Abstract: Methods and apparatus implementing a technique for preparing one or more vector data objects for rendering. In general, in one aspect, the technique includes receiving an object that is a vector data object and defining clipping states of the object. Each clipping state of the object represents an appearance of the object for a region of the object. The technique includes, for each clipping state, determining whether a clipping path is needed to render the appearance of the object represented by the clipping state and generating clipping instructions in accordance with the determining. The technique includes, for each clipping state, generating rendering instructions for rendering the appearance of the region of the object represented by the clipping state. The technique includes associating the generated clipping and rendering instructions to the corresponding clipping states.

Abstract: An apparatus for efficiently filling an image on a display screen through hardware acceleration are provided. One exemplary device includes a display controller. The display controller includes image generation circuitry configured to generate an address and a color for each pixel of an image to be drawn on a display screen. The image generation circuitry includes pen width selection circuitry configured to identify and select coordinates of adjacent and non-overlapping sectors to an initial footprint of the image on the display screen to be drawn. The display controller includes data processing and selection circuitry configured to interface with a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory. The data processing and selection circuitry in communication with the image generation circuitry and configured to receive the address and the color for each pixel of the image. A system and methods for filling an image on a display screen are also provided.

Abstract: A system and method for extracting and manipulating image data is provided. A pixel panel is rotated so as to increase a resolution of a projected image. The rotation may be calculated so as to achieve a desired resolution. A portion of the image is retrieved from a memory and an address is calculated for either the portion or discrete bits in order to determine where the bits should appear on the pixel panel. The manipulated bits are transferred to a buffer, which may be a line or frame buffer, and from the buffer to the pixel panel. One or more shift registers may be used to shift the bits into the buffer.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for display image adjustment is described. More particularly, handles associated with polygon vertices of a polygon rendered image are provided as a graphical user interface (GUI). These handles may be selected and moved by a user with a cursor pointing device to adjust a displayed image for keystoning, among other types of distortion. This GUI allows a user to adjust a projected image for position of a projector with respect to imaging surface, as well as for imaging surface contour, where such contour may be at least substantially planar, cylindrical, or spherical and where such contour may comprise multiple imaging surfaces. This advantageously may be done without special optics or special equipment. An original image is used as texture for rendering polygons, where the image is applied to the rendered polygons.

Abstract: A method for adjusting sharpness and brightness of a digital image. In this method, an image function is first inputted into a processor. The image function comprises a plurality of control parameters. Next, the control parameter values of the control parameters are set, and then each of the pixels is sequentially leaded into the image function according to the control parameter value so as to perform the corresponding operation for adjusting the sharpness and brightness of the image. Finally, the adjusted image is outputted. Therefore, the two processes in the prior art, one for adjusting the brightness, the other for the sharpness, are merged into one process so that the design of the hardware circuit is simplified and the required memory space is reduced.

Abstract: A method for mapping a texture onto a surface of a computer generated object represented by a plurality of pixels, where the mapping of the texture is dependent upon the geometric shape of the object. The method includes dividing a texture map comprising a plurality of texels into blocks, determining two block values for each block which are representative of the texel values for that block, compressing the texture map, and mapping said compressed texture map onto the surface of the computer generated object.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of analyzing an object data set comprising points in a multi-dimensional space, in which dataset a tubular structure, such as blood vessels, occurs. The method comprises the following steps: a) choosing a screen position related to the tubular structure; b) determining the multi-dimensional co-ordinates of a starting position associated with said screen position; c) deriving a plane through said starting position having its normal directed to the tubular structure; d) determining a surface point of the tubular structure as a target position associated with the starting position; e) selecting a number of points forming part of the surface of the tubular structure in the vicinity of the target position; f) determining the surface point in the selection which is closest to the plane; and g) using the surface point determined in the step f) as a new starting position. This method allows accurate and reproducible selection of the starting position.

Abstract: A graphical input and display system for creating and manipulating electronic images includes input devices permitting a user to manipulate elements of electronic images received from various image input sources. A processor, connected to the system, receives requests for various image editing operations and also accesses a memory structure. The system memory structure includes a user interaction module, which allows a user to enter new image material or select and modify existing image material to form primary image objects, as well as a grouping module, which maintains an unrestricted grouping structure, an output module, and data memory.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for rendering images on a computer screen. Under the invention, a portion of a base image is described using a path. The path is then transformed using a non-affine transform to produce a transformed path. The transformed path is then rendered onto the computer screen. Another aspect of the present invention is a method and apparatus for rendering curves of any order and any dimension. In particular, the present invention provides a means for converting a function of any order and any dimension that describes one segment of a curve into a function that describes a different sized segment or an adjoining segment.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for generating cartograms using a base map of contiguous polygons and a vector containing values to which areas of corresponding polygons are scaled. The general problem is intractable, so an iterative heuristic is proposed. The heuristic is based on “scanlines.” The scanlines may be defined automatically (typically, by placing a grid over the map) or entered manually (to provide finer control over the results). At each step, one scanline is chosen and a new candidate map is made by adjusting the vertices of polygons intersected by the scanline, moving them orthogonally to the scanline. A candidate solution is accepted if it improves the solution and preserves the input mesh's topology. Improvement depends on metrics for area and shape error.

Abstract: A method of comparing dendrograms created by different references or algorithms displays individual dendrograms (201, 202) on a screen in an overlapped yet distinguishable manner. The overlapped portions of the dendrograms are displaced vertically or horizontally from one another and indicated by different colors for individual dendrograms. A specified branch and elements hanging therefrom can be highlighted when displayed, such that differences in the manner in which individual elements of the overlapped dendrograms are clustered can be easily recognized.

Abstract: A system and method for optimizing the processing of a sequence of images represented as a directed acyclic graph. The method comprises receiving a selection of a view node at which point an output image is to be viewed. The cost to process each predecessor branch of nodes of a plurality of branches of nodes in the directed acyclic graph. The output image is rendered by processing the predecessor branches in order from most costly to least costly. In one embodiment, images may be represented as a directed acyclic graph. In one embodiment, the method also includes re-ordering the predecessor branches based on the cost to process the branches. The method may be implemented on a system such as a computer.

Abstract: An apparatus with an operating parameter that takes effect with a value for the duration of an activation phase in a number of activation phases following one another at time intervals has whereby a display that indicates the value with which the operating parameter takes effect during an activation phase in the form of rectangles over a time axis.