Abstract: A method includes displaying a second electronic screen overlay on a display, in response to an initial selection of one of provided polysemous symbols, the second electronic screen overlay being the electronic screen overlay associated with the selected polysemous symbol; storing, in the memory, a plurality of visual scenes, each respective one of the plurality of visual scenes being stored in association with at least two symbol sequences beginning with the initially selected polysemous symbol; and displaying one of the plurality of visual scenes on the display, in response to selection of one of the symbols on the displayed second electronic screen overlay, the displayed visual scene being stored in the memory in association with at least two symbol sequences including, in sequence, the initially selected polysemous symbol and the selected one of the symbols on the displayed second electronic screen overlay.

Abstract: A messaging method using a mobile user terminal, the method including: creating, at the mobile user terminal, at least one graphical messaging symbol adapted to convey a meaning to a message recipient; preparing message content including at least one of the created graphical messaging symbols using the mobile terminal; and sending the message to a recipient via a communication network.

Abstract: Methods and systems for object based data management and reporting involving graphical display of objects and related data. A method for object based data management including providing a chart showing a plurality of objects, retrieving object based data relating to each object, determining comparable data for the plurality of objects, and selectively graphically overlaying the comparable data on the chart. A system for physical object based data management including a data collection module adapted to retrieve object based data relating to each object, a data analysis module adapted to determine comparable data for the plurality of objects, and a display module adapted to selectively display the comparable data as a chart. In a particular case, the system and method may be used for tracking data relating to a classroom and students.

Abstract: According to the present invention, it is possible to create electronic document data capable of highlighting an object detected through a search so that a user can easily recognize it. An image processing apparatus extracts an object from an input image and extracts metadata related to the object. The image processing apparatus, when determines to describe with a shape in accordance with the shape of the object, creates a vector path description of frame described with a shape in accordance with the shape of the object. Then, the image processing apparatus creates an electronic document including data of the input image and the vector path description of frame with which the metadata is associated. When a keyword search is performed on the created electronic document, highlight display is performed in accordance with the vector path description of frame with which metadata that matches the keyword is associated.

Abstract: A method of sharing image comments comprises displaying an image on a display of an electronic device, adding a comment associated with the image, selecting one or more destinations for sharing the image and the associated comment, and sharing the image and the associated comment with the one or more selected destinations.

Abstract: A method for automatically producing video cartoons with user-provided faces superimposed on cartoon characters is presented. A cartoon template stores the original video cartoon with unanimously-colored backgrounds and original cartoon characters' faces drawn following the guidelines of the invention. A background detection algorithm is used to detect the unanimously-colored backgrounds, while a face detection algorithm is used to detect the facial colors, facial expressions, sizes, rotations, positions and clippings of the original cartoon characters' faces. The detected unanimously-colored backgrounds may be replaced by optional user-provided backgrounds. User-provided faces with the best matching user-specified facial colors and expressions are superimposed over and on top of the corresponding original faces of the cartoon characters at the detected sizes, rotations, positions and clippings to produce the final video cartoon. The cartoon template can be distributed to many different users.

Abstract: A media content distribution and display system and method that includes a central server, a number of remote display devices, and an electronic network for communicating therebetween. The central server receives and stores a plurality of media content, where each of the media content has one or more attributes associated therewith that relate to characteristics of the media content. The remote display devices receive the media content from the central server. Each remote display device includes at least one electronic display, one or more target attributes associated with the remote display device that relate to environmental variables of the remote display device, and a biasing engine for comparing the media content attributes with the target attributes, and for causing the electronic display to display only those of the media content having one or more of the attributes associated therewith that satisfy a predetermined matching criteria.

Abstract: A method and system for coordinating a specific subscribed service on a mobile communication device are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, this is provided a method for coordinating a specific subscribed service on a mobile communication device, comprising: registering the mobile communication device with a node; transmitting identification information to the node, the identification information including an identifier of a device, an identifier of a vendor, an identifier of a user, and an identifier of a subscribed service; receiving information from the node in response to the transmitting; and enabling the specific subscribed service in accordance with the received information.

