Abstract: A data conversion apparatus for converting index data to real data and an image generation apparatus for converting index texture data to real texture data by the data conversion to make it possible to suitably carry out texture mapping.

Abstract: Data is transmitted from a mouse to a host computer in accordance with a 3-byte packet protocol. The first byte includes bits indicating the status of first and second buttons on the mouse. The first bit of each byte serves as a sync bit. The sync bit has a value of “1” in the first byte and a value of “0” in each of the second and third bytes. Data representing movement of the mouse in two dimensions is encoded as two 8-bit twos-complement integers which are transmitted as part of the three-byte packet.

Abstract: A pointer remotely points a display screen of a large screen display device. The display screen is picked up by a monitor camera. An image processing unit extracts a feature of the pointer used for pointing based on the resulting image signal to identify the position of the pointing point and the pointer based on the feature. A computer generates information on an object to be displayed at a position pointed by the pointer. The generated information is displayed on a display device (CRT display device or large screen display device) assigned to the pointer. Even when a plurality of pointers are used, the information on the object to be displayed pointed by the pointer is properly displayed.

Abstract: A third axis input device for a computer mouse includes a fixed primary seat, a fixed secondary seat, a wheel, an annular ring-like grating member, a suspending member, and an idle roller, characterized in that: the fixed primary seat has a lower portion provided with a first fixed rod and a first L-shaped hook member adapted to engage with a printed circuit board, a recess between the fixed rod and the L-shaped hook member for receiving a photoelectric controller, two arms provided at two sides of the fixed primary seat for engaging with the fixed secondary seat, a vertical rod and a vertical lug extending upwardly from the top of the fixed primary seat, the fixed secondary seat including a second fixed rod and a second L-shaped hook member having the same structure as the first fixed rod and first L-shaped hook member at the bottom rear portion, a slot at the bottom for receiving a photoelectric controller, and a hole above the slot, whereby the third axis input device is durable in use, simple in construct

Abstract: An input device for a computer system includes a keyboard, a pointing device embedded in the keyboard, operational buttons, including a button for selecting an operating mode for the pointing device. The mode selection button is located adjacent left- and right-buttons. In one embodiment, an alternative pointing device operating mode is available when the mode button is held depressed. In another embodiment, a depress-release sequence permits the user to sequence through a menu of predetermined pointing device operating modes. The placement of the mode button with respect to the left- and right-buttons facilitates improved performance of certain eye-hand coordination tasks.

Abstract: By suitable use of screen-printed carbon ink patterning, combined with patterning of the solder-mask layer on the top (finger) surface, a compact capacitive touchpad pointing device has been realized using only a two-layer board as a substrate. The first layer, on the topside of the printed circuit board, combines both the horizontal and vertical sensor electrode traces. The second layer, located on the underside of the printed circuit board, is formed in the conventional manner by attaching the controller chip and/or related circuitry.

Abstract: A marking device is provided. The marking device (MD) includes an elongated housing that has a tip configured to contact a surface. The MD also includes a pressure sensor disposed within the housing. The pressure sensor is coupled to the tip and is configured to detect when the tip contacts the surface. The MD further includes first and second acceleration sensors disposed within the housing and adjacent the tip of the MD. The first and second acceleration sensors are configured to sense acceleration of the tip in first and second directions. Responsive to the sensing of acceleration, first and second acceleration sensors generate a signal indicative of acceleration in first and second directions. The MD also includes a conversion device configured to receive first and second signals and convert first and second signals into at least one computer readable signal.

Abstract: This invention relates to a scroll bar input device for a mouse, the scroll bar input device being installed inside mouse body for executing a scroll up or scroll down action for the computer screen. The scroll bar input device has a base, a locating seat, a first shaft bracket, a roller, a rotating wheel, an encoder, a second shaft bracket and a microswitch. The first shaft bracket has a wheel hub with contacts, the wheel hub inserted into the rotating wheel. The encoder is in contact with first teeth of the rotating wheel to transmit or receive signals for moving up and down the computer screen.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for antialiasing in a video graphics system is accomplished by determining if a pixel sample set, which results from oversampling, can be reduced to a compressed sample set, where the compressed sample set contains information describing a corresponding pixel. When the pixel sample set can be reduced to a compressed sample set, the compressed sample set is stored in a frame buffer at a location corresponding to the particular pixel that the sample set describes. When the pixel sample set cannot be reduced to a compressed sample set, a pointer is stored at the frame buffer location corresponding to the particular pixel. The pointer points to a selected address in a sample memory at which the complete sample set for the pixel is stored.

