Abstract: The game apparatus generates an image of a virtual space viewed from a virtual camera as a reference image. The game apparatus then calculates a blurring value indicative of a blurring degree of the image. The blurring value is calculated so as to become greater than a reference value in the case where a movement amount of the virtual camera is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount, and to become smaller than the reference value in the case where the movement amount of the virtual camera is smaller than the predetermine amount. The game apparatus blurs an image outside a predetermined area of the reference image such that the blurring degree increases in accordance with an increase of the blurring value. The predetermined area is determined, from among an image area of the reference image, so as to include a position of a focus point of the virtual camera. Accordingly, a blurred image is displayed on a display apparatus.

Abstract: When generating an intermediate image which is an image in the middle of changing from one to the other of two pseudo three-dimensional images generated by ray casting a three-dimensional image from an arbitrary viewpoint under two different opacity level setting conditions, determining an opacity level setting condition by determining an opacity level to be allocated according to each pixel value such that a variation in the opacity level for a change in a changing phase of the intermediate image become smaller as the changing phase approaches closer to a pseudo three-dimensional image generated under either one of the two different opacity level setting conditions in which a smaller value is allocated as the opacity level to be allocated according to each pixel value, and generating an intermediate image by ray casting the three-dimensional image from an arbitrary viewpoint under the determined opacity level setting condition.

Abstract: The technology herein involves use of 2D imposters to achieve seemingly 3D effects with high efficiency where plural objects such as animated characters move together such as when one character follows or carries another character. A common 2D imposter or animated sprite is used to image and animate the plural objects in 2D. When the plural objects are separated in space, each object can be represented using its respective 3D model. However, when the plural objects contact one another, occupy at least part of the same space, or are very close to one other (e.g., as would arise in a situation when the plural objects are moving together in tandem), the animation system switches from using plural respective 3D models to using a common 2D model to represent the plural objects.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention sets forth a mechanism for displaying lighting values associated with a 3-D graphics model by superimposing an overlay grid with lighting values on the 3-D graphics model. A software rendering engine computes lighting values for each frame that includes the 3-D graphics model, where each frame may have different lighting settings. An overlay grid with lighting values may be superimposed on an area defined by a light meter on the 3-D graphics model. The lighting values on the overlay grid are associated with the light meter and may vary frame-over-frame. In another embodiment, a JPEG image with a superimposed overlay grid with per-pixel lighting values covering a 3-D graphics model is generated for each frame that includes the 3-D graphics model. These JPEG images may be displayed on the screen and stored to an external memory.

Abstract: A scene graph is provided which represents data and a set of processes thus providing an enhanced approach to the previously known scene graph concept. With this approach the scene graph becomes a rendering description of the data rather than a world description. Previously known scene graphs represent a structure of objects and their attributes. The scene graph has a notation of the traversing order, which together with the types of nodes, the nodes position, node functionality and node state determine the rendering order. Thus, any effects supported by the underlying rendering pipeline can be expressed directly in the scene graph by the user. An API is provided for the scene graph, controlling the actual rendering order and optimization to the user. The scene graph is extensible allowing the user to experiment and express new rendering algorithms in the scene graph semantic.

Abstract: A method for generating a stereoscopic presentation of a region-of-interest in a monoscopic information representation. The method includes the steps of: (a) selecting first and second viewpoints for the region-of-interest; (b) creating a lens surface having a predetermined lens surface shape for the region-of-interest, the lens surface having a plurality of polygonal surfaces constructed from a plurality of points sampled from the lens surface shape; (c) creating first and second transformed presentations by overlaying the representation on the lens surface and perspectively projecting the lens surface with the overlaid representation onto a plane spaced from the first and second viewpoints, respectively; and, (d) displaying the first and second transformed presentations on a display screen to generate the stereoscopic presentation.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method for pre-computing Z-values using an IGPU and, subsequently, conveying these Z-values to a DGPU. The graphics driver partitions the display into rectangular M-by-N tiles of pixels. For each tile, the graphics driver generates a quad geometry that encompasses the corresponding pixels. For each image frame, the graphics driver configures the IGPU to generate and down-sample a Z-buffer, creating a coarse Z-texture that contains a Z-value for each tile. The graphics driver transfers the coarse Z-texture to the system memory and configures the DGPU to apply the coarse Z-texture to the quad geometries, thereby generating a coarse Z-buffer in which the M-by-N pixels included in each tile are assigned the Z-value for the particular tile. Among other things, this technique enables the IGPU to pre-compute Z-values for the DGPU without straining the system memory bandwidth or defeating the Z-buffer compression techniques used by the DGPU.

Abstract: A method synthesizes virtual images from a sequence of texture images and a sequence of corresponding depth images, wherein each depth images stores depths d at pixel locations I(x, y). Each depth image, is preprocessed to produce a corresponding preprocessed depth image. A first reference image and a second reference image are from the sequence of texture images. Then, depth-based 3D warping, depth-based histogram matching, base plus assistant image blending, and depth-based in-painting are applied in order to synthesize a virtual image.

Abstract: An image display method receives a two-dimensional image data and a depth data both corresponding to a two-dimensional image and a three-dimensional image. The two-dimensional image data and the depth data is encoded so that the sub-pixels of the two-dimensional image data and the depth data related to the three-dimensional image have gray values whose least significant bits vary in a predetermined manner. After receiving the encoded two-dimensional image data and the encoded depth data at a receiving side, a two-dimensional display region and a two-dimensional display region are detected according to the variations in the gray values of the sub-pixels. The method can thus display the three-dimensional image in the three-dimensional display region of the frame and display the two-dimensional image in the two-dimensional display region of the frame.

