The present invention relates to display of visual content on a client device using server-side rasterization of visual content. Visual content is rendered on a server system, transformed into bitmaps compatible with the display attributes of a client device, and transmitted for display on the client device. The invention allows the server to perform, in effect, as a remote browser for displaying Web pages, e-mail, e-mail attachments, electronic document and forms, database queries and results, drawings, presentations, and images at the client device. The approach is “remote” because the server does the rendering and the client provides the interface; “multi-level” because rendered visual content is represented as a multi-level set of raster representations; and constitutes a “browsing system” because the client and server share data about the source visual content element being browsed, and the client performs a specific browsing function assisted by the server.

Visual content browsing using rasterized representations

A multimedia authoring and playback system and method in which the playback of multimedia content is presented in one or more windows or displays called “playback displays,” and in which additional windows or displays called “control displays” are included in some embodiments to provide various management and control functions. Included are features for creating, editing and distributing multimedia content, which may be viewed by recipients who play the content (and in some cases may be allowed to modify it); also included are features for programming playback behavior of multimedia content, interconnecting multimedia content, and exploring and navigating through multimedia content.

System and method for multimedia authoring and playback

A system and method for automatically providing content associated with captured information is described. In some examples, the system receives input by a user, and automatically provides content or links to content associated with the input. In some examples, the system receives input via text entry or by capturing text from a rendered document, such as a printed document, an object, an audio stream, and so on.

Automatically providing content associated with captured information, such as information captured in real-time

A new class of avatars (“organizational avatars”) created in accordance with the present invention holds a value or a significance independent from their use in a virtual environment, unlike the generic avatars whose value is limited to their being used in a chatroom. For example, an organizational avatar may be in the image of a trademark (which may be copyrighted), such as Mickey Mouse, Colonel Sanders, or Pikachu (a Pokemon character). The organizational avatars may represent certain organizations, typically the organizations that own trademark and/or copyright rights to the images used to form the avatars in virtual environments. Therefore, users of virtual environments can interface various companies by interacting with organizational avatars. Alternatively, organizational avatars may represent users independent of the organization, but under a contract with the organization that owns the image the avatars depict. By using organizational avatars, companies of all sizes can increase their interactivity with customers, advertise cost effectively, and promote a positive image for their products. Tiles are used to provide faster download of a chatroom's background. Tiles also allow rapid generation of a chatroom's background, eliminating the need to use a graphics editor.

Graphic chatting with organizational avatars

A device for capturing rendered text is described. The device incorporates one or more visual sensors that receive visual information as a part of capturing rendered text. The visual sensors are collectively capable of capturing both text that is permanently printed on a page, and text that is displayed transitorily on a dynamic device. The device further incorporates a visual information disposition subsystem for disposing of visual information received by the visual sensors. The device further incorporates a package that bears the visual sensors and the visual information disposition subsystem, and is suitable to be held in a human hand.

Handheld device for capturing text from both a document printed on paper and a document displayed on a dynamic display device

A virtual world computer process includes portable virtual token objects that can be used by on-line users of the virtual world to facilitate exchange of goods and services within the virtual world. In particular, client-server computer processes are provided for the virtual world that allow on-line users to conduct activities within the virtual world including getting, putting, giving, and receiving portable virtual token objects as well as other portable virtual objects. Each on-line user is represented in the graphic user interface by a virtual avatar object. Token objects are put into circulation by virtual ATM objects. A virtual ATM object allows a user to obtain a balance, deposit tokens, and withdraw tokens. A vendroid object is an object that sells portable virtual items in exchange for tokens deposited by avatars. Different virtual items have different values, and vendroids do not all have the same virtual items for sale. In the virtual world, a lurker is represented in a locale by a ghost object. An icon is present, i.e, an eye-the-sky, in a locale, whenever a ghost object, or ghost objects are present. Ghost objects have anonymity, i.e. their names are not known to avatars of the locale, and have limited interaction choices. A ghost object cannot talk or think to other avatars. A ghost object retains the ability to transmit private “ESP” messages to other avatars.

Chris Morningstar

Papers

Virtual objects for building a community in a virtual world