Abstract: The invention relates to an image processing method and apparatus capable of making easy to designate and change attributes of a plurality of blocks contained in input image information. As an original image is input from an input unit, a plurality of blocks contained in the image are extracted, an attribute such as text typesetting for each extracted block is judged, and the judged result is displayed. The display data includes an input image, frame information capable of discriminating an extracted block, and attribute information of each block. The attribute information may be displayed in the form of symbol pattern. An operator selects a block at least whose attribute is to be changed or corrected by using a pointing device or the like, to thereby obtain a changed or corrected attribute. Attribute change or correction is performed for a plurality of designated blocks at the same time.

Abstract: A virtual environment model of an inside of a room is created from a panoramic image thereof by performing the steps of: arranging the panoramic image on a cylindrical body in a virtual space such that information about an angle of view of the relevant panoramic image is reflected; arranging a ceiling plane and a floor plane of said room in said virtual space such that the ceiling plane and floor place are brought into contact with an upper plane and a lower plane, respectively of said cylindrical body; deriving a radius (r) of the cylindrical body from a circumferencial length of said cylindrical body corresponding to a length (L) of said panoramic image and deriving a height (H) of said panoramic image; setting markers (A′, B′) on the panoramic image, said markers corresponding to vertices (A, B) of posts at respective corners of the room, at said vertices the posts being brought into contact with the ceiling plane and floor plane, respectively on the virtual space; deriving heights (a, b)

Abstract: In the paperless accounting system of the present invention, even if a person is not accustomed to accounting, a slip can be easily formed by simply inputting data of necessary items displayed on menu screens having different menus in accordance with different types of slips. Input errors of input slip data are automatically checked. Even if erroneous data are input, they can be corrected on the spot. The finished electronic slip files are assigned with slip numbers, respectively.

Abstract: A process for generating animated graphical images of a vascular structure attached to an anatomical structure includes the steps of: generating and arranging a plurality of anatomical patches in rest positions to form an anatomical patch surface representing an anatomical structure disposed in a rest position; and generating and arranging at least one vascular patch over the anatomical structure in the rest position, the vascular patch having an associated array of control points configured to form a closed surface of a vascular structure having a closed transverse cross section; and establishing a binding positional relationship between at least a portion of the control points and the anatomical patch surface by determining binding points on the surface of at least one selected anatomical patch in a rest position.

Abstract: A process for generating animated graphical images of an exterior patch surface of an exterior layer disposed over an animated underlying structure includes the steps of: generating and arranging a plurality of underlying patches each being in a rest position to form an underlying patch surface representing an underlying structure disposed in a rest position; generating and arranging a plurality of exterior patches to form an exterior patch surface superimposed over the underlying structure in the rest position, each of the exterior patches having an associated array of control points; transforming the control points of the exterior patches into a polygonal mesh of vertex points each being coincident with at least one of the control points; establishing a binding positional relationship between each of the vertex points and an associated closest one of the underlying patches to the vertex point; animating the underlying structure causing a displacement in the position of at least one of the underlying patches

Abstract: A system and method for implementing a z-range buffer during the generation and display of three-dimensional graphical images. The display screen is partitioned into a plurality of display blocks. For each display block, the z-range buffer stores minimum and maximum depth values (z-values) of a front layer of the block and a back layer of the block. The z-range buffer further stores a bitmask value where each bit in the bitmask associates a pixel in the block to either the front layer or the back layer. When a new triangle is to be displayed, the minimum and/or maximum z-values of the pixels of the triangle are compared with the minimum and/or maximum z-values of the front layer and/or the back layer. By making such z-comparisons, it is often possible to make generalizations of the z-values of the remaining pixels in the triangle without individually analyzing their z-values.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining whether polygons which form objects defined by graphic data generated by CAD intersect with virtually generated light rays. Polygons which are not intersected are removed from the graphic data as unnecessary for the generation of CG data. An apparatus is also described in which path passage points which pass through an animation path within a virtual world are interactively set. If an object exists that interferes with a path that joins adjacent path passage points, an alternate route path which detours around the interfering object is generated. An apparatus is also described in which a path of a moving object is interactively set on a perspective view of the virtual world as viewed from one direction. The position of the set path in the virtual world is calculated, and the position of the path in the direction of viewing is corrected to a position that is removed from an object by a prescribed distance.

