Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed related to simulated live dealer games. A computing device can receive a request to play a game of chance that includes a plurality of game actions ordered by a game sequence. The computing device can play the game of chance by: determining a particular game action based on the game sequence; determining a plurality of pre-recorded video segments related to the particular game action, where each of the pre-recorded video segments records a respective instance of the particular game action being performed by a person; selecting a particular pre-recorded video segment from the plurality of pre-recorded video segments; and generating a display related to the particular game action that includes at least a portion of the particular pre-recorded video segment.

Abstract: The gaming system disclosed herein changes the focal point of a display device at different points in time to assist the player in focusing on different simultaneously or concurrently played games at different points in time. Specifically, the gaming system displays a plurality of simultaneously or concurrently played games on a display device. In response to a designated event occurring in association with a specific one of the plurality of simultaneously or concurrently played games, the gaming system changes the focal point of the display device to draw the player's focus or attention to that specific one of the simultaneously or concurrently played games. Put differently, the gaming system dynamically allocates and/or indicates different portions of a display device to different simultaneously or concurrently played games at different points in time to account for different events occurring in such simultaneously or concurrently played games.

Abstract: A method of conducting a transaction between a user of a remote communications device and a second party includes: creating a transaction data structure based on input from the user that defines the transaction; creating a deferred transaction data structure, corresponding to the transaction data structure that defines a deferred transaction, when establishing communication between the remote communications device and the second party is delayed; storing the deferred transaction data structure in a memory; establishing communication between the remote communications device and the second party; and transmitting the deferred transaction data structure to the second party when the communication between the remote communications device and the second party is established.

Abstract: A system and method for using an e-commerce system to provide a user with the ability to order customized identification documents over the Internet is provided. The user can customize the layout of the identification document, including the use of company logos and trademarks. The user provides the demographic data and corresponding graphical representations, and is given the opportunity to approve a digital facsimile of the identification document that will be produced by the service bureau prior to the production of the identification documents. In addition, enhanced security is provided by verifying that the user is part of a legitimate organization and is authorized to use the identification documents being ordered.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a system and method for a customer and merchant to perform an on-line, and in some cases, real-time financial transaction from a personal computer or similar processing terminal over a public access communications network utilizing a universally acceptable electronic financial transaction instruction that debits a customer's selected account and notifies a merchant that a credit is due or forthcoming and a service provider. The financial transaction instruction is provided in a secured format for transactions sent over the public access communications network, which is external from any other conventional open or closed communication channels used for performing financial transactions.

Abstract: A value storage system in which information representing value is directly written to an easily portable storage medium as a reference fingerprint. The value storage system includes a plurality of read/write units for storing and retrieving the value information. Each of the read/write units may include a data authenticator for authenticating information previously stored on the storage medium, the authentication information consisting of a numerical representation of a level of trapped charges representing the reference fingerprint. The read/write units may be connected to a central server which retrieves information from each of the read write units, stores information, and provides various accounting and statistical analyses, as well as reconciling transactions between two or more read/write units.

Abstract: To enable the control of rendering contents in part by using digital watermark technique: a contents serving center for embedding watermark in contents 4 embeds control information as digital watermarks within at least one of a plurality of blocks constituting electronic data by which contents are represented, thereby specifying the application of filtering to a part of the contents corresponding to the block; a contents distribution center 1 distributes the watermark-including contents to a receiving terminal 2 where checks the blocks of the received data to detect whether the control information as digital watermarks is embedded therein and applies the filtering to the block for which the embedded control information embedded has been detected in advance of reproducing the contents.

Abstract: In the present invention, an electronic apparatus adds user information to print information and transfers the print information, to which the user information has been added, to an image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus specifies a voice feature based on the user information received from the electronic apparatus, specifies user-authentication information by executing voice authentication processing based on the specified voice feature, and starts output of the print information based on the specified user-authentication information. Hence, it is possible to output print information after assuredly authenticating a regular user, and start output of the print information according to an instruction only from the regular user.

Abstract: A data redirection system for redirecting user's data based on a stored rule set. The redirection of data is performed by a redirection server, which receives the redirection rule sets for each user from an authentication and accounting server, and a database. Prior to using the system, users authenticate with the authentication and accounting server, and receive a network address. The authentication and accounting server retrieves the proper rule set for the user, and communicates the rule set and the user's address to the redirection server. The redirection server then implements the redirection rule set for the user's address. Rule sets are removed from the redirection server either when the user disconnects, or based on some predetermined event. New rule sets are added to the redirection server either when a user connects, or based on some predetermined event.

