Abstract: A computer database contains visual and other information of an object scene from which a television monitor or film display is created by electronically sampling points of the object scene information in the computer memory. Undesirable effects of aliasing are significantly reduced and substantially eliminated by pseudo-randomly distributing, in a particular manner, the occurrence of the point samples in space and time. Realistic depth of field is obtained in the images, corresponding to what is observed through a camera lens, by altering the sample point locations to simulate passing them through an optical aperture in a pseudo-random distribution thereacross. Further, effects of illumination, shadows, object reflection and object refraction are made more realistic by causing each sample point to pseudo-randomly select one of a predetermined number of possible ray directions.

Abstract: In a data processing device such as a word processor comprising input means for inputting character data and format data, display means for displaying the input data on a screen, and means for processing the input data and displaying the processed data on the display means, the screen on the display means is separated into a line format area for displaying line format data and other area for displaying the other, and the processing device is provided with means for shifting the data displayed on the line format area relative to the data displayed on the other area.

Abstract: A tv capture device is described which is incorporated with a conventional tv set or monitor. The data capture device extracts digital data from a composite video-digital signal and allows one to selectively store, retrieve stored information, and display the information on a tv screen or monitor. The apparatus includes a digital data extractor for extracting the digital data from the composite video signal, a memory unit, a permanent storage unit, and a microprocessor for receiving the extracted digital data. The microprocessor is controlled by a remote control device enabling information to be stored and retrieved from storage for display on a tv screen. A digital-video converter is used to convert the extracted digital data to video signals to simultaneously display the extracted digital data with the currently transmitted program.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus has a function capable of setting different vertical and horizontal magnifications. Data corresponding to an image input by a scanner is temporarily stored in a page memory. The data stored in the page memory is read out by a central processing unit (CPU), and is enlarged/reduced at predetermined conversion ratios in X and Y directions by an enlarge/reduction circuit. The enlarged/reduced data is temporarily stored in a display memory, and is displayed on a cathode-ray tube (CRT) display by the CPU. When the conversion ratios in the X and Y directions are selected and designated by a keyboard so that the image displayed on the CRT display is enlarged/reduced in at least one of the X and Y directions, the data temporarily stored in the display memory is enlarged/reduced at independent conversion ratios in the X and Y directions by the enlarge/reduction circuit.

Abstract: A printer which receives data and commands which are transferred from a data processing apparatus serving as an external apparatus such as a host computer and prints the data. This printer includes a setting circuit to set information regarding the printing; this setting circuit having a first mode in which the information regarding the printing can be designated irrespective of the information from the external apparatus and a second mode in which the information regarding the printing is designated on the basis of the information from the external apparatus. A deciding circuit to decide whether the information regarding the printing has been set to predetermined information by the setting circuit or not and a control unit for controlling the printer in a manner such that the priority is given to the first mode when the information regarding the printing has been set to information other than the predetermined information on the basis of the decision of the deciding means.

Abstract: A system and method for providing surface detail to computer generated two-dimensional graphic images of apparel or other free-form surfaces such that the three-dimensional appearance of the image is provided or enhanced. That is accomplished through a combination of user-controlled mesh generation for providing the topology of the image "surface" and a texture-mapping technique for applying the surface detail once the mesh has been generated. The system and method of the present invention may be used as one function of a larger two-dimensional computer aided design system for apparel, footwear, textiles, interior design, or other applications where the user may wish to add surface detail to a two-dimensional computer image of a three-dimensional object or surface.

Abstract: An electronic product information display system includes a plurality of self-contained display modules (10) mounted proximate to respective products. A signal (22) is formed that comprises an address part and a data part, the address part corresponding to a selected module address and the data part encoding product information (18, 20) to be displayed by the addressed module (10). The signal is broadcast from a transmitter (24) remote from a plurality of modules (10). Modules (10) each receive the signal, decode the address part into a received address, and decode the data part into product information (18, 20). The product information is stored and displayed responsive to a match between the module address and the received address. The signal (22) is preferably infrared.

Abstract: A method, for practice on a computer, for interpreting two-dimensional images of three-dimensional scenes is disclosed. Descriptive labels are assigned to the vertex, edge and face elements of the image. A process of constraint satisfaction and propagation is carried out between image elements that are linked together with the effect of pruning away locally inconsistent labels at each element. The remaining labels assigned to the image elements are both locally and globally consistent.

Abstract: A system for clipping polygons representing three-dimensional objects to produce a representation of the portion of the objects in a desired viewing space is disclosed. A guardband space at least partially enclosing the viewing space is defined. The polygons are compared to the guardband space to determine which polygons intersect at least one of the guardband planes defining the guardband space. The intersecting polygons are also compared to the viewing space to determine if they intersect at least one of the viewing planes defining the viewing space. Only polygons intersecting both a viewing plane and a guardband plane are clipped.

Abstract: A manufacturing system has a material handling system that uses free roaming mobile apparatuses that are under the control of a visual navigation system that has the capability of regenerating images that are temporarily obstructed from view of a visual navigation system. The visual navigation system uses the images to provide commands that navigate an electrical controllable apparatus such as a mobile robot. The mobile robot is fitted with a minimum of three navigation beacons which emit a light visible to overhead television cameras. The beacon area is arranged so as to form a triangle. The shape and dimension of the triangular pattern is measured and stored in a memory unit within the visual navigation system. When a beacon is blocked from view of the television cameras, the visual navigation will regenerate coordinate of the blocked beacon and provide the necessary navigation commands to the mobile apparatus.