Abstract: A method for detecting, scaling, and positioning handwritten information from hardcopy media, the method includes the steps of digitizing the media and detecting handwritten information; analyzing the media to determine an available location in the digitized image for placement; determining the orientation of the media and handwritten information; and orienting, scaling, and positioning the detected handwritten information. The method further includes storing or using the digitized image side with the handwritten information.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for encoding an image file is provided. The method includes generating an animation object according to a user input; generating animation data including the animation object; generating image data that is reproducible independently from the animation data; generating an integrated image file, which includes the image data and the animation data; and storing the generated integrated image file in a memory.

Abstract: Enhanced character input using recognized gestures, in which a user's first and second gestures are recognized, and a control including radially disposed interaction elements is output. At least a portion of the interaction elements are associated with clusters of characters. When an interaction element is selected, the characters associated with the selected interaction element are disposed radially in relation to the selected interaction element. Using the control, the interaction element and a character associated with the selected interaction element are selected based on the user's recognized first and second gestures, respectively, and the selected character is output.

Abstract: A system and method for label placement is disclosed that achieves the twin goals of practical efficiency and high labeling quality by employing cartographic heuristics. A caller defines map and label properties. Then labels are pulled within a map boundary. Labels are next ordered by priority in descending importance. The order of testing labels is determined. Attempts are made to move overlapping labels. This is an iterative process; therefore there must be criteria that halt the procedure. Upon reaching an acceptable solution, the label properties are adjusted to reflect the new label placements.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to temporarily rendering a display on a display device using map data stored in a high speed memory of the display device while the display device is waiting to receive updated data from a display device persistent memory or a remote map data database in response to a user initiated request for updated data. The present disclosure also relates to a display device high speed memory management module for managing the contents of a high speed memory.

Abstract: A simultaneously interactive map display and textual listing is presented where both are simultaneously displayed on a display device. The display area of the display device is divided between the map display and the textual listing with one of them receiving a greater proportion than the other. User input directed to the one receiving the greater proportion can be responded to in a traditional manner, while user input directed to the one receiving the lesser proportion can cause a transition whereby the display area is re-proportioned and, with such re-proportioning, the user input can also be responded to in a traditional manner. Additionally, user selections in the textual listing can be simultaneously reflected in the map display, and vice versa, irrespective of which has the greater proportion of the display area. Optionally, a re-proportioning transition can be triggered by such user selections.

Abstract: To remove an underline even if a business document includes a chart or even if the underline touches a character string, provided is an underline removal apparatus that removes an underline area from binary image data including the underline area touching a character string, the underline removal apparatus including: an underline search processing unit that executes a line template matching process by setting a point on the binary image data as a starting point to set a rectangular line template, tracing pixels included in the line template, and extracting a polyline indicating underline position coordinates; and an underline removal processing unit that uses the polyline to execute a process of obtaining background borderline coordinates between the underline area and a background area and character borderline coordinates between the underline area and the character string obtained by applying an interpolation process to a part in the underline area touching the character string and to execute a process of r

Abstract: Disclosed is a method (800) for dynamically selecting a graphics display window within an image. A spatial gradient measurement is performed (805) on the image. Convoluted pixel values are calculated (810) for the image. A plurality of image characteristics for a plurality of window position options is determined (815) using the calculated convoluted pixel values. The plurality of window position options have a geometry that is able to accommodate a geometry of a graphics display. Graphics are placed (820) in one of the plurality of window position options based on the plurality of image characteristics.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for presenting image data to include a graphic element. In one embodiment a method includes acquiring image data from a display buffer of a device, analyzing the image data to identify active and passive regions of the image data and ranking passive regions to determine a confidence measure for each passive region. The method may further include modifying the image data for display on the device to include a graphic element, wherein the graphic element is presented in a passive region based on the ranking.

