Abstract: A method and apparatus render a region of a distance field representing an object. The distance field is partitioned into a set of cells, where each cell includes a set of distance samples and a method for reconstructing the distance field within the cell using the distance samples. A set of source cells is selected from the set of cells of the distance field to enable the rendering of the region. Each source cell is represented as a geometric element in a world coordinate system. Each geometric element is associated with a texture map, where the texture map includes distance samples of the corresponding source cell of the geometric element. Each geometric element is transformed from the world coordinate system to a pixel coordinate system and texture mapped, using the distance samples, to determine a distance for each component of each pixel associated with the geometric element. The distance of each component of each pixel is mapped to an antialiased intensity of the component of the pixel.

Abstract: The location of an object in a physical scene is identified with a stereo camera. A virtual surface is identified in the physical scene, and an approximate disparity set is constructed for the virtual surface. A main and a reference image of the scene are acquired by the stereo camera. The reference image is warped according to the disparity set, and subtracted from the main image to determine a set of depth residual values. Pixels having a substantially non-zero residual are identified with a surface of the object not coincident with the virtual surface.

Abstract: A method determines approximate probabilities of states of a system represented by a model. The model includes nodes connected by links. Each node represents possible states of a corresponding part of the system, and each link represents statistical dependencies between possible states of related nodes. The nodes are grouped into arbitrary sized clusters such that every node is included in at least one cluster and each link is completely contained in at least one cluster. Messages, based on the arbitrary sized cluster, are defined. Each message has associated sets of source nodes and destination nodes, and a value and a rule depending on other messages and on selected links connecting the source nodes and destination nodes. The value of each message is updated until a termination condition is reached. When the termination condition is reached, approximate probabilities of the states of the system are determined from the values of the messages.

Abstract: A display device includes a display screen, and horizontal and vertical display signals. The horizontal and vertical display signals are to render an image on the display screen. A first and second accelerometers are directly coupled to the display screen. First and second compensation circuits convert acceleration in horizontal and vertical directions respectively to x- and y-compensation signals. First and second adders combine the x- and y-compensation signals with the horizontal and vertical display signals to dynamically adjust a location of the image on the display screen while the display device is subject to movement.

Abstract: A method up-samples a compressed bitstream. The compressed bitstream is partially decoding to produce macroblocks. Each macroblock has DCT coefficients according to a predetermined dimensionality of the macroblock. DCT filters are applied to the DCT coefficients of each macroblock to generate up-sampled macroblocks for each macroblock, there is one up-sampled macroblock generated by each filter. Each generated up-sampled macroblock has the predetermined dimensionality.

Abstract: A system models a graphics object by first providing a model of the object, generation parameters specifying a fixed level-of-detail, and conversion parameters specifying variable levels-of-detail. An adaptively sampled distance field having the fixed level-of-detail is generated from the model, and the adaptively sampled distance field is converted from the fixed level-of-detail to the variable levels-of-detail while concurrently generating rendering primitives.

Abstract: A method generates a synthetic textured data signal by first acquiring a time-invariant input textured data signal. The input textured data signal is sampled to construct an observation matrix. The observation matrix is eigen-coding and factoring to identify a linear dynamic system modeling the input textured data signal. Then, the linear dynamic system can be run forward from an initial state using a quadratic regulator and a random noise signal to generate the synthetic textured data signal.

Abstract: A method models a three-dimensional object by first acquiring alpha mattes of the object for multiple viewpoints. The alpha mattes are then projected onto a surface hull completely enclosing the object to construct an opacity hull storing opacity values of the surface of the object. The object is illuminated for various lighting conditions while images are acquired. The images are projected onto the opacity hull to render the object under arbitrary lighting conditions for arbitrary viewpoints.

Abstract: A method regularizes a distance field of a graphics model or object. The distance field includes variable scalar values and a set of fixed zero values. The zero values define a boundary or surface of the object. The distance field is evaluated by a cost function, optimized according predetermined parameters, to determine a cost of the distance field. The variable scalar values are then randomly perturbed while holding the zero values fixed. The evaluating, determining, perturbing steps are repeated until the cost is less than a predetermined threshold. The distance field can be in the form of a non-differentiable implicial field. A surface of the graphics model can be textured or stenciled by following streamlines along the gradients of the regularized distance field.

Abstract: A destination computer reads a device identification and a network address from a peripheral device connected to the destination computer. A device driver, corresponding to the device identification, is then retrieved from the source computer at the network address. A device driver installation program can also be retrieved from the source computer. The device driver installation program is executed in the destination computer to determine the configuration of the destination computer. The destination computer requests the device driver for the peripheral device corresponding to the configuration of the destination computer from the source computer. The device driver is installed in the destination computer.

Abstract: A system interactively edits a graphics object. The system includes a user interface for setting editing parameters, and providing a model of the graphics object. An adaptively sample distance field is generated from the model, and an interactive editor manipulates the adaptively sampled distance field. The manipulated adaptively sampled distance field is then converted to rendering primitives to be rendered by a rendering engine.

Abstract: A method displays an image on a display surface. First, structured patterns are projected on the display surface by multiple projectors Pi. Input images of the structured pattern are acquired. Each input image is acquired by a camera Ci in a fixed physical relationship to a corresponding one of the projectors. The correspondences are triangulated to determine a quadric transfer TPiCk. Quadric transfer parameters are determined of the quadric transfer T. Output images from the projectors are warped according to the quadric transfer and the quadric transfer parameters.

Abstract: A method, using a filter function, generates an anti-aliased discrete image from a continuous image including an edge. The method defines a line sample. A progressive convolution is derived from the filter function and the line sample. A pixel at a predetermined location in the discrete image is selected, and the line sample is oriented with respect to the selected pixel. A distance is measured from a point in the continuous image corresponding to the selected pixel to the edge along the oriented the line sample. The progressive convolution is evaluated at the measured distance to produce a weighted coverage value, and the weighted coverage value is associated with the pixel to anti-alias the pixel in the discrete image.