Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for joining meshes of primitives. The technique involves receiving a first mesh boundary and a second mesh boundary, removing a first surface associated with the first mesh boundary, and removing a second surface associated with the second mesh boundary. The technique further involves joining a first vertex associated with the first mesh boundary to a first plurality of vertices associated with the second mesh boundary to form a joined surface. Finally, the technique involves performing one or more mesh refinement passes on the joined surface to generate a refined mesh surface.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, article of manufacture, and computer readable storage medium provide the ability to scale a diagram. An image is selected and utilized as a background image. Full geometry is obtained and is displayed with the background image. The full geometry is a first geometry and remaining second geometry. The first geometry is selected and a reference length for the selected first geometry is specified. The remaining second geometry is in the diagram is scaled based on the specified reference length.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, article of manufacture, and computer readable storage medium provide the ability to solve a not-statically determinate modeling system. A free body diagram (FBD) with a degree of freedom (DOF) greater than zero is obtained. For each beam in the FBD that has more than one DOF, a point of beam that is movable is discovered. A variable force is applied at the point. A DOF of the FBD is determined based on the application of the variable force. Based on the determining, a size of the variable force that places the FBD in equilibrium is computed.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, article of manufacture, and computer program product provide the ability to utilize a degree of freedom (DOF) for a construction. In a preparation phase, a graph structure is constructed from a construction model that transforms construction primitives into graph primitives. In a search phase, all compact sub-graphs of the graph structure are identified. In a counting phase, a DOF is calculated for each compact sub-graph and adjusted based on interactions between the compact sub-graphs. In an internal DOF searching phase, an internal DOF is computed for each compact sub-graph and used to determine and solve overconstrained sub-graphs. A determination regarding whether a structure of the construction model can be modified based on the DOF and internal DOF is output.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention is a pop-up engine that generates a pop-up card from a sliced 3D graphics model. In operation, a pop-up engine processes a sliced 3D model to identify locations where each slice of the 3D model is to attach to the pop-up card or to other slices of the 3D model. The pop-up engine traverses the boundary of each slice and, at intervals along the boundary, projects a ray toward the upper portion of the card. If the ray intersects a neighboring slice, then the slice attaches to the neighboring slice at that location. If, however, the ray does not intersect a neighboring slice, then the slice attaches to the upper portion of the card at that location. The pop-up engine then modifies the slice to include a hinge portion that connects the slice to either a neighboring slice or the upper portion at that location.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for determining energy indicator values for a plurality of thermoplastic materials. An energy indicator value represents expected energy requirements for performing an injection of the material in a mold cavity. An injection of each of a plurality of thermoplastic materials in a first modeled mold cavity is simulated. A respective value of a first expected energy parameter is determined for each of the plurality of thermoplastic materials based on the simulated injections. A respective energy indicator is determined, for each of the plurality of thermoplastic materials, based at least on the corresponding value of the first expected energy parameter. The respective energy indicator value of one or more of the plurality of thermoplastic materials is presented.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention is a pop-up engine that generates a pop-up card from a sliced 3D graphics model. In operation, the pop-up engine processes a sliced 3D model to identify locations where the sliced 3D model is to attach to a plane surface of a pop-up card. For a given set of slices associated with a sliced 3D model, the pop-up engine identifies at least two slices that intersect at a folding line of the plane surface. The pop-up engine then identifies locations on the slices that are the farthest from the folding line. The pop-up engine marks the identified locations as connection points, where the 3D model is to attach to the plane surface.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally relate to electronic devices capable of being implanted beneath the skin of a human user. The electronic devices include input devices for receiving input from a user, and output devices for output signals or information to a user. The electronic devices may optionally include one or more sensors, batteries, memory units, and processors. The electronic devices are protected by a protective packaging to reduce contact with bodily fluids and to mitigate physiological responses to the implanted devices.

Abstract: A system and technique for capturing a workflow history and video of an electronic document are disclosed. Events generated by an application while modifying an electronic document are stored on a web server as metadata. In addition, a captured digital image or frames of captured digital video that reflect the state of the document at the time the event was generated are also stored on the web server. The metadata is associated with one or more portions of the document and with the captured digital image or frames of captured digital video.

Abstract: A system and technique for capturing a workflow history and video of an electronic document are disclosed. Events generated by an application while modifying an electronic document are stored on a web server as metadata. In addition, a captured digital image or frames of captured digital video that reflect the state of the document at the time the event was generated are also stored on the web server. The metadata is associated with one or more portions of the document and with the captured digital image or frames of captured digital video.

