Abstract: A user interface unit in a graphics processing display pipe may include registers programmable with information that defines active regions of an image frame. Pixels within the active regions of the image frame are meant to be displayed, while pixels outside of the active regions of the image frame are not to be displayed. Fetch circuitry within the user interface unit may fetch frames from memory, fetching only the pixels within the active regions of the image frames as defined by the programmed contents of the registers. The user interface unit may then provide the fetched pixels to a blend unit to blend the fetched pixels with pixels from other frames or pixels of a video stream to produce output frames. When blended with pixels of a video stream, the fetched pixels may be displayed as a graphics overlay on top of the video stream.

Abstract: Improved methods are provided for calibrating color on a color display coupled to a computer, which are useful for obtaining calibrated data in a virtual proof network for enabling different color devices to render consistent color. Methods involve user interactions with screens on the display to set color display parameters. An apparatus is also provided for calibrating a sensor which may be used for measuring color of a display in one or more of these methods.

Abstract: A method for loading and executing an indeterminate length shader program. The method includes accessing a first portion of a shader program in graphics memory of a GPU and loading instructions from the first portion into a plurality of stages of the GPU to configure the GPU for program execution. A group of pixels is then processed in accordance with the instructions from the first portion. A second portion of the shader program is accessed in graphics memory of the GPU and instructions from the second portion are loaded into the plurality of stages of the GPU to configure the GPU for program execution. The group of pixels are then processed in accordance with the instructions from the second portion.

Abstract: A system and method of capturing, storing, editing and outputting multi-track motion data in a continuous stream on a computer with deterministic timing, where the length of the motion dataset is not limited by computer Random Access Memory. A hard real time periodic motion task takes in data streams from sensors or other computers, stores it in a shared memory area, and streams out the data to other computers so as to actuate motion. A shared memory area stores buffers and flags which indicate what data should be swapped to and from persistent storage. A soft real time periodic task transfers data pages between RAM and persistent storage based on requests from the motion task. Three data pages surround the active point in the motion dataset, four pages are reserved for copying whole blocks of data, and three pages are reserved for data editing. These ten active memory pages define a fixed memory footprint which can handle a deterministic data stream of effectively infinite length.

Abstract: Method of capturing multiple format video signals and reformatting them in real-time for display on generic external monitors, is disclosed. This method is intended for, by not limited to, implementation on a multiple function video test instrument with video generation and video capture capabilities. The method is capable of operating with standard and non-standard format synchronized video waveforms and also with deflection-driven video waveforms. Since this innovative method reuses already available functionality in the video test instrument, the new functionality is realized efficiently, economically and does not require any more space within the test instrument.

Abstract: One embodiment of a field changeable rendering system includes an output device interfaced to a motherboard, a fixed rendering device mounted to the motherboard for generating information to be output on said output device, a connector for attaching a field-changeable rendering card to the motherboard, said field-changeable rendering card capable of housing a discrete rendering device for generating information to be output on said output device and detection circuitry for detecting that a field-changeable rendering card housing a discrete rendering device is coupled to said connector and causing information from said field-changeable rendering card housing a discrete rendering device to be output on said output device. One advantage of the disclosed edge connector is that it is compatible with a plurality of graphics cards and systems, thereby enabling a computing device user to upgrade the existing device's graphics system.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an overlap detector and a display modification unit. The overlap detector is configured to determine if a first image superimposed with a second image overlaps an object in the second image by greater than a threshold. The display modification unit is configured to change the content of the first image superimposed with the second image such that the first image no longer overlaps the object in the second image by greater than the threshold when the overlap detector detects that the first image overlaps the object in the second image by greater than the threshold.

Abstract: Color calibration of color image rendering devices, such as large color displays, which operate by either projection or emission of images, utilize internal color measurement instrument or external color measurement modules locatable on a wall or speaker. A dual use camera is provided for a portable or laptop computer, or a cellular phone, handset, personal digital assistant or other handheld device with a digital camera, in which one of the camera or a display is movable with respect to the other to enable the camera in a first mode to capture images of the display for enabling calibration of the display, and in a second mode for capturing image other than of the display. The displays may represent rendering devices for enabling virtual proofing in a network, or may be part of stand-alone systems and apparatuses for color calibration.

Abstract: Systems and methods for approximating terrain data representing a water surface are disclosed. A computer-based geographical information system for approximating terrain data representing a water surface is provided. The system includes a mesh simplifier and a surface inversion corrector. The mesh simplifier simplifies initial water surface and water bottom meshes. The surface inversion corrector corrects simplified water surface and/or water bottom meshes to avoid having a water bottom surface incorrectly appear above a corresponding water surface in a display view. In one example, the mesh simplifier simplifies the initial water surface mesh while accounting for water/land boundaries. The mesh simplifier also simplifies the initial water bottom mesh while accounting for geographic features and/or water/land boundaries. A computer-implemented method for approximating terrain data representing a water surface is provided.

