Abstract: Methods and systems for communicating with a vehicle are provided. The method includes providing a plurality of wayside control units controlling an area along a guideway to be traveled by the vehicle, the plurality of wayside control units including a database of fixed data defining an operational profile of the guideway in a local area of an associated wayside control unit. The method also includes monitoring dynamic data in the local area of the associated wayside control unit wherein the dynamic data includes at least one of guideway availability and signal status information and transmitting wirelessly an authority message including at least one of the fixed data and the dynamic data from the associated wayside unit to a receiver on board the vehicle, the authority message dynamic data being valid for a selectable one of a plurality of time periods.

Abstract: The corrosion resistance of a metal substrate surface treated with an acidic aqueous composition to form a conversion coating is improved by first contacting the surface with an oxidizing acidic pre-rinse, such as an aqueous solution of nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide, or nitric acid and hydrofluoric acid, or Fe+3 cations and hydrofluoric acid.

Abstract: A new, interactive, television program profile interface and method are described. The interface is used to capture and display the likes and dislikes of a television viewer in multi-axis format. The weighting of the viewer's preferences proportionately changes over time. Those preferences are illustrated in bar graph format with respect to time or other axes. The viewer interacts with the graphical representations by time traversing the preferential chart, and providing necessary modifications and updates.

Abstract: A method, process and system for performing content augmentation of personal profiles includes (a) building a user history of a plurality of augmented content information of relevant TV programs; (b) analyzing user queries and determining a degree to which the user queried for additional content information; (c) inferring values about the user from user queries for additional content information so as to augment the additional content information; (d) updating the augmented content information to at least one of the user history, Internet and specialized databases; (e) linking individual ones of the plurality of augmented content information to each other; and (f) determining inferences about the user's interests and preferences based on the linkage of the plurality of augmented content information. The updating of the augmented content information includes segmenting and indexing of multimedia content.

Abstract: A method and system for providing the creation of a visual summary of a video source during fast forward/rewind of the video can be created by using extracting frames either automatically or manually to create an initial visual summary. A series of weights may be assigned to the extracted frames, which are then filtered according to the relative weights to create a modified visual summary. The keyframe display rate is then adjusted according tot he fast forward/rewind speed, which can be either a standard speed or user selected speed, so as to display the keyframes while the video source is being fast forwarded/rewound. The keyframes may be substituted by selected images and audio, so that an advertiser can substitute an image of the product and a brief audio summary while the user is fast forwarding/rewinding past the commercial message.

Abstract: The invention relates to a polymer of ethylene which has a ?o/?2 ratio of at least 13; and a high load melt index HLMI lower than 8 g/ 10 min, and a value of tan ? at ?/?c=0.01 of less than 1.3, where ? is G?/G?, ? is the frequency at which G? and G? are measured and we is the frequency at which G?=G?, and G and G? are respectively the elastic modulus and viscous modulus, both measured in Pa at 190° C.; a process for making the polymer using a catalyst comprising chromium supported on a silica-titania support is also described.

Abstract: Electronic image displays, of lists that extend beyond the vertical display dimension of the display screen, are displaced in the vertical direction by touching the screen with a finger and then moving the finger in the desired direction on the screen. In a natural manner, the initial speed of displacement of the displayed image corresponds to the speed of motion of the finger along the screen. When the user's finger is disengaged from the screen, the system senses the disengagement and thereafter allows the vertical displacement speed of the image to decrease at a controlled rate. When it is desired to stop the motion of the image at a given point, or to make a selection from the displayed image, the system measures the length of time that the finger is in contact with the screen and the distance that the finger is moved during that time, to determine if a selection is desired or if it is desired only to stop displacement of the image.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a method for processing a user request is provided. The method may include receiving input data from a user including at least natural language associated with a user request; analyzing the user input data with an intermediary agent; selecting at least one form based on analyzing the user input data; and, executing at least one update based on at least one form.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a method for processing a request made by a requester is provided. The method may include receiving at least one request from at least one requester, the request being in the form of natural language; analyzing the request with an agent; selecting at least one form based on analyzing the request; permitting a service agent to perform at least one step in association with the request; executing at least one update based on at least one form; and, forwarding information regarding processing of the request to a learning module operatively associated with the agent.

Abstract: There is disclosed a video playback device for playing back a recorded television program in time-compressed mode on a display screen coupled to the video playback device. The video playback device comprises: 1) a disk storage system for storing the recorded television program as a plurality of audio-video segments; and 2) a fast playback controller for determining a limited time period during which the recorded television program must be played back and further capable of using at least one priority value associated with each of the plurality of audio-video segments to identify selected ones of the plurality of audio-video segments capable of being sequentially played-back during the limited time period.

