Abstract: The present invention includes a processor, a storage device having compressed texture data, a texture buffer having decompressed texture data. The processor reads the compressed texture data from the storage device and decompresses the texture data. The processor then stores the decompressed texture data in the texture buffer.

Abstract: Digital watermarking technology is used in conjunction with map data, such as is acquired by satellite and other aerial sensors. The watermarks are used to track metadata, provide serialization and forensic tracking, help auto-correlate image data, and quilt together related imagery. One aspect of the present invention contemplates that incoming imagery is automatically geo-referenced and combined with previously collected data sets so as to facilitate generation of revised composite maps. Another aspect of the present invention associates geovector information with a photograph via a digital watermark.

Abstract: A graphics system including a custom graphics and audio processor produces exciting 2D and 3D graphics and surround sound. The system includes a graphics and audio processor including a 3D graphics pipeline and an audio digital signal processor. The graphics pipeline renders and prepares images for display at least in part in response to polygon vertex attribute data and texel color data stored as a texture images in an associated memory. An efficient texturing pipeline arrangement achieves a relatively low chip-footprint by utilizing a single texture coordinate/data processing unit that interleaves the processing of logical direct and indirect texture coordinate data and a texture lookup data feedback path for “recirculating” indirect texture lookup data retrieved from a single texture retrieval unit back to the texture coordinate/data processing unit.

Abstract: A method of compositing two input image components (101, 102) to form at least one output image component (103, 104, 105) is disclosed. Each of the image components (101-105) is formed of run-based data and categorised by one of a plurality of data types and at least one of the input data types is a non-flat colour or non-flat opacity blend of at least linear degree. An output data type is determined from the input data types and a predetermined compositing operation to be applied to the input image components (101, 102). An output run (103, 104, 105) of the output data type is produced at an area of intersection of the two input runs (101, 102).

Abstract: Hybrid sampling of pixels of an image involves generating shading values at multiple shading sample locations and generating depth values at multiple depth sample locations, with the number of depth sample locations exceeding the number of shading sample locations. Each shading sample location is associated with one or more of the depth sample locations. Generation and filtering of hybrid sampled pixel data can be done within a graphics processing system, transparent to an application that provides image data.

Abstract: The method combines a plurality of images. The images each have associated meta-data comprising meta-data element(s) having merging attribute tag(s). The merging attribute describes an action to be taken with the corresponding meta-data element when the images are combined. The method first reads (104) the attribute(s) of the images to identify the action(s) and then combines the meta-data elements of the images in accordance with said action(s) In another embodiment, the method transforms an image.

Abstract: A method, system and computer readable medium for transforming three dimensional (3D) color information into a color standard is described. A 3D cube defined by eight RGB color points representing the eight vertices of the 3D cube is stored. Each of the eight points represents one of the colors: red, yellow, white, magenta, blue, black, green and cyan. In addition, each of the eight points represents the difference between the capacity of a display and the color standard. The 3D cube is divided into six tetrahedrons and the tetrahedron corresponding to an input RGB pixel is selected. A 3×3 matrix based on the vertices of the selected tetrahedron is calculated. The 3×3 matrix is then multiplied by the components of the input RGB pixel to produce an output RGB pixel conforming to the color standard.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in a data processing system for processing user input. A graphical widget is displayed on a display device within the data processing system, wherein the graphical widget is displayed using a first size. Responsive to receiving a selected user input, a display of the graphical widget is resized on the display device to a second size for receiving user input, wherein the second size is larger than the first size.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for executing intelligent shape programming in a computer within a CAD application program, wherein elements of the intelligent shape can be protected from unauthorized use and modification. The intelligent shape comprises several objects for use in connecting, manipulating, displaying, mapping, protecting, and otherwise creating a new component or modifying an existing one. To provide for the protection of a shape, the intelligent shape programming provides for the user of a protection object that comprises a read-write shape identification and a set password method. The set password method is utilized to assign a password to each shape that is combined with the shape identification such that the shape becomes password protected. Once password protected, properties and expressions of the shape cannot be modified, changed, deleted, etc. and the protection status of the shape cannot be changed.

Abstract: A method of rendering a low-resolution thumbnail image at an embedded imaging device is described. An original digital negative is captured at the embedded imaging device at an original resolution and a thumbnail digital image of the original digital negative is generated at a first resolution. The thumbnail digital image is displayed on a display device coupled to the embedded imaging device and modified to form a first resultant image at the first resolution. A first edit list based upon the modifying is generated and associated with the first resultant image and linked to the original digital negative. The linked first edit list, the original digital negative, and the first resultant image are stored at the embedded imaging device and displayed at the display device.

