Showing papers by "Apple Inc. published in 1993"

Watch what I do: programming by demonstration

Abstract: Part 1 Systems: Pygmalion tinker a predictive calculator rehearsal world smallStar peridot metamouse TELS eager garnet the Turvy experience chimera the geometer's sketchpad tourmaline a history-based macro by example system mondrian triggers the AIDE project. Part 2 Components: a history of editable graphical histories graphical representation and feedback in a PBD system PBD invocation techniques a system-wide macro facility based on aggregate events making programming accessible to visual problem solvers using voice input to disambiguate intent. Part 3 Perspectives: characterizing PBD systems demonstrational interfaces just-in-time programming.

A Small Matter of Programming: Perspectives on End User Computing

Abstract: From the Publisher: A Small Matter of Programming asks why it has been so difficult for end users to command programming power and explores the problems of end-user-driven application development that must be solved to afford end users greater computational power. Drawing on empirical research on existing end user systems, the book analyzes cognitive, social, and technical issues of end user programming. In particular, it examines the importance of task-specific programming languages, visual application frameworks, and collaborative work practices for end user computing with the goal of helping the designers and programmers understand and better satisfy the needs of end users who want the capability to create, customize, and extend their applications software. The ideas in the book are based on the author's research on two successful end user programming systems - spreadsheets and CAD systems - as well as other empirical research. Nardi concentrates on broad issues in end user programming, especially end users' strengths and problems, introducing tools and techniques as they are related to higher-level user issues.

Method and apparatus for audio-visual interface for the display of multiple levels of information on a display

Abstract: An interactive audio-visual (A/V) transceiver is advantageously coupled to a television and/or telephone (T/T) cable, a TV, a video recorder (VCR), and other A/V devices. The A/V transceiver switches data between a program/service provider and the connected A/V devices. In one embodiment, the transceiver includes three primary modules, a main module including a CPU, a system bus, system memory, an infra-red (IR) control unit, an audio-visual bus, an A/V decoder, an A/V processor, and an A/V encoder, an A/V connect module including a number of tuner/demodulators and a switch, and an optional CD ROM module. The A/V transceiver hardware is complemented with an operating system and software program which supports the functions provided in the A/V user interface. Additionally, a remote control device is provided to communicate with the A/V transceiver to interactively manage selection of program and service sources, selection program and service offerings from any selected source, viewing of selected program offerings, and interaction with selected service offerings. The remote control device is advantageously provided with a basic A/V control button group, an interactive control button group, an auxiliary control button group and a numeric key pad to facilitate control of the transceiver. The interactive control button group includes an info button, a list button, a categories button, a pix button, a mark button, a jump button, and a pointing device consisting of up, down, left, and right arrow buttons, and a center select button.

Methods and apparatus for audio-visual interface for the display of multiple program categories

Abstract: An interactive audio-visual (A/V) transceiver is advantageously coupled to a television and/or telephone (T/T) cable, a TV, a video recorder (VCR), and other A/V devices. The A/V transceiver switches data between a program/service provider and the connected A/V devices. In one embodiment, the transceiver includes three primary modules, a main module including a CPU, a system bus, system memory, an infra-red (IR) control unit, an audio-visual bus, an A/V decoder, an A/V processor, and an A/V encoder, an A/V connect module including a number of tuner/demodulators and a switch, and an optional CD ROM module. The A/V transceiver hardware is complemented with an operating system and software program which supports the functions provided in the A/V user interface. Additionally, a remote control device is provided to communicate with the A/V transceiver to interactively manage selection of program and service sources, selection program and service offerings from any selected source, viewing of selected program offerings, and interaction with selected service offerings. The remote control device is advantageously provided with a basic A/V control button group, an interactive control button group, an auxiliary control button group and a numeric key pad to facilitate control of the transceiver. The interactive control button group includes an info button, a list button, a categories button, a pix button, a mark button, a jump button, and a pointing device consisting of up, down, left, and right arrow buttons, and a center select button.

