Abstract: Techniques for propagating user experience state information are described. A user experience can include various types of content that a user may consume, such as video content, images, audio content, text documents, and so on. Further, a “composition” can be created using various combinations of user experiences, such as still images inset to video content, a navigable map presented with images of geographical locations associated with the map, and so on. In implementations, techniques enable user experiences included as part of a composition to interact such that behaviors associated with one user experience can affect another user experience, and vice-versa.

Abstract: Methods and systems for embedding content in rich media are described herein. The method includes populating embedded content from a data stream into an experience using an artifact embedding system. The method also includes binding the embedded content to a behavior from a framework of preselected behaviors using an embedded object manager.

Abstract: A system and related techniques manage the adding of digital images or other media to email messages using a comparatively straightforward insert-and-send scheme. A user may choose to insert or embed comparatively low-resolution versions of images or other media automatically published to a media server into an email message. The recipient of that media-enabled message may receive and view the email text message along with the low-resolution images in typical fashion using an email or other client. The recipient may choose to view one or more of the embedded images in greater resolution by linking or activating those images, for instance by moving a cursor and clicking into the selected image or other object. Activating the image or other media object from within the email pane may seamlessly transport the user to the media server's Web page to view a larger-resolution version of that image, for instance using a media player. Video, audio and other media may likewise be inserted into messages.

Abstract: A location identification system is described. In various embodiments, the location identification system identifies geographic location information in response to received search queries by processing geographic information to identify spatial or geometric regions, determining region intersection information that identifies spatial relationships between the geometric regions, and building an index of regions of constant attributes by associating intersecting geometric regions. In various embodiments, the location identification system can include a vector database wherein the vector database comprises geometric information including at least (a) spatial information geographically describing items and their locations and (b) textual attributes associated with the items or their locations, and an index of regions of constant attributes wherein the index associates textual attributes with items and their locations so that a proximity of two locations can be identified.

Abstract: A system and related techniques manage the adding of digital images or other media to email messages using a comparatively straightforward insert-and-send scheme. A user may choose to insert or embed comparatively low-resolution versions of images or other media automatically published to a media server into an email message. The recipient of that media-enabled message may receive and view the email text message along with the low-resolution images in typical fashion using an email or other client. The recipient may choose to view one or more of the embedded images in greater resolution by linking or activating those images, for instance by moving a cursor and clicking into the selected image or other object. Activating the image or other media object from within the email pane may seamlessly transport the user to the media server's Web page to view a larger-resolution version of that image, for instance using a media player. Video, audio and other media may likewise be inserted into messages.

Abstract: A system and related techniques manage the adding of digital images or other media to email messages using a comparatively straightforward insert-and-send scheme. A user may choose to insert or embed comparatively low-resolution versions of images or other media automatically published to a media server into an email message. The recipient of that media-enabled message may receive and view the email text message along with the low-resolution images in typical fashion using an email or other client. The recipient may choose to view one or more of the embedded images in greater resolution by linking or activating those images, for instance by moving a cursor and clicking into the selected image or other object. Activating the image or other media object from within the email pane may seamlessly transport the user to the media server's Web page to view a larger-resolution version of that image, for instance using a media player. Video, audio and other media may likewise be inserted into messages.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for modifying a sprite containing a cutout feature for compositing with a background image modifies colors of pixels in the sprite according to their distances from the edge of the cutout feature to achieve desired visual effects such as edge softening. A distance mask for the sprite is generated which stores distance values representing distances of corresponding pixels in the sprite from the edge of the cutout feature. The distance mask can be efficiently generated by a chamfering technique. A clamping function is applied to the distance mask to determine scaling values for the respective pixels in the sprite. A modified sprite is constructed from the original sprite by modifying the colors of the pixels of the input sprite according to their respective scaling values. The modified sprite is then composited with the backgorund image to form a composite image.