Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for collaborative decision-making. The system includes a user model component and a user feedback component. The user feedback component presents information associated with media content to users and receives feedback related to the information from the users. The user model component models the feedback received from the users and modifies the information associated with media content based, at least in part, upon the model. The user model component can, for example, utilize metadata associated with media content in order to model user behavior and/generate recommendations. The user model component can employ artificial intelligence technique(s) such as Bayesian reasoning to model user behavior and/or generate recommendations.

Abstract: A system and method facilitating media browsing is provided. The invention includes a browsing component and a media display system that provides a focus media and related media. The focus media and the related media are associated based, at least in part, upon metadata. The invention further provides for an association identifier that identifies related media based, at least in part, upon metadata associated with the focus media and the related media. The association identifier can further cluster the related media based upon metadata associated with the related media.

Abstract: An interactive collaborative information visualization system provides improved visualizations of relationships or connections in collaborative information relating to network interaction media such as email and email lists, conferencing systems and bulletin boards, chats, multi-user dungeons (MUDs), multi-user games and graphical virtual worlds, etc. In one implementation, network graphs in various display or visualization formats represent the collaborative information as nodes that are connected together by links. With reference to collaborative information about Usenet newsgroups, one visualization format provides an inter-group visualization in which newsgroup nodes are linked together by links representing messages that are cross-posted between the newsgroups. Other visualization format can be provided. In one implementation, a graphical user interface allows a user to control the database filter to select the selected portion of the collaborative information to be obtained and measured.

Abstract: A spectator experience corresponding to an occurrence of one or more games or events is generated based on each associated occurrence. The occurrence of a game or event varies in response to contributions and/or interactions of one or more participants of the game or event. The spectator experience enables users thereof to observe an augmented version of the game or event, such as by implementing enhanced viewpoint controls and/or other spectator related effects. In a particular aspect, the spectator experience can provide an indication of the spectators' presence, which is made available to the spectators and/or to the participants of the game.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed which enable a user to locate target data from a temporal broadcast of data. The system includes a transportable identifier that represents the target data. The identifier further includes metadata that provides sufficient information about the broadcast of the target data such that the target data can be acquired when broadcast. The transportable identifier further may be sent to one or more other users to enable such users to locate the broadcast of the target data. As a result, one or more users may employ identifiers to locate the broadcast of the target data and, in turn, monitor and/or store the target data from the temporal broadcast.

Abstract: A virtual world environment (VWE) employing a client-server architecture to organize data defining the VWE and objects contained therein in a system of distributed databases. An object in the VWE is one of four basic types including: an artifact, an avatar, a portal, and a room. A world database is maintained by a server computer and is the central storehouse for data defining the entire VWE. Each user has a client computer that is coupled in communication with the server computer. The client computer administers a local database defining at least a portion of the VWE. Each object that is affected by a change in another object is said to be in a bystander region of the other object. The local database maintained by the user's client computer is only updated by the server computer to include changes to the objects associated with the client computer (user) in the bystander region of the other object, i.e., changes evident to an object associated with the user.

Abstract: A method is presented comprising rendering a virtual character to interface with at least a user, and controlling one or more anatomical attributes of the virtual character based, at least in part, on a scientifically-based model of physically expressive behavior for that anatomical attribute.

Abstract: Object services like methods or properties are provided to or inherited by objects dynamically during run-time. In one method of providing dynamic inheritance, hierarchical relationships are defined between multiple objects such that each object references or is referenced by another object. A call is made for a particular service (e.g., a method or property) at a selected object. The service is provided directly from the object whenever the service is available therefrom. Whenever the selected service is unavailable at the selected object, the call is passed to a hierarchically superior object. Another aspect of dynamic inheritance is that an object, such as the root object, may include one or more methods for adding or otherwise changing the methods or properties available from that object.

Abstract: A software object security mechanism addresses system security risks that arise due to interactions between software objects. Conditions are imposed on the accessing of targets by accessing object instances according to attributes of the accessing object and the target object that is being accessed. One security feature is that an owner identifier is incorporated into objects. The owner identifier includes identification of the user, person, or entity (e.g., corporation) who or that creates the object, or identification of a computer system used by the user, person, or entity to create the object definition. The owner identifier provides a basis for distinguishing the creator of an object from the user of that object. Another security feature is a set of access authorizations that allow different access rights to be made available to different object creators. In one implementation the access authorizations are All, Owner, and Exemplar.

Abstract: Updating of local object databases at client computers, dynamic inheritance, and event notification methods cooperate to provide a persistent object oriented multi-user domain capable of supporting multimedia presentation features for large numbers of users over conventional networks like the Internet. This includes distributing the objects of such a domain between a server and multiple clients and providing the objects with multimedia presentation features. Such a domain includes the persistence of conventional text-based MUDs and MOOs while also giving users the ability to vary or control a wide range of object attributes and properties. As a result, multimedia (e.g., graphical) presentation capabilities are combined with persistence and variability features of text-based MUDs and MOOs to provide a rich, dynamic, multimedia virtual world environment suitable for standard networks.

Abstract: A dynamic or latebound event mechanism provides event mechanism operation according to associational relationships among objects. In addition, objects may be responsive to event notification methods that are not initially within the original object definition, thereby allowing the event notification methods to be inherited by objects dynamically during run-time. One implementation utilizes the associations Self, Contents, and Peer for objects representing entities in a virtual world environment. Event notifications methods are promulgated among the objects corresponding to the entities in a sequence based upon the associational relationships between the entities.

Abstract: Geometric data for a three-dimensional surface are compressed in regard to the data representing the continuity between triangles in a mesh that represents the three-dimensional surface. The geometric data include information defining the vertices of the triangles comprising the mesh, an indication of the triangle faces, and corner normals to each of the vertices shared by triangles having a common vertex, which indicates the continuity or discontinuity between adjacent triangles of the surface. Vertex rotation continuity (VRC) data are determined for each vertex shared by adjacent triangles, indicating whether the transition between the adjacent triangles is continuous or discontinuous. Further, a dihedral angle between each pair of adjacent triangles is determined and associated with the VRC bit. The VRC data are sorted by the associated dihedral angles, enabling an optimal dihedral angle to be selected.