Abstract: A method for determining insides and outsides of boundaries includes an external data input step of inputting external data constituted by boundary data of objects, a cell division step of dividing the external data into rectangular parallelepiped cells having boundary planes orthogonal to each other, a cell classification step of classifying the cells into a boundary cell that includes the boundary data and a non-boundary cell that does not include the boundary data, and a space classification step of classifying the non-boundary cells into a plurality of spaces that are partitioned by the boundary cells.

Abstract: A method and system for using a color scheme to communicate information associated with an event and related to the integration of software and hardware of a computing device creates a seamless user experience. A hardware element of the computing device is illuminated based on a color scheme associated with a corresponding software element. The color scheme may communicate information related to a functional feature of the computing device, personal preferences or brand extension.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium are provided for creating and laying out a graphic within a drawing application program. The method includes receiving a data model defining a set of data and data relationships to be represented in the graphic, receiving a graphic definition describing the mapping of the data from the data model to a set of algorithms, algorithm parameters, constraints, constraint rules, and shape properties, determining a shape size and position for the layout nodes utilizing the set of algorithms, constraints, and constraint rules from the graphic definition, and creating a list of shapes and shape properties for the graphic, including size and position. The method further includes determining if the graphic fits a given layout into a specific area based on the set of constraint values and if the graphic does not fit the specific area, then modifying the set of constraint values using the constraint rules.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and signal-bearing medium for sending to a display device modified regions of a frame buffer. A frame buffer is divided into the regions, and data in the frame buffer represents pixels on the display device. The frame buffer accumulates writes until the region being written to changes, at which time the region is copied to the display device.

Abstract: A graphics processing architecture employing a single shader is disclosed. The architecture includes a circuit operative to select one of a plurality of inputs in response to a control signal; and a shader, coupled to the arbiter, operative to process the selected one of the plurality of inputs, the shader including means for performing vertex operations and pixel operations, and wherein the shader performs one of the vertex operations or pixel operations based on the selected one of the plurality of inputs. The shader includes a register block which is used to store the plurality of selected inputs, a sequencer which maintains vertex manipulation and pixel manipulations instructions and a processor capable of executing both floating point arithmetic and logical operations on the selected inputs in response to the instructions maintained in the sequencer.

Abstract: A method and a program for converting boundary data into cell inner shape data, includes a division step (A) of dividing external data (12) constituted of the boundary data of an object into cells (13) in an orthogonal grid, a cutting point deciding step (B) of deciding an intersection point of the boundary data and a cell edge as a cell edge cutting point, a boundary deciding step (C) of deciding a boundary formed by connecting the cell edge cutting points as the cell inner shape data, a cell classification step (D) of classifying the divided cells into a nonboundary cell (13a) including no boundary surface and a boundary cell (13b) including a boundary surface, and a boundary cell data classification step (E) of classifying cell data constituting the boundary cell into internal cell data inside the cell inner shape data and external cell data outside the cell inner shape data.

Abstract: A computer implemented method determines an output path for use in rendering one or more graphical objects, the output path being determined from two or more input paths, based on a predetermined set operation, with each of the input paths having at least one edge, and each of the edges including one or more original segments. The method includes the steps of converting each of the two or more input paths into corresponding simple outline path representations, each of the simple output path representations having one or more of the original segments or parts thereof, and intersecting at least one original segment from one of the simple outline path representations with at least one original segment from at least another one of the simple outline path representations, depending on the predetermined set operation, to select one or more of the original segments or parts thereof to be used in the output path. The selected original segments or parts thereof are combined to determine the output path.

Abstract: A system and method for rasterization an image on a display through approximation, wherein the image is decomposed into a plurality of convex polygons, each convex polygon being defined by a plurality of original edges and each original edge being defined by two vertices. The coordinates of original vertices of an original edge are truncated, and the truncated coordinates are used to generate modified coordinates that define a modified edge. A plurality of modified edges defines a potentially changing region. If a selected region of a display device intersects this potentially changing region defined by the modified edges, then the first selected region is refreshed on the display device.

Abstract: One or more special merge vertices (1, 8) each of which is a root of two braches each including a monotonic (in respect to a particular coordinate) series of vertices are selected from an ordered arrangement of vertices (1-10) that defines a polygon (102). The special merge vertices (1, 8) can be sorted (according to the particular coordinate) so that they can be efficiently located when scanning through the polygon. In scanning through the polygon (102) in a process of rendering the polygon (102), the branches are used to demarcate boundaries of the polygon (102).

Abstract: A system and method for interfacing graphics program modules written to execute on a plurality of functional units of a graphics processor using a shared memory. A central processing unit (CPU) receives a first graphics program module that outputs a first parameter referenced by a first graphics program module identifier, a second graphics program module that inputs the first parameter by referencing the first graphics program module identifier, and a first data structure that includes, in a pre-defined order, a list of first data structure identifiers. The CPU identifies a memory location in the shared memory, based on the pre-defined order of the first data structure identifiers, for one of the first data structure identifiers that is the same as the first graphics program module identifier. The CPU modifies the first and second graphics program modules to reference the first parameter by the identified memory location in the shared memory.

Abstract: A multilayer data animation program is provided that controls the simultaneous display of objects that represent complex or interrelated data, where the appearance of the objects may change over time to reflect changes in the data. The multilayer data animation program layers the objects in an indicator having a hierarchy of layers based on the importance of the data that each object represents relative to the data that the other objects represent. The objects are periodically updated to reflect changes in the data, and the multilayer data animation program alters the display of the objects in accordance with the layer hierarchy when the display of objects on one layer conflicts with objects on another layer.