Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing a weather information display includes a data receive and conditioning server for enhancing, compressing, encrypting and storing weather data specific to at least one area; and a distribution server for delivering the stored weather data to an Internet connection. A client utilizes a data send and receive module to request and receive the stored weather data specific to the at least one area and a display application to display the associated weather data as an overlay on an electronic navigation display. The displayed associated weather data can be at least one of Doppler weather radar images, wind and wave conditions, lightning strikes, surface water temperature, tides, air temperature, storm track, satellite images, short-term forecast, long-term forecast, and precipitation totals. The data send and receive module and the display application are software adapted to run on a general purpose computer and can be adapted to proprietary electronic navigation systems.

Abstract: A method for querying target information within a card view (15) is disclosed wherein a three-dimensional object (151) is selected on the basis of a user input and data (152) linked thereto is outputted. Preferably, in order to navigate within the card view (15), the gestures of the user are evaluated. The user can then navigate within a card view in a virtual manner and can easily query target information relating to an object.

Abstract: The invention is a mini pen-like wireless optical sliding-mouse with inner rechargeable battery (or discarding). It is unnecessary for usual battery exchanging. It is a portable sliding-mouse without external electric cable. It is very convenient for using and carrying.

Abstract: A mouse includes a housing, a wheel disposed rotatably in the housing and movable in a radial direction between upper and lower positions, a shaft extending through a center of the wheel and secured thereto, a detecting unit for detecting movement of the wheel, and a spring unit mounted in the housing and having two opposing coil parts that are respectively sleeved on two opposite ends of the shaft. Each of the coil parts has opposing end sections that diverge therefrom to slidably abut against the housing so as to suspend the wheel in the housing and that define an angle therebetween. The angle is enlarged when the wheel is moved from the upper position to the lower position, thereby providing an urging force to move the wheel from the lower position to the upper position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a detection system and a method for detecting unhealthy postures of using the keyboard. The detection system includes a keyboard, a triggering element, and a processor. The keyboard includes a palm rest. The triggering element is coupled to the palm rest and includes at least one circuit. The processor electrically connects to the circuit. When the triggering element is depressed, the circuit transmits a signal to the processor. The processor processes the signal and sends out a corresponding warning signal.

Abstract: A system and method for recording writing performed on a surface includes a stylus and a detector assembly having a base appliance and a personality module removably attachable to the base appliance. The detector assembly includes a storage medium which allows the system of the present invention to track and record writing while not connected to a processing device such as a computer, printer, wireless device or hand-held device.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for extended refreshable tactile graphic display are disclosed, the apparatus including an array of pins at a display surface, with pin setting actuators and display surface matrix preferably being separable units. The display matrix is provided by stacked functional layers, functions including temporary pin retention and pin locking.

Abstract: My invention, the “TRUCK-CAM”, is simply an LCD screen positioned in full view of the driver with mini-cams strategically placed at the back, sides and front of the truck. This will allow the driver an un-before view, previously blind to him. I feel confident that with my device in use, truck safety will be heightened tremendously. The technology is here, all that is needed is for the “TRUCK-CAM” to become a reality.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing the intensity output response time of a liquid crystal display is disclosed. A display driver circuit selectively substitutes compensation data words for data words in a data stream, in order to reduce the intensity output rise time of a liquid crystal display. In one embodiment, the display driver circuit includes a buffer and a rise time compensator. The buffer receives and stores a first data word intended to be written to a particular pixel. The rise time compensator, upon receipt of a second data word intended for the same pixel, retrieves the first data word from the buffer, compares the value of the second data word to the value of the first data word, and selectively outputs either the second data word or a compensation data word, depending on the relative values of the first and second data words.

Abstract: A display device, which defines an attached state or a removed state with respect to an electronic appliance, includes a display section, a driver for driving the display section, a transceiver for transmitting or receiving a signal to/from the electronic appliance, and a system controller for controlling the driver and the transceiver. At least portion of the transceiver and at least portion of the system controller are integrated together with the display section and the driver on the same substrate.