Abstract: A method for providing personalized news to a consumer is provided that includes receiving news from a plurality of external sources. A subset of the received news is identified based on a consumer profile for the consumer. The identified news is stored. The stored news is prioritized. At least a portion of the prioritized news is provided to the consumer.

Abstract: A method for providing complementary information 226 for a video program is provided that includes receiving complementary information 226 for a video program. A query is received from a consumer. The query is related to a specified portion of the complementary information 226. A query response is provided to the consumer based on the specified portion of the complementary information 226.

Abstract: A system and method for delivering relevant information to recipients in a timely manner. Information from a plurality of sources is received through interface devices that permit a central processor to evaluate each information stream in light of the dynamic profiles that are stored in a subscriber database. A plurality of location sensors track and report the location of the various recipients. The processor determines the content that will be provided to the recipient and the delivery mode to be used for delivering the selected information to the subscriber.

Abstract: Electronic image displays, of lists that extend beyond the vertical display dimension of the display screen, are displaced in the vertical direction by touching the screen with a finger and then moving the finger in the desired direction on the screen. In a natural manner, the initial speed of displacement of the displayed image corresponds to the speed of motion of the finger along the screen. When the user's finger is disengaged from the screen, the system senses the disengagement and thereafter allows the vertical displacement speed of the image to decrease at a controlled rate. When it is desired to stop the motion of the image at a given point, or to make a selection from the displayed image, the system measures the length of time that the finger is in contact with the screen and the distance that the finger is moved during that time, to determine if a selection is desired or if it is desired only to stop displacement of the image.

Abstract: A method is provided for a wireless message receiving apparatus to selectively and independently respond to received messages having multiple directory numbers associated therewith. Each directory number associated with the wireless communication unit is considered to be associated with one of a plurality of user personas or identities. For example, a first directory number may be associated with a “worker” identity, a second directory number may be associated with a “homemaker” identity” and so on. When a caller dials one of the directory numbers, the caller is considered to be accessing the associated user persona. The communication unit, upon receiving a call, responsively identifies the persona that is being accessed and independently responds in accordance with a pre-stored general disposition instruction.

Abstract: A method for providing previous selection information to a user is provided that includes generating a list of possible selections based on a selection request received from the user. A selection history table is accessed to identify previous selections by the user. A determination is made regarding whether a selection in the list of possible selections matches a previous selection. The user is informed when a determination is made that a selection in the list of possible selections matches a previous selection.

Abstract: Electronic image displays. of lists that extend beyond the vertical display dimension of the display screen, are displaced in the vertical direction by touching the screen with a finger and then moving the finger in the desired direction on the screen. In a natural manner the initial speed of displacement of the displayed image corresponds to the speed of motion of the finger along the screen. When the user's finger is disengaged from the screen, the system senses the disengagement and thereafter allows the vertical displacement speed of the image to decrease at a controlled rate. When it is desired to stop the motion of the image at a given point, or to make a selection from the displayed image, the system measures the length of time that the finger is in contact with the screen and the distance that the finger is moved during that time, to determine if a selection is desired or if it is desired only to stop displacement of the image.

Abstract: User ratings within an explicit profile for content attributes are collected in a contextual manner, by queries or other user interactions initiated in conjunction with presentation or execution of a selected content item. Upon detecting null or stale ratings associated with at least one attribute value for a selected content item, the user interaction requesting ratings is initiated during or sequentially following presentation or execution of the selected content item. The profile is thus populated over time, but with the user entering values in context with the content being rated and with the possibility of accommodating changes in the user's preferences over time.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing anticipatory content augmentation includes: (a) storing user personal preference requests as items in a Content Preference File (CPF); (b) updating the CPF in accordance with subsequent personal requests that are incremental of the personal preference requests from step (a); (c) categorizing the personal preference requests stored and updated in the CPF into lists, and weight-basing specific personal preference requests on the lists; (d) dynamically linking items categorized in step (c); (e) determining whether steps (a)-(d) have recorded predetermined threshold criteria; and repeating steps (a)-(d) if the threshold has not been reached; (f) identifying the CPF as a master CPF when it has been determined in step (e) that the predetermined threshold has been reached; (g) matching content of a program being viewed to the master CPF; (h) initiating searches in a database/network for augmented information for items identified in the content of the program that are also found i

Abstract: A method, process and system for performing content augmentation of personal profiles includes (a) building a user history of a plurality of augmented content information of relevant TV programs; (b) analyzing user queries and determining a degree to which the user queried for additional content information; (c) inferring values about the user from user queries for additional content information so as to augment the additional content information; (d) updating the augmented content information to at least one of the user history, Internet and specialized databases; (e) linking individual ones of the plurality of augmented content information to each other; and (f) determining inferences about the user's interests and preferences based on the linkage of the plurality of augmented content information. The updating of the augmented content information includes segmenting and indexing of multimedia content.