Abstract: When a user interface is scrolled, data requests are made. If the data is not found in cache, the data is retrieved from a remote server by asynchronously placing data requests to a server starting with the last added data request. Through a relaxed loader, the mobile device does not bombard the remote server with requests. By removing older data requests, the mobile application fetches data more in line with the current display. After receiving the data from the remote server, the data is decoded and compressed. The data is placed within cache. When multiple entries exist, the data within cache is associated and processed. Instead of the interface decoding data from the cache for each entry, the processed data is provided to the interface removing processing and required memory for each entry.

Abstract: A viewer unit, comprising a display control device configured to control to shift the position of the display range sequentially within the page image in accordance with the positional line determined by the determination device in order to display the images of each display range sequentially on the display device.

Abstract: A method embeds a message into a document containing a set of glyphs. Individual glyphs in the document, groups of glyphs in the document, or the entire document are represented using a distance field that includes distance values from the shapes of interest. Each symbol of the message is represented as modifications of a subset of the distance values in the distance field. This subset of the distance values in the distance field is modified according to modification to produce a modified glyph in a modified document, wherein the symbol in the message is embedded in the modified glyph.

Abstract: A system and method for observing a personal networking event which shares the position of a number of friendly participants with other participants within a group. In one form, the position of unknown participants meeting certain criteria is also displayed to a user or one or more friendly participants. The views are selectable by friendly participants on, for example, a GPS equipped cell phone, to include a view from the participant's position, zoom, pan, and tilt views, or views from another friendly location or from another geographic location, giving increased situational awareness and identification of participants. Other information can be shared among friendly participants, including social information, status and directions.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes first and second display control units and an operation region specifying unit. The first display control unit is configured to control display of an image of a content by displaying a plurality of article information pieces in a plurality of regions laid out in advance in the image, the article information pieces each being constituted of one of a character string and a picture image, and the article information pieces and the regions being correlated with each other. The operation region specifying unit is configured to specify on which of the regions in the image an operation is performed. The second display control unit is configured to control display of an additional image by displaying the article information pieces in a predetermined region in the image, the article information pieces excepting the article information piece correlated with the specified region.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image display apparatus including a recording unit in which a plurality of images are recorded, an obtaining unit which obtains at least one displaying image from the recording unit, a display unit and a setting unit which sets at least one image display region in the display unit. The image display apparatus further includes a deciding unit which decides a position for arranging the displaying image in the image display region and a control unit which displays the relating information corresponding to the displaying image in a non-arranging region along a longer dimensional direction thereof.

Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method thereof for recording a presentation. The presentation recording apparatus includes: a projector operable to project an original image of a presentation onto a screen; a camera operable to capture the image of the presentation projected onto the screen and a light of a pointing device which is irradiated onto the screen; a memory; and a controller, wherein if the projector projects the image of the presentation onto the screen, the controller controls the camera to capture the image of the presentation projected onto the screen, determines coordinate information corresponding to a position of the light of the pointing device irradiated onto the screen, and controls the memory to store the original image of the presentation together with the determined coordinate information.

Abstract: An approach is provided for providing list-based exploration of mapping data. The list-based exploration platform causes, at least in part, an association of one or more features of a geographical area with one or more list objects. Next, the list-based exploration platform processes and/or facilitates a processing of location information associated with one or more map data items to group, to sort, or a combination thereof the one or more map data items into the one or more list objects. Then, the list-based exploration platform causes, at least in part, a rendering of at least one of the one or more list objects in a user interface, wherein the user interface includes one or more user interface elements for controlling a browsing of the one or more map data items in the at least one of the one or more list objects.