Abstract: A burst mode inverter that drives a discharge tube lamp in a manner that produces more emissions. A DC power supplier produces DC power. An inverter converts that DC power to AC power having a Pulse Width Modulated frequency that is between 2 and 3 times the system's frame frequency. A duty cycle controller controls the duty-on-time of the Pulse Width Modulation frequency so as to be with the range of about 40% to 100%.

Abstract: A computer graphics system is provided that includes a memory to store image data, a bin pointer list to store information regarding a plurality of image subscenes, and a pointer cache system to maintain data regarding the plurality of image subscenes. The pointer cache system may include a tag array section, a data array section and a decoupling section.

Abstract: The invention provides a device for reproducing a three-dimensional image with a background, which device reproduces a three-dimensional image standing out from a background picture.

Abstract: A system and method for texture-based volume rendering accelerated by contouring texture hulls is provided. Bounding geometries, such as rectangles, cuboids, or the like surrounding the non-empty regions as well as the contouring borders of the non-empty regions are found. The bounding shapes are treated as the hulls of the non-empty sub-textures. The nonempty sub-textures are stored and rendered. Texels outside the hulls are skipped.

Abstract: The invention relates to a coding system for storing whichever dimension multidimensional virtual worlds data, to the end of their high-speed transmission among information processing systems and their shared use and creation. With the proposed method, as for the invention, information needed to define three-dimensional objects and other entities needed to create a virtual world in space and time are stored into reusable procedural data structures. In this way a “compression by concepts” of virtual world data is done. Such data are not stored and transmitted as they are, but as abstractions of object categories. Such a technique allows to reuse any data structures any time an object of its type is requested; in this way the amount of data to store or transmit is greatly reduced, and the downloading and exploration of virtual worlds in real time even with low-speed connections are thus allowed.

Abstract: A secondary representative Z value memory includes a reduced-resolution representation of a primary representative Z value memory. Upon updating of a block of the primary representative Z value memory, one or more corresponding values are calculated for updating the reduced-resolution representation.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for typesetting a text line of characters with different fonts or different sizes without the presence of a preset baseline in the font. A coordination line is set for the text line to coordinate the characters. The dimensions of each character to be typeset on the text line is first determined. An embox is determined for each character, where the vertical and horizontal size of each embox are the determined dimensions for the character. The characters are compared with at least one preselected reference character of the same font, and a coordination point is determined for each character in its embox, based on the result of the comparison with the reference character. Finally the coordination point is coordinated for each of the characters with the coordination line in order to typeset the characters on the text line.

Abstract: A programmable graphics pipeline and method for processing multiple partitioned multimedia data, such as graphics data, image data, video data, or audio data. A preferred embodiment of the programmable graphics pipeline includes an instruction cache, a register file, and a vector functional unit that perform partitioned instructions. In addition, an enhanced rasterization unit is used to generate inverse-mapped source coordinates in addition to destination output coordinates for graphics and other media processing. An enhanced texture address unit generates corresponding memory addresses of source texture data for graphics processing and source media data for media processing. Data retrieved from memory are stored in an enhanced texture cache for use by the vector functional unit. A vector output unit includes a blending unit for graphics data and an output buffer for wide media data.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for accessing memory locations in a memory device in different orders. In one implementation, a memory device includes: a memory array, including a plurality of memory locations divided into memory pages, where each memory location has a row address and a column address; a row decoder connected to the memory array for selecting a row address in the memory array; a column decoder connected to the memory array for selecting a column address in the memory array; and a multi-sequence address generator for generating addresses, where the multi-sequence address generator has a burst mode and in burst mode generates one of two or more burst sequences of addresses according to received burst parameters, and where each sequence has an index indicating the separation between two addresses in the sequence.

Abstract: A novel storage format enabling a method for improved memory management of video images is described. The method includes receiving an image consisting of a plurality of color components. Once received, the plurality of color components is converted to a mixed format of planar format and packed format. The mixed packet format is implemented by storing one or more of the plurality of color components in a planar format and storing one or more of the plurality of color components in a packed format. A method for writing out video images is also described utilizing a write combining (WC) fame buffer. The decoding method motion compensates groups of macroblocks in order to eliminate partial writes from the WC frame buffer.

