Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, systems, and apparatuses configured to receive or retrieve markup data associated with a message formatted for two-dimensional (2D) rendering, virtually render, by a first rendering module, the message in a non-displayed image in accordance with the markup data, and render, by a second rendering module, a three-dimensional (3D) object in a 2D display environment including texturing the non-displayed image on a surface of the 3D object in order to render the message. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, systems, and apparatuses configured to receive or retrieve markup data associated with a message formatted for two-dimensional (2D) rendering, virtually render, by a first rendering module, the message in a non-displayed image in accordance with the markup data, and render, by a second rendering module, a three-dimensional (3D) object in a 2D display environment including texturing the non-displayed image on a surface of the 3D object in order to render the message. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, systems, and apparatuses configured to receive or retrieve markup data associated with a message formatted for two-dimensional (2D) rendering, virtually render, by a first rendering module, the message in a non-displayed image in accordance with the markup data, and render, by a second rendering module, a three-dimensional (3D) object in a 2D display environment including texturing the non-displayed image on a surface of the 3D object in order to render the message. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for issuing licenses to allow end users to consume digital media content on a user device by responding to licensing requests by determining the number of digital tokens required to license the requested consumption and then issuing the license if the end user's account has a sufficient number of digital tokens.

Abstract: A joint consumption of content invitation management function is described herein. In various embodiments, the invitation management function is adapted to conditionally extends the invitations to a recipient device (150) to join an inviter device (200) to jointly consume content, via IM (110).

Abstract: A server is equipped with a distributor/updater to accept periodic check in by client computers to determine if the client computers' software needs to be updated. The distributor/updater is designed to provide each client computer, determined to require update, with a task list listing a number of tasks to be asynchronously performed at a later point or later points in time by the client computer to update the client computer's software. The tasks may include asynchronous subsequent requests of the server or third party servers for software parts. The tasks also include installation tasks to be performed upon obtaining the required software parts. The client computer is also equipped with a complementary distributor/updater to perform the periodic check-in and to schedule the update tasks accordingly. In one embodiment, the server's distributor/updater is also designed to be able to regulate its own workload, optionally asking parts requesting clients to retry later.

Abstract: A sub-menu item is added to a menu item of a menu hierarchy to make available, offer or otherwise communicate the availability of a new version of a resource or a resource of like kind to a user. Visual representation of the menu item is changed from a first state to a second state to draw a user's attention to the addition of the sub-menu item. The visual representation of the menu item is subsequently restored back to the first state, responsive to an occurrence of a predetermined condition, such as selection of the sub-menu item by the user.

Abstract: A novel method for streaming multi-media content is disclosed. Multiple versions of model data tailored for different operating environments differentiated in accordance with value(s) of at least one operating characteristic of remote requesting client computer systems are stored in a multi-media content providing server. A multi-media content player of a client computer system determines the operating characteristic value(s) for the at least one operating characteristic of the client computer system. The multi-media content player adaptively requests appropriate versions of selected ones of the model data, based at least in part on the determined operating characteristic value(s) of the at least one operating characteristic of the client computer system. In response, the providing server streams the requested versions of the requested model data to the multi-media content player for rendering. As a result, user experience at the client computer system is enhanced.

Abstract: A player-centric content creation, distribution and consumption method is disclosed. A computer implemented-content authoring tool (CI-CAT) is distributed to a content creator. The CI-CAT includes an identification function for embedding control information, such as a content owner identifier, in a content created using the CI-CAT, to facilitate compensation of a developer of the CI-CAT. A computer implemented-content player (CI-CP) is provided to a consumer. The CI-CP includes a recovery function for recovering the control information from the content when the content is rendered by the player, and a reporting function for reporting rendering of the content using the recovered control information. During operation, the content is received by the consumer, and rendered using the CI-CP. The control information is recovered, and rendering of the content, using the recovered control information, is reported by the CI-CP, to facilitate compensating the developer(s) of the CI-CAT.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for distributing and displaying maps is disclosed. The method involves delivery of maps that are not dynamically generated. The area serviced by a map server is divided into fixed zones for which there are static map tiles. When a map is requested by a user, the location of interest is sent to the server by the user via the users client. The server determines which of a plurality of preexisting map tiles contained the location of interest submitted by the client. A central map tile, from this plurality of preexisting maps, containing the location of interest is sent to the client from the map server. The server may also send preexisting map tiles of the zones immediately adjacent to the zone represented in the central map tile. The server may also support a “mini-map” to facilitate user panning of the “greater area”, and points of interest, including multi-media descriptions of the points of interest.

Abstract: An apparatus is equipped to provide dance visualization of a stream of music. The apparatus is equipped with a sampler to generate characteristic data for a plurality of samples of a received stream of music, and an analyzer to determine a music type for the stream of music using the generated characteristic data. The apparatus is further provided with a player to manifest a plurality of dance movements for the stream of music in accordance with the determined music type of the stream of music.

Abstract: A computing-device implemented method for compressing data, where such devices include a computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), home appliance, and the like. The data includes bandwidth intensive information such as that used in video conferencing, MPEG and equivalent types of digital video encoding, multi-media data transfers, and interactive gaming. In one implementation, a 3D model has objects defined therein. Each object is defined according to a data collection, each element within the collection having a first data size. A distance is determined between a reference point in the model, and a bounding box for an object. A data reduction factor is selected based, at least in part, on the distance. The data collection is compressed according to the distance by mapping each data of the first data size to data having a second data size smaller than the first data size. Other compression methods and apparatus are disclosed.

Abstract: A computing-device implemented method for compressing data, where such devices include a computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), home appliance, and the like. The data includes bandwidth intensive information such as that used in video conferencing, MPEG and equivalent types of digital video encoding, multi-media data transfers, and interactive gaming. In one implementation, a 3D model has objects defined therein. Each object is defined according to a data collection, each element within the collection having a first data size. A distance is determined between a reference point in the model, and a bounding box for an object. A data reduction factor is selected based, at least in part, on the distance. The data collection is compressed according to the distance by mapping each data of the first data size to data having a second data size smaller than the first data size. Other compression methods and apparatus are disclosed.

Abstract: A computing-device implemented method for compressing a data model, where such devices include a computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), home appliance, and the like. The data includes bandwidth intensive information such as that used in video conferencing, MPEG and equivalent types of digital video encoding, multi-media data transfers, and interactive gaming. In one implementation, a 3D model has objects defined therein. Each object is defined by plural data points that are transferred from a data provider to a recipient. Typically the provider and recipient are in communication over a network. For a first and a second data point defined in the model, first offsets are determined from the first data point for the second data point. The second data point can then be re-coded in terms of the determined first offsets. The first offsets are coded to require less data storage than required for the first data point, thus allowing them to be transferred more quickly.

Abstract: An apparatus is equipped to provide dance visualization of a stream of music. The apparatus is equipped with a sampler to generate characteristic data for a plurality of samples of a received stream of music, and an analyzer to determine a music type for the stream of music using the generated characteristic data. The apparatus is further provided with a player to manifest a plurality of dance movements for the stream of music in accordance with the determined music type of the stream of music.