Abstract: An ancillary signal indicator notifies the reception of a signal that is associated with a user. The ancillary signal indicator includes an imprint actuator configured to instigate a signal imprint mode. A receiver is configured to receive an imprint signal when in the signal imprint mode and a memory is configured to store an imprint signal. The ancillary signal indicator also includes a signal notifier configured to actuate when a received signal corresponds to the imprint signal.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a peer-to-peer photo-sharing environment. The system includes: manual and automatic photo annotation at the client; periodic client-server synchronization; an index of client photos on a central server or a photo database that is resident on the central server, which is updated by the client-server synchronization function; end-user search functionality to search the centralized index or photo database; and transmission of the relevant photos to the client via an on-line image cache. In one embodiment, one client's new photos are automatically displayed on another client's computer (e.g., via screen saver or another mechanism).

Abstract: A carousel view is described. In an implementation, a method includes determining a number of items that are included in data. A carousel is then generated for output in a user interface. The carousel has a plurality of bins, each of which representing a corresponding one of the items. The carousel has a radius for display of each of the bins based on the determined number of items.

Abstract: An ambient display of data in a user interface is described. In an implementation, a method includes generating a first representation of a plurality of events for output in a user interface. A second representation of one or more additional events is generated such that a change made in a display characteristic from the first representation to the second representation complies with a just-noticeable threshold.

Abstract: An operating system shell provides on a display screen a graphical user interface through which a user interacts with the operating system. The operating system shell provides a background noisy display rendered on the display screen in accordance with a background physical lighting model, and an ambient notification rendered over at least a portion of the background noisy display to provide a user notification. The ambient notification is rendered in accordance with an ambient notification physical lighting model that is different from the background physical lighting model.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a peer-to-peer photo-sharing environment. The system includes: manual and automatic photo annotation at the client; periodic client-server synchronization; an index of client photos on a central server or a photo database that is resident on the central server, which is updated by the client-server synchronization function; end-user search functionality to search the centralized index or photo database; and transmission of the relevant photos to the client via an on-line image cache. In one embodiment, one client's new photos are automatically displayed on another client's computer (e.g., via screen saver or another mechanism).

Abstract: A user interface system and method of displaying lists of information using a squeezed/semi-collapsed state of the group that shows, for example, a portion of the group (e.g., only the first few items of the group) is provided. The squeezed/semi-collapsed state takes up less room on the screen than an open state but gives the user more information about the group than the closed state, allowing more groups to be visible simultaneously while still providing detailed information about the contents of the group.

Abstract: The system and method of the present invention relates to the determining the specific ordering and execution of events from temporal constraints, filtering functions, and execution heuristics. To facilitate specification of event order objects be can associated with events in an object authoring system which provides for interaction, conditional behavior, and fuzzy relationships by dividing all time into past, present, and future. A user or developer can then perform all their work in the editable area marked “now.” Items that may have happened prior to the current work show up in the “past” area and items which might happen in the future show up in the “future” area. A user can then associate and/or dissociate objects associated with events in the editable area, for instance by simply loosely specifying temporal relationships or constraints amongst objects rather than specifying an exact temporal sequence directly.

Abstract: A rich communication profile system with notifications. The system is a feedback mechanism that utilizes rich content, e.g., multimedia content, as one or more indicators that represent the status of a remote user. The system includes a state component that receives information relating to state of at least one entity. A notifications component dynamically renders at least one personalized graphical indicia representative of the entity's state. The entity can be a person, group of people, component, place, and object.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a peer-to-peer photo-sharing environment. The system includes: manual and automatic photo annotation at the client; periodic client-server synchronization; an index of client photos on a central server or a photo database that is resident on the central server, which is updated by the client-server synchronization function; end-user search functionality to search the centralized index or photo database; and transmission of the relevant photos to the client via an on-line image cache. In one embodiment, one client's new photos are automatically displayed on another client's computer (e.g., via screen saver or another mechanism).