Abstract: The transmittal of digital information from a customer to a client via the Internet is organized by employing a mediator and a handler. A customer requests the instantiation of a template from a mediator and the creation of necessary infrastructure for all subsequent media is done under the covers. After the instantiation of the template is requested, the mediator receives a message from the customer requesting the registration of digital information. The mediator then makes digital information available to said handler and receives a media key from the handler identifying the digital information. Finally, the mediator sends the media key to the customer. Thus, customers are enabled to use rich media services without the burden previously required by just contacting a media e-utility provider offering media services.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program for streaming data from server to client, when the data is partially available on the server. A stream server is coupled to a data server and an end-user-client. The data server has a file stored in its file system which is to be rendered on the client. The file is downloaded from the data server to the stream server and cached in the media cache of the stream server. The stream server has local content data stored in memory. The streaming to the media player of the client is done from the media cache. If a data underrun occurs in the media cache, local content data is inserted into the data stream to fill in for the missing data of the file to be rendered. Thus, a streaming operation can start before the file to be streamed is completely available on the stream server.

Abstract: A process and system for separation of foreground information from background information in a document is described. In an initial stage, at least two images of a document are created, each with different filtering. One of the images is filtered so that only foreground information, or fragments thereof, remain. This image serves as the initial image for subsequent image restoration, while the remaining images represent reference images for the image restoration. In a second stage, the image restoration is carried out so that as much as possible of the foreground information which was lost by filtering from the initial image is restored again. By comparing information from the initial image with information from at least one reference image, the information remaining in the initial image is supplemented by foreground information from at least one reference image.