Abstract: A coffee machine makes use of a valve arrangement for controlling the coupling of a water heater outlet selectively to one of two or more outlets, such as a steam delivery nozzle and a brew chamber. The valve arrangement comprises an active valve between the inlet channel and a first one of the outlets and a passive valve downstream of the active valve from the water heater outlet, coupled to a second one of the outlets. A cam surface controls the active valve, wherein the angular position of the cam surface controls the coupling of the inlet channel to the first one of the outlets. The rotation may be driven by rotational coupling to a brew chamber motor. This coffee machine design makes use of a single valve arrangement to provide the flow control from the water heater. This provides a compact arrangement with a low component count and simple control mechanism. It also enables all valve mechanisms to be outside the water or steam flow.

Abstract: An autonomous mobile robot is configured to move across a floor area in accordance with a floor covering strategy and includes: based on a topological map of the floor area, designating a location of a current cell that is bounded by a primary boundary; executing a series of double strokes into and within the current cell, while mapping obstructive objects within the current cell onto an obstacle map; from the obstacle map, determining a secondary boundary of the current cell that encloses an area of the current cell covered by the executed double strokes, and distinguishes between secondary boundary portions thereof at which an obstructive object is located, and secondary boundary portions thereof at which no obstructive object is located; and adding the determined secondary boundary to the topological map of the floor area.

Abstract: An autonomous mobile robot configured to move across a floor area in accordance with a floor covering strategy that includes: •based on a topological map of the floor area, designating a location of a current cell that is bounded by a primary boundary (302); •executing a series of double strokes into and within the current cell, while mapping obstructive objects (306) within the current cell (300) onto an obstacle map; •from said obstacle map determining a secondary boundary (304) of the current cell, which boundary encloses an area (308) of the current cell covered by the executed double strokes, and distinguishes between secondary boundary portions thereof at which an obstructive object (306) is located, and secondary boundary portions thereof at which no obstructive object is located; and •adding the determined secondary boundary (304) to the topological map of the floor area.

Abstract: Systems and methods for layout of graphic objects such as photographic images and graphical elements, for electronic display, print or other output. In accordance with an embodiment, a graphic layout logic automatically arranges the graphic objects within a target area, including determining a best combination of rows and/or columns of objects. Optional controls can also be provided to allow manual or user control of, e.g., overlapping, cropping, offsetting, or rotation of the graphic objects or images, for aesthetic design or other reasons. Examples of the types of graphic objects that can be arranged or laid out in this manner include digital photographs, text, clipart, graphical images, illustrations, software user interfaces, graphic elements such as icons, buttons, menus and whitespace, user interface windows, digital video or media streams, and other image media.

Abstract: Techniques are described for dynamically placing graphical elements into theme layouts on a graphical user interface. A rendering engine reads a set of theme metadata and graphics metadata. The theme metadata defines a layout of the page and the regions into which the graphic elements will be placed. The theme metadata can further include tags to define categories or conceptual purposes for the regions and design changes that can be applied to graphics in that region. The graphics metadata defines a list of graphic files to be included in the layout, tags to define a category or conceptual purpose for each element and optional tags to override the design changes that are indicated in the theme metadata. The rendering engine combines and matches the theme metadata to the graphics metadata and places the graphic elements into the theme layout according to the matching.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for maintaining the aspect ratio of an image in the form of a graphic element or a photograph on a printed product in a theme collage. The aspect ratio of each image in the theme collage is maintained independent of any aspect ratio or resolution of the theme collage. Other methods provide for maintaining the resolution of a graphic element on a printed product in a theme collage using any desired combination of bitmap or vector based graphic data and alpha data when rendering the graphic element. An exemplary system may include one or more modules for determining the size of an image on a page while maintaining an aspect ratio of the image, displaying the image, receiving graphic data for the image, receiving alpha-transparency data for the image, and changing the image appearance according to a rendering parameter.

Abstract: Systems and methods for layout of graphic objects such as photographic images and graphical elements, for electronic display, print or other output. In accordance with an embodiment, a graphic layout logic automatically arranges the graphic objects within a target area, including determining a best combination of rows and/or columns of objects. Optional controls can also be provided to allow manual or user control of, e.g., overlapping, cropping, offsetting, or rotation of the graphic objects or images, for aesthetic design or other reasons. Examples of the types of graphic objects that can be arranged or laid out in this manner include digital photographs, text, clipart, graphical images, illustrations, software user interfaces, graphic elements such as icons, buttons, menus and whitespace, user interface windows, digital video or media streams, and other image media.

Abstract: Techniques are described for dynamically placing graphical elements into theme layouts on a graphical user interface. A rendering engine reads a set of theme metadata and graphics metadata. The theme metadata defines a layout of the page and the regions into which the graphic elements will be placed. The theme metadata can further include tags to define categories or conceptual purposes for the regions and design changes that can be applied to graphics in that region. The graphics metadata defines a list of graphic files to be included in the layout, tags to define a category or conceptual purpose for each element and optional tags to override the design changes that are indicated in the theme metadata. The rendering engine combines and matches the theme metadata to the graphics metadata and places the graphic elements into the theme layout according to the matching.

