Abstract: The invention facilitates and enhances review of a body of information (that can be represented by a set of audio data, video data, text data or some combination of the three), enabling the body of information to be quickly reviewed to obtain an overview of the content of the body of information and allowing flexibility in the manner in which the body of information is reviewed. In a particular application of the invention, the content of audiovisual news programs is acquired from a first set of one or more information sources (e.g., television news programs) and text news stories are acquired from a second set of one or more information sources (e.g., on-line news services or news wire services). In such a particular application, the invention can enable the user to access the news stories of audiovisual news programs in a random manner so that the user can move quickly among news stories or news programs.

Abstract: The invention enables the display of an image to be paused, then, at the end of the pause, resumed at an accelerated rate until a time at which the content of the display corresponds to the content that would have been displayed had the image been displayed at the normal display rate without the pause, at which time display of the image at the normal display rate resumes. The invention can be used with display systems that display pre-recorded images (such as are found on video or audio cassettes, or video or audio compact discs, for example) or with display systems that display images based upon display data that is only momentarily available to the display system (such as occurs in the display of television or radio broadcasts). The invention can be used with either analog or digital display systems. Further, the invention can be used with any type of image display, such as, for example, audio displays, video displays or audiovisual displays.

Abstract: The present invention improves the human/computer interface by providing printable interfaces that enable a user to invoke and control computer processes. The present invention teaches an encoded physical medium suitable for use in interfacing a computer user and a computer system such that the user can control and/or access a plurality of computer implemented processes such computer applications and web pages. The encoded physical medium has a Linkmark and an instruction mark. Encoded within the Linkmark is machine readable linking information directing to a computer implemented process. Encoded within the instruction mark is a machine readable operating instruction that, when decoded, may be executed by the computer implemented process. The present invention also teaches that the marks can present human readable information related to the nature of the machine readable information stored therein.

Abstract: Existing media signals are processed to create new media content by defining content representations for the existing media and establishing functional dependencies between the representations. The content representations comprise different data types which determine the kinds of operations that can be performed and dependencies that can be established. Among the types of transformation that can be achieved are synchronization, sound substitution, and the creation of parametric special effects. The content representations and their functional dependencies are combined to construct a functional dependency network which causes the desired transformations to occur on input media signals. The inputs to the functional dependency network are parametrically specified by media data types to construct a template that can be used to create adaptive media productions.

Abstract: A technique for compressing video images uses temporary compression of blocks during compression, integrated color rotation of compressed images, direct compression of a composite video signal, and border filters to allow blocks to be compressed independently. Temporary compression reduces storage needed in an integrated circuit. An incoming frame is compressed block-by-block and placed in temporary storage. A corresponding block of a later frame is also compressed. Both blocks are decoded back into the transform domain and the two blocks are compared in the transform domain. Color rotation on compressed color information is integrated with overall compression and is performed upon the chrominance transform pyramids after transformation of the video signal rather than performing a rotation on the raw signal itself. Color rotation is performed at any stage and uses serial multiplication (shift and add) for more efficient processing, rather than using parallel multiplication.

Abstract: A position sensor is used in conjunction with one or more batons, each baton having a transmitter that transmits a distinct radio frequency signal at a position in space. The position sensor determines the current position of each baton transmitter in terms of X, Y, and Z coordinates. The position sensor includes a tablet having a flat support member, with at least two pairs of electrodes coupled to the flat support member. Each of the electrodes is a separate antenna. A first pair of the electrodes is shaped so that the amount of capacitive coupling between each baton transmitter and the first pair of electrodes corresponds to the position of the baton transmitter with respect to the X axis. A second pair of the electrodes is shaped so that the amount of capacitive coupling between each baton transmitter and the second pair of electrodes corresponds to the position of the baton transmitter with respect to the Y axis.