Abstract: A method for generating a parametric design on a computer without the use of a programming language. A drawing processor is used to create a master drawing from which other drawings of different dimensions can then be synthesized by modification of the master drawing. Instead of each dimension in the master drawing being given a fixed value, it is given a label. These labels are replaced at run time by dimensions the user provides or dimensions which are calculated as described in a design plan. When the program is run, the system uses simple language to prompt the user for each design value. It incorporates the response with data previously entered into the design plan. If a response is unclear, a request is made for clarification. As a draftsman would do, the invention merges the design values with data from both the design plan and the master drawing to create a finished drawing. in executing a parametric design, the user selects the controlling design plan to be used as a basis of the design.

Abstract: A new permutation bit map architecture is described for flexible cellular addressing, image creation, and frame buffer control in raster graphics machines. A new frame buffer address generator and address circuitry accesses frame buffer memory locations with different word and cell configuration addressing modes to increase performance and efficiency. A new graphics image data generator creates, modifies, and updates graphics image data in the frame buffer memory locations accessed by the multiple addressing mode word and cell configurations of the address generator and address circuitry. The graphics image data generator provides vector drawing, polygon filling, "Bit Blt's" or bit block transfers, alignment and masking of graphics image data, and refresh display of a raster view surface. Vector drawing is achieved with greatly increased performance because of the multiple cellular addressing modes of the addressing circuitry.

Abstract: Boolean AND or OR operations that are functions of two variables can be performed without knowledge of one of the variables. In a computer graphics system utilizing a frame-buffer memory to refresh a display, a pixel processor using this technique can perform SET and CLEAR functions on the data stored in the memory in which only memory write cycles are required.

Abstract: In a method for controlling ink density, control deviations of ink density are alternatively utilized for dosing moisture agent amounts and dosing printing ink amounts. The dosing of moisture agent amounts is carried out by the inquiry process and this process is controlled by the comparison of ink densities on control strips with given reference values.

Abstract: A three-dimensional position sensor can measure a position and inclination angles of a head (1) with respect to an object (9) in a noncontact manner in the three-dimensional tooling or assembly of the object (9) as a workpiece by utilizing a work robot or the like. The three-dimensional position sensor includes a plurality of projectors (31 to 34), arranged on a teaching head (3), for obliquely projecting beams onto an object (9) and forming on the object (9) a plurality of bright spots (S1 to S4) constituting vertices of a triangle image pickup device (35) for picking up an image including the bright spots (S1 to S4), position setting point (P) indicated on the object (9), and the surface of the object (9) and image processor (8a) for electrically reading the bright spots (S1 to S4) and position setting point (P), both of which are picked up by the image pickup device (35), and for detecting the three-dimensional position and the posture of the head (1) with respect to the position setting point (P).

Abstract: A medical picture filing system according to the invention is composed of a picture data memory device, a picture data input-output device for inputting/outputting the picture data, a retrieving device for storing the picture data into the memory device and extracting it therefrom on the basis of retrieving data, a retrieving data input device for inputting the retrieving data into the retrieving device, a retrieving data storing device for storing the retrieving data, the retrieving data being classified by block of information obtained in one-time examination. When medical pictures are filed, retrieving data collected for each examination is utilized for reducing the amount of retrieving data, while when reproduced, retrieval is carried out for each one-time examination, thereby shortening the time required for retrieval.

Abstract: An image processing device includes a multipurpose memory which stores intensity information as well as label information and a look-up memory. The output from the multipurpose memory is connected to an address of the look-up table memory and is converted by the look-up table memory. The image processing device operates to select an area in an image without erasing the data of an image to be processed and to change the color at a very high speed.

Abstract: A method and device for enlarging an image of digital data which is stored in a memory. The data consisting of one line of the image is read out from the memory and is written again in the memory with different ratio from a ratio of reading in order to enlarge the image. The entire data of the image stored in a certain area of the memory is shifted to another area thereof without interfering an enlargement procedure. The enlargement procedures are repeated plural times to obtain most adequate magnification for designated magnification.

Abstract: A method for traversal of primitives in a graphics display system includes calculating pick data for a predetermined primitive, testing the primitive for invisibility, exiting to a next graphics order if the invisibility step is positive, testing the primitive for detectability, exiting to a next graphics order if the detectability test is false when traversal is performed for pick correlation purposes, determining whether a transformation environment update is required, recalculating the transformation environment if required, binding display attributes for the primitive and processing subsequent graphics orders to draw the primitive. Also, to eliminate unnecessary storing of registers when an execute structure is processed, a number of registers are set aside for storing control flags to selectively store registers into the stack. If a flag pick is zero the contents of the corresponding register will be stored on the stack.

Abstract: Pixel information representing an image for display is encoded using data compression into display data which can be stored on a compact disc. The data compression consists in obtaining the pixel information as a first matrix of high resolution pixel values, subtracting from this first matrix a second matrix composed of lower resolution pixel values, produced by low pass filtering the first matrix, to produce a third matrix of difference values, decimation filtering the second matrix to produce a fourth matrix of less density lower resolution pixel values and encoding the third and fourth matrices. The complementary decoding to obtain the original data consists in restituting the second matrix by interpolation filtering the coded fourth matrix, and combining the restituted second matrix with decoded third matrix.