Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for conveying and applying texturing instructions within a very low speed, or bandwidth environment, or where storage capacity is limited; the invention and of particular use in image displaying mobile telephones (16), but also applies to image data storage (184, 186, 188, 190, 192) and use on the Internet. Image texturing is defined by a texture string (198) defining a seed number (200) for pseudo random generation of z axis displacement of pixels from an initial surface, a roughness value (202) for the surface, warp function values (204, 206), distortion function values (208, 210), texturing cell style and size data (212, 214) colour information (216, 218, 220, 222, 224, 226) and indication of where the texture is to be used (228). Cells (20) tile and wrap.

Abstract: A distributed computer system comprises a first computer and a second computer. The system is arranged for a digital image to be transmitted from the first computer to the second computer, via a telecommunications link, as plurality of co-ordinates defining, in three-dimensional space, the vertices of a plurality of polygonal surface facets of the image. The second computer is arranged to enhance the image by modifying the image according to the co-ordinates of said vertices. Only a small amount of data need therefore be transmitted from the first computer to the second computer for a high resolution image to be displayed by the latter.

Abstract: A graphic user interface is provided on a mobile telephone (10) having a screen (12) and control buttons (14) which move and select choices. The screen (12) comprises a viewing area (18), for viewing icons (16), a context area (20) and a selection area (22). A first icon (16), in the viewing area (18), has associated choices (24) displayed. Movement of a choice (24) into the selection area (22) causes the selected item (30) to become the selected second icon (30) in the wiewing area (18), the choices (24B) of the second icon (30) are displayed, and the first icon (16) moves up the context area (20), showing precedence over the second icon (30). Selection (22) of a choice (24B) from the second icon causes a third icon (36) to be in the viewing area (18), the first icon (16) to move further up the context area (20), the second icon (30) to join the first icon (16) in the context area, and further choices (24C) to be displayed for the third icon (36). The sequence of operations continues for further icons.

Abstract: A mobile telephone (10, 20) receives, constructs and displays an image (32) from a server (18) over a mobile telephone network (12, 16, 18) where the server (18) determines the parameters for data transfer from the server (18) to the mobile telephone (10, 20), the capabilities of the mobile telephone (32) transfer task requirements, and apportions the processing between the server and the mobile telephone (10, 20) for each of a plurality of elements (28, 30, 38,40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 60, 62) in each image (32), thereby to meet the task requirement, which can include being within a predetermined time for task completion, or being the fastest means for task completion. Parameters for data transfer from server (18) to telephone (10, 20) include server (18) transmission bandwidth, phone (10, 20) reception bandwidth, data channel bandwidth, transmission protocol; and channel accessibility.

Abstract: A receiving device in the form of a mobile telephone (10) within a mobile network (12, 14, 16, 18) receives images from a server (18). The server (18) first determines the characteristics of the mobile telephone (10), such as receiver memory capacity, display size, receiver colour depth, receiver processor availability and receiver display resolution. The server 18 then selects a version of the image, to be sent to the mobile telephone (10), suitable for use by that style of mobile telephone (10). The server (18) also determines the bandwidth of the channel to the mobile telephone (10), and can adjust the depth of colour, resolution, and frame rate in the signal sent to the mobile telephone (10) further to accommodate the bandwidth and any limitations in the mobile telephone (10).