Abstract: A method, computer system, and computer readable medium are provided for displaying video content. An interface to a presentation engine to enable real-time rendering of a plurality of objects is created whereby the plurality of objects are logically organized together through a plurality of scene graphs, and whereby the plurality of scene graphs is organized a media interchange format. Geometry information of the plurality of scene graphs is updated through the interface to a representation engine. The plurality of objects is streamed based on multi-resolution or multi-tessellation of heterogenous visual geometric objects in each of the scene graphs from among the plurality of scene graphs using the media interchange format.

Abstract: Systems and methods of reusing binary bitmaps for images appearing multiple times in a print job. In one embodiment, a system stores a binary bitmap for an image that appears in a print job. The system determines an offset of the binary bitmap into a sheetside, and calculates position values for the binary bitmap based on the offset of the binary bitmap. The system identifies a next appearance of the image in the print job, determines an offset of the image into a sheetside for the next appearance, and calculates position values for the next appearance of the image based on the offset of the image. The system determines if the position values for the image correspond with the position values for the binary bitmap, and verifies that the binary bitmap is reusable for the next appearance of the image if the position values correspond.

Abstract: A method performed by one or more computing devices. The method includes identifying first and second portions of a digital video signal. First and second values of a plurality of quality metrics are determined for the first and second portions, respectively. The first and second values of the metrics are used to determine first and second values, respectively, of a plurality of picture quality parameters such that a signal transmitted using either the first or second values of the parameters would require at most a maximum output bitrate. The first values of the parameters may differ from the second values of the parameters. The first and second portions are adjusted using the first and second values, respectively, of the parameters. The first and second adjusted portions are transmitted in a continuous signal. Optionally, the first and second adjusted portions are compressed before they are transmitted.

Abstract: A method performed by one or more computing devices. The method includes identifying first and second portions of a digital video signal. First and second values of a plurality of quality metrics are determined for the first and second portions, respectively. The first and second values of the metrics are used to determine first and second values, respectively, of a plurality of picture quality parameters such that a signal transmitted using either the first or second values of the parameters would require at most a maximum output bitrate. The first values of the parameters may differ from the second values of the parameters. The first and second portions are adjusted using the first and second values, respectively, of the parameters. The first and second adjusted portions are transmitted in a continuous signal. Optionally, the first and second adjusted portions are compressed before they are transmitted.

Abstract: Systems and associated methods provide for converting an RGB color image to a grayscale image via a lookup table of correction values. The lookup table is generated and used to compensate for errors in converting the color image to the grayscale image. The lookup table is generated by generating a reference image having pixels with color values in the RGB color space, converting a first copy of the reference image to a grayscale reference image via interpolation, and converting a second copy of the reference image to an intermediate image. The intermediate image comprises chrominance and luminance values (e.g., YCbCR or YCgCo). The chrominance values are removed from the intermediate image. The intermediate image is then compared to the grayscale reference image to generate the correction values. The lookup table may then be applied to a grayscale image that has been converted from the RGB color image.

Abstract: A computer generated method is disclosed. The method includes receiving data values and performing a 1-D 16×16 discrete cosine transform (DCT) on the data values by replacing each irrational constant used in multiplication operations with a rational dyadic constant that approximates the irrational constant. The output of the DCT is then scaled by a set of scale factors that refine the precision of the approximations used for the 16×16 DCT.

Abstract: Systems and methods of reusing binary bitmaps for images appearing multiple times in a print job. In one embodiment, a system stores a binary bitmap for an image that appears in a print job. The system determines an offset of the binary bitmap into a sheetside, and calculates position values for the binary bitmap based on the offset of the binary bitmap. The system identifies a next appearance of the image in the print job, determines an offset of the image into a sheetside for the next appearance, and calculates position values for the next appearance of the image based on the offset of the image. The system determines if the position values for the image correspond with the position values for the binary bitmap, and verifies that the binary bitmap is reusable for the next appearance of the image if the position values correspond.

Abstract: A computer generated method is disclosed. The method includes receiving data values and performing a 1-D 16×16 discrete cosine transform (DCT) on the data values by replacing each irrational constant used in multiplication operations with a rational dyadic constant that approximates the irrational constant. The output of the DCT is then scaled by a set of scale factors that refine the precision of the approximations used for the 16×16 DCT.

Abstract: Systems and associated methods provide for converting an RGB color image to a grayscale image via a lookup table of correction values. The lookup table is generated and used to compensate for errors in converting the color image to the grayscale image. The lookup table is generated by generating a reference image having pixels with color values in the RGB color space, converting a first copy of the reference image to a grayscale reference image via interpolation, and converting a second copy of the reference image to an intermediate image. The intermediate image comprises chrominance and luminance values (e.g., YCbCR or YCgCo). The chrominance values are removed from the intermediate image. The intermediate image is then compared to the grayscale reference image to generate the correction values. The lookup table may then be applied to a grayscale image that has been converted from the RGB color image.