Abstract: A power source circuit which is suitable as a power source for use in driving a liquid crystal display, wherein on the basis of the power source electric potentials (VDD, VEE), the voltage is divided by voltage dividing resistors (R1 to R5), and passes through operational amplifiers (OP1 to OP4) that comprise voltage followers, so that output electric potentials (V1 to V5) are output. The power source electric potential (VDD) and the intermediate electric potential (Va) which is output from a voltage dividing circuit (S) are supplied to the operational amplifiers (OP1, OP2), and the intermediate electric potential (Va) and the power source electric potential (VEE) are supplied to the operational amplifiers (OP3, OP4).

Abstract: A multimedia title comprised of a plurality of parts is synchronized on a computer system. A co-tool automatically synchronizes at least one of the parts with reference to relative time. The co-tool may comprise a co-begin tool, a co-end tool, a co-occur tool, or a meet tool.

Abstract: A set-top electronics and network interface unit arrangement is connected to an internal digital network interconnecting devices in the home. The digital network operates on a single, nomodulated, baseband channel. Entertainment services are introduced into the network through network interface units that are coupled to an external network and to the internal network. The network interface units perform the necessary interfacing between the external and internal networks, and make the entertainment services available to all terminals connected to the internal network. Set-top electronics that are separate from the network interface units connect to the internal network and convert the information in the digital data stream for display, by a television, for example.

Abstract: A method for enabling an interactive video experience utilizing the Internet in which entertainment is combined with advertising to create an enhanced advertising experience. The invention utilizes techniques to deliver demographically targeted advertisements at predetermined times while watching a video. In addition, selectable buttons are maintained in a visible stack, which, when selected, cause a window to be opened containing further information. In this manner, a user is able to select an object, and obtain more information about the selected object, while the video stream is still playing, as well as make a purchase decision.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a user with increased flexibility and control over the appearance and behavior of objects on a user interface are described. Sets of objects can be grouped into themes to provide a user with a distinct overall impression of the interface. These themes can be invoked by calling a corresponding theme engine. Theme engines can be hard-coded or data-driven.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for remotely scripting local objects. An applet is executed in a browser in a remote client computer, thereby generating control information. The control information is transmitted from the client computer to a network server. A script stored on the network server is executed using the control information. The execution of the script generates script output data. The script output data is transmitted from the network server to the browser. The output data can be thereafter used to execute another applet in the client browser. The output data need not comprise an entire HTML page, but may comprise only a portion of the page as required to display the required information.

Abstract: A computer system as described herein comprises a first browser instance that displays and navigates hyperlinked browsable content. A global script, in the JavaScript language, is responsible for user interface functions. The global script includes event handlers that respond to identified events. A supervisory application program calls the event handlers in response to the defined events. In addition, the supervisory application program exposes methods that allow the global script to open and close dialogs that are specified as HTML files. Such dialogs are displayed in a second browser instance. The global script uses this capability to create appropriate user interface displays in response to system events.

Abstract: A workstation for use in the assembly of component parts includes a computer terminal having a display and at least one input device, a test apparatus operatively coupled to the computer terminal, and an application program which generates a first display screen for display of an assembly procedure to be followed by an assembler on the display of the computer terminal and a second display screen for display of test results obtained by the test apparatus on said display of said computer terminal. In the case where at least one of multiple assembly steps includes a test function, the application program automatically performs the test function using the test equipment and inhibits display of a next assembly step in the event that results of the test function are outside predetermined parameters.

Abstract: A 3D graphics generation and display application for PCs and laptops in a business environment includes an authoring mode screen which lists database elements sought to be graphically displayed, along with a list of variables pertaining to the database elements. Also, the application presents a menu of graphics attributes, including each of the three spatial dimensions and time, as well as various graphics object attributes, such as color, size, rotation, opacity, intensity, texture, etc. The user determines whether the graphics objects are balls for a scatter plot, bars for a bar chart, pie-shaped elements for a pie chart, or other 3D representation. By clicking on a database variable in the list of variables and dragging it over an attribute on the attribute menu, the user can correlate the database variable with the graphics attribute. When the user correlates a variable to a graphics attribute, the correlation is noted by a legend that is displayed with the menu of attributes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a data display apparatus by which data transmission between different image display portions can be performed by natural, easy and simple operations.

