Abstract: A multi-camera capture system is aligned using a capture system so that a subject remains in the field of view of a camera. In one embodiment of the present invention, the multi-camera system capture system is mounted on a camera platform. The camera platform is connected to a subject platform and the subject platform is constrained to remain in the field of view of a first camera of the multi-camera capture system. In another embodiment of the present invention, the multi-camera capture system is mounted on a camera platform that moves along a circular track system. The camera platform is configurable to align a first camera to capture a subject within the circular track system as the camera platform moves along the circular track system.

Abstract: A system and method for creating and managing electronic group representations for meetings uses a meeting memory manager (MMM) to collect and maintain important artifacts of meetings so that meeting participants can easily access the meeting artifacts. The group representation created by the MMM, i.e., the MMM meeting, is a persistent collective representation of the meeting participants, along with important artifacts associated with the meeting. Using the MMM meeting representation, a presenter or any meeting participant can send updated documents to other meeting participants by communicating with the group, without having to collect email addresses from the attendees or having to enter email addresses individually. Therefore, the MMM offers greater ease of communication with the meeting participants and less book keeping of email addresses and meeting documents.

Abstract: A method and corresponding apparatus for window priority rendering in graphical user interface (GUI) applications use filtering operations to display low priority windows, thus generating a less distracting GUI. A low priority window is a window that is not intended to receive user attention. With low priority windows displayed differently from high priority windows, a user can pay close attention to the window the user is currently using or the window to which the user's attention is intended to be directed. As a result, the user is likely to make fewer errors and to interact more efficiently with the GUI.

Abstract: A method and system for transferring interactive videos from a video source to a video display system is disclosed. The method and system reduces the bandwidth required between the video source and the video display system. Rather than transferring all image data from each image frame of an interactive video, only relevant portions of subsequent image frames are transferred. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, a view window is defined in a current image frame. Then, a view neighborhood is defined for a subsequent image frame. Image data from the subsequent image frame within the view neighborhood is transferred to the video display system.

Abstract: A stacked camera system in which several cameras are stacked such that the nodal point of each camera lens is aligned with a predefined axis, and each camera is directed outward from the predefined axis to capture a designated region of the surrounding environment. In one embodiment, each camera of a four-camera system captures one-quarter of a surrounding environment, with each capture region originating from a vertical axis such that horizontal blind spots and parallax are minimized.

Abstract: A virtual camera system includes a primary camera and one or more virtual cameras for generating panoramic environment data. Each virtual camera is emulated by a pair of secondary cameras that are aligned such that the nodal point of each camera lens form a line with the nodal point of the primary camera. The primary camera is aligned in a first direction to capture a first region of an environment surrounding the virtual camera system, and each pair of secondary cameras is aligned in parallel directions to capture secondary regions. Environment data captured by each pair of secondary cameras is combined to emulate a virtual camera having a nodal point coincident with that of the primary camera. Environment data captured by the primary camera and attributed to each virtual camera is then stitched together to provide a panoramic environment map from the single point of reference.