Abstract: An electronic content guide may organize content such as television programs into categories and subcategories. The categories and subcategories may be topical as well as time-based. As a result, the user can select a given time-based criteria and within that time-based criteria select topical subcategories. As a result, the number of programs that may be displayed in any given graphical user interface may be reduced to a manageable level. This may be done without requiring a great deal of scrolling to view selected categories, subcategories and particular programs.

Abstract: An electronic content guide may organize content such as television programs into categories and subcategories. The categories and subcategories may be topical as well as time-based. As a result, the user can select a given time-based criteria and within that time-based criteria select topical subcategories. As a result, the number of programs that may be displayed in any given graphical user interface may be reduced to a manageable level. This may be done without requiring a great deal of scrolling to view selected categories, subcategories and particular programs.

Abstract: An electronic content guide may organize content such as television programs into categories and subcategories. The categories and subcategories may be topical as well as time-based. As a result, the user can select a given time-based criteria and within that time-based criteria select topical subcategories. As a result, the number of programs that may be displayed in any given graphical user interface may be reduced to a manageable level. This may be done without requiring a great deal of scrolling to view selected categories, subcategories and particular programs.

Abstract: An electronic content guide may organize content such as television programs into categories and subcategories. The categories and subcategories may be topical as well as time-based. As a result, the user can select a given time-based criteria and within that time-based criteria select topical subcategories. As a result, the number of programs that may be displayed in any given graphical user interface may be reduced to a manageable level. This may be done without requiring a great deal of scrolling to view selected categories, subcategories and particular programs.

Abstract: A mobile personal digital assistant (PDA) allows a user to enter information using both a touch screen and voice commands with a stylus. The stylus includes a microphone positioned at one end, and a transmitter for transmitting received voice signals to either a personal computer (PC) or the PDA. In one embodiment, a wireless stylus also includes a power supply and an activation control switch. The PC is used to translate the voice signals into translated voice data which is transmitted to the PDA for storage and display. If the user and the PDA are located remotely from the receiving PC, voice signals are stored in the PDA until a later time when the PC can translate the received voice signals. Where the PDA contains a processor to translate received voice signals, the stylus transmits directly to the PDA, and the PDA translates the received voice signals.

Abstract: An electronic content guide may organize content such as television programs into categories and subcategories. The categories and subcategories may be topical as well as time-based. As a result, the user can select a given time-based criteria and within that time-based criteria select topical subcategories. As a result, the number of programs that may be displayed in any given graphical user interface may be reduced to a manageable level. This may be done without requiring a great deal of scrolling to view selected categories, subcategories and particular programs.

Abstract: A mobile personal digital assistant (PDA) allows a user to enter information using both a touch screen and voice commands with a stylus. The stylus includes a microphone positioned at one end, and a transmitter for transmitting received voice signals to either a personal computer (PC) or the PDA. In one embodiment, a wireless stylus also includes a power supply and an activation control switch. The PC is used to translate the voice signals into translated voice data which is transmitted to the PDA for storage and display. If the user and the PDA are located remotely from the receiving PC, voice signals are stored in the PDA until a later time when the PC can translate the received voice signals. Where the PDA contains a processor to translate received voice signals, the stylus transmits directly to the PDA, and the PDA translates the received voice signals.

Abstract: An electronic content guide may organize content such as television programs into categories and subcategories. The categories and subcategories may be topical as well as time-based. As a result, the user can select a given time-based criteria and within that time-based criteria select topical subcategories. As a result, the number of programs that may be displayed in any given graphical user interface may be reduced to a manageable level. This may be done without requiring a great deal of scrolling to view selected categories, subcategories and particular programs.

Abstract: A mobile personal digital assistant (PDA) allows a user to enter information using both a touch screen and voice commands with a stylus. The stylus includes a microphone positioned at one end, and a transmitter for transmitting received voice signals to either a personal computer (PC) or the PDA. In one embodiment, a wireless stylus also includes a power supply and an activation control switch. The PC is used to translate the voice signals into translated voice data which is transmitted to the PDA for storage and display. If the user and the PDA are located remotely from the receiving PC, voice signals are stored in the PDA until a later time when the PC can translate the received voice signals. Where the PDA contains a processor to translate received voice signals, the stylus transmits directly to the PDA, and the PDA translates the received voice signals.