Abstract: A method for generating a looping motion space for real-time character animation may include determining a plurality of motion clips to include in the looping motion space and determining a number of motion cycles performed by a character object depicted in each of the plurality of motion clips. A plurality of looping motion clips may be synthesized from the motion clips, where each of the looping motion clips depicts the character object performing an equal number of motion cycles. Additionally, a starting frame of each of the plurality of looping motion clips may be synchronized so that the motion cycles in each of the plurality of looping motion clips are in phase with one another. By rendering an animation sequence using multiple passes through the looping motion space, an animation of the character object performing the motion cycles may be extended for arbitrary length of time.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture provide access to architectural documents in a network based on-line web based system. Servers that are accessible from the Internet maintain persistent multiple architectural documents of different media types. An online user is provided, from the servers via the Internet, a set of basic virtual design tools that have persistent properties and may be copied. The virtual design tools may also be utilized to work with the architectural documents. A workspace is also provided for viewing, accessing, and modifying the architectural documents.

Abstract: A proximity-aware multi-touch tabletop is disclosed that includes both a touch screen display and proximity sensors. The proximity sensors are disposed in one or more annular groups around the touch screen display and are positioned in upward-and outward-facing directions. The proximity sensors allow the multi-touch tabletop to sense the distance of a body, arm, hand, or fingers of a user from the multi-touch tabletop. Thus, hand, arm, and finger positions of a user can be determined relative to the body position of the user, which enables the multi-touch tabletop to differentiate between left hand/arm gestures and right hand/arm gestures. Further, because the multi-touch tabletop can correlate left arm and right arm movements to a user body, the multi-touch tabletop can differentiate gestures originating from different users. The ability of the multi-touch tabletop to distinguish between users greatly enhances user experiences, particularly in a multi-user environment.

Abstract: A method for reproducing authored content within a visual manipulation software environment includes displaying the authored content, such as an individual drawing stroke, in a manner that enables the end-user to experience the temporal dynamics associated with the creation of each drawing stroke or action performed by the author when creating the content. Each individual drawing stroke created by the author may be displayed in a tutorial with the same speed and direction used by the author to create the stroke, and can then be used as a guidance curve by the end-user. End-user input corresponding to the displayed author content is then received and used to generate an end-user version of the displayed content.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for providing help content related to a software application to a user. The technique involves receiving a first discussion element associated with a first user and including textual input related to a first software application and first contextual information related to the first software application. The technique further involves receiving second contextual information associated with a second user and related to the first software application, determining a measure of correlation between the first contextual information and the second contextual information, determining that the first discussion element should be transmitted to the second user based on the measure of correlation, and transmitting the first discussion element to the second user.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for providing help content related to a software application to a user. The technique involves receiving textual input related to a first software application from a first user and comprising help content and generating a first discussion element based on the textual input. The technique further involves receiving first contextual information associated with the first user and related to the first software application, associating the first contextual information with the first discussion element, and transmitting the first discussion element to a server machine for processing.

Abstract: A proximity-aware multi-touch tabletop is disclosed that includes both a touch screen display and proximity sensors. The proximity sensors are disposed in one or more annular groups around the touch screen display and are positioned in upward- and outward-facing directions. The proximity sensors allow the multi-touch tabletop to sense the distance of a body, arm, hand, or fingers of a user from the multi-touch tabletop. Thus, hand, arm, and finger positions of a user can be determined relative to the body position of the user, which enables the multi-touch tabletop to differentiate between left hand/arm gestures and right hand/arm gestures. Further, because the multi-touch tabletop can correlate left arm and right arm movements to a user body, the multi-touch tabletop can differentiate gestures originating from different users. The ability of the multi-touch tabletop to distinguish between users greatly enhances user experiences, particularly in a multi-user environment.

Abstract: A method for traversing a streaming video file includes receiving a representative streaming video file that includes less information than a higher-resolution streaming video file and spans the entire streaming video file. Based on navigation information associated with the representative streaming video file, a playback engine navigates to a different portion of the streaming video file. The navigation information may be based on input information received from a viewer of the streaming video file. One advantage of the disclosed method is that it enables fast and accurate navigation of a streaming video.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for generating a status update message. The method involves defining one or more status update criteria and monitoring user activity in a software application for the one or more status update criteria. The method further involves determining, based on the user activity, that the one or more status update criteria have been met and generating, via a processing unit, a status update message. The status update message includes multimedia content related to a project associated with the software application.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, article of manufacture, and computer readable storage medium provide the ability to optimize a design for a vertical road profile. A ground surface profile is obtained. From the ground surface profile, an initial set of points of vertical intersection (PVIs) are obtained. An optimized earthwork cost for the PVIs is determined. The PVIs and curve configurations are then modified to reduce the earth work cost.