Patents Examined by Daniel Hajnik
  • Patent number: 8749551
    Abstract: A method for constructing a triangular mesh surface of a point cloud includes constructing triangles according to point cloud data, determining seed triangles from the constructed triangles. The method further includes selecting triangles that share a side with a determined seed triangle from the constructed triangle, determining a specific triangle having the biggest dihedral angle with the determined seed triangle and the biggest angle opposing the shared side of the determined seed triangle. The method also includes repairing holes formed by the specific triangles if the all specific triangles have been determined, adjusting a normal vector of each specific triangle, and outputting a triangular mesh surface constructed by the adjusted triangle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Kuang Chang, Xin-Yuan Wu, Min Wang, Wen-Duan Hu
  • Patent number: 8749545
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods visualizing space debris events. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for visualizing positional probability of objects in space. The method includes receiving initial conditions of the objects, determining projected positions of the objects based, at least in part, on the initial conditions, determining a plurality of 2-dimensional (2D) boundaries around the projected positions; and assembling the plurality of 2D boundaries into a 3-dimensional (3D) representation of the positional probability of objects in space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: The Aerospace Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan Edward George Kelly, Felix Roach Hoots, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8749550
    Abstract: An exemplary method for displaying replicated geographic data in a three-dimensional environment includes identifying a first node in a node tree including an instance set. The exemplary method also includes identifying a collection referenced by the instance set. The exemplary method further includes identifying a second node in the node tree including the collection referenced by the instance set, a depth of the first node in the node tree being greater than a depth of the second node in the node tree. The exemplary method also includes identifying a model in the collection, the model being referenced by the instance set and the instance set including location data for replicated instances in the instance set. The exemplary method further includes displaying the first node, where displaying the first node includes displaying model data in the collection at the locations specified by the instance set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Steven Strauss, Christopher Co
  • Patent number: 8736608
    Abstract: A surface material rendering system and method are disclosed. In particular, a surface material rendering system includes a user input part for receiving user inputs; a material information preprocessor for converting surface material information inputted from the user input part in a form of B-spline volumes; a sampling information preprocessor for producing sampling information in proportion to the converted surface material information; and a surface material renderer for rendering surface materials based on the converted surface material information and the sampling information. The system and method can be applied for realistic surface rendering in computer graphics, CAD, and visualization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Joo-Haeng Lee, Sung-Soo Kim, Jae Sook Cheong, Jin Sung Choi
  • Patent number: 8730239
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to a computer-implemented method of providing a transition between first and second regions within a virtual scene, where the first and second regions are rendered using different methods and being connected to one another along a border line. The second region features a sharply diminishing illumination from the border line. The method includes adding, an overlay of additional illumination to the first region as to make the illumination in portions of the first region that are close to the borderline similar to that of portions of the second region that are close to the border line. The method also includes shifting a position on which calculation of the illumination of the second region is based away from the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: DreamWorks Animation LLC
    Inventors: Bruce Nunzio Tartaglia, Doug Cooper, Pablo Valle, Michael McNeill
  • Patent number: 8717360
    Abstract: Presenting a view based on a virtual viewpoint in a three dimensional (3D) scene. The 3D scene may be presented by at least one display, which includes displaying at least one stereoscopic image of the 3D scene by the display(s). The 3D scene may be presented according to a first viewpoint. A virtual viewpoint may be determined within the 3D scene that is different than the first viewpoint. The view of the 3D scene may be presented on the display(s) according to the virtual viewpoint and/or the first view point. The presentation of the view of the 3D scene is performed concurrently with presenting the 3D scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: zSpace, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Vesely, Alan S. Gray
  • Patent number: 8704831
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for using a local lighting representation to explicitly model spatial variation of a character in a graphics scene as well as for using error driven criteria to determine whether to evaluate a given light source analytically or in a lighting rig. For near light sources, the error driven criteria may be used to determine when a spherical light source should be evaluated in the lighting rig verses analytically. For large characters, local irradiance models may be used to provide a limited form of spatial variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter-Pike Sloan, Hong Yuan
  • Patent number: 8692825
    Abstract: A method includes receiving at a master processing element primitive data that includes properties of a primitive. The method includes partially traversing a spatial data structure that represents a three-dimensional image to identify an internal node of the spatial data structure. The internal node represents a portion of the three-dimensional image. The method also includes selecting a slave processing element from a plurality of slave processing elements. The selected processing element is associated with the internal node. The method further includes sending the primitive data to the selected slave processing element to traverse a portion of the spatial data structure to identify a leaf node of the spatial data structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric O. Mejdrich, Paul E. Schardt, Robert A. Shearer, Matthew R. Tubbs
  • Patent number: 8686999
    Abstract: The following discloses antialiasing systems and methods. Information about one or more fragments or primitives in a pixel area may be dynamically stored. The stored information may include, for example, depth, color, location and coverage. The coverage and depth information may be tracked at a higher frequency across the pixel than the number of fragments or primitives. Fragments or primitives that enter into a pixel area may be compared with fragments or primitives that have been stored. The comparisons may be based on depth and coverage. Either the incoming fragment or the stored fragment may be deleted based on the comparisons. Information associated with fragments that are preserved may be sampled at any location associated with their coverage area of a pixel. Fragments or primitives that are not discarded may be preserved for a final resolve process, which may incorporate information available from neighboring pixel areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew L. Bronder, Joseph C. Bertolami, Matthew William Lee, Michael A. Dougherty
