Patents Examined by Michael Razavi
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Patent number: 6924820Abstract: A system and method for rasterizing and rendering graphics data is disclosed. Vertices may be grouped to form primitives such as triangles, which are rasterized using two-dimensional arrays of samples bins. To overcome fragmentation problems, the system's sample evaluation hardware may be configured to over-evaluate samples each clock cycle. Since a number of the samples will typically not survive evaluation because they will be outside the primitive being rendered, the remaining surviving samples may be combined into sets, with one set being forwarded to subsequent pipeline stages each clock cycle in order to attempt to keep the pipeline utilization high.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2001Date of Patent: August 2, 2005Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.Inventors: Nandini Ramani, David C. Kehlet, Michael G. Lavelle, Mark E. Pascual, Ewa M. Kubalska, Yi-Ming Tian
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Patent number: 6919908Abstract: The present invention includes a method and apparatus for graphics processing in a handheld device including a transform engine capable of receiving vertex information. The transform engine generates a plurality of vertices from the vertex information, wherein each of the vertices includes a corresponding bin identifier. The method and apparatus further includes view frame factors defining a clipping region such that when any of the plurality of vertices is within the clipping region, a clip identifier is generated for that vertex using the corresponding bin identifier. A vertex shader coupled to a clipping module, wherein the clipping module generates supplemental vertices and the vertex shader receives the supplemental vertices therefrom. The vertex shader combines the supplemental vertices with the bin identifiers and are provided to a vertex buffer.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2003Date of Patent: July 19, 2005Assignee: ATI Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Aaftab A. Munshi, Mark H. Sternberg
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Patent number: 6917371Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide special effects which will make a video game more realistic. When a virtual light source exists in a three-dimensional virtual space, if a light from the light source extends toward a camera, a flare is generated on a screen because of incidence of the ray of light into a camera lens, thereby forming a dazzling picture in accordance with the state of backlight.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 1999Date of Patent: July 12, 2005Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega EnterprisesInventors: Toshihiro Nagoshi, Takuji Masuda, Koki Koiwa, Takayuki Kazama, Ryo Ikawa
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Patent number: 6917359Abstract: An information display device which is structured as an electronic book with liquid crystal displays which display information stored in a storage medium. The information display device further has a first driving section which drives the liquid crystal displays and a second driving section which drives the recording medium, and while the displays are reset, the second driving section is inhibited from driving the storage medium. Also, the information display device has a speaker, and when a mode to display information on the liquid crystal displays at a high speed is selected, the speaker is inhibited from reproducing sound.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2000Date of Patent: July 12, 2005Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Katsuyuki Nanba, Isao Hayami, Takashi Kondo, Sadafusa Tsuji, Hideo Hotomi
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Patent number: 6911988Abstract: From a taken image such as a radiation image, plural characteristic amounts (two-dimensional characteristic amounts etc.) are extracted to judge the portion (position) of the object on the taken image, and the result of judgment is displayed. On the image displaying the result of judgment of the object position, the operator confirms whether the object position is correctly judged, and, if the result is erroneous, changes the result of judgment by changing means. Based on the result of judgment changed by the operator or without such change, corresponding image processing parameters are acquired from the parameter table prepared in advance. Such image processing parameters are used for executing the image processing on the taken image.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2000Date of Patent: June 28, 2005Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Osamu Tsujii
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Patent number: 6906708Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes recording unit which has recorded image information appended with quantized space information in units of pixels; setting unit for setting a sampling rate in accordance with moving speed in a virtual space; reconstruction unit for reconstructing an image by reading out image information from the recording unit in accordance with the sampling rate set by the setting unit, and interpolation unit for interpolating pixels at empty pixel positions to obtain a resolution of an image required for display when the reconstruction unit reconstructs the image at a resolution lower than the resolution of the image required for display.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2000Date of Patent: June 14, 2005Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Akihiro Katayama
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Patent number: 6906717Abstract: A drag-and-drop user interface (DDUI) can generate multiple charts in an integrated chart report and supports the drag-and-drop method of adding fields to the integrated chart report. When a field is dropped from a field list into a multiple chart drop zone, the DDUI will automatically generate additional charts to represent the data in the dropped field. An additional chart will be generated for each unique entry in a data field. The number of charts can be modified by selecting particular elements in the dropped field, by means of a drop-down menu. The drop-down menu enables the elimination or addition of elements of the dropped field. Each additional field dropped into the multiple chart drop zone will add a chart to the chart report. Conversely, each field dragged out of the multiple chart drop zone will eliminate a chart from the chart report. The DDUI can accommodate various chart types.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2001Date of Patent: June 14, 2005Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Jeff Couckuyt, Paul Davies, Jason M. Cahill
