Abstract: A method and apparatus for supporting on-demand connectivity for network applications is disclosed. Specifically, the present invention discloses a method and apparatus for remotely triggering a connection from a first device to a network. Additionally, a method and apparatus for coordinating application connections is also disclosed. The method comprises the steps of establishing application connections on-demand and managing the application connections.

Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for automatically annotating digital images. An electronic capture device captures a digital representation of a scene. An apparatus automatically annotates the digital images with the physical and cultural features that may be included in the image based upon the location of the electronic capture device, and its orientation.

Abstract: A distributed click-to-print system is disclosed. Components of the system include a personal photo management system, which typically resides on an amateur photographer's computer, a messaging system that supports simple message automation, a client message browsing system, and a photo merchandising system, which is accessible from a data communication network. The system automates the previously manual step of uploading photos, eliminates the cost and time of uploading photos that are not used in producing photo-related merchandise, eliminates the storing of unrequested photos on a merchandiser's website, and enables a photographer's acquaintance to order prints long after such photos may been purged from the merchandiser's service. That is, the system relies on the photographer's personal photo collection for long-term storage and further changes print ordering from a push model to a pull model, in which the photo merchandise service downloads only photos that have been requested.

Abstract: A method and apparatus pertaining to annotating a document window on a display device of a computer-based system. An annotation window is displayed over a selected portion of the document window where the annotation window is defined by a transparent window area bounded by a border. The annotation window enables the selected portion of the document window to be visible through the annotation window. Annotations are displayed within the annotation window where the annotations have a transparent background enabling the selected portion of the document windows to be visible through the transparent background of the annotations. When the annotation window is closed, the annotations are embedded into a contained document shown in the document window so that the annotations and the document are visible simultaneously in the selected portion of the document window.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for re-drawing a transparent window on at least one display device of a computer based system having a central processor and a memory is disclosed. Having a transparent window and an underlying second window, it is determined whether the underlying second window is active. If the underlying second window is active, the transparent window is hidden. The underlying second window is re-drawn and the transparent window is shown. Otherwise, the transparent window is maintained.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for relating (called hyperlinking) a region of one document to one or more regions of other documents. This is provided by using a mechanism for linking and embedding objects to establish the endpoints of the hyperlinks (called anchors) together with the creation of intermediate tables which maintain information about relations between regions of documents and attributes of the relationship. When a user selects a region in a document which participates in a relationship, a database program is invoked which displays information about related regions in other documents which may be accessed through the intermediate tables. An auxiliary table maintains information about attributes which may be custom designed by the user, such as author, date of creation, etc. The intermediate tables allow relationships among multiple regions of documents created by different applications.