Abstract: A system and method for generating random coverage masks for rendering images with transparent objects. The system uses shuffle tables for addresses of a pixel to index into a transparency table and to obtain a transparency mask, which is then ANDed with a coverage mask to obtain a new coverage mask.

Abstract: The present invention relates to dropout control in which one or more samples are added to adjacent samples that fall within an image outline. The samples are used in sub-pixel rendering to compensate for unnaturally thin or faint object stems. Horizontal dropout control operations are provided to add samples to sets of horizontally adjacent samples such that each set of samples comprises a minimum number of samples. Vertical dropout control operations are provided to position samples such that the weighted anti-aliasing filtering will take sufficient account of the samples. In one embodiment, an associative table is utilized to calculate alternative patterns of samples. In another embodiment, the baseline of an object is used in the dropout control operations to reduce artifacts that can be created by the addition of samples in the vertical direction.

Abstract: For use in a system capable of creating and displaying vector computer graphics, there is disclosed an apparatus and method for acceleration of 2D vector graphics using both a general purpose computer and conventional 3D graphics hardware. In one advantageous embodiment, the apparatus and method of the present invention comprises a central processing unit (CPU) that is capable of analyzing 2D vector graphic content to create a span stream and a fill palette for each graphics layer of a visual image. The CPU sends the span streams and the fill palettes to a 3D graphics hardware device. Each span stream contains all the information necessary for the 3D graphics hardware device to correctly locate all of the shape boundaries in a graphics layer. Each fill palette contains all the information necessary for the 3D graphics hardware device to correctly fill all of the shape boundaries in each graphics layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for approximating zeros (roots) of polynomials using an iterative technique and displaying graphical images based on the results of that technique. The science of polynomiography is based on the use of at least one of an infinite number of iteration functions designed for the purpose of approximation of roots of polynomials.

Abstract: A system and method for managing memory in display processing circuit for use with a color sequential display. The system comprises: a shared memory; and a storage queue coupled to the shared memory, wherein the storage queue includes: a system for receiving and storing alternating packets of color-specific video data in the storage queue; and a system for separately reading contiguous sets color-specific packets from the storage queue to the shared memory.

Abstract: A multimedia data decoding apparatus to decode multimedia data and method thereof includes a data information extracting unit extracting detail information from the multimedia data. An input buffering unit stores the multimedia data for a predetermined time. A decoding unit decodes the multimedia data from the input buffering unit into original signals of respective types. An output buffering unit stores the decoded multimedia data for a predetermined time. A control unit determines buffering capacities of the input buffering unit and the output buffering unit based on the detail information extracted by the data information extracting unit.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide a more efficient and effective gradient computation. Specifically, in one embodiment, a method is provided for calculating a texture-mapping gradient, which comprises calculating constant values for use in a gradient-calculating equation, passing the constant values to logic configured to calculate the gradient, and computing the gradient using barycentric coordinates and the calculated constant values. In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus is provided for calculating a texture-mapping gradient, which comprises logic for calculating constant values for use in a gradient-calculating equation, and logic for computing the gradient-calculating equation using barycentric coordinates and the calculated constant values. In accordance with another embodiment, a computer-readable medium is also provided that contains code (e.g., RTL logic) for generating the computational logic mentioned above.

Abstract: A method for generating an enhanced image includes the steps of: (a) receiving a matrix of pixels representative of an image; (b) generating a gradient image representative of a difference between values of adjacent pixels; (c) calculating a center of mass for each pixel of the gradient image in response to gradient intensity values and location values of neighboring pixels; and (d) generating an enhanced image by modifying intensity values of pixels of the matrix of pixels that are located in a vicinity of local centers of mass in response to intensity values of pixels that are further displaced from the local centers of mass.

Abstract: An image processing integrated circuit including a CPU configured to supply an image data, frame information of the image data and a first write destination address indicating an address to which the image data is written; a latch circuit configured to receive the frame information from the CPU; an address scrambler configured to allocate second write destination addresses based on the first write destination address supplied from the CPU and the frame information supplied from the latch circuit; a RAM configured to store the image data supplied from the CPU according to the second write destination address supplied from the address scrambler; and a DA converter configured to perform the digital-analog conversion for the image data supplied from the RAM and for supplying a first read destination address corresponding to the first write destination address one to one, to the address scrambler after the conversion.

