Abstract: An apparatus for emulating a variety of string instruments with a variety of configurations in order to measure the resulting, actual tension of a string on that instrument. The tension may be measured in real-time.

Abstract: A system for delivering medical examination, diagnosis, and treatment services includes a plurality of health care practitioner terminals, each having a display device, a plurality of patient terminals in audiovisual communication with any of the health care practitioner terminals, a call center, in communication with the patient terminals and the health care practitioner terminals, routing a call from a patient at one of the patient terminals to an available health care practitioner at one of the health care practitioner terminals, so that the available health care practitioner may carry on a two-way conversation with the patient and visually observe the patient, and a protocol database containing a plurality of protocol segments such that a relevant segment of the protocol may be displayed in real time on the display device of the health care practitioner terminal for use by the available health care practitioner in making an assessment of the patient.

Abstract: A computer system generates medical messages based on an analysis of medical information associated with healthcare providers. The analyzed medical information may be derived from medical records and/or insurance claims, such as those that may be managed by a clearing house entity that manages the processing of medical insurance claims. Healthcare providers having certain patients that meet various analysis criteria may be identified for purposes of generating the messages that can serve to inform the health care providers about potential medical treatments and procedures, such as new drugs, that be significant for the health care provider and may also be significant to the patients of the health care provider who may be identified in the messages.

Abstract: A system for delivering medical examination, diagnosis, and treatment services from a health care practitioner to a patient over a network includes a plurality of health care practitioner terminals and a plurality of patient terminals in audiovisual communication over the network with any of the plurality of health care practitioner terminals. Each of the plurality of health care practitioner terminals includes a display device. The system also includes a call center in communication with the patient terminals and the health care practitioner terminals. The call center routs a call from a patient at one of the patient terminals to an available health care practitioner at one of the health care practitioner terminals so that the available health care practitioner may carry on a two-way conversation with the patient and visually observe the patient. The available health care practitioner may make an assessment of the patient and treat the patient.

Abstract: A method for providing a covering physician service includes informing a patient of a practicing physician of the availability of the plurality of patient terminals and referring the patient to one of the patient terminals upon the agreement of the patient. A call from the patient at the patient terminal is received at a call center. The call center enables any of a first plurality of physician (or other health care practitioner) terminals to be in audio-visual communication over the network with any of a second plurality of patient terminals. The call is routed to an available physician or other health care practitioner at one of the health care practitioner terminals so that the available physician may carry on a two-way conversation with the patient and visually observe the patient. The available physician or health care practitioner is permitted to make an assessment of the patient and to treat the patient.

Abstract: A method for providing a covering physician service includes informing a patient of a practicing physician of the availability of the plurality of patient terminals and referring the patient to one of the patient terminals upon the agreement of the patient. A call from the patient at the patient terminal is received at a call center. The call center enables any of a first plurality of physician (or other health care practitioner) terminals to be in audio-visual communication over the network with any of a second plurality of patient terminals. The call is routed to an available physician or other health care practitioner at one of the health care practitioner terminals so that the available physician may carry on a two-way conversation with the patient and visually observe the patient. The available physician or health care practitioner is permitted to make an assessment of the patient and to treat the patient.

Abstract: A system and method for delivering medical examination, diagnosis, and treatment services from a physician to a patient over network is provided. A physician call center enables any of a first plurality of physician terminals to be in audiovisual communication over the network with any of a second plurality of patient terminals. A call is received at the call center from a patient at one of the patient terminals and the call is routed to an available physician at one of the physician terminals. The available physician may carry on a two-way conversation with the patient, visually observe the patient, and make an assessment whether the patient may be suffering from an acute non-urgent condition. The available physician may conduct an examination of the patient over the network, including by visual study of the patient, only if the assessment is that the patient may be suffering from an acute non-urgent condition.

Abstract: A computer-based strategic game system for, e.g., playing chess includes a kingbrain that is characterized by a rating and a queen brain. The rating of the kingbrain is automatically adjusted to the skill of the player, as determined by the queen brain, such that the kingbrain generates opponent moves to counter the player's moves with an effectiveness that is marginally above the player's ability. When the player is losing, the kingbrain can assume an aggressive heroic style of play. On the other hand, when the player is winning, the kingbrain can assume a defensive craven style of play. As the game unfolds, the queen brain evaluates each of the player's moves, and audio-visual annotations and game commentary based on the queen brain's evaluations are spooled to disk. At the end of the game, the annotations and commentary are immediately available to the player for instruction.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for optimizing file structures stored on a memory device operatively associated with a computer. Particularly suited to optimizing individual resources within a given file to minimize seek and access time of the storage device, the present invention significantly improves execution speed of computer programs stored on CD-ROM disks. A resource optimizer first lists each resource of a given file as it is accessed, thereby forming a sequential listing of the several resources in order accessed. This list is then appended to the file. A resource arranger is then run which accesses the sequential listing and re-writes the file in access order. As the rewritten files are in resource access order, they improve the execution speed of the application program.

Abstract: The prevailing tension in an elongate strand, such as a textile yarn, is instantaneously measured, even at very low levels of tension and at fine incremental changes in tension, by a tension measuring apparatus utilizing a pair of fixed contact arms spaced from one another to define a strand contact line therebetween and an intermediate cantilevered sensing arm disposed at an equal spacing from each fixed contact arm and at a lateral spacing from the stand contact line. The fixed contact arms and the sensing arm are contacted with the strand simultaneously at the same common lateral side of the strand to cause the strand to deflect from the strand contact line at equivalent strand break angles between the respective strand contact points on the fixed contact arms and on the sensing arm.

Abstract: The invention includes a method of synchronizing actions and sounds for display on the visual display in a computer-system. The invention also includes a simulation including synchronized actions and sounds. Specifically, the method of synchronizing actions and sounds for display on a computer system having a visual display includes determining locations in a sound recording where predetermined actions are tobe displayed, measuring the time that elapses when the sound recording is played from reference point to the locations in the sound recording where the predetermined actions are to be displayed, associating the predetermined actions with the locations in the sound recording where the predetermined actions are to be displayed, and saving the locations and their associated actions.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling the movement of an object between points on a display along natural or "intelligent" paths around obstacles includes establishing a locus of data points around each obstacle along which displayed movement of the object may proceed under conditions of the direct trajectory between points intersecting the locus of data points. "Freeway" paths are provided between remote sectors of the display to expedite "natural" movements over substantial distances around obstacles in a second embodiment.

Abstract: The invented method is used in creating an interactive computer game to relate messages in the game to actions in the game. The game is designed for play on a computer system and the play of the game is controlled by software code stored in at least one code file in memory accessible by the computer system.

Abstract: Controlling successive frames of video data displays the movement of an object between points on the display along natural or `intelligent` paths around obstacles, by establishing a locus of data points around each obstacle along which displayed movement of the object may proceed under conditions of the direct trajectory between points intersecting the locus of data points. `Freeway` paths are provided between remote sectors of the display to expedite `natural` movements over substantial distances around obstacles in a second embodiment.