Method and apparatus for audio-visual interface for the selective display of listing information on a display

Abstract: An interactive audio-visual (A/V) transceiver is advantageously coupled to a television and/or telephone (T/T) cable, a TV, a video recorder (VCR), and other A/V devices The A/V transceiver switches data between a program/service provider and the connected A/V devices In one embodiment, the transceiver includes three primary modules, a main module including a CPU, a system bus, system memory, an infra-red (IR) control unit, an audio-visual bus, an A/V decoder, an A/V processor, and an A/V encoder, an A/V connect module including a number of tuner/demodulators and a switch, and an optional CD ROM module The A/V transceiver hardware is complemented with an operating system and software program which supports the functions provided in the A/V user interface Additionally, a remote control device is provided to communicate with the A/V transceiver to interactively manage selection of program and service sources, selection program and service offerings from any selected source, viewing of selected program offerings, and interaction with selected service offerings The remote control device is advantageously provided with a basic A/V control button group, an interactive control button group, an auxiliary control button group and a numeric key pad to facilitate control of the transceiver The interactive control button group includes an info button, a list button, a categories button, a pix button, a mark button, a jump button, and a pointing device consisting of up, down, left, and right arrow buttons, and a center select button

Method and apparatus for organizing information in a computer system

Abstract: A method and apparatus for organizing information in a computer filing system. The method and apparatus include the creation of a pile comprising a collection of documents and displaying a graphical representation of the collection of documents. The method and apparatus further include browsing the collection of documents by pointing a cursor at a particular item in the collection of documents to reveal an indicia for the particular item in the collection of documents. The filing system can automatically divide a pile (e.g. a collection of documents from an electronic mail network) into subpiles on the basis of the content of each document in the pile, and the filing system, at the users request can automatically file away documents into existing piles in the computer system on the basis of a similarity match between the content (or other internal representation) of the document and the content (or other internal representation) of existing piles in the computer system. The filing system can also create a pile from a sample document by using the internal representation of the document as the internal representation of the new pile. The computer filing system provides various interfaces in connection with piles to the user of the system to provide feedback and other information to the user, including information concerning the documents and piles in the computer's filing system.

Method and apparatus for providing help information to users of computers

Abstract: A method for presenting help messages to a user in an interactive computer environment in which a help mode operates concurrently with other programs operating in the computer system. The user receives information about an icon by positioning a pointer on the computer's video display over the icon about which more information is desired. The computer then retrieves an appropriate help message based upon user sophistication from a database of help messages stored in its memory and displays it in a graphic bubble on the video display. The graphic bubble is placed so as to not overlap the object about which more help is requested. The graphic bubble is removed as soon as the pointer is moved away from the object.

The early history of Smalltalk

Abstract: Most ideas come from previous ideas. The sixties, particularly in the ARPA community, gave rise to a host of notions about “human-computer symbiosis” through interactive time-shared computers, graphics screens and pointing devices. Advanced computer languages were invented to simulate complex systems such as oil refineries and semi-intelligent behavior. The soon to follow paradigm shift of modern personal computing, overlapping window interfaces, and object-oriented design came from seeing the work of the sixties as something more than a “better old thing”. That is, more than a better way: to do mainframe computing; for end-users to invoke functionality; to make data structures more abstract. Instead the promise of exponential growth in computing/$/volume demanded that the sixties be regarded as “almost a new thing” and to find out what the actual “new things” might be. For example, one would compute with a handheld “Dynabook” in a way that would not be possible on a shared mainframe; millions of potential users meant that the user interface would have to become a learning environment along the lines of Montessori and Bruner; and needs for large scope, reduction in complexity, and end-user literacy would require that data and control structures be done away with in favor of a more biological scheme of protected universal cells interacting only through messages that could mimic any desired behavior.Early Smalltalk was the first complete realization of these new points of view as parented by its many predecessors in hardware, language and user interface design. It became the exemplar of the new computing, in part, because we were actually trying for a qualitative shift in belief structures—a new Kuhnian paradigm in the same spirit as the invention of the printing press—and thus took highly extreme positions which almost forced these new styles to be invented.

