Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic ticketing system (100, 200) and method (60) utilizing a smart card (31) The smart card can be loaded with pre-purchased tickets which are then booked at a subsequent date. Alternatively, the booking and payment for the ticket can be made at the one transaction. The smart card is customizable by a user (100) who would normally be a promoter or organizer of an event for which tickets are required. Also disclosed is a multiple purpose card (70, 91, 141, 151, 161) which is both a smart card having electronic data stored (78) therein and a conventional business card having information (72) printed thereon for use by a reader. The donee of the card is able to insert same into a card reader (12) to obtain detailed information from the computer (100) of the donor of the card. The multiple purpose smart card may also be used as a trading card (506) as part of a set (500) of similar cards each offering differing levels of user access to a database (526) related to the set.

Abstract: A method of automatically transforming an arbitrary pixel image into a corresponding simulated water color like image is disclosed. The method includes dividing the image into regions (630) having substantially the same color characteristics (632). Once divided, the borders (734, 735) of the regions are determined and filtered. The filtering utilizes the color of the regions on each side of the border to produce a mixture color along the border.

Abstract: A method of forming a printable document from a database having a plurality of data records is disclosed. The printable document incorporates manual functionality complementing electronic functionality associated with the database. The method comprises the steps of filtering the database using a plurality of filter functions, each filter function having a plurality of filter attributes, the filtering forming, for each filter attribute, a corresponding set of said data records. Creating at least one information page, each information page incorporating at least one data element related to at least one of the data records, there being associated with each data element a corresponding (first) physical indicator selectable by a user of the document to access the corresponding data element.

Abstract: A document creation system and method in which electronic information intended for reproduction and including at least one hyperlink is accessed. The accesses information is formatted into a contiguous localized document in a reproducible format into which is incorporated at least one functional link related to a hyperlink. The functional link is reproducible in a material form in the localized document for replicating a function associated with the hyperlinks. The localized document can then be displayed to reveal the function links which are manually traversable. Display is typically by printing and the functional links may include printed lines, cutouts in the paper or tabs applied to the paper.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating an animated font character based on an initial non-animated font character. Initially, a glyph representative of at least one aspect of the non-animated font character is provided. A first predetermined function is then applied to the glyph, thereby to generate a modified glyph. A second predetermined function is then provided, for generating an output dependent upon a value of a variable parameter having an initial value. A visual appearance of the modified glyph is based at least partly on the output of the second predetermined function. The modified glyph is then rendered and the value of the variable parameter is altered. The rendering and altering steps are then repeated, which results in the generation of a plurality of rendered modified glyphs that together define an animated font character. Finally, the animated font character is displayed or stored for subsequent reproduction.

Abstract: A method of automatically transforming an arbitrary pixel image into a corresponding simulated water color like image is disclosed. The method includes dividing the image into regions (630) having substantially the same color characteristics (632). Once divided, the borders (734, 735) of the regions are determined and filtered. The filtering utilizes the color of the regions on each side of the border to produce a mixture color along the border.

Abstract: A virtual image album system is disclosed, the system comprising: a card (10) comprising a substrate (12) having a memory device (19) associated therewith, and indicia (24) formed on said substrate, said inidicia (24) being representative of image data, and function data stored within said memory device (19) and associated with said indicia (24); and a reader (1) for said card (10), said reader (1) comprising a touch sensitive membrane (8) arranged to overlay said card (10) and through which said indicia (24) are visible, said reader (1) being adapted to output specific said function data associated with a user selected one of said indicia (24), thereby to reference specific said image data.

Abstract: A customisable user interface system is disclosed, the system comprising: a card (10) comprising a substrate (12), a memory device (19) associated therewith, and indicia (70, 72) formed on said substrate (12) and user interpretable to relate to functions stored within said memory (19); and a reader device (1) for said card (10), the reader (1) comprising a touch sensitive device (8) arranged to overlay said card (10), and through which said indicia (70, 72) are visible, characterised in that said touch sensitive device (8) comprises a membrane via which said indicia (70, 72), arbitrarily arranged on said substrate (12), may be selected.