Abstract: The present invention relates, in general, to a standardized color selection apparatus and methods of making and using same and, more particularly, to a standardization selection apparatus that is capable of selecting one or more areas of an electronic image and/or one or more pixel colors of an electronic image for further use and processing.

Abstract: A technique is provided for aligning and formatting multi-operand pixel data, for example, within a pixel formatter of a graphics engine for a set-top box system. The technique includes, in one embodiment, obtaining pixel data of a first alignment and a first format for conversion to a second alignment and a second format. The pixel data undergoes pre-alignment where the first alignment of the pixel data is changed to a bit zero alignment, after which the pixel data is reformatted from the first format to the second format. The reformatted pixel data is post-aligned to change from bit zero alignment to the second alignment. In one embodiment, the pixel data is source pixel data or pattern pixel data, while the second alignment and the second format are alignment and format of destination pixel data.

Abstract: An information processing method and apparatus are disclosed. The drawing information including at least the information including at least one object that can be displayed, the information pertinent to the size in the line direction and in the line feed direction of the object, and the layout-related information, is analyzed, the coordinate information pertinent to a display start position of the object in a drawing area is acquired based on the analyzed result, the coordinate information pertinent to the display start position is converted based on the layout-related information acquired by the results of analysis and the converted coordinate information pertinent to the display start position is converted into the real drawing coordinate information on the drawing area.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for transforming an object image, e.g., using a rotation and/or scaling, for showing it on a display unit having a matrix-shaped array of target image points. In order to achieve a rapid and exact representation of the rotated object at relatively low expenditure, the present invention provides, for at least a portion of the target image points, determining source image points by an inverse transformation, and comparing the source image points to pre-stored object image points. From this comparison, the target image point data of the target image points are ascertained. Furthermore, a suitable image of such a transformation is created.

Abstract: A method and a pointing device are provided for reporting a movement amount of an operation instrumentality of the pointing device. A first value representing the movement amount in a first direction is examined. Whether scaling should be performed is determined based on the first value. When it is determined that scaling is to be performed, the first value is scaled by a first scaling factor and a first scaling indicator is set to indicate that the first value is scaled by the first scaling factor. Reporting information is then output, including the first value if scaling has not been performed, and when scaling has been performed, the reporting information includes the scaled first value and the first scaling indicator. The first value may be scaled by one of a plurality of scaling factors selected based on the first value.

Abstract: A reference voltage generation circuit includes a ladder resistor circuit. First to i-th (“i” is an integer larger than or equal to 2) reference voltages are outputted from first to i-th division nodes which are formed by dividing the ladder resistor circuit by resistor elements R0 to Ri connected in series. A first switching circuit is inserted between one end of the resistor element R0 and a first power source line. A second switching circuit is inserted between one end of the resistor element Ri and a second power sourceline. First to i-th reference voltage output switching circuits are inserted between the first to i-th division nodes and first to i-th reference voltage output nodes. The first and second switching circuits and on/off state of the first to i-th reference voltage output switching circuits are controlled by a given switching control signal.

Abstract: A reference voltage generation circuit outputs multi-valued reference voltages by a ladder resistance circuit connected between a first power supply line to which a power supply voltage on the high potential side is supplied and a second power supply line to which a power supply voltage on the low potential side is supplied. The ladder resistance circuit is formed by connecting a plurality of resistance circuits in series. A first impedance variable circuit of the reference voltage generation circuit changes a first impedance value (resistance value) between the first power supply line and a jth (j is an integer) divided node. A second impedance variable circuit in the reference voltage generation circuit changes a second impedance value (resistance value) between the kth (1≦j<k≦i, k is an integer) divided node and the second power supply line.

