1461133870-53841afc-9c8f-44c5-b7d0-8ad8bafe3dff

1. A circuitry-implemented method comprising image editing, the method comprising:
(1) obtaining digital data representing image portions p1,p2, . . . , wherein for each image portion p (p=p1, p2, . . . ), the digital data define a brightness B(p) of the portion p;
(2) for each image portion pi of a plurality of the image portions p1, p2, . . . , obtaining a brightness B*(pi) of a modified image, such that:
B*(pi)=f(B(pi), Bavg(pi))
wherein:
Bavg(pi) is a function of the brightness values B(p) of image portions p in an image region R(pi) containing a plurality of image portions including the portion pi; and
f is a predefined non-identity function such that for all i, the function f(B(pi),y) is strictly monotonic in y for each B(pi), and for each Bavg(pi), the function f(x,Bavg(pi)) is strictly increasing in x.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein for all i, the function f(B(pi),y) is strictly decreasing in y for each B(pi).
3. The method of claim 1 wherein for all i, the function f(B(pi),y) is strictly increasing in y for each B(pi).
4. The method of claim 1 wherein for all i,
f(x,Bavg(pi))=x\xb7F(Bavg)
for some function F.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein there exists a positive value B0 such that F(B0)=1.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein Bmin\u2266B0\u2266Bmax, wherein Bmin is the minimum of the brightness values B(pi) and Bmax is the maximum of the brightness values B(pi).
7. The method of claim 5 wherein:
B*(pi)=B(pi)\xd7(B0Bavg(pi))\u03b5
where \u03b5 is a non-zero constant.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein \u03b5 is greater than \u22121 and less than 1.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the operation (2) is performed for a plurality of portions pi with each image region R(pi) having a predefined geometry with respect to the respective portion pi.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein Bavg(pi) is a weighted average of the brightness values of the image region R(pi), and the sum of the weights is equal to 1.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein Bavg is the mean of the brightness values in the image region R(pi).
12. The method of claim 1 wherein for each image portion p (p=p1, p2, . . . ), the digital data represent a color S(p) of the portion p, the color S(p) having tristimulus values T1(p), T2(p), T3(p) in a predefined color coordinate system, wherein for any color S having tristimulus values T1, T2, T3 in said predefined color coordinate system and having a brightness B, for any positive value k in a range of positive values, a color with tristimulus values kT1, kT2, kT3 has a brightness kB.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein
B
=
g
11

\ue89e

T
1
2
+
g
22

\ue89e

T
2
2
+
g
33

\ue89e

T
3
2
+
g
12

\ue89e

T
1

\ue89e

T
2
+
g
13

\ue89e

T
1

\ue89e

T
3
+
g
23

\ue89e

T
2

\ue89e

T
3
wherein g11, g22, g33, g12, g13, g23 are predefined constants, and g11, g22, g33 are not equal to zero.
14. The method of claim 12 wherein:
for each image portion p (p=p1, p2, . . . ), the digital data represent coordinates of the color S(p) of the portion p in a first coordinate system, wherein for a color S having tristimulus values T1, T2, T3 in a second coordinate system which is said predefined coordinate system, the coordinates of the color S in the first coordinate system are coordinates S1, S2, S3, or a linear transformation of the coordinates S1, S2, S3, wherein:
(A) the coordinate S1 is defined by B or
(B) the coordinate S1 is defined by B and by a sign of a predefined function of one or more of T1, T2, T3.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein:
B=\u221a{square root over (\u03b112(T1,T2,T3)+\u03b122(T1,T2,T3)+\u03b132(T1,T2,T3))}{square root over (\u03b112(T1,T2,T3)+\u03b122(T1,T2,T3)+\u03b132(T1,T2,T3))}{square root over (\u03b112(T1,T2,T3)+\u03b122(T1,T2,T3)+\u03b132(T1,T2,T3))}
wherein
\u03b11(T1,T2,T3)=\u03b111\xd7T1+\u03b112\xd7T2+\u03b113\xd7T3
\u03b12(T1,T2,T3)=\u03b121\xd7T2+\u03b122\xd7T2+\u03b123\xd7T3
\u03b13(T1,T2,T3)=\u03b131\xd7T3+\u03b132\xd7T2+\u03b133\xd7T3
wherein \u03b111, \u03b112, \u03b113, \u03b121, \u03b122, \u03b123, \u03b131, \u03b132, \u03b133 are predefined numbers such that the following matrix \u039b is non-degenerate:
\u039b
=
\u03b1
11
\u03b1
12
\u03b1
13
\u03b1
21
\u03b1
22
\u03b1
23
\u03b1
31
\u03b1
32
\u03b1
33
16. The method of claim 15 wherein \u03b11(T1,T2,T3), \u03b12(T1,T2,T3), \u03b13(T1,T2,T3) are tristimulus values corresponding to 70%-orthonormal color matching functions.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein:
the value T1 is one of values D, E, F, the value T2 is another one of D, E, F, and the value T3 is the third one of D, E, F, where
D
E
F
=