Abstract: A cache memory for a texture mapping process which is applicable to a high performance three-dimensional graphics card for a personal computer, three-dimensional game machines and other fields requiring small and high performance three-dimensional graphics. In particular, in order to accelerate a texture mapping process based upon a hardware-used mipmapping process using a trilinear interpolation in a three-dimensional graphics system, there is provided a cache memory in which only textures by a moderate size of a working set are stored, and all eight texels needed to perform a trilinear interpolation only in one clock cycle are accessed to obtain a final texel value, and a method enabling a reduction in penalty due to a cache miss by, with hardware-based prediction, prefetching textures to be needed in the future.

Abstract: An apparatus for line drawing using a plurality of pixels to display a line, including a first parameter generating module, a second parameter generating module, a storage module, a retrieving module, and a calculating module. In this case, the first parameter generating module generates a first parameter according to a slope of the line. The second parameter generating module generates a second parameter according to the distance between one of the pixels and the line in axial directions. The storage module stores an index table, which records at least a blending factor and the correlations between the first parameter, second parameter, and blending factor. Therefore, the retrieving module searches for the blending factor from the index table according to the first and second parameter. Finally, the calculating module determines the color of this pixel according to the blending factor.

Abstract: A backlight for an LCD display comprised of an array of LEDs. The backlight may be driven and controlled by a fast pulse power converter, thus providing a response time for the backlight on the order of microseconds. The backlight may thus be used for image display, for example, in the depiction of images in a video input to the LCD and removal of image artifacts.

Abstract: There are provided an apparatus and a method for adjusting the color temperature of an input image using metadata corresponding to the color temperature of the input image. The apparatus includes a color temperature calculation unit which receives a predetermined image and calculates the color temperature of the predetermined image, a metadata generation unit which divides a color temperature range into a plurality of color temperature sections and generates metadata using information on a color temperature section to which the color temperature of the predetermined image belongs, and a metadata database which stores the metadata corresponding to the predetermined image and transmits the metadata to a user terminal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing video signals comprises a receiver for receiving a video signal, a video pipeline for post-processing the received video signal, the video pipeline producing a post-processed video signal, and a video output module for converting the post-processed video signal, the video output module producing a formatted video signal. The video output module may further comprise an ancillary data injector, the injector inserting ancillary data into the post-processed video signal. Also, the video output system may further comprise a generator locking device or the video input module may include a generator locking device.

Abstract: An image processing device can reproduce the original color of an electronic document on an output device faithfully and can simulate the appearance of color of a recorded product on a display device accurately. Color temperature information of an electronic document is recognized by an electronic document color temperature information recognition unit and delivered to a first color correction conversion unit. The first color correction conversion unit carries out color conversion based on the color temperature information of the electronic document so that a recorded product output from an output device assumes substantially the same color as the electronic document when it is observed under an illumination light source having a color temperature indicated by the color temperature information of the electronic document. An image is formed by the output device based on the color converted image signal to output the recorded product.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system to concurrently render independent images for display on one or more display devices. In an embodiment, a graphics-rendering engine concurrently renders independent images for display on multiple display devices. A time allocator arbitrates the concurrent use of the graphics-rendering engine between each independent image being rendered.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for creating a sequence of computer graphics frames, using a plurality of rendering pipelines. For each frame, each rendering pipeline receives a subset of the total amount of graphics data for the particular frame. At the completion of a frame, each rendering pipeline sends a performance report to a performance monitor. The performance monitor determines whether or not there was a significant disparity in the time required by the respective rendering pipelines to render their tiles. If a disparity is detected, and if the disparity is determined to be greater than some threshold, an allocation module resizes the tiles for the next frame. This serves to balance the load across rendering pipelines for each frame.

Abstract: An image data output control apparatus for enhancing a screen update speed to naturally update a screen is provided. The image data output control apparatus comprises first and second memories each for buffering image data of one screen, a host processor for selecting the first and second memories alternately as a display buffer for output of image data of a current screen and a screen buffer for storage of image data of a subsequent new screen, writing the image data of the subsequent screen into the screen buffer to construct the subsequent screen, and outputting the image data of the current screen stored in the display buffer. An output terminal outputs image data from any one of the first and second memories as image data for a screen to be displayed through a display unit.

Abstract: Procedure for digital picture edge-smoothing refers to a method of smoothing the rough edges, around the objects, in a digital picture, as a result of enlargement. The procedure consists of detecting the rough edges and removing some pixel(s), so that edge will become smoother. If the edge has a 45 degrees angle, made of 2 by 2 pixels, will become an edge of 1 by 1 pixel. If the edge has 4 by 2 pixels, it will become a 2 by 1 pixel edge.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a computer system is disclosed. The computer system includes a graphics accelerator and a graphics cache coupled to the graphics accelerator. The graphics cache stores texture data, color data and depth data.