Abstract: A speech recognition system includes a transducer placed in direct physical contact with the user. When the user speaks, the transducer receives the speech signal from the user based on its contact with the user instead of receiving the speech signal through free air. The transducer generates an analog electrical audio signal corresponding to the speech signal. The analog electrical audio signal is then converted to a digital audio signal and transmitted to a speech recognition engine using a wireless connection. By placing the transducer in direct physical contact with the user, ambient noise in the free air may be reduced and speech recognition accuracy may be improved.

Abstract: A stylus includes one or more stylus tips to initiate different mouse actions. The different mouse actions may be initiated by causing the stylus tip to generate disturbance signals on a touch sensitive device. The different mouse actions may also be initiated by using stylus tips of different characteristics with each characteristic associated with a mouse action.

Abstract: A method is described for associating a predefined unique symbol with a type of supplementary content for a program, creating a program schedule that includes a listing for the program, and providing the predefined unique symbol in association with the listing in the program schedule.

Abstract: A method for managing an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) cell includes transmitting an ATM cell from a server system to a broadband modem. The ATM cell is forwarded from the broadband modem to a client system.

Abstract: A method for managing an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) cell includes transmitting an ATM cell from a server system to a broadband modem. The ATM cell is forwarded from the broadband modem to a client system.

Abstract: A highly palatable and long lasting dog chew for pets has been developed by combining a formulation and processing sequence which results in a highly palatable meat based filling being incorporated into the center of a preformed rawhide stick or rawhide roll. Such outside rawhide fraction is extremely tough and chewy which results in a dog chew which takes a long period of time for the dog to consume. The inside meat filling is highly palatable which results in the animal maintaining interest in the treat until nearly the entire chew has been consumed. The interior meat filling is preserved by reduced water activity to below 0.85 as a result of incorporating of salt, sugars and natural humectants. Said filling is formulated and processed in such a manner that the water phase is bound within the filling and does not pass by capillary action to the outside rawhide fraction. This results in the outer rawhide shell maintaining a tough and chewable texture until such point as the dog is offered the finished chew.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for remote network access logging and reporting intercepts an access request at a client system on a network and sends log data identifying the access request to a log server on the network. According to one embodiment, the client system receives an access list from the log server and compares the access request to the access list. In this embodiment, access to the host system is allowed only if the request does not conflict with the access list. According to another embodiment, the client system receives an access list from the log server and compares the access request to the access list. In this embodiment, the log data is sent to the log server only if the request conflicts with the access list.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for translating a static identifier into a dynamically assigned network address. In one embodiment, a dynamic database address is used to access a dynamic database. A static identifier corresponding to the device to be contacted is provided, and the dynamic database returns an appropriate dynamically assigned network address corresponding to the static identifier. A static identifier includes a telephone number arranged in a predetermined format to which a static portion is appended. An Internet Domain Name System (DNS) domain may be used as the static appended portion. This translation of a static identifier into a dynamically assigned network address may be applied to DNS servers. A system of the present invention includes a network, an intermittently connected device, and a dynamic database server. The device has a static identifier and an assigned network address.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling a computer system to initiate, conduct, and terminate a multipoint computer conference regardless of the underlying network protocols. The computer system executes software which determines whether the network supports rooted control and rooted data. When the network supports rooted control, the computer system waits for a connect signal sent from a control leaf node of a plurality of control leaf nodes when the computer system is a control root node and the computer system is to wait for the connect signal. The receipt by the control root node of the connect signal causes the control leaf node to join the conference. The computer system sends the connect signal to the control leaf node when the computer system is the control root node and the computer system is not to wait for the connect signal. The receipt by the control leaf node of the connect signal causes the control leaf node to join the conference.

Abstract: In a computer video conferencing system it is often necessary to transmit multiple channels of information between remote computers, such as a video channel, an audio channel and data sharing channel. A socket based transport interface can be utilized to establish communication channels between remote computers over a connection oriented telephony network. A plurality of sockets are created at each endpoint, one for each type of data stream to be transferred between the computers. The sockets are formed into a group to indicate to the computer transport service provider that the data streams from the sockets can utilize the same telephony connection, and a quality-of-service specification is associated with the socket group so that the telephony connection can be established according to the requirements of the socket group. If a new data stream needs to be transmitted and there is already a telephony connection established, a new socket is created and added to the existing socket group.