Abstract: An embodiment consistent with the present invention includes a method and apparatus for forming a multicast repair tree. The methods perform by a data processor and comprises the steps of determining, for each of a plurality of potential heads in a multicast group, a ranking value associated with the potential head; advertising, by the potential heads to a plurality of potential receivers; prioritizing, by a potential receiver, the ranking values from the potential heads; and binding, by a potential receiver to the head having the highest ranking value, thereby forming a group of which the potential receiver,is a member and the potential head is the head. The ranking values may include “able”, “unable”, “willing”, and “reluctant.” The ranking value of a potential head determines in accordance with a static or a dynamic configuration. Ranking values determine dynamically based on ranges of system resource levels such as memory and available processor resources.

Abstract: A fault tolerant computer system for obtaining and displaying, or updating the status of server components through a remote interface and either a local or remote client machine without intervention of the server operating system software. The remote machine accesses the server by use of a dial-in modem connection, while the local machine accesses the server by a local serial connection. The components that can be monitored include, but are not limited to, the following: Power Supplies, Temperatures, Fans, Processors, I/O Groups, I/O Canisters, Serial Numbers, and Revisions.

Abstract: A workflow management system for an automated credit application processing system. The workflow management system automatically coordinates the workflow among various workgroups and entities involved in the credit application process. The steps and rule tests that define an organization's workflow are customized according to the workflow requirements and process steps for each organization. The workflow manager allows application steps to be processed simultaneously by various entities involved in the loan application process. Workgroups are defined for each pre-configured workflow definition. Each workgroup is associated with a particular set of functions. A workgroup queue is provided for each workgroup. Workgroup queues contain active or pending steps associated with the workgroup. In operation, users can obtain status information by viewing data from the various workgroup queues.

Abstract: A trusted agent server provides a networked application that assists a customer in managing their online commercial affairs. A user contacts the server using a network access device, such as a browser on a personal computer. The trusted agent client component augments the user's network access device to perform business transactions on behalf of the user. The user controls these transactions through the trusted agent server. A trusted agent service is a trusted agent client component application which operates in conjunction with the trusted agent server. The trusted agent service is an Internet-based mechanism that makes single-click buying available on any commercial Web site. The trusted agent also provides customers with access to personal and credit card information used during single-click transactions, smart receipts used for ongoing customer support, merchant and product preference settings, and direct response product offerings keyed to these preferences.

Abstract: An intelligent network security device (“INSD”) (10) operates in a local area network (“LAN”) (12) according to an intelligent network security method (30). The LAN (12) has a plurality of computers (14) and connects to the internet (16) through a firewall (18). The INSD (10) resides within the LAN (12) such that data traversing between the LAN (12) and the internet (16) is accessible thereto. The INSD (10) looks for code and patterns of behavior and assigns a value to perceived attempted security breaches. The INSD (10) then directs the firewall (16) to take any of a prescribed plurality of actions, based upon such value.

Abstract: A program ID is provided for each authoring program, the program ID of the authoring program is copied to the program ID whenever the authoring program processes contents, and contents ID are newly generated and provided also for each contents. Thereby, the management of an authoring program or contents such as assuring of copyright, preventing of alteration, or maintaining of security is simplified.

Abstract: An information recording/reproducing device and a medium are improved in reliability by making medium managing information usable even when a defective sector exists in the medium managing information area of the medium. The identifier of medium managing information, the information about the position where the medium managing information is recorded which is the information about the position of the sector in use, or the information about the position where a defect exists in the medium managing information area, which is the information about the position of the defective sector, are read from the medium managing area of the medium (3) and all the information is stored in a RAM (8) by using a medium managing information position manager. A reproducer and a recorder are controlled based on the information.

Abstract: In a memory state recovering apparatus, processors process data and a main memory holds data necessary for the data processing at the processors. Caches are provided to correspond to the processors and have the function of issuing an invalidation transaction to specify the invalidation of the data to maintain the consistency of the data. A before image buffer combines an address in the main memory with the data held in the location indicated by the address and stores the combination. A memory access control section stores in the buffer memory the address targeted in the main memory and the data stored in the location indicated by the address in accordance with the invalidation transaction issued from the caches. With this configuration, the time required for a checkpoint process can be shortened, thereby improving the system performance.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reverting a disk drive to an earlier point in time is disclosed. Changes made to the drive are saved in a circular history buffer which includes the old data, the time it was replaced by new data, and the original location of the data. The circular history buffer may also be implemented by saving new data elements into new locations and leaving the old data elements in their original locations. References to the new data elements are mapped to the new location. The disk drive is reverted to an earlier point in time by replacing the new data elements with the original data elements retrieved from the history buffer, or in the case of the other embodiment, reads to the disk are mapped to the old data elements stilled stored in their original locations. The method and apparatus may be implemented as part of an operating system, or as a separate program, or in the controller for the disk drive. The method and apparatus are applicable to other forms of data storage as well.