Abstract: A graphical user interface in which object thumbnails, as scaled images, are rendered on a two-dimensional wall or screen, and which exploits spatial memory. The objects may be moved, continuously, on the surface with a two-dimensional input device. Pop-up title bars may be rendered over active objects. Intelligent help may be provided to the user, as visual indicators, based on proximity clustering or based on matching algorithms.

Abstract: A typical conventional Graphical User Interface (GUI) displays multiple menu items, together with their respective icons (or symbols), on a display region. However, when a display region has a relatively small area, displaying icons (or symbols) together with their respective menu items makes the display region clustered, thus increasing the difficulty for a user to locate and select a desired menu item. To overcome this shortcoming, an improved GUI displays multiple menu items of a menu on a display region that contains a column window and row window. Each of the menu items contains a content field and a symbol field. The GUI only displays the symbol fields of the menu items that are scrolled into the column window and the content field of a menu item that is scrolled into the row window. In doing so, the improved GUI facilitates a user to select a desired menu item from the menu.

Abstract: A reconfigurable user interface for a modular patient monitor which selectively populates menus for operator selection based on the parameters which are available at any given time. Due to event processing, when a parameter module is added or removed from the system, the reconfigurable user interface is updated immediately to reflect the addition or subtraction of the associated parameter. A flash box in each menu provides shortcuts to the most likely menu option in response to asynchronous events such as alarms and the like. The flash box also assists the operator with the particular steps that must be followed to properly setup or operate a particular feature of the system. Since the menus are not modal, an operator may navigate the menus without making any selections or changing the state of the device.

Abstract: A recording medium, recording and information processing apparatus and methods by which efficient processing of data and a high processing speed can be readily achieved at lower cost. A main CPU converts coordinates of a polygon in response to a manual operation of an operation unit by a user and transmits data of the polygon to a programmable packet engine via a main bus. The packet engine calculates a Z value representative of the position of the polygon in the depthwise direction from coordinate values of the apexes of the polygon supplied from the main CPU, divides the polygon into a number of sub-polygons corresponding to the Z value, converts coordinate values of the apexes of the sub-polygons in accordance with a normal vector and curved surface parameters and produces a curved surface composed of the sub-polygons. A graphical processing unit writes pixel data of the sub-polygons produced by the programmable packet engine into a frame buffer and performs rendering processing.

Abstract: A device (1) for presenting 3D graphics comprises means for defining one or more polygons for objects to be presented, means (2, 3, 4) for bump mapping, which comprises means (6) for storing a bump map and means (5) for fetching the bump map from the bump map storing means (6), and means for defining a direction vector of bump map normal at each vertex of a polygon, and means (13, 14, 17, 18, 19) for rasterizing images on a display device. The device (1) comprises further means (7) for producing an angle value which is used to rotate the direction vector of the bump map.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a graphics request stream begins processing subsequent vertex data while processing previous vertex data. To that end, the apparatus has a vertex assembler having an input for receiving graphics requests, and a processor (coupled to the vertex assembler) for processing received graphics requests. The processor provides a headstart signal to the vertex assembler to indicate that the processor is processing a new graphics request. Upon receipt of the headstart signal, the vertex assembler causes the processor to restart processing of the new graphics request if the new request is determined to have not been properly assembled.