Abstract: A media browsing system prepares various media content and synchronizes the content with a media player for playback. A user can specify the content and preconfigure the manner in which the content will be subsequently accessible through a common user interface on the media player. A variety of media players having configurable, common user interfaces promote a consistent media browsing experience across media players for users accessing a variety of preconfigured media content.

Abstract: A network load analyzer determines a network load for one or more software applications concurrently operating in a network. The network load analyzer includes a trace analyzer for analyzing at least one trace input file over a plurality of predetermined sample time intervals to produce at least one trace output file. An analyzer determines information from the at least one trace output file responsive to receiving the at least one trace output file to produce determined information. An output device displays the determined information from the at least one trace output file.

Abstract: A content transmission system capable of realizing UI operations which are adapted to each specific content which is transmitted to a terminal device is provided. In the content transmission system, a content described in hypertext is transmitted from a content server 1 to a terminal device 3 via the network so as to be displayed at the terminal device 3. The content contains program identification information. In the content server 1, a server controlling section 11 transmits the content stored in the content storage section 12 to the terminal device 3, and transmits a UI operation program stored in a program storage section 13. In the terminal device 3, a display processing section 35 displays the content which has been transmitted from the content server 1. A UI operation execution section 34 executes the operations described in the UI operation program which has been transmitted from the content server 1.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a user with access to a plurality of television services and content from a number of remote servers and that provides the user with access to the desired service and content through a graphical interface that is customisable and personalised for each user. In one embodiment, the system includes application components, a database component, one or more user interface servers and one or more user devices. The application components provide the user with their services such as, for example, electronic programme guide service, video on demand service, world wide web access, electronic mail etc. These systems retrieve and provide the content that is accessed and ultimately delivered to the user for viewing and interactivity. The database component contains user profile data and usage information as well as content and formatting data.

Abstract: A form and information integration system includes individual systems and a network connecting the individual systems. The systems include a first system, a central system, and a second system. A plurality of information located on the integration system is obtainable by the first system and the information is related to a plurality of forms. Selected elements of the information obtained by the first system are used to pre-populate the forms. A common language facilitates the transfers of the selected elements of the information between the individual systems. A navigation bar with common elements associates with the individual systems is associated with the information obtainable by the first system.

Abstract: In an e-mail processing system with a predetermined limit on the number of destination addresses of a piece of e-mail to be sent, the present invention determines whether the number of destination addresses of a piece of e-mail being viewed to be returned to everyone exceeds the predetermined limit when directed to be returned to everyone for the e-mail being viewed, and generates a piece of return mail creation screen with predetermined addresses in the e-mail being viewed being set as destinations of the piece of return mail when the predetermined limit is determined to be exceeded and generates a piece of return mail creation screen with everyone's address for the piece of e-mail being viewed being set as a destination of the piece of return mail when the predetermined limit is determined not to be exceeded. This configuration improves viewability and operability, for example, when a user directs to create a “Return to Everyone” mail.

Abstract: A method and system to decompose, display, modify and substitute the contents of self-describing objects is presented. A user-friendly graphical user interface is designed to facilitate the processing of these objects. Since objects can be arbitrarily complex, the presentation of information in a clear and concise manner is critically important. The user can modify the values for existing objects, and by using the copy and paste operations, the user can construct new objects. These changes are made through the graphical user interface where the contents of the object is displayed and controls are provided to modify existing objects or to create new objects. The particular embodiment deals with CORBA objects of type ANY. Objects of ANY type include a Helper class to support the insertion and extraction of information. This class is dynamically created and invoked to assist in obtaining the contents from the ANY type. There are also methods to help narrow the type of objects.

Abstract: A method for generating a presentation of region-of-interest in an information representation including the steps of: selecting a viewpoint for the region-of-interest; selecting a location for the region-of-interest; creating a lens surface having a predetermined location for the region-of-interest; creating a transformed presentation by: determining a mapping for pixel coordinates from the representation to the lens surface by applying a distortion function defining said lens surface to said pixel coordinates; calculating a vector from the predetermined location to the location; and, copying pixel information from the representation to the lens surface according to the mapping as displaced by the vector; and, displaying the transformed presentation on a display screen to generate the presentation of the region-of-interest.