Encoding/decoding moving images with forward and backward keyframes for forward and reverse display

Abstract: A method of removing frame redundancy in a computer system for a sequence of moving images. The method comprises detecting a first scene change in the sequence of moving images and generating a first keyframe containing complete scene information for a first image. The first keyframe is known, in a preferred embodiment, as a "forward-facing" keyframe or intra frame, and it is normally present in CCITT compressed video data. The process then comprises generating at least one intermediate compressed frame, the at least one intermediate compressed frame containing difference information from the first image for at least one image following the first image in time in the sequence of moving images. In a preferred embodiment, this at least one frame is known as an inter frame. Finally, detecting a second scene change in the sequence of moving images and generating a second keyframe containing complete scene information for an image displayed at the time just prior to the second scene change. This is known, in the preferred embodiment, as a "backward-facing" keyframe. The first keyframe and the at least one intermediate compressed frame are linked for forward play, and the second keyframe and the intermediate compressed frames are linked in reverse for reverse play. In a preferred embodiment, the intra frame is used for generation of complete scene information when the images are played in the forward direction. When this sequence is played in reverse, the backward-facing keyframe is used for the generation of complete scene information.

Prototyping an intelligent agent through Wizard of Oz

Abstract: Turvy is a simulated prototype of an instructible agent. The user teaches it by demonstrating actions and pointing at or talking about relevant data. We formalized our assumptions about what could be implemented, then used the Wizard of Oz to flesh out a design and observe users' reactions as they taught several editing tasks. We found: a) all users invent a similar set of commands to teach the agent; b) users learn the agent's language by copying its speech; c) users teach simple tasks with ease and complex ones with reasonable effort; and d) agents cannot expect users to point to or identify critical features without prompting. In conducting this rather complex simulation, we learned some lessons about using the Wizard of Oz to prototype intelligent agents: a) design of the simulation benefits greatly from prior implementation experience; b) the agent's behavior and dialog capabilities must be based on formal models; c) studies of verbal discourse lead directly to an implementable system; d) the designer benefits greatly by becoming the Wizard; and e) qualitative data is more valuable for answering global concerns, while quantitative data validates accounts and answers fine-grained questions.

Method and apparatus for encoding/decoding image data

Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing video data for compression/decompression in real-time. The apparatus comprises a plurality of compute modules, in a preferred embodiment, for a total of four compute modules coupled in parallel. Each of the compute modules has a processor, dual port memory, scratch-pad memory, and an arbitration mechanism. A first bus couples the compute modules and a host processor. Lastly, the device comprises a shared memory which is coupled to the host processor and to the compute modules with a second bus. The method handles assigning portions of the image for each of the processors to operate upon.

Method and apparatus for controlling a speech recognition function using a cursor control device

Abstract: A computer system having speech recognition functionality, a display screen, a microphone, and a mouse having pointer and voice buttons. The voice button located on the mouse is used to turn the microphone "on" and "off". The voice button in conjunction with the mouse are used to signal the computer to display the recognized spoken command. The pointer button located on the mouse is used to provide a standard "point and click" function so that a user can select text or object(s) on the display screen. The computer will apply recognized spoken commands only to the restricted selection. Voice icons are used to aid in the correction of any erroneous interpretation by the speech recognizer circuitry within the computer. A list of alternative commands are displayed in menu format associated with each icon so that the user can use the voice button and mouse to select the desired correct command. The computer then automatically corrects the erroneous interpretation. Each alternative has its own separate menu of synonyms and paraphrases to aid in locating and identifying the correct command.

Method and apparatus for providing a note for an application program

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a note on an application program includes noticing a note anchor object associated with a data file displayed by an application program on a computer screen and displaying a note slip image over the displayed data and images of the application program. Many anchor objects and note slips may be displayed on the screen at once, and a single anchor object is preferably associated with a single note slip. The note slip is preferably receptive to pen-based inputs, and may be resized or moved on the screen. The anchor object includes a visual picture data portion and a picture comment data portion that descibes the note slip associated with that anchor object. The anchor object preferably exists as a standard graphical picture in the application program and can be manipulated as such. The present invention thus allows note slips to be displayed in existing application programs, either pen-compatible or non-pen-compatible.