  • Patent number: 8686998
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for generating 3-dimensional computer graphic images. The image is first sub-divided into a plurality of rectangular areas. A display list memory is loaded with object data for each rectangular area. The image and shading data for each picture element of each rectangular area are derived from the object data in the image synthesis processor and a texturizing and shading processor. A depth range generator derives a depth range for each rectangular area from the object data as the imaging and shading data is derived. This is compared with the depth of each new object to be provided to the image synthesis processor and the object may be prevented from being provided to the image synthesis processor independence on the result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Imagination Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventor: Stephen Morphet
  • Patent number: 8681148
    Abstract: An object of the invention to provide a method for maintaining display quality as much as possible and reducing a crosstalk amount. A method for correcting stereoscopic images according to the present invention has (a) at least one of a step of detecting a range of crosstalk and a crosstalk amount occurring on a left image or a right image as black-side correction data, and a step of detecting the range of crosstalk and the crosstalk amount as white-side correction data, based on crosstalk characteristic data, (b) at least one of a step of making the black-side correction data into lower-limit data, and a step of making the white-side correction data into upper-limit data; and (c) a step of gamma-converting the left image or the right image based on at least one of the lower-limit data and the upper-limit data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Ishiguchi
  • Patent number: 8681144
    Abstract: An invention for prioritized rendering of objects in a virtual universe is provided. In one embodiment, there is a prioritization tool including a value component configured to assign a value to each of a set of items within an inventory of an avatar. A priority component is configured to compare a set of objects in the virtual universe to the value assigned to each of the set of items within the inventory of the avatar to determine a priority of each of the set of objects in the virtual universe. A rendering component is configured to render the set of objects in the virtual universe based on the priority of each of the set of objects in the virtual universe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rosa M. Bolger, Ann Corrao, Rick A. Hamilton, II, Brian M. O'Connell, Brian J. Snitzer
  • Patent number: 8675008
    Abstract: The calculation device (36) according to the present invention receives a plurality of reflected light intensity information for indicating the intensity of each reflected light which reaches a single light receiver via a reflecting object, the reflected light having been emitted in sequence from a plurality of light emitters (31 through 33) provided in mutually different positions, computes a phase difference of an intensity variation which occurs among the reflected light, and determines a movement of the reflecting object on the basis of the calculation result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Tsuchikawa, Yoshitsugu Uedaira, Yuichiro Nakata, Junji Fujino
  • Patent number: 8674994
    Abstract: Various arrangements for adjusting display of a dependency on a Gantt chart are presented. A first indication may be received that indicates an end-user is permitted to control display of the dependency. The Gantt chart may be displayed with the dependency. A second indication may be received that indicates to hide the dependency. The Gantt chart may be displayed with the dependency hidden.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Imran Mohammad, Hendrik van den Broek, Santosh Astagi
  • Patent number: 8674985
    Abstract: A method, medium, and system rendering 3-dimensional (3D) graphic data. The method of rendering 3D graphic data may include grouping objects from among transparent objects included in graphic data, which overlap each other in a 3D space, and rendering the group and remaining objects excluding the grouped objects, in an order determined according to the distance between the group and a viewpoint and the distance between the remaining objects and the viewpoint. In particular, in the rendering of the group, the objects included in the group may be rendered in an order determined according to the distance between each unit element of each object belonging to the group and the viewpoint. By using such a method, medium, and system, rendering picture quality of a transparent object may be improved by avoiding rendering errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-oak Woo, Hee-sae Lee
  • Patent number: 8674988
    Abstract: There is provided a system and method for artist friendly control of three-dimensional object shading, particularly hair. A methodology is disclosed for deriving a pseudo scattering function over a domain of Artist Friendly Controls (AFCs) from a physically based scattering function over a domain of Physically Based Controls (PBCs). The pseudo scattering function can provide intuitive decoupled adjustments of specific important visual characteristics while still providing a convincing and aesthetically pleasing result. An end user such as an artist may thus control the values, or AFCs, to implement specific aesthetic features for the shading of objects as seen on a display. The pseudo scattering function may be utilized for single scattering and multiple scattering models of hair shading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Rasmus Tamstorf, Iman Sadeghi, Charles T. Tappan
  • Patent number: 8665282
    Abstract: There is provided with an image generating apparatus, including a storage having first and second buffers, a write buffer selecting unit selecting a buffer for each of areas to be written, a writing unit, a read buffer selecting unit selecting a buffer for each area of one frame to be readout, a reading unit read outing at regular intervals an image from each area. The write buffer selecting unit selects an other buffer than a buffer read out in a frame reading period for each area to be written in the period. The read buffer selecting unit selects in the period a buffer to which the writing was performed in an immediately preceding reading period for an area for which writing was performed in the preceding period, and a same buffer as a buffer readout in the preceding period for an area for which the writing was not performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shingo Tanaka, Shinya Murai
  • Patent number: 8654126
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for graphing data. A layout is retrieved that comprises locations for vertices. A proximity graph is generated using triangulation. Nodal overlaps are removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Emden R. Gansner, Yifan Hu
  • Patent number: 8648854
    Abstract: A CAD/GIS system that automatically generates faces within land site maps, by sliding or rotating line segments between boundaries given start points and other attributes. As the attributes are entered into the system, faces are automatically generated based on those attributes, which eases creation of lots within subdivisions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Eric Putnam, Mark W. Anderson
  • Patent number: 8648857
    Abstract: An image processing method introduces a graphical feature or effect into a part of one or more video images of a scene. The scene includes a view of a plurality of objects disposed on an object plane, the part of the video images including one of the plurality of objects on the object plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Michael John Williams