A
\ue8a0
X
Y
Z
where the matrix A has elements which, up to rounding, are as follows:
A
=
0.205306
0.712507
0.467031
–
0.365451
1.011998
–
0.610425
1.853667
–
1.279659
–
0.442859
where X, Y, Z are the coordinates of the color S in the CIE 1931 XYZ color coordinate system for a 2\xb0 field;
wherein up to a constant multiple, \u039b is a 70%-orthonormal matrix.
18. Circuitry adapted to perform the method of claim 1.
19. A data carrier comprising one or more computer instructions to cause a computer system to perform the method of claim 1.
20. Circuitry adapted to perform the method of claim 7.
21. A data carrier comprising one or more computer instructions to cause a computer system to perform the method of claim 7.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A roll-fed printer having a media supply cartridge comprising:
a media case, the media case having a molded top half and a molded bottom half, both halves defining arcuate slots;
a media roll assembly rotatably located within the media case, the media roll assembly having a shaft received in the arcuate slots of the media case and a roll of media wound around the shaft;
a roller assembly configured to operatively eject blank media from the media roll assembly and out of the media case for printing with the printer; and
media roller support moldings provided at each end of the shaft, the media roller support moldings being restrainedly received in locator slots defined in the media case, wherein
the shaft is provided with a notch at each end thereof to engage cooperating nibs on each support molding, the engagement of the notches with nibs restraining the shaft from rotating and permitting the media roll to rotate.
2. The roll-fed printer of claim 1, wherein the molded top half and the molded bottom half are hingedly linked by means of a hinges.
3. The roll-fed printer of claim 1, wherein the media roll assembly includes a roll of blank media wound about a hollow core which rotates freely about the shaft.
4. The roll-fed printer of claim 1, wherein the roller assembly includes a cartridge drive roller and an idler roller supported between ends of the case parallel with the media roll and maintained in proximity to one another and in registry with the shaft by the support moldings.
5. The roll-fed printer of claim 4, wherein the roller support moldings include resilient extension lunettes to engage cooperating grooves formed at the ends of the drive roller and idler roller so that the roller assembly is supported between the lunettes.
6. The roll-fed printer of claim 5, wherein the drive roller is slightly longer than the idler roller, with one half of the case having an opening which allows a spindle to rotate the drive roller via a coupling formed in an end of the roller, said opening serving as a journal for the shaft so that the idler roller remains fully within the case when the case halves are closed.

1461133860-9971540e-b673-48ae-bfbc-3197c4cc6e21

What is claimed is:

