Abstract: This invention is directed to relational extenders for a computer-based relational database. Each relational extender includes at least one column, in a first, business, table containing a user defined application database, dedicated to object handles for defining the complex data type of an object; a second, attribute, table containing at least one column defining a unique characteristic associated with the one object and one column dedicated to containing the object handle; and a third, metadata, table containing at least one column defining a common characteristic associated with all objects defined within the business table and one column dedicated to containing the object handle and at least one column dedicated to containing a reference to object data associated with the object.

Abstract: This invention is directed to relational extenders for a computer-based relational database. Each relational extender includes at least one column, in a first, business table containing a user defined application database, dedicated to object handles for defining the complex data type of an object; a second, attribute, table containing at least one column defining a unique characteristic associated with the one object and one column dedicated to containing the object handle; and a third, metadata, table containing at least one column defining a common characteristic associated with all objects defined within the business table and one column dedicated to containing the object handles and at least one column dedicated to containing a reference to object data associated with the object.

Abstract: This invention is directed to relational extenders for a computer-based relational database. Each relational extender includes at least one column, in a first, business, table containing a user defined application database, dedicated to object handles for defining the complex data type of an object; a second, attribute, table containing at least one column defining a unique characteristic associated with the one object and one column dedicated to containing the object handle; and a third, metadata, table containing at least one column defining a common characteristic associated with all objects defined within the business table and one column dedicated to containing the object handle and at least one column dedicated to containing a reference to object data associated with the object.

Abstract: Images in an image database are searched in response to queries which include the visual characteristics of the images such as colors, textures, shapes, and sizes, as well as by textual tags appended to the images. Queries are constructed in an image query construction area in response to values of representations of the visual characteristics and to locations of the representations in the image query construction area.

Abstract: An apparatus is described which includes memory areas for storing an image and trigger fields for the image, and a display which indicates a cursor in one of two configurations. Circuitry is provided for moving the cursor and enabling it to implement a select operation for a particular subroutine. The apparatus employs a method which enables the trigger fields to be invisible, which method comprises: displaying the image without trigger fields; and altering the cursor on the display from one configuration to another upon the cursor being moved into an invisible trigger field to thereby indicate to the user the presence of the trigger field.

Abstract: A data processing system includes, among others, three memory areas: a source memory which is addressed in planar, data unit increments and stores display data units on a bit per plane basis; a target memory for storing display data units in a manner suitable for operation of a display unit; and a window buffer for transferring display data units from the source memory to the target memory. The system includes apparatus for inhibiting certain data units from the source memory from overwriting data units already in the target memory. The method comprises first accessing a plurality of data units from the source memory and then logically determining if all bits of each accessed data unit meet a predetermined criteria. Each data unit found to meet the predetermined criteria is inhibited from altering any data unit already in the target memory.

Abstract: A user/PC interface system is described which enables the creation and performance of a synchronized audio/visual story on the PC. The interface enables the initial storage of a plurality of visual images. Then, it enables the creation of an audio presentation which includes labels and time indications, certain of which are employed for synchronization purposes. The system is responsive to a label to execute a predetermined command upon the appearance of the label in the audio presentation. The PC is then operated to perform the audio presentation, that performance automatically causing the display of visual images upon the occurrence of labels and time indications.An improved, table-based authoring system is also described for preparation of both the above noted audio and visual presentations. The system relies upon columnar presentations of a tabular form, each column indicating a separate control function (or comment) relating to the audio/visual presentation.

Abstract: A display system is described for producing and showing color images which includes a screen for displaying an interactive user interface. The display interface includes image color choice areas, anti-alias color choice areas, a current color area, an echo icon area and user-movable cursor indications. The invention enables the display system user to choose among a plurality of displayed colors and to visually determine the effect of the choice. The method includes moving a cursor indication to a color choice area, displaying the color choice in the current color selection area; and displaying in the echo icon area an echo icon drawn using the color choice. This enables the display system user to see an enlarged view of the color choice and an icon drawn with the color and enables the user to assess the effect of the color choice, both from the standpoint of the enlarged view and from the standpoint of exhibiting an expanded anti-aliased figure.

Abstract: An Image Editor includes a ZOOM function wherein other Image Editor actions are invokable and operable in whatever zoom level is currently in effect. The zoom mode is a state of the Image Editor in that invoked actions are performed in a normal 1X pel size image but are displayed to an operator in an enlarged, flat pel, zoom equivalent. Whe the ZOOM function is invoked a displayed zoom window is automatically centered upon a present position of a cursor as is also a selectively displayable viewport, the viewport showing the relative position of the cursor within the 1X image.

Abstract: A user/PC interface system is described which enables the creation and performance of a synchronized audio/visual story on the PC. The interface enables the initial storage of a plurality of visual images. Then, it enables the creation of an audio presentation which includes labels and time indications, certain of which are employed for synchronization purposes. The system is responsive to a label to execute a predetermined command upon the appearance of the label in the audio presentation. The PC is then operated to perform the audio presentation, that performance automatically causing the display of visual images upon the occurrence of labels and time indications. A table-based authoring system is also described for preparation of both the above noted audio and visual presentations. The system relies upon columnar presentations of a tabular form, each column indicating a separate control function (or comment) relating to the audio/visual presentation.

Abstract: A display apparatus is described having the capability to pan a viewport image across a world-plane image. The viewport image has defined boundaries and exhibits a cursor whose position is movable by a user operated mouse or keyboard controls. The invention comprises a method for providing a variable-rate pan action of the viewport image which includes panning the viewport image at a preset rate in the direction of a first viewport boundary, if the cursor has been moved to the first boundary. The viewport image is panned at a proportionally faster rate in the direction of the first viewport boundary, as the cursor is moved further beyond the first viewport boundary thus enabling a variable speed pan under user control.

Abstract: A method is described for transferring data units from a serially organized memory to a bit planar organized memory. The method first selects a plurality of data units from the serially organized memory. A bit pattern from the selected data units is then captured, which bit pattern includes only bits to be stored in a subset of the storage planes of the bit planar organized memory. The bit pattern is processed to isolate from it, subsidiary bit patterns, one bit pattern for each storage plane in the bit planar memory. Each subsidiary bit pattern is then translated so that its bit sequence is properly oriented and is then stored in a plane of the bit planar organized memory. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the translations take place as the result of a table look-up step.

Abstract: A graphic display PC/interface system is described which includes three memory units: a source memory which is addressed in planar byte increments and stores display data units on a bit per plane basis; a target memory for storing display data units in a manner suitable for operation of a display unit; and a window buffer for transferring display data unit from the source memory to the target memory. The system transfers a quantity of display data unit bytes from the source memory to the target memory by accessing pairs of planar bytes, which pair of planar bytes may have a display data unit byte bridging therebetween.