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Patent number: 6906731Abstract: The invention relates to a method of analyzing an object data set comprising points in a multi-dimensional space, in which dataset a tubular structure, such as blood vessels, occurs. The method comprises the following steps: a) choosing a screen position related to the tubular structure; b) determining the multi-dimensional co-ordinates of a starting position associated with said screen position; c) deriving a plane through said starting position having its normal directed to the tubular structure; d) determining a surface point of the tubular structure as a target position associated with the starting position; e) selecting a number of points forming part of the surface of the tubular structure in the vicinity of the target position; f) determining the surface point in the selection which is closest to the plane; and g) using the surface point determined in the step f) as a new starting position. This method allows accurate and reproducible selection of the starting position.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2002Date of Patent: June 14, 2005Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.Inventor: Johannes Bruijns
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Patent number: 6903742Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for rendering images on a computer screen. Under the invention, a portion of a base image is described using a path. The path is then transformed using a non-affine transform to produce a transformed path. The transformed path is then rendered onto the computer screen. Another aspect of the present invention is a method and apparatus for rendering curves of any order and any dimension. In particular, the present invention provides a means for converting a function of any order and any dimension that describes one segment of a curve into a function that describes a different sized segment or an adjoining segment.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 1999Date of Patent: June 7, 2005Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Ikko Fushiki, Hock San Lee, J. Andrew Goossen
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Patent number: 6903751Abstract: A graphical input and display system for creating and manipulating electronic images includes input devices permitting a user to manipulate elements of electronic images received from various image input sources. A processor, connected to the system, receives requests for various image editing operations and also accesses a memory structure. The system memory structure includes a user interaction module, which allows a user to enter new image material or select and modify existing image material to form primary image objects, as well as a grouping module, which maintains an unrestricted grouping structure, an output module, and data memory.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2002Date of Patent: June 7, 2005Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Eric Saund, Thomas P. Moran, Daniel L. Larner, James V. Mahoney, David J. Fleet, Ashok C. Popat
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Patent number: 6900804Abstract: This method of forming a polygon image comprises the steps of obtaining a plurality of polygons having normal line data as apex data and constituting a model; sorting the model constituted by the plurality of polygons into polygons of a first color part and polygons of a second color part by boundary lines consisting of the direction of a light source and normal lines of the model; pasting up a first mono-color texture on the sorted polygons having the first color part, and pasting up a second mono-color texture on the sorted polygons having the second color part; and dividing the polygons intersecting the boundary lines along the boundary lines, pasting up the first mono-color texture on the polygons belonging to the first color part out of the divided polygons, and pasting up the second mono-color texture on the polygons belonging to the second color part.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2000Date of Patent: May 31, 2005Assignee: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.Inventors: Takashi Iwade, Ryuuta Ueda, Takashi Ando
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Patent number: 6897878Abstract: A method and apparatus in a preferred embodiment for generating anti-aliased layered fog which is textured manipulated as if in a geocentric virtual environment to thereby show horizon depression at high altitudes. Hardware is provided such that layer model data and texture model data is combined to generate fogged pixel color.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2001Date of Patent: May 24, 2005Assignee: Evans & Sutherland Computer CorporationInventors: Michael Cosman, W. David Fowler
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Patent number: 6897880Abstract: A system providing a user interface to allow a user to easily modify parameters of media presentations such as images and audio. The user selects first and second reference instances, such as images. The images are described by parameters and parameter values. Differences between the images' parameter/value characteristics are identified. The first and second reference images are placed at different points on a display screen. By moving a pointer relative to the positions of the first and second reference images, a current image is generated that is a combination, or function, of the identified parameter/value characteristics. Thus, the user is able to quickly, and intuitively, achieve many desired modifications to the media. A feature of the invention allows image content to be modified in a similar manner. First and second computer model positions, animations, bitmap images, etc., can be used and the same technique employed to create many derivations from the selected reference images.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2001Date of Patent: May 24, 2005Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.Inventor: Sukendeep Samra