Abstract: A method and system for the dynamic interactive display of digital images, comprising client and server applications working together over the Internet or over other similar modes of digital data transmission to collect, store, select, present, distribute and manage information for digital images, including photographs, pictures, videos, movies and other forms of digital media. The present invention achieves these functions through user-friendly dynamic interactive graphical user interfaces that are readily accessible over the Internet from a wide variety of devices used for digital communication.

Abstract: Systems and methods for authoring, ordering and producing various products are described. A method of ordering a product comprises: receiving a request for a product type, identifying product specification data associated with the product type, presenting one or more options for products characterized by the product specification data, receiving a request for one or more of the presented options, and transmitting product order data associated with the request to a server. A method of producing an ordered product comprises: receiving product order data associated with the authored product, identifying print output data associated with the authored product, generating one or more tables of contents, each table of contents defining one or more components of the authored product, and printing the product components defined by the tables of contents.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for maintaining the aspect ratio of an image in the form of a graphic element or a photograph on a printed product in a theme collage. The aspect ratio of each image in the theme collage is maintained independent of any aspect ratio or resolution of the theme collage. Other methods provide for maintaining the resolution of a graphic element on a printed product in a theme collage using any desired combination of bitmap or vector based graphic data and alpha data when rendering the graphic element. An exemplary system may include one or more modules for determining the size of an image on a page while maintaining an aspect ratio of the image, displaying the image, receiving graphic data for the image, receiving alpha-transparency data for the image, and changing the image appearance according to a rendering parameter.

Abstract: A user interface configured to display a visual representation of a product from a plurality of product choices is used to select a background from a plurality of background choices for application to a surface of the product. An item of digital content is added to at least a portion of the surface of the product, and a display of the product with the item of digital content is generated that is substantially similar to a view of a physical form of the product with the item of digital content.

Abstract: A system and method for organizing media based on associated metadata is provided. One or more items of media are accessed. Metadata associated with the one or more items of media is identified. A grouping for the one or more items of media according to the metadata is determined. The one or more items of media are organized according to the grouping.

Abstract: Systems and methods for dynamically integrated capture, collection, authoring, presentation and production of digital content are provided. According to one embodiment, a user interface automatically captures and collects digital content as the digital content is viewed by a user. The user interface includes features for the user to author some or all of the collected digital content. A further embodiment of the user interface formats the digital content in the presentation band for previewing in a variety of production formats, including as a web page, webshow, digital video disk “DVD”) and/or printbook. The user interface then allows the user to save the presentation and/or produce the presentation at a production facility.

Abstract: Exemplary systems and methods for web server based media production are provided. A server provides programming functionality to a client via a browser plug-in or other similar plug-in. The server is comprised of a digital media engine, which is further comprised of multiple modules that provide the programming functionality to the client via the browser plug-in. The processing power of the client is leveraged to author and produce a media production. User-supplied media content files and content theme settings are transmitted from the server to produce a media production.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, disclosed herein is a method of controlling a visual presentation of data to a viewer, the presentation comprising a plurality of display configuration states through which data content is presented to a viewer, the presentation being responsive to transition input to transition from a current display configuration state to a next display configuration state, the method comprising: (1) providing a plurality of transition effects; (2) for each pair of potentially successive display configuration states, associating a transition effect therewith; (3) receiving transition input indicative to transition from a current display configuration state to a next display configuration state, the transition defining a pair of successive display configuration states; and (4) during the transition from the current display configuration state to the next display configuration state, presenting to the viewer the transition effect associated with the defined pair of successive display

Abstract: A method and system for the dynamic interactive display of digital images, comprising client and server applications working together over the Internet or over other similar modes of digital data transmission to collect, store, select, present, distribute and manage information for digital images, including photographs, pictures, videos, movies and other forms of digital media. The present invention achieves these functions through user-friendly dynamic interactive graphical user interfaces that are readily accessible over the Internet from a wide variety of devices used for digital communication.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, disclosed herein is a method of controlling a visual presentation of data to a viewer, the presentation comprising a plurality of display configuration states through which data content is presented to a viewer, the presentation being responsive to transition input to transition from a current display configuration state to a next display configuration state, the method comprising: (1) providing a plurality of transition effects; (2) for each pair of potentially successive display configuration states, associating a transition effect therewith; (3) receiving transition input indicative to transition from a current display configuration state to a next display configuration state, the transition defining a pair of successive display configuration states; and (4) during the transition from the current display configuration state to the next display configuration state, presenting to the viewer the transition effect associated with the defined pair of successive display

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed which allow a user to capture and manage information for later review without interrupting the user's current activity, such as browsing the web, viewing streaming media, or operating a mobile computing device while traveling. The system includes a user interface, a local database application, and: a web browser and web browser plug-in, a streaming media server and streaming media player application, or a GPS unit. The method for capturing information while using a web browser or a streaming media player application includes the steps of selecting an object, obtaining local origination data, and storing the object and local origination data. The method for capturing information while using a mobile computing device having GPS capability includes activating a GPS capture function, obtaining local origination data, storing GPS objects and local origination data, and generating an index to geographically relevant objects.