Method and apparatus for editing an inked object while simultaneously displaying its recognized object

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manipulating inked objects in a computer system includes the steps of displaying a first recognized object on a computer screen and displaying a first ink object on the screen which was previously recognized as the first recognized object. The first ink object is edited to create a second ink object, and the second ink object is recognized as a second recognized object. The first recognized object is then replaced with the second recognized object. The method also preferably includes a step of selecting the first recognized object, and the first ink object is displayed in response to the selection step. A preferred method of selecting the first recognized object is to move a stylus within a predetermined distance or bounding box of the first recognized object. Editing the first ink object preferably includes adding or deleting a portion of the ink object, inserting a space between characters of the ink object, replacing a portion of the ink object, and adding new ink to the ink object. Alternate embodiments include moving the recognized object to different locations on the screen in relation to the first ink object, and determining in advance if the path of the stylus in moving toward the bounding box of the recognized object. The method and apparatus of the present invention permits convenient and quick manipulation of inked objects and correction of recognized objects displayed on a pen computer system.

Method for routing items within a computer system

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for routing information with a pointer-based computer such as a pen-based computer. The routing actions may be faxing, printing, mailing (electronically), and beaming (by infrared light). The routed information may be document or other item produced by or associated with a particular application running on the computer. Routing actions that send items out of the computer system preferably are processed according to the following steps. First one or more menus or windows associated with the application of the document being routed are displayed on a display screen of the computer. At least one of these menus or windows contains a list of routing actions available to the application. The user selects one of these routing actions and, in some cases, provides additional information pertaining to the destination, format, etc. of the document being routed. Then the document or item being routed is transferred to an out box which resides, at least in part, in the memory of the computer system. The out box is communication with a plurality of ports such as a modem, an IR beam transceiver, etc. From the out box, the item is routed out of the computer system and through one of the ports and the process is concluded.

Method to display and rotate a three-dimensional icon with multiple faces

Abstract: A manipulable icon is displayed with multiple faces having particular application to computer displays and systems. The icon, which represents information about an object available within the computer, can be manipulated by the user to display different faces or views which provide additional information about the object represented by the icon. The user has the ability to manipulate the icon to see additional views of the icon on the computer display device, either by a mouse stroke selection command, keyboard command or menu selection. This selection causes the icon to move from one view or face of the icon to another view or face of the icon. These additional views thus provide additional space in which the icon can supply additional information to the user. Iconic movement from one face or view to another is also typically accompanied by some sound which indicates execution of the movement.

Method and apparatus for improved manipulation of data between an application program and the files system on a computer-controlled display system

Abstract: A method and apparatus for allowing selecting within a window on a computer system display within a first application program and moving that item to a second position on a display controlled by a file system manager. A file is created by the file system manager which is representative of the discrete data item selected and dragged. A representation of the data is provided on the computer system display, such as an icon specified by the application program from which the data originated and identifying file name.

Method and apparatus for displaying an overlay image

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a translucent overlay image over a base image on the screen of a computer system. The method includes the steps of running an application program on a central processing unit (CPU) of a pen computer system to produce a base image in a screen coupled to the CPU; and running an overlay program on the CPU to produce an overlay image on the screen such that portions of the base image which are overlapped by the overlay image are at least partially visible through the overlay image. The overlay program is a computer implemented process comprising the steps of displaying an overlay image on the screen, intercepting screen inputs which contact the overlay image, processing the intercepted screen inputs in the CPU, and updating the application program based on the processed screen inputs. In addition a pen computer system includes a central processing unit (CPU), a screen assembly coupled to the CPU, a mechanism coupled to the screen assembly for displaying a base image on the screen assembly, and a mechanism coupled to the screen assembly for displaying an overlay image on the screen assembly such that portions of the base image which are overlapped by the overlay image are at least partially visible through the overlay image. The screen assembly includes a tablet mechanism coupled to the CPU which can receive input from a pen or stylus. The mechanism for displaying a base image includes a first computer implemented process running on the CPU which produces first video data and a video driver circuit coupled between the CPU and the screen assembly. The mechanism for displaying the overlay image includes a second computer implemented process running on the CPU to produce second video data, and a video driver circuit coupled between the CPU and the screen assembly. There is also a mechanism for blending the first video data and the second video data to produce a blended image on the screen assembly. This blending mechanism can include the second computer implemented process, or can comprise the video driver circuitry.

