Macromedia, Inc.

Other

Metapath Inc.

V Bruce Hunt

Harry R Chesley

Ken Day

Lazar Lvovsky

The present invention comprises a system for delivering an interactive multimedia work from a storage device, for example a hard disk drive, a CD-ROM drive, a network server, etc. to a playback device, for example a personal computer, in a manner that provides improved performance regardless of the playback sequence selected by a user. In one embodiment of the present invention, for each segment of an interactive multimedia work, a probability factor is assigned to each possible alternative succeeding segment. In addition a retrieval and delivery time cost factor is also assigned to each possible succeeding segment. In one embodiment of the invention, the time cost factor for each resource is assigned a fixed value. In another embodiment, the time cost factor is recalculated periodically to reflect changes in location and status of resources. The probability and time cost factor for each possible succeeding segment are combined to produce a relative priority ranking. Resources for the possible succeeding segments are pre-loaded according to the relative priority ranking. As a result, the latency time between the time a segment is selected as a result of user input and the time at which execution of the segment begins is reduced and the performance of a multimedia work improved. In one embodiment of the invention, in addition to delivering resources in the order of a relative priority ranking, the resources are also stored according to the relative priority ranking, thereby reducing the average seek time needed to find and retrieve resources and further improving playback performance.

Method and apparatus for improving playback of interactive multimedia works

Method and apparatus for improving playback of interactive multimedia

A method and apparatus for generating bipolar pulses in a local area network is disclosed comprising a transmitter. In the transmitter there is provided a pair of transistors which are coupled together in a resistor network. A capacitor is provided for coupling the transistors and resistor network to a transmission line. In operation, the output impedance of the transmitter is low when either of the transistors is conducting and high when neither of the transistors is conducting. To generate Alternate Mark Inversion pulses, both transistors are turned on. Thereafter, and in response to a signal corresponding to a logical 1, one of the transistors is turned off and then turned on for generating a positive pulse on the transmission line. Upon the occurrence of a subsequent control signal corresponding to the next logical 1, the other of the transistors is turned off and then on for producing a negative pulse on the transmission line. By alternately turning the transistors on and off upon the occurrence of control signals corresponding to each logical 1, Alternate Mark Inversion pulses are produced on the transmission line.

Method and apparatus for generating bipolar pulses in a local area

In a data communications systems having a communications channel (3) for interconnecting a plurality of transceivers (1) and (2), each of said transceivers (1) and (2) including means (80) for transmitting a signal having transitions, there is provided a means (20) responsive to the presence and absence of a signal on said communications channel (3) during a transition of a signal transmitted by said transmitting means (80) for providing a collision detected (CD) signal if there is destructive interference with the transmitted signal on said communication channel (3) during a transition of said transmitted signal and means (48) responsive to said CD signal for terminating said transmitting of said signal. In the event the channel (3) is busy prior to a transmission from the transmitter (80) there is provided a carrier sense circuit (14) for indicating the channel is busy and a non-persistent control circuit (45) and a random number generator (90a) and a delay circuit (90b) responsive to the carrier sense circuit (14) and the collision detector circuit (20) for interrupting and delaying the transmitting of each of the transceivers (1) and (2) for a random period of time.

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Menlo Park, CA, United States of America

V Bruce Hunt