Abstract: A mobile personal digital assistant (PDA) allows a user to enter information using both a touch screen and voice commands with a stylus. The stylus includes a microphone positioned at one end, and a transmitter for transmitting received voice signals to either a personal computer (PC) or the PDA. In one embodiment, a wireless stylus also includes a power supply and an activation control switch. The PC is used to translate the voice signals into translated voice data which is transmitted to the PDA for storage and display. If the user and the PDA, voice signals are stored in the PDA until a later time when the PC can translate the received voice signals. Where the PDA contains a processor to translate received voice signals, the stylus transmits directly to the PDA, and the PDA translates the received voice signals.

Abstract: A mobile personal digital assistant (PDA) allows a user to enter information using both a touch screen and voice commands with a stylus. The stylus includes a microphone positioned at one end, and a transmitter for transmitting received voice signals to either a personal computer (PC) or the PDA. In one embodiment, a wireless stylus also includes a power supply and an activation control switch. The PC is used to translate the voice signals into translated voice data which is transmitted to the PDA for storage and display. If the user and the PDA are located remotely from the receiving PC, voice signals are stored in the PDA until a later time when the PC can translate the received voice signals. Where the PDA containsa processor to translate received voice signals, the stylus transmits directly to the PDA, and the PDA translates the received voice signals.

Abstract: An electronic programming guide may enable the user to identify season premiere episodes. Moreover, using simple mouse click operations, the user may select a season series for automatic recording.

Abstract: A system allows a user to use spoken commands to select a position in an audio/visual program. The program may be identified by a file associated with a stored portion of a program that includes a field that identifies positions in the program. When the user requests a position, the user's speech is recognized to produce information that may be compared to the information in the field to locate the position selected by the user.

Abstract: An electronic content guide may organize content such as television programs into categories and subcategories. The categories and subcategories may be topical as well as time-based. As a result, the user can select a given time-based criteria and within that time-based criteria select topical subcategories. As a result, the number of programs that may be displayed in any given graphical user interface may be reduced to a manageable level. This may be done without requiring a great deal of scrolling to view selected categories, subcategories and particular programs.

Abstract: A speech recognition system and method that dynamically switches between reference patterns based on training information produced under different ambient noise levels to enhance speech recognition accuracy, is presented herein. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the speech recognition system includes a speech capturing device configured to capture an input utterance and a speech recognition processing mechanism configured to process the input utterances and to generate an identified utterance signal representing a recognized utterance. The system further includes a sensor configured to detect a plurality of ambient noise levels and to supply a detected ambient noise level to the speech recognition processing mechanism and a speech model containing a plurality of stored reference pattern sets representing utterances to be recognized. Each of the stored reference pattern sets are based on training information corresponding to a particular ambient noise levels.

Abstract: A tactile sensory system comprising a floor covering integrated with a tactile sensory layer to form a tactile sensory surface is described. The tactile sensory layer has a plurality of sensors. The system also comprises a controller connected to the tactile sensory surface to track a person or object. In one embodiment, the tactile sensory surface is flexible and is manufactured in bulk on a roll, so that it is adjustable in both length and width. Any type of sensors can be used, including pressure sensors, force sensors, force and position-sensing resistors, proximity sensors, and so forth.

Abstract: A system allows a user to use conversational commands to control the recording of video programming. In some embodiments of the present invention, these natural language commands may be also utilized to manage a video library or to manage a schedule for video recordings. The video recording device may be an analog or digital system.

Abstract: Information is determined about acceleration of a user manipulated input device (using, for example, an accelerometer). A wireless communication element (e.g., a lamp) is controlled in response to the acceleration information. A computer presentation of video information to the user is controlled in response to signals of the wireless communication element.