A rapid tree-based method for vector quantization

Abstract: A fast vector quantization (VQ) method and apparatus is based on a binary tree search in which the branching decision of each node is made by a simple comparison of a pre-selected element of the candidate vector with a stored threshold resulting in a binary decision for reaching the next lower level. Each node has a preassigned element and threshold value. Conventional centroid distance training techniques (such as LBG and k-means) are used to establish code-book indices corresponding to a set of VQ centroids. The set of training vectors are used a second time to select a vector element and threshold value at each node that approximately splits the data evenly. After processing the training vectors through the binary tree using threshold decisions, a histogram is generated for each code-book index that represents the number of times a training vector belonging to a given index set appeared at each index. The final quantization is accomplished by processing and then selecting the nearest centroid belonging to that histogram. Accuracy comparable to that achieved by conventional binary tree VQ is realized but with almost a full magnitude increase in processing speed.

System for managing power consumption of devices coupled to a common bus

Abstract: The power management system tracks the total amount of power drawn from a bus by devices connected to the bus and to the bus itself, based on the individual operational status of each device The power manager system also tracks the total amount of power supplied to the bus From this information the power manager system determines whether a power surplus exists sufficient to allow an additional device to operate or to allow a currently operating device to draw more power Power usage requests received from devices connected to the bus are granted or denied by the power management system based on the determination of available power The power management system additionally is capable of sequencing the use of several devices to allow the devices to each operate while maintaining the total power draw within an acceptable range The system provides for efficient use of a limited amount of power to allow operation of more devices than conventionally allowed with a bus The system also can activate power supply devices which are off-line via soft-power-on commands to increase the total amount of power available The system is advantageously implemented with any bus system having devices drawing power from the bus from power supplies providing limited power

Method and apparatus for transmitting nrz data signals across an isolation barrier disposed in an interface between adjacent devices on a bus

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for transmitting NRZ data signals across an interface comprising an isolation barrier disposed between two devices interconnected via a bus. The apparatus comprises a signal differentiator for receiving an NRZ data signal and outputting a differentiated signal. A driver comprising a tri-state gate has as a first input the data signal and as a second input the differentiated signal for enabling the tri-state gate when the differentiated signal is high. A bias voltage is applied to an output of the tri-state gate to derive as output a transmission signal for transmission via the bus accross the interface between the two devices. In this way, the transmission signal output from the first device comprises an intermediate transmission signal corresponding to the bias voltage when the tri-state gate is disabled, a hight transmission signal when the tri-state gate is enabled and the first input to the tri-state gate is high, and a low transmission signal when the tri-state gate is enabled and the first input to the tri-state gate is low. A Schmidt trigger is provided as a receiver in the second device for receiving as input the transmission signal and outputting a reconstituted data signal corresponding to the synchronized data signal.

Method and apparatus for correcting words

Abstract: A method for correcting recognized words in a computer system including the steps of: (a) entering an ink object into a computer system with a pointing device; (b) recognizing the ink object as a word object; (c) displaying the word object on a display of the computer system; (d) detecting a correction request made by a user pertaining to the displayed word object; and (e) displaying a list of alternative words for the word object on the display. Preferably, the list of alternative words includes a shifted-case version of the word object, a number of alternative words provided by a word recognizer, and the original ink object that was entered into the computer system. A user can select one of these alternative words to replace the misrecognized word object. Alternatively, a user may enter a word into the computer system by means of a keyboard image to replace the original word object with the newly entered word. When using the keyboard correction mode, the user has the opportunity to add the word to a dictionary list used by a word recognizer of the computer system.

Computer note pad including gesture based note division tools and method

Abstract: A method for manipulating notes on a screen of a computer display characterized by: (a) generating an initial note area; (b) dividing the initial note area into a plurality of note areas in response to at least one division gesture implemented by a pointing device, where each division gesture creates a header bar, including function buttons, on the computer display which visually separates two adjacent note areas; (c) modifying the size of a selected note area in response to a sizing gesture made to a header bar; and (d) scrolling in at least one note area in response to a scrolling command. Step (b) includes the steps of detecting a division gesture made on the computer screen by a pointing device, and then creating a header bar at a location indicated by the division gesture. Step (c) includes the steps of detecting the selection of a header bar with a pointing device, detecting a subsequent sizing gesture made by the pointing device, and moving the header bar as indicated by the sizing gesture. Step (d) includes the steps of detecting a scrolling command, and scrolling the note areas in a direction indicated by the scrolling command such that the note areas move in a quantized fashion.

