Abstract: A sidebar UI of an application program provides access to the application program's functionality while occupying a reduced amount of real estate on the screen when compared to conventional UIs. The sidebar UI comprises an icon or multiple icons, and each icon references a pane that provides its user the ability to access and utilize a function and/or feature of the application program. Selecting an icon in the sidebar UI causes the referenced pane which provides access to, for example, a feature of the application program to be displayed on the screen. “Clicking off” the pane causes the pane to close.

Abstract: Techniques for enabling software-assisted assignment of control of peripherals (e.g., assigning ownership of or assigning access to the peripherals) by a computing device. In accordance with techniques described herein, assignment of control of peripherals is aided by input from software facilities that instruct a peripheral management facility regarding assignment of peripherals. Software facilities may instruct the peripheral management facility in different ways. In some cases, a software facility may instruct the peripheral management facility how to assign control of a peripheral in a particular way, while in other cases a software facility may instruct the peripheral management facility how to assign control of a group of peripherals. In other cases, a software facility may not instruct a peripheral management facility how to assign control of peripherals, but may identify one or more groups of peripherals for which control should be assigned as a group.

Abstract: Techniques for enabling software-assisted assignment of control of peripherals (e.g., assigning ownership of or assigning access to the peripherals) by a computing device. In accordance with techniques described herein, assignment of control of peripherals is aided by input from software facilities that instruct a peripheral management facility regarding assignment of peripherals. Software facilities may instruct the peripheral management facility in different ways. In some cases, a software facility may instruct the peripheral management facility how to assign control of a peripheral in a particular way, while in other cases a software facility may instruct the peripheral management facility how to assign control of a group of peripherals. In other cases, a software facility may not instruct a peripheral management facility how to assign control of peripherals, but may identify one or more groups of peripherals for which control should be assigned as a group.

Abstract: Cloud based FVV streaming technique embodiments presented herein generally employ a cloud based FVV pipeline to create, render and transmit FVV frames depicting a captured scene as would be viewed from a current synthetic viewpoint selected by an end user and received from a client computing device. The FVV frames use a similar level of bandwidth as a conventional streaming movie would consume. To change viewpoints, a new viewpoint is sent from the client to the cloud, and a new streaming movie is initiated from the new viewpoint. Frames associated with that viewpoint are created, rendered and transmitted to the client until a new viewpoint request is received.

Abstract: Free viewpoint video of a scene is generated and presented to a user. An arrangement of sensors generates streams of sensor data each of which represents the scene from a different geometric perspective. The sensor data streams are calibrated. A scene proxy is generated from the calibrated sensor data streams. The scene proxy geometrically describes the scene as a function of time and includes one or more types of geometric proxy data which is matched to a first set of current pipeline conditions in order to maximize the photo-realism of the free viewpoint video resulting from the scene proxy at each point in time. A current synthetic viewpoint of the scene is generated from the scene proxy. This viewpoint generation maximizes the photo-realism of the current synthetic viewpoint based upon a second set of current pipeline conditions. The current synthetic viewpoint is displayed.

Abstract: A “Dynamic High Definition Bubble Framework” allows local clients to display and navigate FVV of complex multi-resolution and multi-viewpoint scenes while reducing computational overhead and bandwidth for rendering and/or transmitting the FVV. Generally, the FVV is presented to the user as a broad area from some distance away. Then, as the user zooms in or changes viewpoints, one or more areas of the overall area are provided in higher definition or fidelity. Therefore, rather than capturing and providing high definition everywhere (at high computational and bandwidth costs), the Dynamic High Definition Bubble Framework captures one or more “bubbles” or volumetric regions in higher definition in locations where it is believed that the user will be most interested. This information is then provided to the client to allow individual clients to navigate and zoom different regions of the FVV during playback without losing fidelity or resolution in the zoomed areas.

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating free viewpoint video using an active infrared (IR) stereo module are provided. The method includes computing a depth map for a scene using an active IR stereo module. The depth map may be computed by projecting an IR dot pattern onto the scene, capturing stereo images from each of two or more synchronized IR cameras, detecting dots within the stereo images, computing feature descriptors corresponding to the dots in the stereo images, computing a disparity map between the stereo images, and generating the depth map using the disparity map. The method also includes generating a point cloud for the scene using the depth map, generating a mesh of the point cloud, and generating a projective texture map for the scene from the mesh of the point cloud. The method further includes generating the video for the scene using the projective texture map.

Abstract: Described herein are various techniques and principles for determining how to assign control of peripherals and assigning control of peripherals. In some embodiments, determining how to assign control of peripherals comprises reviewing connections of peripherals to the computing device and evaluating rules to determine management points in the connections. In some cases, the connections of peripherals to the computing device may be organized into a hierarchy corresponding to a hierarchy of physical connections of the peripherals, including physical connections of peripherals located remote from the computing device and possibly connected through another computing device. When management points are identified among the connections, control of peripherals associated with the management points may be assigned in the same way. For example, access rights to each of the peripherals may be assigned to a same user session.

Abstract: A technique for providing one class of users of an application a view of what a typical user in another class of users of the same application is visually experiencing. A client application that is interacting with the application provides a user an option of having a PIP view of what a typical user in one of the other classes of users supported by the application is visually experiencing. When the user requests to display a PIP view that represents what a typical user in a specified one of the other classes of users of the same application is seeing, a PIP view window is automatically rendered on the user's display screen. The PIP view window represents what a typical user in the specified one of the other classes of users is seeing, but is not an “active” interface through which the user can interact with the application.