Abstract: Customer support systems and associated methods are disclosed. A customer wishes to inquire about a particular document individualized for the customer and sends a support request to a customer support system using a client device. The support request includes identification information of the customer and image information based on an image captured by the customer from a copy of the particular document. The customer support system is operable to receive the support request and to select a subset of documents for the customer from a plurality of documents for a plurality of documents based on the identification information. The customer support system is further operable to identify the document from the subset of documents based on the image information, and to initiate a response to the support request using information from the document.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for controlling truncation error which is introduced when performing a transform equation as a result of lowering the precision of elements of the equation using shift right operations. This is achieved by associating a predetermined truncation amount with a plurality of operations of the transform equation and defining an ordered set of the operations to perform the transform which control the truncation error in the result if each operation introduced the predetermined truncation amount associated with it. Accordingly the transform is performed using the defined ordered set. For example the pre-determined truncation error could be an average truncation error.

Abstract: The invention provides a method, a data analyzing system, an apparatus, and article of manufacture which reduce the error in transform equations in which constants are replaced by approximations. This is achieved by factoring an adjustment factor into the calculations which serves to reduce the error introduced by the approximations. For a forward transform equation this may be performed as part of a quantization step and for an inverse transform equation this may be performed as part of a de-quantization step. For example the adjustment factor could reduce the maximum error associated the approximations.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for performing a transform equation in which at least two sub-transform equations can be identified. According to the invention, each sub-transform is considered separately and the constants of each sub-transform are replaced with an approximation which is a function of an integer value and a second value, where the second value is common to each constant in a sub-transform. The transform equation is then performed with the integer values in place of the constants. As a result either the input to the transform equation or at least one of the result of the transform and a value to be compared the result, is modified with a value which is a function of the second values for each sub-transform. By considering each sub-transform separately the second values of each sub-transform can be different thus allowing more accurate approximations to be used with minimal degradation in performance.

Abstract: The invention provides a method, data compression system, apparatus, and article of manufacture which reduce the error in transform equations in which constants are replaced by approximations. According to the invention transform constants are replaced with approximations which are a function of an integer and a floating point value. The transform equation is then performed with the integers in place of the constants. The floating point value may be applied either to the result of the equation or to the data to be processed by the transform equation before the equation is performed. Further the floating point value may be applied using a fixed precision version of the value or a fixed precision value into which the floating point value has been factored.

Abstract: A flexible and extensible virtual printer architecture is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention final status associated with a presentation job (e.g., a fax job or a print job) is made available to an output server. One or more host processing threads or processes are spawned for each new presentation job received by the output server. Then, the presentation job is submitted to a presentation device for which the presentation job is destined by way of an instance of a wrapper process that is capable of communicating bi-directionally with the presentation device. After submitting the presentation job, a host job status thread or process waits for status pertaining to the presentation job. Ultimately, a final status associated with the presentation job is received by the wrapper process and the wrapper process reports the final status to the host job status thread or process. According to another aspect of the present invention, job and device status may be reported asynchronously.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method, system, and program for managing calibration files in a printing system. Patches are printed using a screening algorithm and incorporating at least one output appearance factor. A calibration file is generated from measured color values of the printed patches mapping a color space for the printed patches to a color space of a printer used to print the patches. Information is associated with the calibration file indicating the printer and at least one output appearance attribute for use in selecting one calibration file to use when printing a print job.

Abstract: A flexible and extensible virtual printer architecture is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention final status associated with a presentation job (e.g., a fax job or a print job) is made available to an output server. One or more host processing threads or processes are spawned for each new presentation job received by the output server. Then, the presentation job is submitted to a presentation device for which the presentation job is destined by way of an instance of a wrapper process that is capable of communicating bi-directionally with the presentation device. After submitting the presentation job, a host job status thread or process waits for status pertaining to the presentation job. Ultimately, a final status associated with the presentation job is received by the wrapper process and the wrapper process reports the final status to the host job status thread or process. According to another aspect of the present invention, job and device status may be reported asynchronously.

Abstract: A flexible and extensible virtual printer architecture is provided. According to one embodiment, a mechanism is provided for driving multiple heterogeneous presentation devices. A presentation job is received on behalf of a presentation device, the presentation job includes a data stream which contains source data in the form of text, image, graphics, and/or other embedded objects. The source data is then reduced to an intermediate format. Based upon the intermediate format and control information associated with the data stream, device-specific data and device-specific control information are generated for the presentation device. Finally, the presentation device is driven by providing the device-specific data and device-specific control information to the presentation device.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture, for transmitting data to facsimile presentation device is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of receiving a presentation job comprising input data associable with at least one input grayscale value, retrieving one of a plurality of stored transforms, each transform for modifying grayscale commands to control a grayscale rendering characteristic of a presentation device associated with the transform, applying the transform to the input grayscale value to produce calibrated grayscale values, and transmitting data representing the calibrated grayscale value to the facsimile presentation device.

Abstract: A flexible and extensible virtual printer architecture is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention final status associated with a presentation job (e.g., a fax job or a print job) is made available to an output server. One or more host processing threads or processes are spawned for each new presentation job received by the output server. Then, the presentation job is submitted to a presentation device for which the presentation job is destined by way of an instance of a wrapper process that is capable of communicating bi-directionally with the presentation device. After submitting the presentation job, a host job status thread or process waits for status pertaining to the presentation job. Ultimately, a final status associated with the presentation job is received by the wrapper process and the wrapper process reports the final status to the host job status thread or process. According to another aspect of the present invention, job and device status may be reported asynchronously.