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Patent number: 6897869Abstract: The minimum number of rectangles required to fill a particular polygon and which meet input parameters including minimum stripe width, maximum stripe width, stripe overlap amount, maximum number of borders, and whether or not to merge adjacent borders, is determined by: (1) bordering, including computing a border width which is wide as possible, bordering all non-orthogonal polygons with one or more borders, merging borders when appropriate, halting bordering as soon as the interior can be efficiently filled using orthogonal fill rectangles; (2) filling, including filling the interior of the bordered non-orthogonal polygon or the unbordered orthogonal polygon with orthogonal paint stripes, filling, if possible, the uncovered area with a single least encompassing rectangle, otherwise generating orthogonal stripes using the minimum stripe width and where practical merging them with a previous adjacent stripe; and (3) processing, including locating any and all unfilled portions of the original polygon, applyingType: GrantFiled: October 25, 1999Date of Patent: May 24, 2005Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Richard G. Bednar, Donald J. Malling
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Patent number: 6894694Abstract: Method is disclosed for the automatic creation of images in a “van Gogh” style. The method comprises locating portions of detail in an image an utilizing the area of detail to propagate brush strokes into areas of the image having lesser details. A number of modifications are also proposed including utilizing refining brush strokes to process those areas of detail in an image.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 1998Date of Patent: May 17, 2005Assignee: Silverbrook Research PTY LTDInventors: Kia Silverbrook, Paul Lapstun
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Patent number: 6891519Abstract: A driving method for a display apparatus produces light emission by applying a sustain discharge pulse repeatedly. A pulse width of the sustain discharge pulse is varied within one subfield and is controlled in accordance with the amount of voltage drop of a sustain discharge voltage. A display apparatus has a display panel section, a data converter, a power supply section, and a sustain discharge pulse control circuit. The data converter receives an image signal and supplies image data suitable for the display apparatus to the display panel section, and the power supply section supplies power to the display panel section. Further, the sustain discharge pulse control circuit varies a pulse width of sustain discharge pulse within one subfield and controls the pulse width of the sustain discharge pulse in accordance with the amount of voltage drop of a sustain discharge voltage.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2002Date of Patent: May 10, 2005Assignee: Fujitsu Hitachi Plasma Display LimitedInventors: Takayuki Ooe, Toshio Ueda
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Patent number: 6891550Abstract: The invention is the basis of a computer graphics application that allows increased flexibility and creative freedom to the user. By keeping a hidden copy of the image being worked on, plus one or more special layers, the invention is able to offer the user the ability to erase past mistakes, directly apply image processing filters, and experiment with many different settings and options in a very quick and easy way.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2001Date of Patent: May 10, 2005Inventor: Paul Anthony John Nolan
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Patent number: 6885379Abstract: A circuit and a method for decoding a color code of a 3D display. The color code decoding circuit is built into an on-screen display of a circuit in a display. The color code decoding circuit has several comparators, several recording buffers, a register, a first counter and a second counter. The comparators read a 3D image signal and compare this 3D image signal with a reference signal to obtain a color code value by decoding. The color code value is then recorded in the recording buffer.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2001Date of Patent: April 26, 2005Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corp.Inventors: Chung-Yao Chen, Thomas Lee
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Patent number: 6882348Abstract: An information displaying system for displaying information corresponding to a geographical location includes a display commanding unit pre-assigned with a unique ID, an information displaying unit for displaying information corresponding to a command received from the display commanding unit, a first data storing unit for storing map drawing element data for drawing a map, a second data storing unit for storing a geographical location corresponding to contents which are displayed corresponding to the command received from the display commanding unit and first attribute information in such a manner that the geographical location and the first attribute information are correlated with the ID, a map drawing commanding unit, linked from the display commanding unit, for searching the first data storing unit so as to draw the map corresponding to the location searched from the second data storing unit corresponding to the ID, wherein the map corresponding command received from the map drawing commanding unit is diType: GrantFiled: January 16, 2002Date of Patent: April 19, 2005Assignee: Sony CorporationInventor: Chiharu Hirono
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Patent number: 6882347Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus, system, and method for performing interference checking of the design in a project, component or part thereof to a designer, engineer, team of designers, or a team of engineers. In one embodiment, the present invention is comprised of a texture generating apparatus adapted to provide proximity analysis of objects in a design by dynamically generating a texture visually indicative of the spatial relationship between the modeled objects. In this embodiment, the texture generating apparatus is further comprised of a processing element. The processing element is adapted to perform the calculations of the interference check. The texture generating apparatus is further comprising a texture generating element. The texture generating element is adapted to provide the texture on which the interference check is based. The texture generating apparatus is further comprised a rendering element.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2000Date of Patent: April 19, 2005Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventor: Ian M. Williams