Abstract: A speech processing system includes a multiplexer that receives speech data input as part of a conversation turn in a conversation session between two or more users where one user is a speaker and each of the other users is a listener in each conversation turn. A speech recognizing engine converts the speech data to an input string of acoustic data while a speech modifier forms an output string based on the input string by changing an item of acoustic data according to a rule. The system also includes a phoneme speech engine for converting the first output string of acoustic data including modified and unmodified data to speech data for output via the multiplexer to listeners during the conversation turn.

Abstract: A speech processing system includes a multiplexer that receives speech data input as part of a conversation turn in a conversation session between two or more users where one user is a speaker and each of the other users is a listener in each conversation turn. A speech recognizing engine converts the speech data to an input string of acoustic data while a speech modifier forms an output string based on the input string by changing an item of acoustic data according to a rule. The system also includes a phoneme speech engine for converting the first output string of acoustic data including modified and unmodified data to speech data for output via the multiplexer to listeners during the conversation turn.

Abstract: A stock control computer system includes a memory for storing a current stock list based on product codes. An electronic version of a store purchase receipt, including product codes for the items purchased, is sent from the store to the customer's home computer where it is used to update the current stock list by addition of products purchased. Items are deleted from the current stock list as they are disposed of by the customer, in response to an electronic indication of the corresponding product codes produced, for example, by scanning product packaging with a bar code scanner. When the customer initiates a home stock check, the current stock list is compared with a predetermined stock level and an indication of which items need replacement is produced. This indication may be displayed, printed or transmitted electronically to the store.

Abstract: A file system for a computer supports a plurality of directories, each maintaining a list of data files as a plurality of directory entries. As well as means for creating data entries for real data files, the system includes means for creating anti-file directory entries having an attribute indicating there is no real data file corresponding to the entry. Entries may-be moved between directories and when an anti-file and a data file of the same name are present in the same directory, the real data file is deleted. This enables the synchronization of sets of target and source files to take account of changes.

Abstract: A desktop manager for a multi-processing graphic user interface operating system operates to control the display of a plurality of controls each occupying respective display areas on a desktop. An improved desktop manager characterised by means adapted to receive a request for urgency from a process owning a control; and means adapted to diminish the display of one or more of any other controls to draw the attention of a user to the control owned by the process requesting urgency is disclosed.

Abstract: A method of displaying text having improved useability is described which overcomes the difficulty of losing eye contact with an occurrence of a word in a line of text as the display is changed from one of disparate lines in one or more files to a new view of a single one of those disparate lines shown in context with the lines surrounding it in the file displayed above and below the selected occurrence. The display of the surrounding text in this way gives the illusion that the surrounding lines in the file were "filled-in" around the chosen line, such that the eye of the user does not have to move and re-locate the text of interest, since the text has not moved on the physical display screen.