Abstract: Accessing media data in bites, including: receiving a request from a client to access a media item, and determining an address of the requested media item, wherein the address indicates a location where the media item is stored; determining an identification number of a piece of the media item selected by the client; updating the address of the media item by combining the address with the identification number of the piece of the media item selected by the client; valuating the piece of the media item selected by the client, and sending a valuated price to the client; and providing access to the requested media item using the updated address of the media item when a payment for the valuated price is received from the client.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for retrieving and presenting video clips. In one implementation, a computer system provides a clip engine implemented within a software application to retrieve video clips from a database. The clip engine receives requests for video clips in different modes and provides video data matching the requests. The modes may include, e.g., a daily mode, a search mode, a quiz mode, and a response form mode, and may include information to allow purchase of the video content, e.g., a movie or television program, associated with the clip. A desktop or digital widget, e.g., a calendar application, may be provided to deliver new video clips each day. The widget may also provide an option to buy the content item. The widget may run on a portable device, e.g., mobile phone, media player, computer, or another device, such as a game console or television.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to create a realistic and dynamic model of an animated object, such as hair or cloth, by employing control vertices and control entities that make up an animated object. The control vertices are used as polyhedral vertices in the creation of a polyhedral mesh, such as a tetrahedral mesh, and a constraint is employed during simulation in which the polyhedral volume is preserved. Using the systems and methods, the workflow may be significantly improved and costs significantly lowered.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for altering a portion of a simulation without deleteriously altering adjoining portions, and in so doing increasing the pace at which simulations may be made by decreasing the overall number and size of simulations required. In other implementations, the systems and method provide convenient ways to dynamically control the size of animated objects, such as hair or cloth, using animated rest poses.

Abstract: Managing and accessing media items, including: a plurality of domains configured to provide access to media items; a plurality of clients associated with the plurality domains, and providing a pathway for accessing the media items; and a spanning application configured to track and aggregate accessible media items from the plurality of domains based on authentication and registration information and associated rights of the plurality of clients and the plurality of domains, wherein the spanning application enables accessing of the media items across the plurality of domains.

Abstract: Adjusting overlay positioning in stereoscopic video, including: receiving overlay data including a plurality of overlays, each overlay having a lateral axis value, a vertical axis value, and a depth value; receiving and displaying the stereoscopic video to a user as at least one of a video preview display and a stereoscopic display, each display including an overlay from the overlay data, wherein a position of the overlay in each display is based on the lateral axis value, the vertical axis value, and the depth value of the overlay, and wherein the video preview display includes interfaces for adjusting the position of the overlay in each display; receiving input from the user related to the depth value of the overlay; and adjusting the position of the overlay in the video preview display based on the input from the user.

Abstract: Capturing facial surface using marker patterns laid out on the facial surface by adapting the marker patterns to contours of the facial surface and motion range of a head including: generating a facial action coding system (FACS) matrix by capturing FACS poses; generating a pattern to wrap over the facial surface using the FACS poses as a guide; capturing and tracking marker motions of the pattern; stabilizing the marker motions of the pattern using a head stabilization transform to remove head motions from the marker motions; and generating and applying a plurality of FACS matrix weights to the stabilized marker motions.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for altering character body animations to improve subsequent cloth animations. In particular, based on a character body animation, an extra level of processing is performed, prior to the actual cloth simulation. The extra level of processing removes potential areas of pinching or tangling in input character body simulation data, ensuring that the output of the cloth simulation will be have reduced pinches and tangles.

Abstract: Providing a VOD service using BD data available to a BD player includes: preparing VOD data such that the BD player can use the VOD data to provide the VOD service; inserting the VOD data onto a BD; preparing VOD selections and VOD metadata based on the VOD data read from the BD; and delivering the content item selected by a user from a menu of VOD selections. Keywords include Blu-ray, BD-Live, Video-on-Demand.