Abstract: An image processing system and method for comparing and correcting two monochromic images A2 and B2 that extracts a skeleton of objects in the monochromic image A2 to generate a skeleton image A3 and extracts a skeleton of objects in the monochromic image B2 to generate a skeleton image B3. The system and method then covers the skeleton image A3 with the monochromic image B2 to generate a covered image A4, and covers the skeleton image B3 with the monochromic image A2 to generate a covered image B4. The system and method further corrects allowable variances in the covered images A4 and B4, and outputs the covered images whose variances have been corrected.

Abstract: A playback apparatus includes an output unit configured to output main video data used as a main image, sub-video data used as a subsidiary image, cursor data to display a cursor, graphics data to display operation guidance, and sub-picture data to display subtitles, a first blend processing unit configured to superimpose the sub-video data, the sub-picture data, the cursor data and the graphics data, and a second blend processing unit configured to superimpose the superimposed data obtained by the first blend processing unit and the main video data.

Abstract: The present invention provides a character highlighting control apparatus including a character pixel extractor and a highlighting degree controller. The character pixel extractor is configured to extract a pixel corresponding to a character part from input image data. The highlighting degree controller is configured to carry out control in such a way that a maximum emission luminance of a display device is linked with input image data, to thereby selectively increase an emission luminance of an extracted pixel on a display screen and avoid increase of an emission luminance of a background part on the display screen.

Abstract: Systems and methods corresponding to an open area map are disclosed. For example, one method includes receiving an image of a layout corresponding to a real-world area in which a person moves about. The image is in a vector graphics format. A reference region is determined using the image of the layout. A grid is combined with the reference region to generate a routable map. The routable map is configured to provide point-to-point routing within the layout.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus are disclosed for providing natural hazard information associated with a piece of property. In one aspect, a method is provided for providing natural hazard data. The method includes receiving geographic location information associated with a property. The method further includes retrieving natural hazard information associated with the geographic location of the property. The method further includes generating data based on the natural hazard information associated with the geographic location of the property for displaying on a computing device. The method further includes transferring the generated data to the computing device. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.

Abstract: The transfer of a duplicate electronic document between image forming devices is done with an electronic document that is formed of only resolution-independent vector data and the like, and a normal printing of the duplicate electronic document or printing of different resolution is performed by developing the vector data. In high-quality printing of the duplicate electronic document, a Fill Map included in the original document the information indicating the location of an electronic document of copy source that is embedded in a metadata specifies is obtained, and this printing is made using the Fill Map.

Abstract: In an area selected as a highlighted display target, an area to be displayed in a highlighted manner or an area to be displayed in a character-invisible manner can be designated based on a color for highlighting. A display control unit for collectively controlling, for each area for which the same color has been designated, whether to display each selected area in at least text of a headword in a manner highlighted with a color designated for each area or to display the area in a character-invisible manner using the designated color and a first accepting unit for accepting designation of a color through a second input portion are provided. When there is an area displayed in a manner highlighted with the designated color at the time of acceptance of designation of the color, the display control unit causes the area displayed in the highlighted manner to be in turn displayed in a character-invisible manner using the designated color.

Abstract: A computer system comprises a Basic Input/Output System (“BIOS”) graphical engine and a BIOS graphics look and feel module. The BIOS graphics look and feel module is separate from the BIOS graphical engine, and comprises a look and feel definition that defines the appearance and behavior of BIOS graphical user interface displays presented to a user before an operating system acquires control of the system. The BIOS graphical engine transforms information to be displayed for a user in accordance with the look and feel definition to provide a uniform appearance and behavior to graphical displays provided to the user.

Abstract: In order to display the image included in the original one on a display part together with outputting the object, a key in a keypad on an operation part by a user. Thereby, the key operated by the user is specified in both of the mask image creation part 32 and data notification part 35. Subsequently, it is judged whether there is the object inherently assigned to the specified key or not. When the judge result is affirmative, the object that corresponds to the operation of the key is output together with displaying the image included in the original one. As a result, a changing of output object when an image included in an original one is displayed together with outputting an object is able to perform simply for the user.

