may occur either at the host level or at the player level.

Abstract: In a graphical user interface, when a cursor is positioned over an icon or link associated with a target, the appearance of the cursor changes to present information describing or related to the target. Such information can include, for example, an excerpt of the contents of the target, and/or meta-data for the target, and/or an indication of what application or applications may be used to open the target. The information presented in the cursor can be shown in graphical form or in text form, or in a combination of both.

Abstract: A system which enables battery powered devices such as notebook computers to efficiently charge smaller mobile devices such as music players, cell phones and PDAs using the power signals provided over their data connections is made more efficient by ensuring that the power to the small mobile device is not interrupted should the notebook computer otherwise go into a standby or low-power state. The presence of the small mobile device is known and any power-down capabilities of the notebook computer are limited, at least for the period where the small mobile device is being recharged. This detection can be done at any of the levels of software present in the notebook computer. This charging and not powering down can be further optimized by determining the particular device and its charging requirements or by having the device provide feedback as to its charge state.

Abstract: Methods for pre-processing video sequences prior to compression to provide data reduction of the video sequence. Also, after compression of the pre-processed video sequence, the bit rate of the pre-processed and compressed video sequence will be lower than the bit rate of the video sequence after compression but without pre-processing. Pre-processing may include spatial anisotropic diffusion filtering such as Perona-Malik filtering, Fallah-Ford filtering, or omni-directional filtering that extends Perona-Malik filtering to perform filtering in at least one diagonal direction. Pre-processing may also include performing filtering differently on a foreground region than on a background region of a video frame. This method includes identifying pixel locations having pixel values matching characteristics of human skin and determining a bounding shape for each contiguous grouping of matching pixel locations.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates changing a clock frequency in a memory system. During operation, the system receives a command to change the clock frequency to a new clock frequency. The system then iteratively changes the clock frequency to the new clock frequency. More specifically, the system starts an iteration by slewing the clock frequency toward the new clock frequency by an increment to reach an intermediate frequency without interfering with normal memory-system operation. Next, the system signals a memory controller to pause normal memory system operation by completing or cancelling all in-flight or outstanding memory system operations and not accepting additional memory operation requests.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for managing power consumption of a battery-powered electronic device are disclosed. According to one embodiment, power management can take action to reduce power consumption to accommodate estimated power requirements. According to another embodiment, power management can notify a user when a power deficiency is anticipated. According to still another embodiment, power management can advise a user to charge a battery of the battery-powered electronic device. According to still another embodiment, a user can influence power management by user selections.

Abstract: A method of notifying clients of a change in a USB including a first client requesting notification of a first change in the USB, detecting the first change in the USB, and notifying the first client requesting notification that the first change in the USB occurred.

Abstract: Systems and methods, including computer software for performing operations enable interleaving of charging operations in a charging pump. A first charge pump is charged to a predetermined level, and a first operation is performed using a charge stored in the first charge pump after it reaches the predetermined level. A second charge pump is charged during a time that overlaps with performing the first operation. A second operation is performed using a charge stored in the second charge pump as a result of charging the second charge pump.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for presenting timed media represented by data in a markup language (e.g., HTML) including examining a tag or metadata which is capable of specifying more than one form or representation of timed media, such as different versions of a video encoded according to different video codec standards.

Abstract: Methods and systems for processing touch inputs are disclosed. The invention in one respect includes reading data from a multipoint sensing device such as a multipoint touch screen where the data pertains to touch input with respect to the multipoint sensing device, and identifying at least one multipoint gesture based on the data from the multipoint sensing device.

Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a portable computer having a display assembly coupled to a base assembly to alternate between a closed position and an open position. An input device disposed on the base assembly senses a contact with a portion of the display assembly to detect the display assembly in the closed position.

Abstract: An automatic method and apparatus for providing services on a computer system. A set of services is established providing different functionality for the computer system. With each of the set of services an attribute is stored for identifying characteristics of the function of each of the set of services. Then, the first set of services can be retrieved by a first set of attributes which is specified irrespective of any locales which may be defined in the computer system. Thus, characteristics or attributes of most importance to a service may be used to describe it and used for retrieval of such services. The establishing of the first set of services includes building a structure which references each of the first set of services. Retrieving may include maintaining a reference to one of the services in the structure and iterating through the structure in order to retrieve a subsequent one of the services.

Abstract: In a scrollable user interface window including two or more panels, a single scroll bar scrolls all of the panels. Panels move in lock-step with one another at certain times, but not at other times, depending on whether the lock-step scrolling would cause blank areas to be displayed. If the user's scroll commands would result in a blank area of a panel being displayed, the scroll command is not performed; rather, the panel remains frozen in its current position, even while other panel(s) do scroll. Thus, the present invention ensures that useful content is displayed at all times in all panels, and no screen real estate is wasted due to scrolling operations.