Abstract: An image processing system produces clusters of related objects for subsequent analysis. It receives a multi-level digital representation of the image and predetermined objects are identified by extraction units (4). A segmentation unit (6) drives boundary data from the multi-level digital representation, the boundary data representing boundaries between different regions of the image. A clustering unit (8) clusters the predetermined objects into groups in dependence on their proximity to each other and in dependence on the boundary data and supplies this cluster data for subsequent analysis.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and device for obtaining upscaled video frames including 2D graphic elements from primary video objects of smaller format, while ensuring no degradation of said 2D graphic elements will take place. To this end, separate and parallel processes are performed on video frames and on 2D graphic elements. The first process consists of generating rendered frames from said primary video objects, said rendered frames being afterwards upscaled to the desired output video format. The second process consists of directly rendering in said output format the 2D graphic elements by using a drawing algorithm ensuring no degradation of said 2D graphic elements will take place. In a final step, rendered 2D graphic elements are mapped on the upscaled video frames.

Abstract: A graphics system including a custom graphics and audio processor produces exciting 2D and 3D graphics and surround sound. The system includes a graphics and audio processor including a 3D graphics pipeline and an audio digital signal processor. Realistic looking surfaces on rendered images are generated by EMBM using an indirect-texture lookup to a “bump map” followed by an environment or light mapping. Apparatus and example methods for environment-mapped style of bump-mapping (EMBM) are provided that use a pre-completed bump-map texture accessed as an indirect texture along with pre-computed object surface normals (i.e., the Normal, Tangent and Binormal vectors) from each vertex of rendered polygons to effectively generate a new perturbed Normal vector per vertex.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method, apparatus and computer program product for positioning a plurality of sub-images such as spheres or circles within a bounded image (such as a character). The size (eg radius) and/or packing density of the sub-images can be varied in accordance with the distance of a point where the sub-image is to be located from a reference line (131, 171) which can be internal or external of the bounded image. The use of actual and virtual dimensions (ra, rv) enables overlapping and spaced apart sub-images to be created. A threshold test is also able to prevent display of sub-images below a certain size.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving image quality in a digital imaging device such as a digital video or still camera. A method for improving image quality of the device has steps of providing a digital image signal, and selecting a color corrector based, at least in part, on a signal-to-noise ratio of the digital image signal. The method and apparatus enables the image quality of an electronic output image output by the digital imaging device to be optimized over a wide range of signal values.

Abstract: A signature capture and analysis system suitable for use in a high performance computer graphics system is described. The system employs a distributed network of signature analysis registers (SARs) which may be configured to capture and accumulate information from one or more channels of data over pre-defined periods of time. The SARs may be so distributed to allow for the isolation of faults to a sub-system level. The signature values developed in these SARs are, in some cases pre-seeded, and may include contributions from both data and control signals. Checking of the signature values against known good or expected outcomes is provided for. In some cases the SARs may be implemented as linear hybrid cellular automatons.

Abstract: A method of compositing a graphical image document having a plurality of layers in which a class is stored for each layer of the plurality of layers, a compositing sequence for the plurality of layers is derived from the classes, and the plurality of layers are composited in the compositing sequence.

Abstract: A texture description method in frequency domains and a texture-based retrieval method using the same, in which image signals are converted into those in a frequency domain of a Polar coordinate system. The texture description method in the frequency domain includes a first step of generating a frequency layout by partitioning the frequency domain into a set of feature channels; a second step of extracting the texture feature values of the image from the respective feature channels; and a third step of constituting a texture descriptor of the image in a vector form using the texture feature values extracted from the respective feature channels of the frequency layout. In a texture-based retrieval described in the frequency domain, a retrieval method capable of satisfying respective or all the retrieval conditions such as scale-, rotation- and intensity-invariant retrieval of relevant texture images is provided.

Abstract: An electronic instrument for displaying musical notes on a monitor or screen with colors selected from a color palette created by an artist/musician for each note as selected shapes at selected locations on the monitor or screen.

Abstract: Data intended to be displayed on a higher resolution display such as a non-interlaced display used as a computer monitor may be converted for display on a lower resolution display such as an interlaced display. The conversion may be done in a way that preserves the intended frame format while enhancing readability. For example, in one embodiment, the frames intended for non-interlaced display may be preserved in size for display in the same frame format on a lower resolution interlaced display. Local magnification may be selectively implemented for particular regions to enhance the readability of those regions. Upon selection, such local magnification may provide pixel loss and color corrections in addition to local magnification. In this way the frame format may be preserved while enhancing readability.