International Business Machines Corporation

William Jaaskelainen

Leon Edward Gregg

Cary Lee Bates

Brian John Cragun

Jeffrey Michael Ryan

Bryan Lester Striemer

Robert John Donovan

Richard G Mustain

Duane W Baxter

Harrison L Freeman

Larry D Shumway

An apparatus an method are disclosed for dividing a two-dimensional matrix of pixels into at least first and second areas. For each pixel, it is determined in which the area the pixel is located. Then, the pixels in the first area are processed according to a first processing/compression scheme, and the pixels in the second area are processed according to a second processing/compression scheme. A data bit stream is generated which represents the processed/compressed pixels and their associated areas, and the data bit stream can be stored or transmitted in lieu of the entire matrix of pixels. If desired, the pixels in the first area can be processed less frequently than the pixels in the second area, and the areas themselves can be established in response to the frequency of variations in the pixel values.

Apparatus and method for processing video data

Three separate methods are used to provide the user with sounds that help the user understand where a particular current position is relative to a 'location of interest' (LOI) within the viewable object. First, the user is able to use sound marks to mark specific LOIs within viewable objects so that the user may return to those LOIs at a later time. Second, the user is provided with view regions which aurally indicate the LOS of frequeuntly used portions of the viewable object. Lastly, the user is given an aural indication of the current position of the position identifier relative to the viewable object as a whole. This is called relational positioning. Each type of aural LOI indication can be presented to the user regardless of how the user is moving through the viewable object.

Aural position indicating mechanism for viewable objects

A computer system and method for efficiently managing Write Once Read Mostly (WORM) volumes on mass optical storage devices are disclosed. A configuration menu asks the user to enter a threshold percentage from 1-100%. The threshold percentage is multiplied by the volume size to determine a threshold block address. New files are written sequentially to the WORM volume up to but not exceeding the threshold block address, unless a threshold override indicator is enabled. Space on the WORM volume between the threshold block address and the end of the WORM volume is reserved for updated files. Updated files can be stored anywhere on the WORM volume, including above the threshold block address. Reserving space for updated files on a WORM volume allows more updated files to be stored on the same WORM volume as original files, and reduces the number of optical disks required to be read. The threshold percentage can be modified by the user at any time desired

System and method for worm volume management of new and updated data

An optical storage arrangement is provided where a unified optical disk, or other optical media, has separate Read/Write (R/W) and Write Once Read Many (WORM) areas. A Read/Write head or transducer selectively records data only once in the WORM area but records and re-records data in the R/W area. Both areas can be selectively read repetitively. The WORM area is used to store data records and the R/W area contains directories for the data records recorded in the WORM area.

Optical disk having R/W and worm area

A dynamic progress marker icon is disclosed that dynamically changes to mark the progress of a task. In this manner, the user is kept informed of the status of a task being performed without resorting to language sensitive messages such as 'Now processing object number 12 of 100' . The icon does not require a graphics display to be used and therefore can be used on both graphics and non-graphics displays. The icon of the prepared embodiment has five rows consisting of four percent (%) symbols surrounded by a border. At the beginning of a task, a task monitor quantifies the task into substantially equivalent task work units. All twenty '%' symbols are present and displayed to the user. When the task monitor determines that one task work unit has completed, one '%' symbol is replaced in the icon by a replacement character, such as a blank or null character. The replacement of one '%' symbol each time a task work unit completes continues until all of the '%' symbols are replaced, indicating 100% completion of the task. The order in which symbols inside the icon are replaced is determined by a pattern array and can be modified if desired. The symbols used inside the icon and for the border are selected to be available in virtually all languages, and can also be modified to meet the needs of a particular user.

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Oronoco, MN, United States of America

William Jaaskelainen