Abstract: Indexed registers in controller chips are read in a two-step process. First, an 8-bit write instruction writes an index into an index register in the controller chip. Secondly, a 16-bit read instruction reads both the index register and a data register selected by the index from the index register. When index registers are read in a multi-threaded system, programs in two different threads could access the same index register, each writing a different index into the index register. When another thread over-writes an index written by a current thread, the wrong index and the wrong data are read by the current thread. The current thread detects that the index was overwritten by another thread by extracting the index from the 16-bit read and comparing it to the desired index. When the extracted index mis-matches, the current thread retries, again writing the index and reading back both the index and data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus performing setup operations in a video graphics system is accomplished by receiving a stream of primitives and determining if each primitive in the stream has a parameter that exceeds the calculation range of a fast multiplier. If it is determined that the primitive exceeds the capabilities of the fast multiplier, the calculations for the primitive are routed to a setup engine that includes a full-size multiplier, and the calculations of setup parameters are performed by the full-size multiplier. If it is determined that the calculations are within the capabilities of the fast multiplier, the calculations for the primitive are routed to the setup engine that includes one or more fast multipliers, and the setup calculations are performed therein. The results of the two setup engines are combined to form a resultant stream that includes the parameter calculations required from display setup operations.

Abstract: A method and a device for sensing the quantity of remaining ink of an ink-jet printer, the device including a memory for storing printing data from a computer, a jetting device for outputting a printed output corresponding to the printing data in the memory through an inkjetting motion, a scanning device for scanning in wider scanning width than an inkjetting width by movement in the same course, forward or returning direction, as the jetting device, the jetting device and the scanning device using the same driving unit, a picture memory for storing picture or scanning data identified through the scanning device, and a CPU for sensing the quantity of remaining ink by comparing the printing data in the print data memory with the scanning data in the picture memory.

Abstract: A robust printhead is disclosed comprising a substrate, an ink flow channel formed in the substrate, a beveled die having disposed heater resistors and which is inserted into the substrate, a TAB circuit used to electrically couple the beveled die to the substrate, and an encapsulated upper surface. The encapsulant is disposed at least over the electrical coupling between the beveled die and the interconnect.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a thermal actuator activated by conductive heating of an electrically conductive material, the actuator including: a first non-conductive strip of material attached to a substrate at a first end of the strip and adapted to apply a force to a load at a second end of the strip; a second conductive strip of material formed along one side of the first strip, the second conductive strip including a first wire strip running from substantially the first end to the second end and a second wire strip running from substantially the second end to the fist end, the wire strips being joined together at the second end so as to form a circuit, the wire strips being further connected to a controlled power supply at the first end such that activation of the controlled power supply causes heating of the conductive material so as to actuate the thermal actuator thereby applying a force to the load.

Abstract: An ink jet printhead assembly for ink jet printing apparatus and a method for the manufacture thereof. The piezoelectrically operable ink jet printhead assembly has two arrays of driving channels aligned with a single orifice array in which each orifice connects through a fluid channel to a single driving channel.

Abstract: Described is an ink delivery system for an inkjet printing system including a housing; a printhead fixed to the housing for ejecting droplets of ink on media; a regulator located within the housing; a source of ink for replenishing the printhead; and an ink passageway for connecting the source of ink and the valve inlet.

Abstract: Registration patterns are formed plural times at arbitrary positions in the period determined by the conveying drawing fluctuation period detector when forming registration patterns. The average of the color deviation amount obtained from these plural registration patterns is the color deviation amount. As a result, the color deviation amount can be detected accurately. By detecting the accurate color deviation amount, the precision of color deviation correction is enhanced. It hence presents a color image forming apparatus capable of obtaining images of high print quality.

Abstract: In conventional color digital copy machines, when copying in color mode, the polygon mirror of the laser beam scanner for black, which is driven at a higher speed than those of the other colors, is switched to a slower speed in conformity with the speed of the polygon mirrors for the other colors. However, a drawback of this structure is that, especially when switching from monochrome to color mode, the time required to obtain the first copy is lengthened, and the operating efficiency of copying is poor. In the present invention, when copying in color mode, the rotation speed of the polygon mirror of the laser scanner unit for black is not changed at all, but, by skipping certain mirror surfaces of the polygon mirror, and/or by skipping certain of a plurality of laser light sources, the scanning density of the laser scanner unit for black can be brought into conformity with that of the laser scanner units for the other colors.

Abstract: The exposure device of an image forming apparatus includes a light-emitting device array having light-emitting devices; a switching device array including switching devices connected to the light-emitting devices, the switching device array being divided into a plurality of groups; a first line group for connecting commonly to first terminals of switching devices of each of the groups; a second line group for connecting commonly to second terminals of switching devices of each of the groups; and a circuit for performing simultaneous light emission of the light-emitting device array to expose the photosensitive member.

