Abstract: The shared multi-user communication system allows a group of users to explore, navigate, manipulate and examine application data in a multi-dimensional synthetic environment. A shared user state and parameter table storing the attributes of the data being examined at each synthetic environment system within the group is stored locally at each synthetic environment system. A shared control table defines which parameters of the data locally examined are to be controlled by the local user and which attributes are to be controlled by a remote synthetic environment system. Thus, data may be examined at the local station fully independent from the examination of data at remote stations. Alternatively, the data examined at the local station may be partially or wholly synchronized to the examination of data at remote stations. An override table is further provided to enable data being examined at the local station to be maintained privately and not transmitted to the remote synthetic environment systems of the group.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a tempo and volume of a MIDI file having a plurality of MIDI instructions stored on a computer-readable medium are disclosed. The method includes the computer-implemented steps of incrementing a counter at a first rate, transferring one or more of the MIDI instructions to a general MIDI-compatible device at the first rate, receiving an input signal from a data input device, determining a first increment value when the input signal is received, determining a first average value from the first increment value and a predetermined number of second increment values; and transferring one or more of the MIDI instructions to the general MIDI-compatible device at a second rate when the first average value has a predetermined logical relationship to a second average value.