Abstract: A powerful, scaleable, and reconfigurable image processing system and method of processing data therein is described. This general purpose, reconfigurable engine with toroidal topology, distributed memory, and wide bandwidth I/O are capable of solving real applications at real-time speeds. The reconfigurable image processing system can be optimized to efficiently perform specialized computations, such as real-time video and audio processing. This reconfigurable image processing system provides high performance via high computational density, high memory bandwidth, and high I/O bandwidth. Generally, the reconfigurable image processing system and its control structure include a homogeneous array of 16 field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) and 16 static random access memories (SRAM) arranged in a partial torus configuration. The reconfigurable image processing system also includes a PCI bus interface chip, a clock control chip, and a datapath chip. It can be implemented in a single board.

Abstract: A memory cell having a memory cell state is disclosed. The memory cell state includes a memory unit configured to store a bit of data wherein the bit of data determines whether the memory cell state is a first state or a second state and a common state indicator line configured to indicate a common state associated with a group of memory cells. The memory cell state further comprises a logic circuit configured to compare the memory cell state to the common state and an output line is configured to indicate the result of the comparison. A method of identifying one or more minimum value elements in a set of elements is also disclosed. The method includes storing the values in a memory cell array having a plurality of sets of memory cells, each value being stored in a set of memory cells. The stored values are compared to a set of common state indicator lines configured to indicate the minimum value stored in the memory cell array.

Abstract: The identification of hidden data, such as feature-based control points in an image, from a set of observable data, such as the image, is achieved through a two-stage approach. The first stage involves a learning process, in which a number of sample data sets, e.g. images, are analyzed to identify the correspondence between observable data, such as visual aspects of the image, and the desired hidden data, such as the control points. Two models are created. A feature appearance-only model is created from aligned examples of the feature in the observed data. In addition, each labeled data set is processed to generate a coupled model of the aligned observed data and the associated hidden data. In the image processing embodiment, these two models might be affine manifold models of an object's appearance and of the coupling between that appearance and a set of locations on the object's surface.

Abstract: Techniques from computer vision and computer graphics are combined to robustly track a target (e.g., a user) and perform a function based upon the image and/or the identity attributed to the target's face. Three primary modules are used to track a user's head: depth estimation, color segmentation, and pattern classification. The combination of these three techniques allows for robust performance despite unknown background, crowded conditions, and rapidly changing pose or expression of the user. Each of the modules can also provide an identity classification module with valuable information so that the identity of a user can be estimated. With an estimate of the position of a target in 3-D and the target's identity, applications such as individualized computer programs or graphics techniques to distort and/or morph the shape or apparent material properties of the user's face can be performed.

Abstract: The invention enables a body of information to be easily manipulated (e.g., summarized, rearranged, edited, selectively accessed or searched) to facilitate use of the information by a user. The body of information is represented by at least two sets of temporally related data. Manipulation of a second one of the sets of data in a predetermined manner is accomplished indirectly through direct manipulation of a first one of the sets of data in the predetermined manner. Where the body of information is represented by more than two sets of temporally related data, the additional sets of data can also be manipulated in a similar fashion.

Abstract: The classification of speech according to emotional content employs acoustic measures in addition to pitch as classification input. In one embodiment, two different kinds of features in a speech signal are analyzed for classification purposes. One set of features is based on pitch information that is obtained from a speech signal, and the other set of features is based on changes in the spectral shape of the speech signal over time. This latter feature is used to distinguish long, smoothly varying sounds from quickly changing sound, which may indicate the emotional state of the speaker. These changes are determined by means of a low-dimensional representation of the speech signal, such as MFCC or LPC. Additional features of the speech signal, such as energy, can also be employed for classification purposes. Different variations of pitch and spectral shape features can be measured and analyzed, to assist in the classification of individual utterances.

Abstract: A computer interface system and method is described which includes a way of interfacing with a physical game system. The game system may include a platform having a plurality of regions and a plurality of lots, a plurality of environmental objects positioned within an associated lot of the platform, and a movable object near at least one region. Additionally, each environmental object has an environmental identifier and is a global type or a local type, and each region has a region identifier and a plurality of subregions. The method includes the act of scanning the environmental objects and the movable object to extract data, where the extracted data includes a movable object position of the movable object and an environmental position for each environmental object and associated environmental identifier.

