Abstract: A method of spreading fibres, the method comprises providing a continuous fibre bundle having an initial width Wa and causing the fibre bundle to run, in a running direction, through tensioning means and past or through fluid flow means, the tensioning means intermittently varying the tension in the fibre bundle and the fluid flow means producing a fluid flow through the fibre bundle as the tension varies in the fibre bundle, whereby the width of the fibre bundle increases to a spread width Wb. Apparatus (1) is also disclosed, which apparatus (1) comprises a tensioning means (3) to intermittently vary the tension in the fibre bundle (2) and a fluid flow means (4) for producing a flow of fluid through the bundle (2).

Abstract: A method of forming a composite sheet material, the method comprises energising a pair of electrodes to apply an electrostatic charge to a bed of fibres located therebetween thereby orienting at least some of the fibres to be substantially orthogonal to the electrodes and sandwiching at least some of the oriented fibres between a first sheet and a second sheet. The first sheet may be subsequently removed. A third sheet may be used to sandwich the fibres between the second sheet and the third sheet. Apparatus (100) is disclosed for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A method of spreading fibres, the method comprises providing a continuous fibre bundle having an initial width Wa and causing the fibre bundle to run, in a running direction, through tensioning means and past or through fluid flow means, the tensioning means intermittently varying the tension in the fibre bundle and the fluid flow means producing a fluid flow through the fibre bundle as the tension varies in the fibre bundle, whereby the width of the fibre bundle increases to a spread width Wb. Apparatus (1) is also disclosed, which apparatus (1) comprises a tensioning means (3) to intermittently vary the tension in the fibre bundle (2) and a fluid flow means (4) for producing a flow of fluid through the bundle (2).

Abstract: A method of spreading fibres, the method comprises providing a continuous fibre bundle having an initial width Wa and causing the fibre bundle to run, in a running direction, through tensioning means and past or through fluid flow means, the tensioning means intermittently varying the tension in the fibre bundle and the fluid flow means producing a fluid flow through the fibre bundle as the tension varies in the fibre bundle, whereby the width of the fibre bundle increases to a spread width Wb. Apparatus (1) is also disclosed, which apparatus (1) comprises a tensioning means (3) to intermittently vary the tension in the fibre bundle (2) and a fluid flow means (4) for producing a flow of fluid through the bundle (2).

Abstract: A method of spreading fibres, the method comprises providing a continuous fibre bundle having an initial width Wa and causing the fibre bundle to run, in a running direction, through tensioning means and past or through fluid flow means, the tensioning means intermittently varying the tension in the fibre bundle and the fluid flow means producing a fluid flow through the fibre bundle as the tension varies in the fibre bundle, whereby the width of the fibre bundle increases to a spread width Wb. Apparatus (1) is also disclosed, which apparatus (1) comprises a tensioning means (3) to intermittently vary the tension in the fibre bundle (2) and a fluid flow means (4) for producing a flow of fluid through the bundle (2).