Abstract: A display system comprises a display panel substantially comprising a subpixel repeating group tiled across the panel in a regular pattern. The subpixel repeating group comprises at least one white subpixel and a plurality of colored subpixels. The display system further comprises input circuitry configured to receive input image data indicating an image for rendering on the display panel, and subpixel rendering circuitry configured to compute an output luminance value for each subpixel of the display panel. The subpixel rendering circuitry multiplies data values of a spatial portion of the input image data by at least one image filter kernel which comprises a matrix of coefficients arranged such that each coefficient represents a fractional part of one of said data values of the spatial portion of the input image data. The subpixel rendering circuitry is further configured to sharpen the output luminance values using a luminance signal.

Abstract: A method for generating a looping motion space for real-time character animation may include determining a plurality of motion clips to include in the looping motion space and determining a number of motion cycles performed by a character object depicted in each of the plurality of motion clips. A plurality of looping motion clips may be synthesized from the motion clips, where each of the looping motion clips depicts the character object performing an equal number of motion cycles. Additionally, a starting frame of each of the plurality of looping motion clips may be synchronized so that the motion cycles in each of the plurality of looping motion clips are in phase with one another. By rendering an animation sequence using multiple passes through the looping motion space, an animation of the character object performing the motion cycles may be extended for arbitrary length of time.

Abstract: A system, method, program product and service for implementing a holographic enterprise network. A system for providing an interface between an operations center and a three dimensional (3D) virtual simulator system capable of rendering holographic images of the operations center is disclosed. Included is a holographic enterprise interface having a translation system for translating standard enterprise data associated with the operations center and 3D holographic data. Also enclosed is a communications manager for managing parallel communications between the holographic enterprise interface and a 3D data processing infrastructure having a holographic bus.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for rule-based procedural generation of terrain in real time for a virtual world. By describing the terrain with rules rather than storing the actual geometry data, a drastic savings in terms of memory and disk space is achieved by generating terrain procedurally on the fly in real time when it is necessary. Using the terrain editor tool, the terrain system allows defining and modifying the terrain height, color, shaders, textures, flora, and environment, for example. Additionally, generating the terrain procedurally allows for almost limitless detail by changing the parameters used to create the terrain geometry. These rules can also be added and removed dynamically, leading to terrain modification in real time.

Abstract: Systems and methods of producing video data and/or audio-photos from a static digital image are disclosed. One such method, among others, comprises receiving input from a user indicating sequentially, in real time, a plurality of regions of the static digital image. The method also includes processing the user input to determine the visual content of each of a sequence of video frames and generating output data representative of the sequence of video frames. The sequence and composition of the video frames are determined such that the visual content of the video frames is taken from the static digital image. For each region of the static image indicated by the user, a video frame is composed such that the said region occupies a substantial part of the video frame. The sequence of video frames shows the regions indicated by the user in sequential correspondence with the sequence in which the user indicated the regions and substantially in pace with the time in which the user indicated the regions.

Abstract: A collection of photos and a three-dimensional reconstruction of the photos are used to construct and texture a mesh model. In one embodiment, a first digital image of a first view of a real world scene is analyzed to identify lines in the first view. Among the lines, parallel lines are identified. A three-dimensional vanishing direction in a three-dimensional space is determined based on the parallel lines and an orientation of the digital image in the three-dimensional space. A plane is automatically generated by fitting the plane to the vanishing direction. A rendering of a three-dimensional model with the plane is displayed. Three-dimensional points corresponding to features common to the photos may be used to constrain the plane. The photos may be projected onto the model to provide visual feedback when editing the plane. Furthermore, the photos may be used to texture the model.

Abstract: The present invention provides a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer useable program code to offer to move an avatar in a virtual universe. A computer predicts a location selection to form a prediction. The computer renders a first viewport in a computer display, based on the prediction. The first viewport includes a first user-control; a first coordinate; and a first attitude. The computer renders a second viewport comprising a second user-control, a second coordinate and a second attitude wherein at least one object is rendered in a computer display from a perspective distinct from a perspective of the first viewport. The computer receives an instruction corresponding to the first user-control.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is disclosed which can integrate a plurality of images without depending upon header information of a file. Information of one or more images is inputted as a main image or images. Incidental information relating to the inputted main image or images such as information necessary for integration of a plurality of images is encoded into a first encoded image which can be discriminated based on a visual characteristic and a second encoded image such as a barcode which can be discriminated by an image analysis. The inputted main image or images and the first and second encoded images are integrated so as to be displayed in compartmentalized respective regions of a display screen, and header information is added to the composite image to produce structured image information.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a lossless compression method for 3D mesh models. The method can be combined or layered with other compression methods to provide additional data compression capability. The method for compressing a mesh model having geometry information and connectivity information of vertices can include defining a first set of vertices having a same connectivity property, determining a subset of the first set of vertices that are encompassed by an area defined by the first set of vertices, and encoding the mesh model without the connectivity information for the subset of the first set of vertices.

Abstract: A method and system for applying photo texture to geolocated 3D models operates within a 3D modeling system. The modeling system includes a modeling application operating on a workstation and a database of geotagged imagery. A 3D model created or edited within the 3D modeling system is geolocated such that every point in the 3D modeling space corresponds to a real world location. For a selected surface, the method and system search the database of imagery to identify in the database one or more images depicting the selected surface of the 3D model. The method and system identify the boundaries of the selected surface within the image by transforming two or more sets of coordinates from the 3D modeling space to a coordinate space corresponding to the image. The portion of the image corresponding to the selected surface is copied and mapped to the selected surface of the 3D model.

Abstract: The present invention provides a computer implemented method and apparatus to project a projected avatar associated with an avatar in a virtual universe. A computer receives a command to project the avatar, the command having a projection point. The computer transmits a request to place a projected avatar at the projection point to a virtual universe host. The computer renders a tab associated with the projected avatar.