Abstract: A method and system for tracking and editing a resource in a real-time collaborative session is provided. A collaboration system provides real-time collaborative sessions between participants. When a participant in a collaboration session uploads a non-editable copy of a resource for viewing in the collaborative session, the collaboration system records the participant who uploaded the non-editable copy of the resource as the owner of an original copy of the resource and the location of the resource on that participant's machine. When the same or another participant attempts to edit the non-editable copy of the resource during the collaborative session, the collaboration system locates the original copy of the resource and starts the sharing of the resource in an editable form in the collaborative session.

Abstract: Described herein are various techniques and principles for determining how to assign control of peripherals and assigning control of peripherals. In some embodiments, determining how to assign control of peripherals comprises reviewing connections of peripherals to the computing device and evaluating rules to determine management points in the connections. In some cases, the connections of peripherals to the computing device may be organized into a hierarchy corresponding to a hierarchy of physical connections of the peripherals, including physical connections of peripherals located remote from the computing device and possibly connected through another computing device. When management points are identified among the connections, control of peripherals associated with the management points may be assigned in the same way. For example, access rights to each of the peripherals may be assigned to a same user session.

Abstract: Techniques for enabling software-assisted assignment of control of peripherals (e.g., assigning ownership of or assigning access to the peripherals) by a computing device. In accordance with techniques described herein, assignment of control of peripherals is aided by input from software facilities that instruct a peripheral management facility regarding assignment of peripherals. Software facilities may instruct the peripheral management facility in different ways. In some cases, a software facility may instruct the peripheral management facility how to assign control of a peripheral in a particular way, while in other cases a software facility may instruct the peripheral management facility how to assign control of a group of peripherals. In other cases, a software facility may not instruct a peripheral management facility how to assign control of peripherals, but may identify one or more groups of peripherals for which control should be assigned as a group.

Abstract: A sidebar UI of an application program provides access to the application program's functionality while occupying a reduced amount of real estate on the screen when compared to conventional UIs. The sidebar UI comprises an icon or multiple icons, and each icon references a pane that provides its user the ability to access and utilize a function and/or feature of the application program. Selecting an icon in the sidebar UI causes the referenced pane which provides access to, for example, a feature of the application program to be displayed on the screen. “Clicking off” the pane causes the pane to close.

Abstract: A sidebar UI of an application program provides access to the application program's functionality while occupying a reduced amount of real estate on the screen when compared to conventional UIs. The sidebar UI comprises an icon or multiple icons, and each icon references a pane that provides its user the ability to access and utilize a function and/or feature of the application program. Selecting an icon in the sidebar UI causes the referenced pane which provides access to, for example, a feature of the application program to be displayed on the screen. “Clicking off” the pane causes the pane to close.

Abstract: A screen resolution information gathering and reporting system allows access to screen resolution information of attendees of a collaboration session. When attendees first join the collaboration session, each attendee's screen resolution information is gathered. The collected screen resolution information is then provided to the presenter of the collaboration session, for example, when the presenter joins the collaboration session or begins application sharing within the collaboration session.

Abstract: A data transfer protocol utilizes a set of actions for affecting different objects that are stored in a data store. The data transfer protocol supports a set of application programming interfaces (APIs) that are applicable to the different objects. With the APIs, the data transfer protocol may synchronize a centralized data store with independent data stores. The data transfer protocol may support data that is hierarchical while maintaining referential integrity. Node objects may vary from nightly bulk uploads to interactive users uploading or querying smaller portions of the database. The data transfer protocol provides the semantics to carry out these operations with a fixed number of APIs for any arbitrary database. The data uploads may be sparse depending on what the remote data store holds and need not be in serial order.

Abstract: A stream pipeline framework is supported that operates on sequential stream implementations. The stream pipeline framework comprises a chained configuration of push streams and pull streams. A stream may be configured as at least one functional component such as a transformer, a buffered read, a buffered write, a stream write, a stream read, a file read, and a file write. A data transformer supports a data transformation, including data deflation or inflation, encoding or decoding, encryption or decryption, filtering, or concatenation. A buffered read and a data write buffer sequential data streams in data segments. A stream read reads (pulls) sequential data from a stream, and a stream write writes (pushes) sequential data to a stream. A file read and a file write supports a stream for an entity that does not support a stream interface such as ISequentialStream.

Abstract: A calculation engine processes user-definable formulas to generate calculation results. A calculation engine may use the following types of data structures: table, column, row, and field. A sub table may be embedded within a row. Operations may be performed at various levels, such as at: table, column, and field. A calculation engine may operate on a calculation table having columns, which may each have an ordered list of formulas. Formulas within such an ordered list may be evaluated in the order specified until one of the formulas is successfully evaluated. A hierarchy of formulas may be formed by a column's formula depending on another column or table. A graph of data dependencies may be prepared for determining an order in which operands and operations should be evaluated and performed.

Abstract: A calculation engine processes user-definable formulas to generate calculation results. A calculation engine may use the following types of data structures: table, column, row, and field. A sub table may be embedded within a row. Operations may be performed at various levels, such as at: table, column, and field. A calculation engine may operate on a calculation table having columns, which may each have an ordered list of formulas. Formulas within such an ordered list may be evaluated in the order specified until one of the formulas is successfully evaluated. A hierarchy of formulas may be formed by a column's formula depending on another column or table. A graph of data dependencies may be prepared for determining an order in which operands and operations should be evaluated and performed.

Abstract: A method and system for tracking and editing a resource in a real-time collaborative session is provided. A collaboration system provides real-time collaborative sessions between participants. When a participant in a collaboration session uploads a non-editable copy of a resource for viewing in the collaborative session, the collaboration system records the participant who uploaded the non-editable copy of the resource as the owner of an original copy of the resource and the location of the resource on that participant's machine. When the same or another participant attempts to edit the non-editable copy of the resource during the collaborative session, the collaboration system locates the original copy of the resource and starts the sharing of the resource in an editable form in the collaborative session.