Abstract: A method of forming a composite sheet material, the method comprises energising a pair of electrodes to apply an electrostatic charge to a bed of fibres located therebetween thereby orienting at least some of the fibres to be substantially orthogonal to the electrodes and sandwiching at least some of the oriented fibres between a first sheet and a second sheet. The first sheet may be subsequently removed. A third sheet may be used to sandwich the fibres between the second sheet and the third sheet. Apparatus (100) is disclosed for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for attaching random access information for video data for purposes of media transport or media storage, thus enabling efficient stream operations to be performed on the video streams. The information is attached to the media transport or storage format header in the form of a descriptor or as a data structure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for attaching scanning format information for video data for purposes of media transport or media storage are provided, thus enabling efficient compression, decompression and display of the video data. The information is attached to the media transport or storage format header in the form of a descriptor or as a data structure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for timely delivery of classes and objects is provided. A header comprising timing information is attached to said classes and/or objects. A “start loading” time and a “load by” time are specified in the header. Other classes and/or objects to be loaded are also specified in the header. Optional compression, security, and/or error resilience schemes are also specified in the header. A process for creating the header and attaching it to a class or object is provided. A process for receiving and processing a class or object with an attached header is provided. Embodiments of the invention allow timely delivery of classes and/or objects over a wide variety of transport mechanisms, including unreliable transport mechanisms and those lacking any guarantees of timely delivery.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for timely delivery of classes and objects is provided. A header comprising timing information is attached to said classes and/or objects. A “start loading” time and a “load by” time are specified in the header. Other classes and/or objects to be loaded are also specified in the header. Optional compression, security, and/or error resilience schemes are also specified in the header. A process for creating the header and attaching it to a class or object is provided. A process for receiving and processing a class or object with an attached header is provided. Embodiments of the invention allow timely delivery of classes and/or objects over a wide variety of transport mechanisms, including unreliable transport mechanisms and those lacking any guarantees of timely delivery.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling access to information over a network. Information and video/audio streams are transmitted across a network by a head end to a member space manager or set-top box where the information may be utilized or viewed. The frequency that a given stream of information is transmitted on is rotated or switched based on a switching algorithm. For example, a given stream (e.g., a motion picture on a pay-per-view station) may be transmitted on one frequency for a specified time interval, then switched to another frequency for a specified time interval, etc. To enable the member space manager to determine which frequency a given stream of information is transmitted on at a particular point in time, switching software may be provided by the head end server to the member space manager. Switching software may be encrypted prior to transmission to the member space manager.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates presentation of Java-based self-organizing media. During operation, the system receives media content at a media-presentation device, wherein the media content includes content data as well as a Java-based descriptor describing characteristics of the media content. The system further issues a request based on the descriptor and characteristics of the media-presentation device for information to facilitate presentation of the media content independent of an underlying platform and media-player framework. In response to the request, the system receives the information which allows the media-presentation device to present the media content.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates issuing rights in a digital rights management system. The system operates by sending a request to perform an operation on an item of content from a client to a rights-management server, wherein the request includes a usage parameter which specifies constraints involved in performing the operation. Next, the system receives a response from the rights-management server, wherein the response indicates whether or not the client has rights to perform the operation in accordance with the constraints specified by the usage parameter. Note that the response may also include a hint that facilitates generating subsequent requests to perform the operation. Finally, if the client has rights to perform the operation, the system performs the operation on the item of content.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for timely delivery of classes and objects is provided. A header comprising timing information is attached to said classes and/or objects. A “start loading” time and a “load by” time are specified in the header. Other classes and/or objects to be loaded are also specified in the header. Optional compression, security, and/or error resilience schemes are also specified in the header. A process for creating the header and attaching it to a class or object is provided. A process for receiving and processing a class or object with an attached header is provided. Embodiments of the invention allow timely delivery of classes and/or objects over a wide variety of transport mechanisms, including unreliable transport mechanisms and those lacking any guarantees of timely delivery.

Abstract: In a system where client and server components (or actors) of an application are organized as complementary hierarchical graphs, a method and apparatus for creating server applications and dynamically deploying server applications on a client system are described. The server graph comprises, as a minimum, server nodes corresponding to the union of all possible client nodes, whereas each client graph corresponds to a subset of the related server nodes. The server graph is a compound tree from which all possible combinations of client trees can be dynamically created. At a desired time, for example, when the client requests for a client tree representation, the server creates the client tree representation using a peeling process to determine which nodes in the server actor tree should be included in the client tree representation. The peeling process involves determining the server actor nodes that meet a set of criteria for the particular client.

Abstract: A server obtains a build object comprising a data structure and one or more methods configured to build a scenegraph from scenegraph information stored in the data structure. A spawning process on the server initializes the build object by writing scenegraph information of a desired scenegraph into the data structure of the build object. The initialized build object is then transmitted to the client and loaded. One or more methods of the build object are invoked at the client to generate the desired scenegraph from the information contained in the build object's data structure. The scenegraph building mechanisms are transparent to the client. Thus, the format by which the scenegraph is represented in the data structure of the build object and/or the build methods of the build object may vary among servers, or may vary for the same server over time, without requiring the client to be reprogrammed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for embedding of bytecode data in a transport stream is described. Embodiments of the invention serve to make Java™ bytecode (in a class file) concurrently available to a user that is receiving media information through a transport stream. To ensure the concurrent delivery of bytecode, the information is embedded within spaces allocated in the transport stream, or in packets that carry the media data. In one embodiment of the invention, media data is grouped in structured packets referred to as Packetized Elementary Stream (PES) packets. Predefined spaces are available in each PES packet where bytecode data is embedded. In one embodiment of the invention the pre-defined space is allocated within the header segment of a PES packet. In another embodiment bytecode instruction are embedded within a private stream segment of a PES packet. One transport stream used with the invention is an MPEG-2 transport stream that includes structured packets that transport the PES packets.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for timely delivery of classes and objects is provided. A header comprising timing information is attached to said classes and/or objects. A "start loading" time and a "load by" time are specified in the header. Other classes and/or objects to be loaded are also specified in the header. Optional compression, security, and/or error resilience schemes are also specified in the header. A process for creating the header and attaching it to a class or object is provided. A process for receiving and processing a class or object with an attached header is provided. Embodiments of the invention allow timely delivery of classes and/or objects over a wide variety of transport mechanisms, including unreliable transport mechanisms and those lacking any guarantees of timely delivery.