Abstract: A method for generating a presentation of a region-of-interest in an information representation including the steps of: selecting a viewpoint for the region-of-interest; creating a lens surface for the region-of-interest; the lens surface having a focal region and a shoulder region surrounding the focal region; creating a transformed presentation by: determining boundaries in the representation for the focal region and the shoulder region; determining boundaries on the lens surface corresponding to the boundaries in the representation by applying a distortion function defining the lens surface to the boundaries in the representation; perspectively projecting the boundaries on the lens surface onto a plane spaced from the viewpoint; and, copying information in the representation lying within the boundaries in the representation onto the focal region and the shoulder region of the lens surface using respective focal region and shoulder region stretch bit-block transfer operations; and, displaying the transforme

Abstract: A system and method in which a real-time display includes a graphical user interface that enables the user to control the display screen. More specifically, the display screen may include a slider control icon that determines the amount of historical data that is retained after the display screen fills up and the location of the next data point following a screen update. The slider control icon enables greater flexibility in displaying real-time data through an easy to use interface. In one embodiment, the system determines whether the display screen is full when it detects a new data point. If the display screen is full, the system determines the location of the slider icon. Based upon the determined position of the slider icon, the system shifts the historical data, discards portions of the historical data, and begins appending new data points at the position of the slider.

Abstract: A musical keyboard is connected to a computer. The computer implements a graphical user interface for teaching users to play the musical instrument. A computer readable music file, such as a MIDI file, is used to drive the creation of game objects that travel from a point of origination along a path toward a key of a virtual keyboard. In one form, when a user presses a key of the musical keyboard within a certain time window of arrival of the game object at the corresponding key of the virtual keyboard, the user is awarded with an audio presentation, a visual presentation and/or with game points. In a more structured learning mode, the game can be played with selectable, progressively more difficult challenges that the user masters on the road to proficiency.

Abstract: A course editor includes an input to accept author commands. An interface processes and displays the author commands to facilitate the creation of a course. The interface may include a workspace to display and assemble the structural elements into the course. The workspace may include a menu of structural elements that may be added to the course. The workspace is configured to display a structural element in response to an author command selecting the structural element from the menu. The structural elements may be a sub-course, a learning unit, and/or a knowledge item.

Abstract: A system for conveying location of an object by varying a characteristic such as size, color, or intensity of an icon located in a two dimensional display. In the illustrative embodiment, the invention represents aircraft altitude by the size of an icon. Each aircraft position and heading is plotted as location and orientation of the icon in two-dimensional space, the axes of which represent latitude and longitude. The size of the icon is selected from a limited number of discriminably different sizes to represent the aircraft altitude. Each size represents a distinct altitude range.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a portable information terminal is connected via a network to a server capable of delivering a main image and a thumbnail image that corresponds to the main image, thereby acquiring the thumbnail image or image number. Then, the main image stored in the server, the main image corresponding to the thumbnail image, is printed out by a printer connected via the network in accordance with a command from the portable information terminal via the network.

Abstract: A user interface system is disclosed which is useful for applying decision values to objects defined in terms of attributes, incorporating the concepts of inheritance, adoption, and rebel values. This invention addresses a group of objects that retain the same set of attributes and applies decision values to the selected groups of objects using a value inheritance system analogous to that of an ancestral tree. This invention employs novel methods for constructing a virtual single hierarchical system out of any multiple attributes system, inheriting decision values along family tree lines, and displaying the user's assignment decisions.

Abstract: A method and system that provides filtered data from a data system. In one embodiment the system includes an API (application programming interface) and associated software modules to enable third party applications to access an enterprise data system. Administrators are enabled to select specific user interface (UI) objects, such as screens, views, applets, columns and fields to voice or pass-through enable via a GUI that presents a tree depicting a hierarchy of the UI objects within a user interface of an application. An XSLT style sheet is then automatically generated to filter out data pertaining to UI objects that were not voice or pass-through enabled. In response to a request for data, unfiltered data are retrieved from the data system and a specified style sheet is applied to the unfiltered data to return filtered data pertaining to only those fields and columns that are voice or pass-through enabled.

