Abstract: Sketch and cartoon images are automatically generated from video or still images captured in real-time from a digital camera or obtained from a stored file. Steps of the method include calculating luma values for each pixel in a captured or retrieved image, applying noise reduction techniques to the captured or retrieved image to improve its quality, performing an adaptive luma chroma difference computation to find and mark edges of objects in a captured or retrieved image as lines forming objects in a sketch image, and applying noise reduction to the sketch image. The process may be repeated for each frame in a video sequence. Temporal smoothing is applied to the video sequence of frames. Generated sketch images may be colored to produce cartoon images.

Abstract: A system indicates the status of a display object using an audible cue. The system associates a particular audible cue with each display object. The audible cue associated with the display object is generated if a pointer is positioned proximate the display object. The display object has an associated object activation region and the pointer has an associated activation region. The audible cue associated with the display object is generated when the object activation region intersects the activation region associated with the pointer.

Abstract: A character good suitable for entertainment and/or educational purposes is disclosed. The character good includes one or more audio and/or video input generation devices that operate to generate audio and/or video inputs responsive to audio sensed and/or scenes observed in the character good's surrounding, to provide the character good with simulated listening and/or visual ability. The generated audio and/or video input signals are forwarded to an external computer for processing. The character good further includes one or more audio and/or electromechanical devices that operate to manifest audio and/or gesture responses under the control of the external computer, to provide the character good with simulated speech and/or gesture ability. The external computer exercises the control responsive to the generated audio and/or video inputs.

Abstract: A content author generates multiple sets of web pages and associated conditions which map to a specified uniform resource locator (URL). The web page sets, associated conditions, and a state information database are installed on a server system. A state setting device, which may be the content author's personal computer, sets the current state of the state information database associated with the web page sets within the server system. Upon receipt of a request for access to a selected web page identified by the URL, the server system evaluates the conditions based on the associated state to determine which one of the web page sets to return in response to a user's request. The state setting device updates the state, thereby dynamically affecting web page set selection, based on factors internal or external to the server system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing user-based flow control in a network system receives a request for data from a client system and determines a period of time based on an expected user processing time for the data. A first portion of the requested data is sent to the client system and, after the period of time has elapsed, a second portion of the requested data is sent to the client system.

Abstract: An asymmetric communication protocol providing semi-reliable transmission with improved availability. Messages are provided to a scheduling sender which repeatedly rebroadcasts the data for a specified time period. Multiple messages are arranged in a data carousel with each message transmitted on each revolution of the carousel. Messages are removed as they become obsolete. Clients joining the broadcast late continue to have access to data on the carousel.

Abstract: A computer-implemented process and apparatus for processing audio signals for real-time audio conferencing. Digital audio signals from multiple stations of a teleconference are mixed by a control processor while incorporating special control signals that allow participants at each station to control the respective volumes of each of the audio signals received from each of the other stations independently.