Abstract: A method and supporting application-development tool are provided for building such a set of application flows. The method includes the steps of (a) a developer obtaining a “generic” flow model for the application; (b) the developer specifying the set of targets; (c) automatically creating a specialized flow model for each of the targets; (d) the developer modifying at least one of the generic flow model and the specialized flow models; (e) automatically generating specialized applications corresponding to the specified specialized flow models; and (f) deploying the specialized applications on the corresponding targets.

Abstract: A method and system for applying a method for iterative refinement of a presentation including (a) a developer creating a high-level representation of the user interface; (b) automatically generating a concrete user interface markup from the high-level representation; (c) the developer editing the concrete generated markup and saving the edits to an edit history; (d) the developer editing the high-level representation; (e) automatically re-generating a concrete markup from the edited high-level representation; and (f) automatically or interactively applying the edit history to the concrete markup to produce an updated markup.

Abstract: A framework is provided for describing multimedia content and a system in which a plurality of multimedia storage devices employing the content description methods of the present invention can interoperate. In accordance with one form of the present invention, the content description framework is a description scheme (DS) for describing streams or aggregations of multimedia objects, which may comprise audio, images, video, text, time series, and various other modalities. This description scheme can accommodate an essentially limitless number of descriptors in terms of features, semantics or metadata, and facilitate content-based search, index, and retrieval, among other capabilities, for both streamed or aggregated multimedia objects.

Abstract: Linear optimization queries, which usually arise in various decision support and resource planning applications, are queries that retrieve top N data records (where N is an integer greater than zero) which satisfy a specific optimization criterion. The optimization criterion is to either maximize or minimize a linear equation. The coefficients of the linear equation are given at query time. Methods and apparatus are disclosed for constructing, maintaining and utilizing a multidimensional indexing structure of database records to improve the execution speed of linear optimization queries. Database records with numerical attributes are organized into a number of layers and each layer represents a geometric structure called convex hull. Such linear optimization queries are processed by searching from the outer-most layer of this multi-layer indexing structure inwards.

Abstract: An object tracking technique is provided which, given: (i) a potentially large data set; (ii) a set of dimensions along which the data has been ordered; and (iii) a set of functions for measuring the similarity between data elements, a set of objects are produced. Each of these objects is defined by a list of data elements. Each of the data elements on this list contains the probability that the data element is part of the object. The method produces these lists via an adaptive, knowledge-based search function which directs the search for high-probability data elements. This serves to reduce the number of data element combinations evaluated while preserving the most flexibility in defining the associations of data elements which comprise an object.

Abstract: Linear optimization queries, which usually arise in various decision support and resource planning applications, are queries that retrieve top N data records (where N is an integer greater than zero) which satisfy a specific optimization criterion. The optimization criterion is to either maximize or minimize a linear equation. The coefficients of the linear equation are given at query time. Methods and apparatus are disclosed for constructing, maintaining and utilizing a multidimensional indexing structure of database records to improve the execution speed of linear optimization queries. Database records with numerical attributes are organized into a number of layers and each layer represents a geometric structure called convex hull. Such linear optimization queries are processed by searching from the outer-most layer of this multi-layer indexing structure inwards.

Abstract: Linear optimization queries, which usually arise in various decision support and resource planning applications, are queries that retrieve top N data records (where N is an integer greater than zero) which satisfy a specific optimization criterion. The optimization criterion is to either maximize or minimize a linear equation. The coefficients of the linear equation are given at query time. Methods and apparatus are disclosed for constructing, maintaining and utilizing a multidimensional indexing structure of database records to improve the execution speed of linear optimization queries. Database records with numerical attributes are organized into a number of layers and each layer represents a geometric structure called convex hull. Such linear optimization queries are processed by searching from the outer-most layer of this multi-layer indexing structure inwards.

Abstract: A communications facility for interactive communications with local applications. The flow of information to local applications is coordinated using a browser. The browser determines, at any given time, which of a plurality of communication paths is to be used to provide the information to the local application. The local application commences a polling loop, which enables messages to be received at the local application via the plurality of communication paths, without terminating the local application. Thus, the local application can have interactive communications with the browser and/or one or more remote servers.

Abstract: Production and processing of data representing digitized images are disclosed. The disclosure addresses the problem of providing an image which simultaneously represents both high spatial resolution information and low spatial resolution information which pertains to the high spatial resolution information. Images may be produced which represent high spatial resolution information in the form of relative luminance contrasts, and represent low spatial resolution information in the form of color variance. Images representing high spatial resolution information may be altered to represent areas sharing a common trait (low spatial resolution information) by altering image data to make all pixels of those areas a common color, while scaling the luminance of each altered pixel by a uniform factor relative to its luminance in the original representation of the image.

Abstract: A free standing bowling ramp for physically limited people is disclosed. The ramp includes supporting means, positioning and accelerating means, and means for aiming a bowling ball to target specific pins. The supporting means includes a number of interconnected components and flaps. The positioning and accelerating means includes first and second sloped parallel rails. The rails are sloped such as to prevent a ball from accidentally rolling down a ramp before the bowler intends to release the ball. The aiming means includes a clamp assembly that allows the bowler to reposition the ramp to target specific pins without shifting the entire ramp.

Abstract: A bowling ball handling apparatus (10) for enabling persons having limited gripping ability and others interested in an alternate way of bowling to hold and release a bowling ball (12). The apparatus (10) has an arcuate frame (14) to which are affixed a plurality of spaced ball supports (16) which engage a plurality of points on the spherical surface (18) of the ball (12). A clamp lever (20) is pivotally connected to the frame (14) and engages the spherical surface (18) of the ball (12) at a point spaced from the supports (16) to clamp the ball (12) in the apparatus (10) during pick-up and bowling motions. A locking lever (22) is provided for gripping and releasing the ball (12) from the clamp (26) to deliver the ball (12) when bowling. The clamp lever (20) is locked in place by the locking lever (22). Locking lever (22) has a hook (24) which engages the end of a slot formed on the lower surface of the clamp lever (20).