Abstract: A system for converting TV content to an interactive TV game program uses viewer input pointing to “hot spot” objects in TV programs to enter answers in the game program. Viewers can point to hot spot objects whose locations are mapped in the image display frames of a TV program using a standard remote control and TV set-top box. In a preferred embodiment, the interactive TV game program is a crossword puzzle game offered through the TV's electronic program guide (EPG). Correct answers to the crossword puzzle clues can be entered by linkages from corresponding hot spot objects found in TV movies, ads, video spots, and other types of TV programs on the TV channels.

Abstract: A system for allowing media content to be used as an interactive media program comprises: (a) media content in the form of successive image display frames indexed in a time sequence; (b) object mapping data specifying the locations of objects appearing in the display of media content which are to be rendered interactive; (c) linkages provided through an associated interactive media program from the objects specified by the object mapping data to interactive functions to be performed upon selection of the objects in the display; and (d) a user system for operating the interactive media program in conjunction with the display of the media content by selecting an object appearing in an image display frame and performing the interactive function linked thereto. The invention includes an authoring system for generating the object mapping data for the media content.

Abstract: A 3-node online meeting planning system includes a secure computer as a first node which is protected from unauthorized access running a meeting planner application program for entering meeting planning data which includes sensitive data of persons authorized as attendees at a meeting event and non-sensitive group data, a public online site as a second node which receives only the non-sensitive group data uploaded from the first node and assembles a unique meeting group program for the group using the non-sensitive group data, and a private online site as a third node which receives the assembled meeting group program from the second node and the sensitive data downloaded from the first node and combines them in an online private meeting group site accessible only to authorized attendees of the meeting event.

Abstract: A method for converting existing media content to interactive media content defines “hot spots” in a display frame of TV program content to trigger an interactive response when a viewer “clicks” on the “hot spots”. The “hot spots” are defined by N Data representing their positions in the display area, and are not hyperlink codes embedded in digital video data. By avoiding embedded codes, the underlying TV content can remain uncorrupted, and the hot spot position data can be readily authored as adjunct data without having to edit and process each frame of the TV content. The hot spot positions can be defined as coordinate locations in the display area, and the positions can be haloed in the display image. Another version is to define the hot spots as marker positions in an HTML-type “page” that is parsed or overlaid to display the hot spots at the appropriate positions in the display area.

Abstract: A system for allowing media content to be used in an interactive digital media (IDM) program has Frame Data for the media content and object mapping data (N Data) representing the frame addresses and display location coordinates for objects appearing in the media content. The N Data are maintained separately from the Frame Data for the media content, so that the media content can be kept intact without embedded codes and can be played back on any system. The IDM program has established linkages connecting the objects mapped by the N Data to other functions to be performed in conjunction with display of the media content. Selection of an object appearing in the media content with a pointer results in initiation of the interactive function. A broad base of existing non-interactive media content, such as movies, videos, advertising, and television programming can be converted to interactive digital media use.

Abstract: A machine translation and telecommunications system includes a machine translation engine for translation of input text from a source language to a target language, a dictionary database including a core dictionary and a plurality of sublanguage (domain) dictionaries usable for translation from a source to a target language, a receiving interface for receiving text input from any of a plurality of users, each text input being accompanied by control information including user ID data indicative of one or more sublanguages preferred by a particular user, an output interface, and a dictionary control module coupled to the receiving interface responsive to the user ID data indicative of a sublanguage preference of a particular user for selecting a corresponding sublanguage dictionary of the dictionary database to be used by the machine translation engine along with the core dictionary for performing translation of the particular user's text input.

Abstract: A machine translation and telecommunications system automatically translates input text in a source language to output text in a target language using a dictionary database (22) containing core language dictionaries for general words, a plurality of sublanguage dictionaries for specialized words of different domains or user groups, and a plurality of user dictionaries for individualized words used by different users. The system includes a receiving interface (11) for receiving input from a sender, in the form of electronic text, facsimile (graphics) input, or page image data, and an output module (30) for sending translated output text to any designated recipient(s). The input text is accompanied by a cover page or header (50) identifying the sender, one or more recipients, their addresses, the source/target languages of the text, any sublanguage(s) applicable to the input text, and any formatting requirements for the output text.

Abstract: A machine translation system includes an automatic routing system for automatically translating input text of a source language and sending output text of a selected target language to an addressee, in response to designations of the addressee, the target language, and/or the selected sublanguage scanned from a cover page for the input text. The system can interface with a number of input sources, such as a fax machine combined with a page scanner, a fax/modem board, or a network interface coupled to a server computer system. The server computer system can control the operation of the machine translation module for multiple target languages and/or sublanguages as designated by the cover page. A page formatting module is used to compose the translated text into a desired page format, and to provide footnotes for alternate translations of ambiguous phrases of the input text. The cover page can also designate a plurality of addressees in different target languages.