Abstract: A central processing unit (CPU) is provided and is coupled to a display for displaying graphic and other data in multiple overlapping windows. The CPU is further coupled to one or more input devices which permits a user to selectively position a cursor and input and manipulate data within each of the windows on the display. The windows include defined areas having window features such as text, icons and buttons corresponding to functions to be executed by the CPU. Multiple applications may be executed concurrently by the CPU such that each application is associated with one or more windows. Each display element ("pixel") comprising the display is represented by multiple bits in a computer frame buffer memory coupled to the CPU. An alpha value (.alpha.) is associated with the intensity of each pixel of the display such that multiple images may be blended in accordance with a predefined formula utilizing the alpha values.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus and method for the same, comprising a database part, a processing-method-determining part, and an information-processing-part. The processing-method-determining part extracts from the data base part attribute characteristics corresponding to the individual media signals which correspond to the reference signals. The processing-method-determining part selects one processing method from among methods by combining the attribute characteristics. The informations processing part, based on the selected processing method, extends or reduces the reproduction time of the media signals to be combined, or discontinues an individual media signal, wherein a multimedia representation consisting of different media signals is produced with reproducing times that satisfactorily coincide.