Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing tessellation lighting operations for video graphics primitives in a video graphics system is presented. When the vertex parameters corresponding to the vertices of a video graphics primitive are received, a tessellation operation is performed such that a number of component primitives are generated. The vertex parameters corresponding to the vertices of the component primitives are then calculated utilizing the vertex parameters for the original video graphics primitive. Such calculation operations include determining a corresponding normal vector for each component primitive vertex. Each of the component primitives is then individually processed. Such processing may include calculating the lighting effects for each component primitive and performing additional processing operations that generate pixel fragments for the primitive.

Abstract: A system and method for creating a three-dimensional graphic object is disclosed.

Abstract: A method and system for map based per-pixel specularity modulation of a surface in a real time 3D graphics renderer through the use of interpolated specularity function or environmental map values. One or more functional modules calculate a pair of specular light intensity values or color values. Each specularity value is representative of the specular light reflected by the given pixel at an extreme surface reflectance characteristic, i.e. one may represent reflection from a very smooth surface while the other represents reflection from a very rough surface. A specularity modulation, or dirt map, value is arrived at by either a procedural calculation based on surface offset coordinates or by retrieval from a two-dimensional map contained in a texture memory. The specularity modulation value is then used as a weight to interpolate the pair of specularity values.

Abstract: A method for forming a high spatial resolution perspective rendering from a low spatial resolution voxel space is disclosed. The method comprises steps of: a) initializing a virtual window of predetermined resolution pixels, and placing the virtual window in or near the voxel space; b) sparsely ray-casting a plurality of vectors from a predetermined vantage-point through the virtual window into the voxel space; and c) calculating a visualization-value at a series of positions along each vector. In a position ordering of steps from the vantage-point to the pixel, an accumulated transparency-value threshold is calculated. Values of proximate voxels are interpolated into an interpolated voxel value for each position. The interpolated voxel values are then transformed into a derived visualization-value and transparency value.

Abstract: Methods and systems for animating facial features and transforming facial expressions are described. In one embodiment, a code book contains data that defines a set of facial expressions of a first person. A training set of facial expressions from a second person and corresponding expressions from the code book are used to derive a transformation function that is then applied to all of the expressions of the code book. In this manner, expressions from the first person can be realistically transformed into expressions of a second person and vice versa. Particularly advantageous aspects of the described embodiments provide a single common generic face model that is used as the basis for a fitting operation for many different faces. Use of the single common generic face model and certain user-defined constraints provide a mechanism by which correspondences between the different faces can be established.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for integrating anatomical information from a plurality of sources of information.

Abstract: In a processing system, video images of moving objects are processed to model the objects in a 3D computer model. Video from multiple cameras is processed to separate objects from their shadows, and to test whether an object is made up of separate objects, which are then modelled separately. Each object is modelled using vertical planes whose bases approximate the object's ground footprint, using planes based on object surface planes identified in the image data, or using a single vertical plane. Pixel data from the video images is rendered onto the planes in the models. The video for rendering is selected based on the viewer's viewing direction, the camera viewing directions, and quality characteristics of the cameras and image data. If the viewer's viewing direction is close to vertical or a plane of an object, a schematic of the objects' positions is displayed. To account for image data from different cameras being used, successive images are tested for visual discontinuous, and are modified if necessary.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for visualizing a plurality of stochastic datasets. The present invention provides a more accurate account of situations in the real world to better enable scientists and engineers to utilize the results of computer models. The method employs a two-stage process comprising a preprocessing stage and a visualization stage. Activity begins with the preprocessing stage. In this stage, the individual output from a plurality of different computations are converted from being described as two-dimensional surfaces in three-dimensional space to a three-dimensional voxel-based representation. For each surface set in the plurality of two-dimensional representations, a count is obtained of the total number of surfaces in the surface set which intersects the subspace of a voxel (each element of the data structure represents the subspace of a voxel in the three-dimensional voxel-based representation).

Abstract: A method models a three-dimensional object by first acquiring alpha mattes of the object for multiple viewpoints. The alpha mattes are then projected onto a surface hull completely enclosing the object to construct an opacity hull storing opacity values of the surface of the object. The object is illuminated for various lighting conditions while images are acquired. The images are projected onto the opacity hull to render the object under arbitrary lighting conditions for arbitrary viewpoints.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus (100) and method (800) for an electronic device having a device display for graphically providing the user with a message (104) while the electronic device is in a screen saver mode displaying a screen saver screen (100). The message is a simplified message derived from an associated message source (200) where more detail (202) is available. The message is replaced with a detailed message upon reaching a predetermined condition.

