Abstract: A product design method includes accessing a defined product design structure. The product design structure includes a number of customer concerns, a number of physical properties associated with components of the product, and a number of relation models. Each customer concern is associated with at least one physical property via at least one mathematical relationship defined in at least one of the relation models. The method also includes receiving a value associated with one or more of the physical properties and calculating (using one or more of the relation models) the effect of the received value associated with the one or more physical properties on one or more of the customer concerns. Furthermore, the method includes displaying the calculated effect on the one or more customer concerns and receiving one or more adjustments of the value associated with one or more of the physical properties to create a desired effect on one or more of the customer concerns.

Abstract: A product design method includes accessing a defined product design structure. The product design structure includes a number of customer concerns, a number of physical properties associated with components of the product, and a number of relation models. Each customer concern is associated with at least one physical property via at least one mathematical relationship defined in at least one of the relation models. The method also includes receiving a value associated with one or more of the physical properties and calculating (using one or more of the relation models) the effect of the received value associated with the one or more physical properties on one or more of the customer concerns. Furthermore, the method includes displaying the calculated effect on the one or more customer concerns and receiving one or more adjustments of the value associated with one or more of the physical properties to create a desired effect on one or more of the customer concerns.

Abstract: A method for controlling a computer is disclosed wherein one or more remote locations disposed on a network are accessed in response to scanning an optical code. A first computer disposed on the network connects to a scanner for scanning the optical code of a product by a user. The scanner is uniquely identified with a scanner distributor by a scanner identification number. A second computer disposed on the network is accessed in response to the user scanning the optical code with the scanner, wherein a lookup operation is performed at the second computer to match the scanner identification number with the scanner distributor to obtain remote routing information of the one or remote locations. The remote routing information is returned from the second computer to the first computer in order to access the one or more remote locations disposed on the network. The one or more remote locations are accessed to return remote information to the first computer for presentation.

Abstract: A method for controlling a user computer is disclosed wherein a broadcast program is operable to transmit a broadcast to the user in the form of an audio/visual program, in addition to an encoded tone. This encoded tone is detected by the user computer and this information then transmitted to an intermediate node, an ARS (308). This tone is compared in a relational database (1704) to determine is there is matching information therein. This matching information is in the form of routing information to a destination node (1706) over the data network (306). This routing information is transmitted back to the user computer (1702) over the network (306). The user PC (1702) then utilizes this information to complete a connection with the destination node (1706). The tone is injected into the broadcast program by a program director at the broadcast station. This is effected through an input to a console (1606) which selects one of a plurality of tones in a tone database (1602).

Abstract: A method for controlling a computer is disclosed wherein one or more remote locations disposed on a network are accessed in response to scanning an optical code. A first computer disposed on the network connects to a scanner for scanning the optical code of a product by a user. The scanner is uniquely identified with a scanner distributor by a scanner identification number. A second computer disposed on the network is accessed in response to the user scanning the optical code with the scanner, wherein a lookup operation is performed at the second computer to match the scanner identification number with the scanner distributor to obtain remote routing information of the one or remote locations. The remote routing information is returned from the second computer to the first computer in order to access the one or more remote locations disposed on the network. The one or more remote locations are accessed to return remote information to the first computer for presentation.

Abstract: A video tape editing control system is provided which is capable of controlling one or more source video tape recorders and a record video tape recorder so that video information from a first source video tape recorder may be recorded on the video tape in the record video tape recorder until a selected edit point is reached, at which point the video information from the first source video tape recorder is replaced by different video information from the same or from a different source video tape recorder.

Abstract: A detection system is provided in a helical scan video tape recorder to detect guard band interference signals at low video tape speeds and for generating control pulses in response thereto which may be used by editing control systems, and the like, for counting frames on the video tape, and for indicating the direction of tape motion at such low tape speeds to enable the editing control system to control the operation of the video tape recorder in the vicinity of a selected edit frame in order that appropriate editing of the video tape may be achieved.

Abstract: A modular expandable, microprocessor controlled, editing control system is provided for on-line or off-line editing of a cassette or open-reel helical scan-type video tape recorder, or the like. Tape-to-tape editing is carried out by transferring selected video information from a "source" video tape recorder (VTR) to a "record" video tape recorder (VTR). The system includes microprocessor controlled solid state electronic control circuitry for the source and record video tape recorders, with a manually operated joystick which permits forward and reverse motion of the tapes in the recorders for the precise selection of the edit frames. The system is designed to control one source video tape recorder and one record video tape recorder, in its basic configuration, using standard control track pulses for edit cycle accuracy.

Abstract: A control system is provided which is capable of controlling the speed of a video tape recorder in a continuously variable manner, even though the video tape recorder is designed to operate at discrete speeds. The variable speed control is achieved without any need to modify the discrete speed video tape recorder. The control system of the invention selects two of the discrete speeds of the video tape recorder, and then switches between the two speeds at a rate determined by the setting of a variable speed control, so as to enable the video tape recorder to operate at variable speeds between the lower and the higher of the selected discrete speeds, and depending upon the setting of the variable speed control.

Abstract: A computer is provided for use with a video tape editing system. The video tape editing system is of the type which performs tape-to-tape editing by transferring selected video information from a first video tape recorder, designated the "playback" video tape recorder, to a second video tape recorder, designated the "record" video tape recorder; or directly from a video camera to a record video tape recorder. The computer of the invention, when used in conjunction with such a video tape editing system, provides precise end insert timing so that both in-and-out editing can be automatically performed. Precision accuracy in the system is maintained without the use of a time code, this being achieved by means of a unique closed loop circuit which counts control track pulses derived from the conventional video cassette tapes which are normally used in present-day video tape recorders. The computer of the invention enables in-and-out edit points to be previewed as many times as desired by the operator.

Abstract: An editing control system is provided for on-line or off-line editing of a cassette or open-reel helical scan type video tape recorder, or the like. Tape-to-tape editing may be carried out by transferring selected video information from a "playback" video tape recorder to a "record" video tape recorder, whereas camera-to-tape editing may be carried out by transferring selected video information directly from a video camera to the record video tape recorder. The system to be described includes a solid state electronic control for the playback and record video tape recorders, with manually operated joysticks which permit forward and reverse motion of the tapes in the recorders for the precise selection of the edit frames. A feature of the system is that the video information passes directly to the record video tape recorder, and not through the control system itself, so that there is no need to provide complex wideband signal channels through the control system.