Abstract: A method and an apparatus adaptively and dynamically deliver multimedia content based on continuously monitored network conditions. Given the temporal relationships among the multimedia items in the multimedia data stream and also the current network condition, the method and apparatus compute a transmission schedule such that the transmission delay and the burstyness of the network bandwidth utilization are minimized, while maintaining the integrity of the multimedia presentation.

Abstract: An authoring system and method create a knowledge base for an expert system that comprises communication cells for storing external data, assertion cells for storing data acquired from a user in the course of a user dialog, and interaction cells that specify (multimedia) interactions with the user, which are carried out as the cells are invoked by the run-time program. Each interaction cell has an enabling condition that must be satisfied before it can be invoked. At authoring time, the knowledge base is constructed by an expert system author who allocates the knowledge base cells on a rectangular grid similar to a spreadsheet. The author can try out various what-if scenarios by setting the values of assertion and communication cells and recalculating the knowledge base or simulating the created expert system. The grid is only an authoring tool, which is not visible or present at run time.

Abstract: A knowledge based computing system is authored using a directed graph presented to the author at an authoring time. The directed graph has one or more question nodes and one or more answer nodes. The question nodes and the answer nodes connected to one another on one or more paths by links between each of the question nodes and each of the answer nodes so that question nodes and answer nodes alternate as the path is traversed in a path direction so that a "QA directed graph" is created. Each question node associated with a question data structure and each answer node associated with a answer data structure that are populated with information accessed from the author using question and answer templates associated with respective question and answer nodes on the QA directed graph. After the expert system is created (authored) using the QA directed graph it can be run at a run time to provide and access information from a service user.

Abstract: A computer implemented method reduces the complexities of obtaining a spatial design in a multimedia presentation. The method is an interactive process which assists an author in readily arriving at a suitable spatial design in the multimedia presentation. A set of objects that appear on the computer display screen simultaneously is termed a clique. The spatial design for a multimedia clique is defined in terms of three dimensions, two dimensions defining the plane of the computer display screen and the third dimension defining the depth of overlapping objects. The locations of the associated episodes and their respective depths on the screen are found. This process involves resolving space requirements between the several episodes in the clique according to a defined set of constraints. Assuming that a resolution can be reached which provides a consistent layout, the layout is displayed.

Abstract: A multimedia system represents multimedia objects as ranges of time intervals, each bounded by a minimum and a maximum, and temporal relationships are given to a set of objects which are to be integrated. In this system, where there are uncertainties in time, a stretchable time-line is provided. The stretchable time-line is modeled after a spring system such that an object (or a spring) is associated not only with a minimum and a maximum length but also with a length at rest. As a spring rests at a certain length and stretches and shrinks by a certain degree when a force is applied, multimedia objects placed on the stretchable time-line may also rest at a certain length, and stretch or shrink if necessary. As a spring has a tendency to return to the length at rest, a multimedia object may stretch or shrink when necessary and by a smallest degree possible.