Abstract: A method and system employing an NLE to create and modify 3D animations by mixing and compositing animation data includes Actions which represent one or more animatable parameters for an animation object. The Actions are presented in an Action list from which a user may select and are positioned on an NLE-type time line for the animation object. Actions can be manipulated in a manner, which is believed to be intuitive, and is similar to the manipulation of clips in conventional NLE systems, to alter the length or speed of components of the animation and can be mixed and/or composited and otherwise manipulated to produce a desired 3D computer generated animation.

Abstract: A computer system for performing distributed processing, particularly of digital audio data, is disclosed. The system has a number of digital signal processors linked to a host computer through a time division multiplex bus. The system includes means for assigning to a particular processor a specific processing task or tasks, as well as a means for assigning additional specific processing tasks to that same processor to maximize its use. When the processor performing a specific processing task has reached its capacity, the system assigns a new processor to perform that task. To enhance the efficiency of the processor to perform the specific processing task, the processor cyclically runs a specific set of instructions for performing that specific processing task, and waits for the system to send it digital data to be processed.

Abstract: Graphics software for use in rendering an image on a computer display. The software is used in conjunction with special hardware including a high resolution computer monitor and high speed graphics imaging software. The software allows the user to create and manipulate paint objects that define the way images are modified by rendering tools such as a drawing tool or a titling tool. The attributes for a plurality of paint objects are defined in a hierarchy and can be stored on a memory device such as a computer hard drive. The organization into a hierarchy of the various attributes making up a complex object such as a paint stroke or a text body result in an ability to deal with branches of the hierarchy as persistable objects in their own right.

Abstract: A dockable equipment container includes an outer shell of a durable material and an inner metallic container. The inner c,ontainer is suspended within the outer shell by blocks of energy absorbent material, such as SORBATHANE. The dockable equipment container further includes a connector at one end, which is covered by a protective door. When mated with external equipment, the protective door is moved to an open position by an alignment device, such as alignment pins, pressing against an end of the protective door. The alignment pins mate with corresponding alignment holes for ensuring that the connector properly mates with a corresponding connector in the external equipment. The dockable equipment container may contain various electronic equipment, which conmmunicates with the external equipment through the connector. The electronic equipment may include disk drives, which are protected from the environment and from shock by the construction of the dockable equipment container.

Abstract: A video editing system capable of tracing and extracting objects in an image selects edges of the object to be traced based on an edge cost computation and on a rotational amount of the edge. The edge cost calculation method modulates the gradient magnitude of the pixel against the gradient direction of an edge to reduce the ambiguity often encountered during tracing as a result of background noise in the image. A method of editing the trace involves introducing control points between previously generated points in the trace. Because of a consistent edge selection criteria, based on a rotational amount of an edge, the characteristics of the previous edge are preserved, and an iterative editing process is eliminated. By basing the selection criteria on a rotation of the path, a total path rotation may be maintained with minimal extra compute operations.

Abstract: A user interface receives user input representative of movement of a mouse pointer relative to a datum point. This datum point is established as a origin with four quadrants. The movement is determined to be either in a first sense or an opposite second sense relative to the datum point. A variable responsively increments when the movement is in the first sense and responsively decrements when the movement is in the second opposite sense. The user may move the pointer in a generally circular or spiral pattern in a clockwise or counterclockwise sense about the origin until the desired value is attained.

Abstract: The problems of latency, flow control and data loss, and data movement within a client system memory are solved in a distributed multimedia system so as to enable real-time transmission of broadcast quality media data over the network. Latency is reduced by an estimation by the server of client needs. Data loss is prevented and flow control is provided by permitting the server to send only as much information as the network interface can reliably receive. Data movement is minimized by copying data directly from the network interface to memory in a display processor or audio processor.

Abstract: An apparatus indicating the position of an adjustable lever, such as a control lever in a digital audio console, is described. A frame member constrains movement of the adjustable lever. The lever is operatively connected to an encoder apparatus, such that movement of the lever causes movement of the encoder apparatus to provide an indication of position of the lever within the frame member.

Abstract: "A system and method for modification of the visual characteristics of digital 3D objects includes a shading buffer wherein parameters relating to the visual characteristics of a rendered 3D object are stored. When a texture applied to the 3D object is selected for modification, a pre-rendering step is performed and a shading buffer constructed. The shading buffer includes pre-computed components of the visual characteristic information for each rendered pixel of the displayed 3D object, these components are independent of the texture selected for modification. When the texture is modified, by indicating one or more pixels on the 3D object to which the texture is applied, re-rendering of those pixels is accomplished by evaluating a simple combination of the corresponding pre-computed components in the shading buffer and the modification effected to the selected texture to obtain new final values to render the pixels.

Abstract: An EID or RFID transponder having an encapsulant with an open end to allow insertion of the transponder circuitry and a phase changing material such as an epoxy used to both secure the circuitry of the transponder within the encapsulant and seal the open end of the encapsulant.