Abstract: A system models a graphics object by first providing a model of the object, generation parameters specifying a fixed level-of-detail, and conversion parameters specifying variable levels-of-detail. An adaptively sampled distance field having the fixed level-of-detail is generated from the model, and the adaptively sampled distance field is converted from the fixed level-of-detail to the variable levels-of-detail while concurrently generating rendering primitives.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for translating facial animation values to head mesh positions for rendering facial features of an animated avatar. In the method, an animation vector of dimension Na is provided. Na is the number of facial animation values in the animation vector. A mapping algorithm F is applied to the animation vector to generate a target mix vector of dimension M. M is the number of targets associated with the head mesh positions. The head mesh positions are deformed based on the target mix vector.

Abstract: A slice plane, oriented parallel to a viewing plane, is passed through a cuboidal dataset at regular intervals. The intersection of the slice plane with the cuboidal volume dataset results in primitives (quads, triangles, etc. depending on the angle and position of the intersection) whose vertices have position coordinates (xu, yu, zu) and 3D-texture coordinates (r, s, t). The resulting primitives are rasterized using, for example, a traditional 3D graphics pipeline wherein the 3D-texture coordinates are interpolated across the scanlines producing 3D-texture coordinates for each fragment. The resulting 3D-texture coordinates for each fragment are stored in a 2D-texture storage area. These 2D-textures are called density-textures. By preprocessing the cuboidal dataset, the rendering process becomes a compositing process. A rendering process is comprised of looking-up, for each densel in the texture, the corresponding color and opacity values in the current lookup-table.

Abstract: A method of generating a free-form surface model includes the steps of applying linear transformation to a lattice polygon model to generate vertices of a free-form surface model corresponding to respective vertices of the lattice polygon model, and generating control points of cubic Bezier curves that connect the vertices of the free-form surface model, and that correspond to respective edges of the lattice polygon model.

Abstract: A method of classifying a voxel having vertices includes projecting the vertices of the voxel onto an image. The image includes a set of pixels. The method also includes generating a bounding rectangle containing the vertices. The method further includes selecting pixels within the bounding rectangle and identifying the voxel based on the pixels selected.

Abstract: In order to print an image sensed by a digital camera using a printing apparatus for forming an image on a print medium, image data corresponding to the sensed image is converted into print data, and the converted data is transmitted to the printing apparatus, thereby providing an image processing system which can print an image sensed by the digital camera using the printing apparatus without the intervention of any computer, and a digital camera and printing apparatus suitable for the image processing system.

Abstract: Methods of dynamically presenting transformations of expressions comprising symbols representing abstract concepts are described. Methods are presented of animating these symbols to exhibit the transformations and, optionally, link these animations with the corresponding animations of a concrete pictorial model. Additional methods are described linking these animations with computer controlled and,even computer calculated explanations of the process in both text and sound. The purpose is to present the rules for transforming abstract representations (for example equations) in ways that are much easier to understand and remember. Such animations are the modern dynamic “illustrations” of these transformations. Methods are described of computer controlled sequencing of the animations with corresponding animations of a concrete analogical model.

Abstract: There is provided a system, method and article of manufacture for determining the visibility of surfaces and/or parts of surfaces of three-dimensional objects, which are projected on a view plane from data defining these surfaces, comprising: a) deriving data indicative of boundaries of projections of the surfaces on the view plane; b) determining (preferably, by recursion) a finite number of subdivisions of the view plane thereby providing perimeters of each of the subdivisions; c) determining points of intersection of the perimeter of one of the subdivisions with the boundaries of the surfaces projected on the view plane; d) determining the distribution of surfaces visible along the perimeter of the of one of the subdivisions by utilizing the points of intersection; and e) determining if the one subdivision is “simple enough” of “terminal” from at least the distribution of surfaces visible along the perimeter of the one subdivision.

Abstract: Automatically generating components of an object modeled in a three-dimensional modeling space by a computer aided design system includes positioning a plane in the three-dimensional modeling space to (i) logically subdivide the modeling space into a first division that includes an existing component and a second division in which a reproduction of the existing component is to be located and (ii) to define a reference geometry for creation of the reproduction of the existing component. A number of geometrically transformed components are computed by applying a series of different transformations to the existing component such that each transformed component has a different orientation. A reproduction of the existing component is constructed such that the existing component and the reproduction are symmetrical to each other with respect to the plane.

Abstract: A method models a three-dimensional object by first acquiring alpha mattes of the object for multiple viewpoints. The alpha mattes are then projected onto a surface hull completely enclosing the object to construct an opacity hull storing opacity values of the surface of the object. The object is illuminated for various lighting conditions while images are acquired. The images are projected onto the opacity hull to render the object under arbitrary lighting conditions for arbitrary viewpoints.