Abstract: A method of dynamic load-balancing in a PC-based computing system employing a multiple GPU-based graphics pipeline architecture supporting multiple modes of GPU parallelization. During the execution of the graphics application, the stream of geometrical data and said graphics commands is analyzed, and the mode of parallelization of the GPUs during each frame, is determined using results of the analysis of the stream of geometrical data and graphics commands, and one or more policies for determining the mode of parallelization. The stream of geometrical data and graphic commands is distributed to the GPUs according to the determined mode of parallelization. During the generation of each frame, one or more of GPUs are used to process the stream of geometrical data and graphic commands, or a portion thereof, while operating in the parallelization mode, so as to generate pixel data corresponding to at least a portion of an image of 3D object.

Abstract: This application describes a system that captures 3D geometry commands from a first 3D graphics process and stores them in a shared memory. A second 3D environment process creates a 3D display environment using a display and display hardware. A third process obtains the 3D commands and supplies them to the hardware to place 3D objects in the 3D environment. The result is a fused display environment where 3D objects are displayed along with other display elements. Input events in the environment are analyzed and mapped to the 3D graphics process or the environment where they affect corresponding processing.

Abstract: Certain implementations of the disclosed technology may include systems, methods, and computer-readable media for transferring images and information from a mobile computing device to a computer monitor for display. In one example implementation, a method is provided that includes receiving, from a remote client, an initiation request, wherein the remote client is associated with a remote display. The method further includes sending a representation of a unique code to the remote client, and receiving, from a mobile device, an indication that the mobile device captured the representation of the unique code. The method further includes receiving, from the mobile device, a display image for presentation on the remote display, and sending the display image to the remote client for presentation on the remote display.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for updating video graphics changes of a managed server to a remote console independent of an operating system. The screen (e.g. frame buffer) of the managed server is divided into a number of blocks. Each block is periodically monitored for changes by calculating a hash code and storing the code in a hash code table. When the hash code changes, the block is transmitted to the remote console. Color condensing may be performed on the color values of the block before the hash codes are calculated and before transmission. Compression is performed on each block and across blocks to reduce bandwidth requirements on transmission. Periodically, the configuration of a video graphics controller and a pointing device of the managed server are checked for changes, such as changes to resolution, color depth and mouse movement. If changes are found, the changes are transmitted to the remote console.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of reading texture data for texture mapping. Each of a plurality of blocks included in a cache memory may have any one of an even numbered index or odd numbered index. In this instance, the cache memory may be embodied with an odd numbered index cache memory including odd numbered index blocks and an even numbered index cache memory including even numbered index blocks. Also, address indexes of requested texture data may be analyzed to appropriately access to at least one of the odd numbered index cache memory and even numbered index cache memory, thereby improving an accessing speed.

Abstract: A memory address mapping method of controlling storage of images in a memory device is provided. The memory device includes banks each having a plurality of pages. The memory address mapping method includes: receiving a first image; and referring to an image partition setting to generate a first memory address setting for each horizontal line partition in the first image, wherein the image partition setting defines that one image is divided into horizontal line groups each having at least one horizontal line, and each of the horizontal line groups is divided into horizontal line partitions in a horizontal line direction. First memory address settings of the horizontal line partitions in each horizontal line group of the first image control that a corresponding horizontal line group having the horizontal line partitions included therein is not stored into a same bank of the memory device.

Abstract: In general, this disclosure relates to techniques for using graphics instructions and state information received from a graphics device to visually create a graphics image. Performance analysis may also be conducted to identify potential bottlenecks during instruction execution on the graphics device. One example device includes a display device and one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to receive a plurality of graphics instructions from an external graphics device, wherein the graphics instructions are executed by the external graphics device to display a graphics image, and to receive state information from the external graphics device, wherein the state information is associated with execution of the graphics instructions on the external graphics device. The one or more processors are further configured to display, on the display device, a representation of the graphics image according to the graphics instructions and the state information.

Abstract: Techniques for visualizing sets are described. Arbitrary subsets of data elements are represented by corresponding graphic lines. The data elements in a set are connected up sequentially by a corresponding graphic line, the graphic line passing through each data element once with minimal or no self-overlapping. The graphic lines may be curved, for instance in the form of spline segments interconnecting nodes that represent the respective subsets. Each line may have a different color. Data elements not belonging to a subset may still be represented by a nodes but are not connected with any of the graphic lines, thus it can be seen which data elements belong to which sets, if any.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus in which pipeline processing is performed comprises a control unit that controls a data processing sequence, a first processing unit that begins first data processing by inputting data on the basis of a start signal, outputs data subjected to the first data processing, and outputs a completion signal to the control unit after completing the first data processing, and a second processing unit that begins second data processing by inputting the data subjected to the first data processing on the basis of a start signal, outputs data subjected to the second data processing, and outputs a completion signal to the control unit after completing the second data processing. The control unit outputs a following start signal to the first processing unit and the second processing unit upon reception of the completion signal of the first data processing and the second data processing respectively.

Abstract: A system maintains data from different resolution levels of an image in textures of a graphics processing unit (GPU). Image data is organized into multiple resolution layers of an image. Data from the lower resolution level(s) is used to process an image while higher resolution data is loaded. In one embodiment, a first resolution representation of the image having a lowest resolution level using data resident in the GPU memory is drawn prior to drawing a portion of a second resolution representation having a higher resolution level using data resident in the GPU memory.

Abstract: Parallel and vectored data structures may be used in a single instruction multiple data processor that applies the Gilbert-Johnson-Keerthi algorithm. As a result, the performance of multi-core processors doing graphics processing may be increased in some cases.