Abstract: A graphics system and method for reducing redundant transformation and lighting calculations performed on vertices that are shared by more than one geometric primitive is disclosed. The amount of data transmitted in certain data blocks may be reduced by incorporating a multicast/unicast bit into each data block. This bit may then be set to instruct the control unit to use the current 3D geometry data or state information for subsequent vertices. This may increase efficiency by allowing subsequent vertices using the same 3D geometry data to transfer less data. Conversely, if a vertex has wholly independent 3D geometry data, then its multicast/unicast bit may be set to invoke use of the current 3D geometry data on the current vertex as opposed to all future vertices. The reduction in redundant calculations is accomplished by delaying the formation of geometric primitives until after transformation and lighting has been performed on the vertices.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus which can perform a variety of graphic processing using a video signal obtained by an image pickup apparatus. A system comprising a DDA set-up circuit for generating first image data and first z-data, a triangle circuit, a texture engine circuit, and a memory I/F circuit for writing the first image data and the first z-data respectively in a display buffer memory and a x-buffer memory and for writing the second image data and the second z-data respectively to the display buffer memory and the z-buffer memory when second image data corresponding to image pickup results of an image pickup apparatus and second x-data corresponding to the second image data are input from the video signal generator.

Abstract: Plural client computers 10 manipulates by individual users, a data management computer 200, and a host computer 100 are mutually connected through a network NW. The data management computer 200 manages the VRML file expressing a virtual space, and also transfers the VRML file to each client computer 10 through the network NW according to the request from each client computer 10. Each client computer 10 displays the virtual space according to the VRML file, and also displays in inside of the virtual space the object capable of updating the property data by the manipulation of the user. The host computer 100 manages the property data (position, shape, speech text, etc.) of the object changed by the operation inputted by the user at each client computer 10, so that the users of the client computers 10 sharing the same virtual space can communicate with each other through the behavior and speech of the objects in the virtual space.

Abstract: Disclosed is a texture prefetching method for use in a three-dimensional graphics display system in which texture maps of an object are stored in memory for texels at (u,v) memory locations. The method of fetching texels for use in calculating (x,y) display pixel values comprises the steps of: a) identifying in (u,v) space a geometric shape to be displayed in (x,y) space, b) establishing tiles of pixels within the geometric shape for use in accessing texels, c) computing texel addresses at one side of a tile based on current addresses (topuc, topvc) and first and second derivatives of (u,v) as a function of (x) and a first derivative as a function of (y), d) computing texel addresses at an opposing side of the tile based on current addresses (u0,v0) and first and second derivatives of (u,v) as a function of (x) and a first derivative as a function of (y), and e) fetching texel blocks within the tiles as defined by the addresses in steps c) and d).

Abstract: A method for displaying musical data in three dimensions includes displaying musical data along a spatial path that does not lie within the image plane of a display. Graphical symbols corresponding to the musical data may be displayed on graphical surfaces aligned with the spatial path. The graphical surfaces form, in some embodiments, a tunnel through which the time axis associated with the musical data runs. The musical data may be manipulated to provide the viewer with the appearance of motion along the time axis associated with the musical data. In some embodiments, the viewer is represented by a virtual camera in the three-dimensional environment and the virtual camera is “moved” to provide the appearance of motion. A corresponding apparatus is also discussed.

Abstract: A method and computer program for simultaneously displaying very large sets of quantitative data. The method and computer program permit the display of quantitative data without first standardizing the data. The method and computer program also permit an observer to display the data space under user controlled color mappings, to select color spectrums to emphasize or hide certain data or certain characteristics, and to move over and fly through the data space to identify and analyze areas of interest.