Abstract: A method of providing a number approximating a total number of ink drops fired by an imaging device, including the steps of incrementing a COUNT variable associated with a color of ink if an ink drop of that color is fired by a printhead in the imaging device, evaluating the value of the COUNT variable and incrementing a TOTAL INK CONSUMED variable associated with the color, dependent upon the evaluating step.

Abstract: When a printer carries out maintenance by control by a maintenance control portion 52, an ink information obtaining portion 73 calculates the amount of the consumed ink. The calculated ink amount is stored in a storage element attached to an ink cartridge by a storage element managing portion 74. By doing this, the amount of ink not used in actual printing such as the amount of ink used for maintenance can be grasped by reading out the contents of the storage element later.

Abstract: An inkjet head driving circuit driving piezoelectric actuators 21 for ink ejection provided on an inkjet head H is provided with an analog switch 71 (72) whose input can be switched between the output voltage of a D/A converter 62 (63) and ground potential, and outputs either that output voltage or ground potential to a waveform generating portion 64. The analog switch 71 (72) is configured such that when a digital signal for generating a voltage rising waveform (voltage falling waveform) with the waveform generating portion 64 is input into the D/A converter 62 (63), the input into the analog switch 71 (72) is switched from ground potential to the output voltage of the D/A converter 62 (63).

Abstract: In an ink jet apparatus for manufacturing a color filter 1, ink jet heads 22 having a plurality of nozzle 27 are disposed in a linear manner. Filter element member is ejected to a motherboard 12 from a plurality of nozzles 27 four times so as to form the filter element 3 in a predetermined thickness. By doing this, it is possible to prevent difference in the thickness in a plurality of the filter elements 3 and to equalize light transparency in planar manner. Thus, in an ejecting apparatus, a color filter can be formed in more common way at low cost and more efficiently. Also, it is possible to provide an ejecting apparatus which can equalize factors such as electrooptical characteristics of the electrooptical members, color displaying characteristics by the liquid crystal apparatuses, and illuminating characteristics by an EL surface.

Abstract: A receptacle for the color ink spitting of a printhead to maintain the print nozzles and better collect the ink and transfer the waste ink to a containment area utilizes a porous open cell foam spit surface to allow the waste ink and air to pass through while maintaining some surfaces for the transport and collection of waste ink. This open cell design of the foam allows the ink and air to pass through it without deflecting the vast majority of the ink volume. The foam is hydrophobic foam to prevent the foam from absorbing the ink. The foam is also made from an ether-based material to be compatible with the inks. Walls forming a chimney are added to the sides of the foam to help contain and direct the waste ink flow from the printhead to the waste ink accumulation area in the printer. The spit foam and chimney direct the waste ink directly onto a felt absorption pad located below the spit surface where the waste ink is absorbed and stored.

Abstract: This apparatus has a liquid jet head for ejecting liquid drops from nozzle openings of a nozzle plate, a scanning mechanism for scanning the head in the head scanning direction, a feed mechanism for feeding an object to be processed in the direction perpendicular to the head scanning direction, an absorption member arranged in the area, which is on the rear side of the object during processing and opposite to the head, for absorbing liquid drops ejected in the area outside the object, and a potential difference generation unit for generating a potential difference between at least one of the absorption member and the member neighboring the absorption member and the nozzle plate. According to this apparatus, liquid drops ejected from the head into the area outside the object can be prevented from misting.

Abstract: In an inkjet printer, a print medium is selectively printed on in a multiple pass printing mode and/or a single pass printing mode. During the single pass printing mode, the print medium is printed on in a single pass height. The print medium is advanced a distance less than the single pass height. During the multiple pass printing mode, the print medium is printed on in a multiple pass height. The multiple pass height is less than the single pass height. The print medium is advanced a distance approximately equal to the multiple pass height.