1. An tournament system for playing online computer games, the tournament system comprising:
a league engine for permitting users of an online gaming system to create and manage an online gaming league, the league engine providing access to league information to members of the league;
a game engine for controlling play of the online games; and
a tournament engine enabling league members to create and participate in online gaming tournaments, the tournament engine recording results of online games played by members and managing progress of the online gaming tournament.
2. The tournament system of claim 1, further comprising a ratings engine for ranking the skill level of league members by calculating a rating for each league member.
3. The tournament system of claim 2, wherein the ratings engine ranks league members at least based in part on the result of the online game and the difference between the rating for each league member participating in the online game.
4. The tournament system of claim 2, wherein the ratings engine ranks league members according to a ladder system in which league members are ranked according to rungs on a ladder and wherein winning an online game against a higher ranked league member move up a rung, and league members losing an online game against a lower league member move down a rung.
5. The tournament system of claim 4 wherein league members must defend their rung by playing lower ranked league members at least a preset number of times in a given time period.
6. The tournament system of claim 4, wherein if a lower ranked player wins an online game against a higher ranked player, the lower ranked player moves up half the number of rungs between the rung of the lower ranked player and the rung of the higher ranked player, and the higher ranked player moves down at least one rung.
7. The tournament server of claim 1, wherein the league engine provides a plurality of league management tools.
8. The tournament server of claim 7, wherein the league management tools include a private game room creation tool.
9. The tournament server of claim 7, wherein the league management tools include a ratings management tool.
10. The tournament server of claim 1, wherein the tournament engine enables creation of a tournament having a single elimination format.
11. The tournament server of claim 1, wherein the tournament engine enables creating of a tournament having a double elimination format.
12. The tournament server of claim 1, wherein tournament pairings are automatically assigned by the tournament engine.
13. The tournament server of claim 1, wherein tournament pairings are automatically assigned by the league member designated as a league administrator.
14. A method of administering an online gaming tournament in which a plurality of users access an online gaming system via a network; the method comprising:
providing access to a gaming environment via a communications network, wherein the gaming environment comprises a plurality of user created game rooms for playing selected online games, the online gaming system providing the functionality and user interface to enable game play;
enabling a user of the online gaming system to create a league in which at least a portion of said plurality of users are members of the league; and
enabling members of the league to create an online gaming tournament in which members play a selected online game against one another in a tournament format, the members of the league customizing the tournament format as desired.
15. The method of claim 14 further comprising recording results of the online games played during the online gaming tournament so as to manage the advance of winning players through the tournament format.
16. The method of claim 14 further comprising rating players based on the result of games played during the online gaming tournament.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein players are rated at least based in part on a difference in a rating for each respective player participating in the online game.
18. The method of claim 14 wherein players are ranked according to a ladder system in which players are ranked according to rungs on a ladder and wherein winning an online game against a higher ranked player causes the player to move up a rung, and players losing an online game against a lower ranked player causes the losing player to move down a rung.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein players must defend their rung by playing lower ranked players at least a preset number of times in a given time period.
20. The method of claim 18 wherein if a lower ranked player wins an online game against a higher ranked player, the lower ranked player moves up half the number of rungs between the rung of the lower ranked player and the rung of the higher ranked player, and the higher ranked player moves down at least one rung.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method to reduce the chance of losing hyper frame number (HFN) synchronization during data block transmission between a sender and a receiver in a wireless communication system, wherein data blocks may contain a plurality of fields, wherein the method comprising:
at the receiver:
receiving a data block from the sender while the data transmission operation is in an unacknowledged mode;
determining a condition of a particular field of the plurality of fields of the data block; and
ignoring the data block when the condition of the particular field is one of a plurality of abnormal conditions;

wherein ignoring the data block includes treating the data block as if it has never been received instead of treating the data block as missing when maintaining a HFN.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular field is a \u201cLength Indicator\u201d field.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one of the plurality of abnormal conditions comprises an invalid length indicator.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the one of the plurality of abnormal conditions comprises a length indictor having a reserved value.
5. A receiver for reducing the chance of losing hyper frame number (HFN) synchronization during data block transmission between a sender and a receiver in a wireless communication system, wherein data blocks may contain a plurality of fields, wherein the receiver comprising:
receiving a data block from the sender while the data transmission operation is in an unacknowledged mode;
determining a condition of a particular field of the plurality of fields of the data block; and
ignoring the data block when the condition of the particular field is one of a plurality of abnormal conditions;

wherein ignoring the data block includes treating the data block as if it has never been received instead of treating the data block as missing when maintaining a HFN.
6. The receiver of claim 5, wherein the particular field is a \u201cLength Indicator\u201d field.
7. The receiver of claim 6, wherein the one of the plurality of abnormal conditions comprises an invalid length indicator.
8. The receiver of claim 6, wherein the one of the plurality of abnormal conditions comprises a length indictor having a reserved value.