Abstract: A computer graphics system provides for processing image data including Z data for use in displaying three-dimensional images on a display unit. The system includes: a depth buffer providing for temporary storage of Z data; and a graphics processing unit having a graphics engine for generating image data including Z data, and a memory interface unit communicatively coupled to the graphics engine and communicatively coupled to the depth buffer via a depth buffer interface. The graphics processing unit is operative to compress at least a portion of the generated Z data, to write the compressed portion of Z data to the depth buffer via the depth buffer interface in a compressed format, to read portions of compressed Z data from the depth buffer via the depth buffer interface, and to decompress the compressed Z data read from the buffer.

Abstract: A method for matching a two dimensional image to one of a plurality of three dimensional candidate models.

Abstract: This invention is a pointing device, i.e. a computer mouse, for producing computer program commands issued by young children or others that have difficulty operating a conventional mouse device. A rotatable ball or other pointing mechanism is provided in the housing. A horizontally-elongated button is located within the front surface of the housing. This button, having a horizontal arc of between approximately 150 to 180 degrees, may be readily operated by any or all of the fingers of one hand of the user and may be pulled backward by cupping the hand in a grasping action. This eliminates the physically-difficult downward, single-finger, pressing action required of conventional pointing devices. Preferably, the mouse has a mass of approximately 150-250 grams, which, for the preferred small-volume mouse, amounts to a high-density mouse that tends to reduce or eliminate rapid or erratic movements that may be inadvertently initiated by the young or less-then-dexterous user.

Abstract: A first editor memory is supplied with picture data that a user has selected, a second editor memory is supplied with a template that the user has selected, and a key memory is supplied with a key information that the user has selected. A switch inserts the picture data into the template in accordance with key information to deliver it to a video memory. A picture synthesis section inserts the picture data stored in the first editor memory into the picture insertion area designated by the key information within the template stored in the second editor memory in accordance with instruction from the user.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically adding effects to still images are described. In one embodiment, a source image and a template are selected. Further, designated areas of the source image are automatically replaced with template image information, the template image information alters the source image to produce special effects. In an alternate embodiment, designated areas of the source image are automatically replaced with template image information, the template image information giving the appearance of animation of the source image. In another alternate embodiment, the selected areas of the source image are replaced with template image information to produce an animation image sequence, the template image information giving the appearance of animation of the source image.

Abstract: A device for indicating prices, article numbers or similar information on the edges of the shelves in department stores or storing premises. The device comprises a number of displays which shall be mounted to the shelves, and each display is connected to a separate electronic control unit and forms together with said unit an operative unit having its own power source. This operative unit is directly or indirectly connected to external control apparatus.

Abstract: A method and system for generating a graphical display from data describing at least one three-dimensional object is disclosed. The method and system include providing a plurality of processors and a single interpolator coupled with the plurality of processors. Each of the processors receive a portion of the data for one of the three-dimensional object(s), determine if a current position is located within the portion of the data, and provide an output if the current position is located within the portion of the data. The single interpolator is configured to provide information relating to characteristics of the portion of the data in the processor in response to the processor providing the output.

Abstract: A two-dimensional image file is transferred from a client via the Internet or other data transfer network to a server having a processor for performing selectable image data processing, according to a stored program. The processor generates a file for output, formatting and fixation on a micro-optical material. The image fixed on the micro-optical material is seen by the unaided eye as three dimensional, or an action, zoom, flip, or morphing sequence, depending on the image processing selected. For three-dimensional imaging the processor assigns regions within the image to different image surfaces, and displaces each according to multiple viewing angles. The image surfaces are interphased into a single data file which is output and fixed, by printing or photographic processes, on the micro-optical material. The printed image is either printed directly on the micro-optical material or laminated. The image may also be viewed through a CRT having an overlaid micro-optical material.

Abstract: A system and process for rendering a virtual reality environment having an image-based background, which allows a viewer to move about and interact with 3D graphic objects in a virtual interaction space of the environment. This is generally accomplished by first rendering an image-based background, and separately rendering geometry-based foreground objects. The foreground objects are then integrated into the background, and a combined image is presented to the viewer.

Abstract: The purpose is to provide a system and a method for 3-D shared virtual environment communication system to enable a plurality of users to share a common virtual environment so that real-time facial expressions of other users can be displayed on user's own terminal and voices heard. The system thus facilitate communications among the users in such cases as virtual conferencing environment. The method of operating the communication system is executed by computer application programs that contains a user information control section 102 broadcasts information input from the facial expression input section 103, voice input section 104 and motion information input section 105, to other user terminals through the network 30 under the control of the network control section 101. The avatar information managing section 107, script control section 108, virtual environment control section 109 and virtual environment generation section 110 displays other users' avatar on user's own terminal.