Abstract: The present invention teaches a variety of methods and systems for providing computer/human interfaces. According to one method, the user interfaces with an electronic device such as a computer system by engaging a sensor with desired regions of an encoded physical medium. The encoded physical medium is preferably chosen to provide intuitive meaning to the user, and is thus an improved metaphor for interfacing with the computer system. Suitable examples of the encoded physical medium include a data-linked book, magazine, globe, or article of clothing. Some or all of the selected regions have had certain information encoded therein, information suitable for interfacing and controlling the computer system. When the user engages the sensor with a region having certain encoded information, the certain encoded information is interpreted and an appropriate action taken. For example, the sensor or the computer system may provide suitable feedback to the user.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of characterizing a coded object having a plurality of regions. A luminosity value of a first region of the coded object is compared to a luminosity value of a second region of the coded object, wherein the second region's color is known. The first region's color is then determined based on the comparison of the first and second region's luminosity values. In one aspect, the second region's color is known to be white. It is determined that the first region's color is white when the first region's luminosity value is not less than the second region's luminosity value by more than a predetermined constant k, and it is determined that the first region's color is black when the first region's luminosity value is less than the second region's luminosity value by more than a predetermined value. Various coded object configurations are also disclosed.

Abstract: A technique for compression and expansion of a function defined upon an M-dimensional manifold embedded in N-dimensional space uses a second generation wavelet transform and a modified zerotree bit-encoding scheme. Typically, a function is defined upon a two-dimensional manifold embedded in three-dimensional space, such as a sphere. A geometric base is chosen as a coarse initial model of the manifold. Second generation wavelets for the function are calculated using a triangular subdivision scheme in order to subdivide the geometric base in order to produce a refined triangular mesh. The wavelet coefficients are defined at the vertices of the triangles in the triangular mesh. A tree structure is created in which each node of the tree structure represents an associated triangle of the triangular mesh. Each triangle in the mesh is recursively subdivided into four subtriangles and each associated node in the tree structure also has four children, which correspond to the four subtriangles.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of finding a reference object within a coded object having a plurality of regions. Each region has a plurality of subregions, and at least a majority of a first one of the subregions has a different color from a second one of the subregions. The reference object has a known relative position to other objects within the coded object so that the reference object is utilizable to locate the other objects within the coded object. A first one of the subregions within a selected one of the regions within the coded object is selected. A first region and a second region within the coded object are also selected. The selected first and second region form a plurality of subregion pairs. Each subregion pair includes a subregion from the seleced first region and a subregion from the selected second region. Luminosity values of the subregions within each subregion pair are compared.

Abstract: A wearable personal audio apparatus includes one or more wearable U-shaped loop members adapted to fit an individual in a plurality of positions on the individual's body, particularly around the head and neck. The plurality of positions can include positions across the forehead, top or back of the head of the individual, and around the front or back of the neck of the individual. The loop member can have an eyewear receiving member which selectively receives an eyewear insert to provide protective or corrective eyewear when the loop member is worn on the front of the head of the wearer. In one embodiment, a plurality of sets of quick-connect interface ports are disposed around the loop member to selectively receive a plurality of external audio transducer modules. The quick-connect interface ports provide a respective communication path between each of the external audio transducer modules and an audio circuit which can be either external to the loop member or contained within the loop member.

Abstract: The present invention teaches a variety of methods and systems for providing computer/human interfaces. According to one method, the user interfaces with an electronic device such as a computer system by engaging a sensor with desired regions of an encoded physical medium. The encoded physical medium is preferably chosen to provide intuitive meaning to the user, and is thus an improved metaphor for interfacing with the computer system. Suitable examples of the encoded physical medium include a data-linked book, magazine, globe, or article of clothing. Some or all of the selected regions have had certain information encoded therein, information suitable for interfacing and controlling the computer system. When the user engages the sensor with a region having certain encoded information, the certain encoded information is interpreted and an appropriate action taken. For example, the sensor or the computer system may provide suitable feedback to the user.