Abstract: Methods and systems for optimal access of data are disclosed. A system for optimally updating data is described wherein a central database transmits a location table to a remote terminal having an access time variant (ATV) storage medium wherein a first set of data items is stored. The data on the ATV medium can be displayed visually upon a user's accessing a particular piece of data from the ATV medium. The user's data access habits are indexed on a location table by the central database where the location table is optimized and updated according to the number of accesses the user makes to particular data items. A second set of data is then transmitted to the remote terminal along with the updated location table and stored on the ATV database in optimized form, thereby reducing the access time to the second set of data on all the remote terminals since each particular user's individual habits govern the optimization process.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for priority masking of video enhancement areas of a video picture. A first enhancement conversion formula is generated for enhancing a first segment of the video picture according to the first generated enhancement conversion formula. Similarly, a second enhancement formula for enhancing a second segment of the video picture according to the second enhancement conversion formula is generated. Priority of one conversion formula over the other in the area of overlap of the two segments is established by combining the first and second enhancement conversion formulas in a manner to produce the composite enhancement conversion formula in which one of the first and second enhancement conversion formulas has a degree of priority over the other enhancement conversion formula in the area of the video picture in which the overlapping occurs. The video picture is thus modified according to the composite enhancement conversion formula.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for conversion of black and white video signals to color video signals, featuring programmable means for animated adjustment of the coloring of one or more areas of the resulting TV picture. The black and white video signal is processed through a luminance channel and two color information channels, the apparatus providing means for modifying the video signal in each channel in accordance with one or more operator-determined transfer functions, each channel further providing means for further modifying the function-modified video signals as a function of area signals generated by separate sources. The function and area-modified video signals are summed in each channel to provide the required 3 signals for a composite video signal. The process of this invention is carried out by the operator making function selections, the selected plurality of separate functions being chosen to modify color components in accordance with operator choice.

Abstract: In a video synthesizer for generating programmable graphics, moving elements and the like, a subsystem for generating a video signal wherein a predetermined generated function is displayed in a selected manner as a function of a predetermined video signal. The video control signal, which suitably represents a graphic character or characters, and may be stationary or moving, is used for starting and stopping a function generator whereby a composite video signal is obtained. The video signal may be further processed by level assignment and color selection to produce the desired color video signal.

Abstract: Methods and systems for optimal access of data are disclosed. A system for optimally updating data is described wherein a central database transmits a location table to a remote terminal having an access time variant (ATV) storage medium wherein a first set of data items is stored. The data on the ATV medium can be displayed visually upon a user's accessing a particular piece of data from the ATV medium. The user's data access habits are indexed on a location table by the central database where the location table is optimized and updated according to the number of accesses the user makes to particular data items. A second set of data is then transmitted to the remote terminal along with the updated location table and stored on the ATV database in optimized form, thereby reducing the access time to the second set of data on all the remote terminals since each particular user's individual habits govern the optimization process.