Abstract: The invention disclosed herein is a media recorder for recording live and prerecorded analog audio and/or video information. It is capable of receiving, digitizing, and storing analog audio and/or video information in real time. The invention detects discontinuities in the reception of the analog information and automatically terminates the storage of the information, so the previously received audio and/or video information is stored as a self-contained clip of digitized information. The invention is also capable of receiving and storing digital audio and/or video information from other sources, so that the system can play both the digital audio and/or video information digitized by it and that received from the other sources. This allows both the newly recorded and previously recorded media segments to be evaluated both individually and in context with other segments.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for editing a video frame is disclosed. The video frame comprises scan lines of a first video field interlaced with scan lines of a second video field, and the scan lines comprise a plurality of pixels, each having values representing image information. The method comprises displaying the video frame on a display screen of a computer system, the computer system having a processor and input means which are coupled to the display screen, receiving an input from the input means which indicates which of the first and second video fields of the video frame is to be edited and in response to the input, de-emphasizing the scan lines of the video field which is not to be edited.

Abstract: Two channels of output of sequences of digital still images are input to a DVE system which has pipelined memory circuits rather than frame buffers. The DVE system includes a DVE unit which performs arbitrary three-dimensional, digital video effects on the two channels of input to provide a composite output sequence. The DVE system thus operates on sequences of digital still images rather than video signals. The DVE system is also adapted to prevent output upon receipt of a control signal, which may indicate that an output pipeline is full. The DVE system also provides a control signal to prevent input when it cannot receive input or it is not providing output.

Abstract: A method and system for representing hierarchical time-based data structures and to extract information therefrom comprises means to create a container, the container having one or more layers within which data elements are arranged along the container axis and to examine the container to produce virtual static graphs which represent active data elements and their interconnections within time durations represented within the container. The data elements in the container can change between active and inactive states with time and the connections between data elements can also change with time and the container represents this information. A set of constraints is defined for the container such that interconnections between data elements only occur between data elements in different layers. Specifically, a data element can only receive input from one or more other data elements which are in lower levels and a data element can only provide output to one or more data elements which are in higher levels.

Abstract: A system for generating a digital representation of a video signal comprised of a sequence of video frames which each include two video fields of a duration such that the video plays at a first prespecified rate of frames per second. The sequence of video frames includes a prespecified number of redundant video fields. Redundant video fields in the video frame sequence are identified by a video processor, and the video frame sequence is digitized by an analog to digital convertor, excluding the identified redundant video fields. The digitized video frames are then compressed by a video compressor to generate a digital representation of the video signal which plays at a second prespecified rate of frames per second.

Abstract: A system and method for assigning the vertices of an envelope to one or more elements of a skeleton in an animation model. Bounding volumes are defined for skeleton elements and define effective volumes which are positioned relative to the skeleton elements to encompass one or more vertices of envelopes. The bounding volume geometry may be defined as desired and a desired assignment operation type is selected for the bounding volume. When automated assignment is performed, assignment of the vertices within the bounding volumes is performed in accordance with the selected assignment operation for each bounding volume and with a selected maximum number of elements to which each vertex may be assigned. Bounding volumes may be overlapped to provide versatile automated assignment and the bounding volumes and corresponding assignment operations are stored with the skeleton and therefore are independent of the envelopes employed.

Abstract: A system for generating a digital representation of a video signal comprised of a sequence of video frames which each include two video fields of a duration such that the video plays at a first prespecified rate of frames per second. The sequence of video frames includes a prespecified number of redundant video fields. Redundant video fields in the video frame sequence are identified by a video processor, and the video frame sequence is digitized by an analog to digital convertor, excluding the identified redundant video fields. The digitized video frames are then compressed by a video compressor to generate a digital representation of the video signal which plays at a second prespecified rate of frames per second.

Abstract: A computer system, having a graphical user interface for authoring and playing a multimedia presentation having one or more multimedia events, displays a representation of a story, including a representation of a start position, indicating the beginning of the multimedia presentation, a representation of an end position, indicating the end of the multimedia presentation, and a representation of a unidirectional path line connecting the start position and the end positions. The representation of at least one icon, associated with a source of multimedia material, may be linked to the path line. The link, called a call spot, represents a call to the multimedia, allowing icons to be shared by many presentations or to be shown at different times in the same presentation. The multimedia presentation starts at the start position, plays the multimedia material represented by the at least one icon, and then continues along the unidirectional path line and completes at the end position.

Abstract: A method of and a system for controlling an inverse kinematics generated animation of an articulated chain is described. A resolution plane in a default orientation is computed by determining a root-effector vector extending from a root of an articulated chain to an end effector of the articulated chain and letting the resolution plane extend through the root-effector vector. A control icon representative of a position relative to the root is visually displayed. The resolution plane of an articulated chain is manipulated by manipulating the icon and re-determining the resolution plane using the root-effector vector and a root-control vector extending from the root to the icon. The animation of the articulated chain is constrained relative to the resolution plane and a solution of positions and orientations of all limbs of the articulated chain in achieving a goal is computed and displayed.

Abstract: A digital motion video processing circuit can capture, playback and manipulate digital motion video information using the system memory of a computer as a data buffer for holding compressed video data from the circuit. The system memory may be accessed by the circuit over a standard bus. A controller in the circuit directs data flow between an input/output port which transfer a stream of pixel data and to the standard bus. The controller directs data to and from either the standard bus or the input/output port through processing circuitry for compression, decompression, scaling and buffering. The standard bus may be a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus. The motion video processing circuit has a data path including pixel data and timing data indicative of a size of an image defined by the pixel data. The timing data is used and/or generated by each component which processes the pixel data, thereby enabling each component to process the pixel data without prior knowledge of the image format.