Abstract: A messaging method using a mobile user terminal, the method including the steps of: creating, at the mobile user terminal, at least one graphical messaging symbol adapted to convey a meaning to a message recipient; preparing message content including at least one of the created graphical messaging symbols using the mobile terminal; and sending the message to a recipient via a communication network.

Abstract: According to an illustrative embodiment, a display controller is provided. The display controller includes a control section for controlling a display to display a sequence of images, first character information corresponding to a first displayed image of the sequence of images, and other character information corresponding to an image in the sequence of images which is prior to the first displayed image, wherein the control section controls display of the first character information and the other character information in response to a user operation.

Abstract: A wireless networked device incorporating a display, a video camera and a geo-location system receives geo-located data messages from a server system. Messages can be viewed by panning the device, revealing the message's real world location as icons and text overlaid on top of the camera input on the display. The user can reply to the message from her location, add data to an existing message at its original location, send new messages to other users of the system or place a message at a location for other users. World Wide Web geo-located data can be explored using the system's user interface as a browser. The server system uses the physical location of the receiving device to limit messages and data sent to each device according to range and filtering criteria, and can determine line of sight between the device and each actual message to simulate occlusion effects.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture for illustrating progress in achieving a goal of a system modeled by a computer program. In one embodiment, the invention is evidenced by a method comprising the steps of displaying a widget wherein the widget comprises a center portion representing a category of data represented by the computer program and the category of data includes n data points that must be fulfilled to achieve the goal and an outer portion, comprising a segment representing each one of the n data points; and updating the widget to represent each of the n data points that has been fulfilled by delineating each segment representing a fulfilled data point requirement from each segment representing a non-fulfilled data point requirement.

Abstract: When a user interface is scrolled, data requests are made. If the data is not found in cache, the data is retrieved from a remote server by asynchronously placing data requests to a server starting with the last added data request. Through a relaxed loader, the mobile device does not bombard the remote server with requests. By removing older data requests, the mobile application fetches data more in line with the current display. After receiving the data from the remote server, the data is decoded and compressed. The data is placed within cache. When multiple entries exist, the data within cache is associated and processed. Instead of the interface decoding data from the cache for each entry, the processed data is provided to the interface removing processing and required memory for each entry.

Abstract: Assisted face selection is disclosed. According to some implementations, a method can include obtaining contact information associated with a contact and displaying on an interface of a computing device an image (e.g., a thumbnail image) representative of the contact. The method can include receiving an indication to change the contact-representative image, determining that one or more other images from a plurality of other images correspond to the contact based on the contact information, and displaying the one or more other images. The method can include receiving a selection of one of the one or more other images and displaying on the interface the selected image as the contact-representative image. Receiving the indication can include receiving a selection of the displayed contact-representative image. Automatic selection of images is also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for presenting information associated with display of text. In one embodiment a method includes displaying a graphical representation of at least one of text and diagram data on a display, displaying a graphical element, by the device, to provide an indication of information associated with the graphical representation, and detecting a triggering input during display of the graphical representation, wherein the triggering input is based on displacement of the device. The method may further include updating the display to present information associated with the graphical representation of the at least one of text and diagram data. Methods and devices may also be provided to allow for display of diagram data and information in a layered format, wherein information may be displayed separately or in addition to a graphical display.

