Abstract: A system and method for cascading local conferences into a multi-site conference is disclosed. The local conferences are located in different sites where each site has endpoints served by a local multipoint control unit (MCU). An invitation to a multi-site conference is sent to participants at the different sites. The invitation includes a conference ID of the multi-site conference. The invited participants join the multi-site conference by calling a dial-in number of the local MCU associated with the caller's site. The caller gives the conference ID of the multi-site conference to the local MCU. The system searches the plurality of local MCUs to find those local conferences having the same conference ID conducted by different MCUs. For each found conference ID, the local MCUs are cascaded to establish a multi-site conference associated with the conference ID.

Abstract: There is disclosed technique and apparatus for calibrating a color processing device. The technique includes the steps of comparing a first digital representation of a colored image with a second digital representation thereof and employing at least the transformation to control operation of the color processing device to be calibrated. The first digital representation defines a plurality of first non-scalar color values and the second digital representation defines a plurality of second non-scalar color values corresponding to the plurality of the first non-scalar color values, thereby to provide a transformation pairing each individual one of the first non-scalar color values with a value relatively close to the corresponding one of the second non-scalar color values. The color processing device may be calibrated generally without reference to human aesthetic judgement.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preparing a mask of an area of interest in a picture to be separated from the remainder of the picture. Data defining a rectangular section of the area of interest enclosing an edge of the picture is inputted into a data processor by specifying the distance between two spaced parallel lines determining the width of the rectangular section, and specifying the starting point and ending point of the rectangular section determining the length of the rectangular section. The inputted data is processed to digitize the edge of the picture enclosed within the rectangular section. The above steps are repeated for the remaining sections of the area of interest to digitize the complete edge of the picture within the remaining sections of the area of interest.