Method and apparatus for the manipulation of text on a computer display screen

Abstract: A means and method for directly manipulating text on a computer display screen. A selected block of text is first identified for manipulation. After being identified, the selected block of text is highlighted on the display screen using contrasting colors or a reverse video. A text manipulation handle associated with the selected text block is displayed. The user may then directly manipulate the selected text block by positioning a cursor within the text manipulation handle and activating a signal generation device. When this occurs, the selected text block may be moved around the display screen while remaining visible using the cursor control device as long as the signal generation device remains active. A shadow image and insertion marker associated with the selected text block is displayed while the selected text block is moveable. A cutting or copying operation may be selected when the signal generation device is activated. The cutting operation removes the selected text block from the available text leaving a blank area at its original position. The copying operation retains the original selected text block in its previous position in the available text. When the signal generation device is deactivated, the selected text block is inserted or pasted into the available text at the position indicated by the insertion marker. The available text is then reformatted to achieve continuity in the lines of available text.

Method and apparatus for unique address asignment, node self-identification and topology mapping for a directed acyclic graph

Abstract: A node identification system is described for use in a computer system in which the various components of the system are interconnected via nodes on a communications bus. Once the topology of the nodes has been resolved into an acyclic directed graph, each node may be assigned a non-predetermined unique address. Each node having a plurality of ports has an apriori assigned priority for port selection. Each child node connected to a parent is allowed to respond in the predetermined sequence depending upon the port through which it is connected to its parent. Each node in the graph will announce its presence according to its location in the graph. Each receives an address incremented from the previous addresses assigned, thereby insuring uniqueness. The same mechanism may be implemented to allow each node in turn to broadcast information on the bus concerning the parameters of its local host. Likewise, additional information may be conveyed from each node concerning connections to other nodes thereby allowing a host system to generate a map of the resolved topology including any information about disabled links which may be used for redundancy purposes.

Three-dimensional image synthesis using view interpolation

Abstract: Three-dimensional scenes are portrayed from different viewpoints by morphing two-dimensional images. Various key views of a scene are stored, along with offset maps that identify the correspondence of pixels in adjacent stored images. When an intermediate view of the scene is to be presented, one ore more stored views are interpolated through a morphing technique. Since the key views and their offset data are pre-stored, the morphing and presentation of new views can be carried out at interactive rates. By providing the ability to quickly compute many closely spaced views, the disclosed morphing technique also facilitates the rapid computation of soft shadows and motion blur in images.

VoiceNotes: a speech interface for a hand-held voice notetaker

Abstract: VoiceNotes is an application for a voice-controlled hand-held computer that allows the creation, management, and retrieval of user-authored voice notes—small segments of digitized speech containing thoughts, ideas, reminders, or things to do. Iterative design and user testing helped to refine the initial user interface design. VoiceNotes explores the problem of capturing and retrieving spontaneous ideas, the use of speech as data, and the use of speech input and output in the user interface for a hand-held computer without a visual display. In addition, VoiceNotes serves as a step toward new uses of voice technology and interfaces for future portable devices.

Message protection mechanism and graphical user interface therefor

Abstract: A digitally signed message, protected with a chain of certificates from the sender's immediate certifier up through an ultimate certifier, is transmitted to a recipient together with the entire certificate chain. The entire certificate chain is stored in a single signer file accessible by the sender. Drag-and-drop gestures of a graphical user interface are used by the sender to sign and certify the message, and an icon is provided on the recipient's display to initiate verification.

Vector quantization using thresholds

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for vector quantization. A threshold generator generates an i threshold (Threshold i ) to be associated with each i quantized vector of n quantized vectors in a vector quantization codebook. The vector quantization codebook and the thresholds are used by a vector quantizer to encode a set of input vectors (V 1 -V TOT ). The determination that a distance between a vector to be encoded and a quantized vector in a codebook is less than the associated threshold causes a search for the closest vector to terminate for a nearest neighbor vector quantizer. In some embodiments, the vectors comprise samples of continuous signals for sound containing speech, or display signals. In other embodiments, codebook vectors are arranged from most frequently encoded vectors to least frequently encoded vectors.