Abstract: The toner supplying opening of a toner container for storing powder toner or the like used in image-forming apparatuses such as copying machine or the like is sealed with a laminated lid material film. This sealing film comprises a base layer having tearing directionality, a guide layer having tearing guide portions formed by laser processing and a laser barrier layer provided between the base layer and the guide layer for shielding laser beams.

Abstract: A thermal printer apparatus prints an image on a thermal paper by repeating a thermal printing process in which an image is printed on a thermal paper with a printer head in a main scanning direction and a paper advancing process in which the thermal paper is advanced at a unit of predetermined length in a sub-scanning direction. The apparatus determines a paper stop time from a previous paper advancing process and then determines a delay time in correspondence with the determined stop time. The apparatus controls the timing of a next thermal printing process after the determined delay time elapsed from a paper advancing process which precedes the next printing process. The stop time may be determined by the amount of data to be printed and the delay time may be determined in further correspondence with the temperature of the printer head.

Abstract: A thermal printer early printhead failure prediction system detects possible printhead and/or printing clement failure in response to the sensed resistance of the printhead or an individual element thereof. A microprocessor of the printer monitors the resistive trends of the printing elements. A warning is generated when a characteristic of the resistive trend exceeds a predetermined boundary.

Abstract: A light beam is made to scan and expose a photosensitive drum in the main scanning direction and the passing position of the light beam in the sub-scanning direction is sensed. On the basis of the result of the sensing, the light beam is shifted in the sub-scanning direction when the beam is made to scan by a scanner so that the passing position may come in a target range, which brings the passing position to the proper position. After the position control, the passing position of the light beam is confirmed and controlled so that the passing position may fall on the proper position a specific number of times consecutively. When the light beam is shifted in the sub-scanning direction, the passing position of the light beam is brought into a final target range in such a manner that the target range is forced to converge stepwise in a first range and then in a second range narrower than the first range.

Abstract: An optical shutter drive period detector detects a drive period of each optical shutter element. Based on the detected drive period, an optical shutter drive voltage control device sets an optical shutter driving voltage which is applied to an optical shutter driver. Furthermore, an optical shutter open period controller sets an optical shutter open period corresponding to the set optical shutter driving voltage and to a tone level of a pixel to be exposed and the optical shutter open period is input to the optical shutter driver as data for changing an optical shutter open period. Based on the optical shutter driving voltage and the optical shutter open period changing data, the optical shutter driver drives each optical shutter element of an optical shutter array, an electrostatic latent image is formed on a surface of a photosensitive drum, and the electrostatic latent image is developed by a developer, transferred by a transfer/separation charger onto a recording sheet and discharged.

Abstract: An exposure method for a printer with a micromirror device as a spatial light modulator. In an exposure sequence of one color, each micromirror of the mirror array of the spatial light modulator is driven by N-bit mirror drive data sequentially from most to least significant bits. While the micromirrors are driven responsive to the most to Jth significant bits of the N-bit data, the micromirrors are illuminated continuously, and the driving time intervals are reduced half by half. While the micromirrors are driven responsive to the lower bits of the N-bit data, the driving time intervals are maintained at a constant shortest value, and the micromirrors are illuminated intermittently for shorter times than the shortest driving time interval, allowing for more tonal levels than possible by modulating mirror driving intervals alone.

Abstract: An illumination system (10) having an automated calibration system (62) for adjusting the light intensity of individual elements (14) of an array of light emitting elements (12). An optical sensor (30) can be positioned in several locations (A,B,C) to sense incident light from a spatial light modulator (20) as the modulator is sequentially actuated one zone (50) at a time. The light output from each zone (50) of the spatial light modulator is characterized and compared to a golden standard, and the light emitting elements of the array associated with illuminating the zones that are deficient in light are ascertained. Adjustment circuitry (62) responsively adjusts and increases the drive current to the associated light emitting elements (14) that are deficient in light output. A look-up table is utilized to determine which LEDs (14) need adjustment to their drive currents to insure uniform illumination in the process and cross-process direction at an image plane.