Abstract: Viewpoint settings (e.g., viewpoint change pattern, viewpoint position, line-of-sight, angle of view, spring constant or viewpoint control program) are provided for moving bodies. From these viewpoint settings, a viewpoint setting linked to the moving body selected by a player is selected. The selected viewpoint setting is then used to control the viewpoint. For example, when a player selects one of motor vehicles of types 1, 2 and 3, the viewpoint is changed according to one of viewpoint change patterns that include viewpoint groups (1-A, 1-B), (2-A, 2-B) and (3-A, 3-B), depending au the selected type of the motor vehicle. The height of the viewpoint may be changed in proportion to the height of the moving body. The distance between th viewpoint and the moving body may be changed in proportion to the length of the moving body. The viewpoint may be located in the right front of a motor vehicle with a right-hand steering wheel, and in the left front of a motor vehicle with a left-hand steering wheel.

Abstract: In the paperless accounting system of the present invention, even if a person is not accustomed to accounting, a slip can be easily formed by simply inputting data in necessary items displayed on menu screens having different menus in accordance with different types of slips. Input errors of input slip data are automatically checked. Even if erroneous data are input, they can be corrected on the spot. The finished electronic slip files are assigned with slip numbers, respectively.

Abstract: Whether or not an object to be rendered in stereo images is inside of a fusional area is determined on the basis of a focus point and positions of eyes of a viewer. By using characteristics of a view sight of a human in which an object in a fusional area of human eyes can be clearly recognized as a single solid, however, if an object is not in the fusional area, the object is recognized as vague overlapped images, an object which is inside of the fusional area is rendered by using an image generating algorithm capable expressing in high precision. In contrast, an object which is outside of the fusional area is rendered by using an image generating algorithm which requires lighter calculation load than the former image generating algorithm.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for navigating and manipulating a virtual object in a virtual space using a digital camera as an input device are described. The method comprises the following steps. A plurality of video frames are received and analyzed by a video data analyzer to determine whether a predetermined set of data is present. The predetermined set of data includes several variables. First, whether a person is present in the video frame. Second, if a person is present, then whether the person's head is visible in the video frame. If the person's head is visible, then the position of the person's head in 3-D space is determined and recorded. Finally, the orientation of the person's head in 3-D space is also determined. The third variable is to determine whether a hand or hands are visible. If a hand is visible, the position of the hand in 3-D space is determined and recorded. The orientation of the hand in 3-D space is then determined and recorded.

Abstract: The device for addressing a plasma panel comprising a video processing circuit (7) for processing the digital video data received, a correspondence memory (8) for transcoding these data, a video memory (9) for storing the transcoded data, the video memory being linked to column driver circuits (10) for controlling the column addressing of the plasma panel, is characterized in that the transcoded data have a greater number of bits than the digital video data received and in that the processing circuit (7) comprises means for differently coding identical values of digital video data received. The applications target plasma panel control devices.

Abstract: Sampling points are set on a first closed curve which represents the contour of an object contained in an image. Sampling points are also set on a second closed curve which represents the object contour to be obtained after lapse of a predetermined time. Associate points are set on the first and second closed curves to correlate these closed curves. Interpolations are performed between the sampling points on both curves, starting from the associate points, thereby generating a transient contour which is to be obtained in the course of transition from the first closed curve to the second closed curve. This method enables the transient contour to be obtained with high quality, even if the first and second closed curves are constituted by different numbers of segments which are to be used in the generation of the transient contour.

Abstract: A character is represented in a character generator as a set of polygons. The character may be manipulated using three-dimensional animation techniques. A code for a character may be used to access a set of curves defining the outline of the character. This set of curves is transformed into a set of polygons. The set of polygons may be rendered as a three-dimensional object. The set of polygons may be created by converting the curves into sets of connected line segments and then tessellating the polygon defined by the line segments. Animation properties are represented using a normalized scale over time. Animation may be provided in a manner that is independent of the spatial and temporal resolution of the video to which it is applied. Such animation may be applied to characters defined by a set of polygons. A user interface for editing a character string may provide two alternate displays. A first display allows a user to input and view any desired portion of the character string for the purpose of editing.