Abstract: Methods, devices, program products and systems are disclosed for displaying multiple virtual universe avatar states. Each of a plurality of avatar states of a first avatar of a first virtual universe user are stored in a storage medium as a function of a time of each state. A first avatar is displayed in a current state to a second user of an engaging second avatar, the engaging instigating a selecting and a retrieving of a subset of plurality of states from the storage medium, each of the subset states different from each other and the current state. Selected subset states are visually displayed to the second user, each of the displayed states visually distinct from another and the current state. The first avatar current state is stored in the storage medium associated with the engagement.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a storage unit storing the OSD image data corresponding to plural subframes; a load storage unit loading and storing the OSD image data corresponding to the plural subframes; a reading unit reading out plural subframes of the OSD image data in parallel; and a controlling unit controlling to load in parallel the plural sunframes of the OSD image data into the load storage unit and to read out in parallel from the load storage unit and transmits the OSD image data to a combining unit to combine the OSD image data with the corresponding image data.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed towards a method of efficient and unambiguous labeling of physiological features within medical image data during medical imagining analysis. For example, in one embodiment, the method includes receiving a selection of a label from a label tool, receiving one or more sets of coordinates that identify locations within an image associated with the selected label, defining a physiological feature within the image delineated by domains of shared physical properties within the medical image data and one or more identified locations associated with the selected label, and assigning the label to the defined feature.

Abstract: A display processor increases graphics display performance. The display processor includes: an OSD plane having a first OSD area and a second OSD area for storing graphics images; and a Z-order manager, which stores a vertical order assigned to the first OSD area and the second OSD area, and which provides a notification regarding that vertical order. This display processor also includes a CPU, which executes a downloaded application, thereby storing the graphics images in the first OSD area and the second OSD area based on the vertical order notified by the Z-order management unit; and a display which superimposes the graphics images stored in the first OSD area and the second OSD area in accordance with the abovementioned vertical order, and displays the images.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of generating graphic data, and information recording medium storing the same. An apparatus for generating graphic data includes: a line information extractor extracting line information of each line from the graphic data, the graphic data including plural graphic layers; a line data extractor receiving alpha information to be alpha blended with the graphic layers and the graphic data, and extracting line data from the graphic data; and a line information and line data combiner combining the extracted line information and line data.

Abstract: An illustrative embodiment of a computer-implemented method for projecting geographic coordinates into a coordinate space of a target image enabling navigation of the target image is presented which performs an initialization using a set of geographic reference points, receives a set of points in the coordinate space of the target image, receives a one-to-one mapping between the set of geographic reference points and the set of points in the coordinate space of the target image, computes a triangulation of the geographic reference points of each respective set of geographic reference points, identifies a containing triangle represented in the triangulation in which an arbitrary geographic coordinate point is located, identifies points in a space of the target image corresponding to vertices of the containing triangle, interpolates a location within the containing triangle to form a resulting location and superimposes the resulting location onto the target image.

Abstract: A method, system, and graphical user interface for meeting-spot maps for online communications are disclosed. A “meeting spot” is a specific physical location where two or more people can arrange to meet face to face. One aspect of the invention involves a computer-implemented method in which a server computer sends information corresponding to a map to a client device and sends information corresponding to a plurality of icons for meeting spots to be overlaid on the map. In some embodiments, selection of an icon in the plurality of icons by a user at the client device initiates the display of information about other users that have also selected the icon. In some embodiments, selection of an icon in the plurality of icons by a user at the client device initiates online communications with one or more other users that have also selected the icon.

Abstract: A bidirectional slide-type mobile communication terminal for providing a user interface that changes in real time according to input includes a sensor-equipped lower body and an upper body that slides with respect to the lower body. A method of providing such a graphic user interface includes sensing a sliding movement of the upper body, switching the terminal to an operation mode corresponding to the direction of the sliding movement, displaying the graphic user interface corresponding to the operation mode to which the terminal is switched, receiving input from a sensor, and changing the displayed graphic user interface in real time corresponding to the received input.

Abstract: Users with mobile computing devices author skywriting and submit them to a virtual skywriting service. A mobile computing device having wireless network access is configured to capture a digital image of a real world scene including sky. The image is captured while the mobile computing device is in a geographical location or area. While the mobile computing device is still in the geographical location or area, it transmits via the wireless network a request for virtual skywriting. The request is received by a skywriting service that obtains or determines the geographical location/area that the computing device is in or near. The skywriting service selects a skywriting from among the previously submitted skywritings; the skywriting may be selected based on its having been entered at or associated with the geographical location.