Sony Corporation

Sony Electronics Inc

James Amendolagine

Ted Dunn

Djung N Nguyen

Nobukazu Sugiyama

Robert Hardacker

Robert Allan Unger

Jason Clement

The present invention includes a method and device that allows efficient mixing of multiple video images with a graphics screen while utilizing only one video buffer. The present invention partitions the sole video buffer, pre-scales the plurality of video images and inserts them into the partitioned video buffer in a predetermined range of buffer addresses. The present invention mixes the partitioned video including the pre-scaled video images with the graphics screen to produce a video display including both a video screen and a graphics screen.

Method of and apparatus for utilizing video buffer in a multi-purpose fashion to extend the video buffer to multiple windows

The present invention is directed toward a method and apparatus in which one or more user specific windows may be launched within a single computing session executed and displayed on the display of an interactive table. More specifically, the present invention is directed toward detecting the position of one or more users around an interactive table and generating one or more user-specific windows proximate to one or more user/s on the display of the interactive table within a single session.

Method and apparatus for establishing user-specific windows on a multi-user interactive table

Methods and apparatus are provided for providing a window management system for an embedded system. In one embodiment a method includes configuring an operating system of an embedded system based on a protocol provided between one or more application windows and a window manager, each application window associated with an application executed by the operating system, storing display content of the one or more application windows in a buffer, and compositing the one or more application windows in the buffer. The method may further include outputting data of the buffer for display of the one or more application windows based on the compositing, wherein an application programming interface is specified for the application to directly access graphics hardware of the embedded system.

Window management for an embedded system

A method and apparatus for maintaining smooth video transition between distinct applications includes a processor, a secondary memory and a system memory. In providing a smooth transition between applications, the apparatus and method provides synchronization of the video and graphics components while transitioning from a first application to a second application. If there is no video component in either application, no action is needed to provide a smooth transition between applications, and when only the first application includes a video component, the video component need only be turned off for smooth transition between the applications to occur. When both the first application and the second application include video components, smooth transition between the applications is dependent upon the display window size of the first application in comparison to the second application. A process is triggered according to the size of the display windows of the first and second applications.

Method of and apparatus for maintaining smooth video transition between distinct applications

A method of and system for transferring a remote user interface from one device to another device is described herein. A server stores state information and uses the information to transfer the RUI and/or other data from one device to the other device. This enables a user to transition from one device to another device seamlessly and without interruption of their user interface and/or programming.

Transferring RUI from one device to another

A method consistent with the present invention involves displaying a window on a computer monitor; at one or more programmed processors, determining a position of the window on the computer monitor; at the one or more programmed processors, deducing a user position for a user of the window with the window based on the position of the window on the computer monitor; and steering audio signals from an application running in the window to a loudspeaker in an array of loudspeakers, where the loudspeaker is a loudspeaker in the array of loudspeakers closer to the deduced user position than another loudspeaker in the array. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Balancing loudspeakers for multiple display users

A live video is directed to a display buffer of the device. The device is preferably a set top box and a live video frame stored in the display buffer is preferably displayed by a display device coupled to the set top box. The display device is preferably a television. A capture command preferably signals the set top box to store one or more frames of the currently displayed live video. Upon receiving the capture command, the live video is paused, thereby preventing the display buffer from loading subsequent live video frames. The live video is then re-directed to a capture buffer, the live video is un-paused, and a current live video frame is captured from the capture buffer. The captured frame is then stored using a conventional storage medium. After the frame is captured, the live video is re-directed from the capture buffer to the display buffer to resume display of the live video.

Smooth still image capture

An input system for a TV remote control or other system has a single touch surface with a deformable haptic assembly below the touch surface such that a user placing a finger on the touch surface can feel deformation of the haptic, assembly. A pressure sensing assembly is below the haptic assembly and sensing motion of a finger on the touch surface, with a processor receiving input from the pressure sensing assembly and providing output to the haptic assembly in response. Also, a display receives input sent by the processor in response to input from the pressure sensing assembly to cause the display to present a changing image of a keypad as a user moves a finger on the touch surface.

One button remote control with haptic feedback

A method of presenting a video electronic program guide (EPG), consistent with certain embodiments involves establishing a sorting of television channels, with a selected channel having a highest sorting priority, and other channels being arranged in pairs in a hierarchy below the selected channel; displaying a plurality of windows representing a plurality of the channels in a cross media bar menu arrangement, with the principal focus channel being represented at a window appearing at an intersection of horizontal and vertical bars in the cross media bar menu arrangement and the pairs of channels arranged on either side of the selected channel in the cross media bar menu arrangement; and retrieving sample clips of the channels in focus section of the sort order, and presenting the clips as repeating clips in their respective windows. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Near real-time multiple thumbnail guide with single tuner

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for maintaining smooth video transition between distinct applications. Preferably, the apparatus implementing the present invention includes a processor, a secondary memory and a system memory. In providing a smooth transition between two applications, the apparatus and method provides synchronization of the video and graphics components while transitioning from a first application to a second application. If there is no video component in either application, no action is needed to provide a smooth transition between applications, and when only the first application includes a video component, the video component need only be turned off for smooth transition between the applications to occur. When both the first application and the second application include video components, smooth transition between the applications according to the present invention is dependent upon the display window size of the first application in comparison to the second application. The apparatus and method of the present invention triggers a process according to the size of the display windows of the first and second applications.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

James Amendolagine