Abstract: A method for of transferring and receiving 3D image motion through communication network based upon virtual behavioral model wherein the virtual model represents the 3D image structure and enables to simulate 3D image motion according to structure components positions and movements programmed according to behavioral set of rules. Processing the 3D image according to motion capture method, capturing time based 2D data sets representing specific partial Key Fragments of the 3D image. Transferring the said virtual model through the network, transferring sequential sets of the said key fragments of each 2D data set through the network.

Abstract: Processing at high speed is realized. Interpolation is carried out between vertexes of a series of vertexes and a series of vertexes taken as a longer series of vertexes of a strip. Interpolation is then carried out between each vertex of the interpolated series of vertexes and corresponding vertexes. Sub-strips are then generated using each of the interpolated vertexes. In this way, processing can be carried out at high speed after finely subdividing.

Abstract: In a 3D computer graphics system such as a 3D home video game console, efficient techniques for generating non-photorealistic effects such as cartoon outlining involve generating and displaying border lines at object edges based on contents of a pixel memory. Some techniques use depth (Z) values to determine which pixels are located at object edges, and selectively blend border coloration into those pixels which are then displayed. Object edges are located by comparing pixel depth values with neighboring pixel depth values (e.g., calculating a “distance” value based on the absolute values of the distance(s) between a pixel's depth and depths of neighboring pixels). A desired border line color is blended into the pixel's color value based on the calculated distance value. In one particular example, the distance value is used to calculate a pixel Alpha value which is then used to control the amount of border color that is blended into the pixel color.

Abstract: The present invention is a system and method to provide customizable animation. A motion capture database houses a library of human motion that is accessible via a client-server connection. Users are allowed to select motion sequences and alter these motions in real time over a networked connection to create new and original works of art. In one embodiment, blender software is used to interpolate and extrapolate from existing library data to create the new and original motion sequences, that are developed to comply with bio-mechanical laws, physics and human anatomy. In another embodiment, users can bypass the bio-mechanical laws, physics and human anatomy and create mutations of the motion capture data. The present invention not only allows real time animation manipulation, but it is accomplished over a network by using a client application and accessing the motion capture library and blending algorithm.

Abstract: An improved raster engine adapted to render video data from a frame buffer to one of a plurality of disparate displays is disclosed which comprises an integral bounded video signature analyzer, a hardware cursor apparatus supporting dual scanned displays, programmatic support for multiple disparate display types, multi-mode programmable hardware blinking, programmable multiple color depth digital display interface, and programmable matrix controlled grayscale generation.

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are afforded for providing an interlock module in a graphics pipeline. initially, first information is received indicative of a first set of pixels that overlap a primitive. Such first set of pixels are currently being processed in the graphics pipeline. Also received is second information indicative of a second set of pixels that overlap the primitive. The second set of pixels are ready for being inputted in the graphics pipeline for processing. Thereafter, the first information and the second information are evaluated, and the second set of pixels is conditionally processed based on the evaluation.

Abstract: A system and method for rapid processing of scene-graph-based data and/or programs is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system may be configured to utilize render molecules to more efficiently render objects. A render molecule is an object that defines the rest of the attribute settings for the geometries it contains. The attribute settings can include settings such as materials settings, the composite transform from the root of the scene graph to the objects contained in the render molecule.

Abstract: A method for animating a 3-D model of a person's face is disclosed. The 3-D face model carries both the geometry (shape) and the texture (color) characteristics of the person's face. The shape of the face model is represented via a 3-D triangular mesh (geometry mesh), while the texture of the face model is represented via a 2-D composite image (texture image). A separate 3-D triangular mesh, called the shape mesh, is used to animate the nodes of the geometry mesh: Each triangle of the shape mesh controls the motion of a plurality of nodes of the geometry mesh that are connected to it. Thus, by moving the nodes of the shape mesh, which are small in number, the nodes of the geometry mesh, which can be very large in number, are animated realistically. The nodes of the shape mesh can be moved directly or indirectly. In the indirect method, the nodes of the shape mesh are moved in accordance with the so-called facial action values, which are even smaller in number than the nodes of the shape mesh.

Abstract: A graphical display system of the present invention efficiently performs occlusion culling based on frame-to-frame temporal coherency. The graphical display system utilizes a frame buffer and rendering logic. The rendering logic is configured to receive graphical objects that define an image frame. In response to receiving one of the objects, the rendering logic is configured to make a determination as to whether the one object is visible in a previous image frame that was previously rendered to the frame buffer. The rendering logic is further configured to render the one object to the frame buffer based on the determination.

Abstract: A volume data set composed of voxels is rendered onto an image plane composed of pixels by casting a ray through each pixel of the image plane. A surface of the volume data set is selected as a base plane. Sample points are defined along each ray so that the sample points lie in planes parallel to the base plane. Voxels adjacent to each sample point are sampled to determine a sample value for each sample point, and the sample values of each ray are combined to determine a pixel value for each pixel.