Abstract: The technical field of the invention generally concerns systems for interactive access to stored video data. In particular, a video file server 20 includes both a random access data storage subsystem 78 and a archive data storage subsystem 82 for storing compressed video data. In response to commands from subscriber system 66, the video file server 20 transmits compressed video data to the subscriber systems 66 over lines 64A-64H, or receives compressed video data therefrom. Commands from the subscriber systems 66 may cause the video file server 20 to store compressed video data received from the subscriber systems 66 in the random access data storage subsystem 78 and/or archive data storage subsystem 82. Compression-decompression cards 42 included in the video file server 20 provide an authoring capability for storing compressed video and/or audio data in the random access data storage subsystem 78 and/or archive data storage subsystem 82, and for converting from one data compression standard to another.

Abstract: A video communications device used as part of a communication terminal in a video-conferencing arrangement provides the capability of real-time captioning along with real-time visual communication for the individuals that are hearing- or language-impaired and others whose speech is not understandable or non-existent. The device enhances the ability of people with communication disabilities to communicate quickly and effectively with those who are similarly afflicted as well as with those who are not. In one example embodiment, the video communications device includes a camera and a teletype device (TTY) for transmitting and receiving teletype information. The camera captures local images and generates a set of video signals representing those images. A teletype device captures input data from a user and generates a set of data signals. The device can be configured for compatibility with conventional equipment and for alerting users of incoming calls nonaudibly.

Abstract: There is disclosed a digital camera in which a lens cover formed with a plurality of holes is attached to a lens barrel. Different items of the print conditions are assigned to the individual holes. The camera senses these holes formed on the cover, recognizes the print conditions based on the sensed image, and transmits the recognized condition to a printing apparatus as print condition data.

Abstract: The communication terminal of one electronic still camera is connected to that of the other electronic still camera by means of a specific cable or infrared rays. The image data item to be transferred is selected from the image data items stored in the flash memory in the electronic still camera on the transmission side and the image data is displayed on the LCD. After determining the image data by pressing the shutter key in the key input section of one electronic still camera functioning as the master, the user specifies transmission or reception. The camera whose shutter has been pressed functions as a master and the other camera functions as a slave. In transmission, all or a given one of the image data items in the flash memory are transmitted to the slave camera. In reception, the image data is transmitted from the slave camera to the master camera. The received image data is stored in the flash memory via a DRAM.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus can display an object image and a line drawing overlapping each other. An area of the object image can be zoomed (enlarged or reduced) while the line drawing is left the same size, or optionally the line drawing can be zoomed in proportion to the object image zooming, so that the information displayed by the relative positional relationship between the object image and the line drawing is maintained.

Abstract: An imaging system having a CCD sensor varies the intensity of an input image presented to the sensor during an integration period of the sensor to enhance the intra-scene dynamic range of the imaging system. The sensor well depth of the CCD sensor is also varied during the integration period in a manner that complements the intensity variation to achieve the dynamic range improvement. In one approach, the intensity of the input image is progressively decreased during the integration period while the sensor well depth is correspondingly increased. In another approach, an intensifier unit is gated off during the integration period to provide the intensity variation. A closed loop control method is provided for controlling the image intensity and/or the well depth based upon the content of the present image.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus and method for controlling an exposure so as to maintain proper brightness for a target or desired object regardless of the background brightness. Such image pickup apparatus may include a level sensing unit having a number of level sensing or detecting devices including a first level sensing device for sensing an imaging output level of a specific luminance level area on an imaged screen and a second level sensing device for sensing an imaging output level of a skin tone area on the imaged screen. The image pickup apparatus may further include a control device for controlling the quantity of light received in an image pickup unit in accordance with the sensed or detected output levels. Additionally, the present color image pickup apparatus may be operable in a plurality of exposure modes in accordance with the imaging condition. As a result, an imaging output may be provided which has relatively high or excellent image quality.

Abstract: A circuit for controlling beam current in a picture tube, which circuit calculates current pictures for the R, G, B beam currents in the picture tube, which largely correspond to real beam currents in the color picture tube. The circuit comprises a comparator/integrator which compares a sum of these current pictures with a beam current information item for the purpose of controlling the R, G, B beam currents and/or the picture sharpness. Gamma correction is carried out in the circuit. The circuit may be of analog or digital construction and may advantageously be integrated in a video processor IC. The present circuit is particularly applicable for television sets or computer monitors.