Abstract: An electron field-emission display comprises one or more display cell structures, each having a field-emission cathode and an anode comprising at least one of several cathodoluminescent phosphors disclosed which are stimulable by electrons of very low energy. The display cell structures may also have gate elements for controlling electron current flowing from cathode to anode when suitable electrical bias voltages are applied. A preferred fabrication process integrates an etch stop with an in situ phosphor formation process. The etch stop precisely defines the depth of an opening in the display cell structure.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for designing and displaying three dimensional solid representations from a two dimensional drawing. The invention prompts the user to select a two-dimensional view as a profile for extrusion. This is accomplished by selecting all the elements from a geometry to include in the extrusion. Thereafter, the user is prompted to select a front and back cutting face for the extrusion. The system thereafter transforms the selected two dimensional elements into three dimensional geometries.

Abstract: Color compensation is performed in color images for use in an image processing field which is employed for three-dimensional computer graphics and the like by making a luminance value of texture data coincide with an intensity derived by an intensity calculation. Also, lightness compensation is performed for a color image according to a display scene. From measurements of color changes of plural colors in a uniform color space, a color change of arbitrary texture data under a chromatic color light source is represented and compensated. The generated image is very natural because compensation is achieved between a lightness of a texture itself representing a pattern on the surface of an object and an intensity of the surface of the object derived by an intensity calculation when an image is generated.

Abstract: A method for generating a multisided patch in which the expression form of each boundary curve and topology of the curve network can freely be set, curve formulae can be simply input, and high continuity. By inputting data of boundary curves to multisided patch generator via editing means which generates and edits curves, and blending sweep surfaces in two stages, a free-form surface is generated as a surface interpolating them. That is, data of a plurality of boundary curves is inputted to multisided patch generator, each given curve is swept by sweeping means along the curves intersecting it to generate surfaces, and the surfaces are blended by blending means in two stages, thereby generating a free-form surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for completing a document in accordance with a blank tabularized form document from data automatically retrieved from a database. An image of the blank form document is read into the system as image data from which a format of the blank form document and key information is determined. Supplemental data relating to the key information is automatically retrieved from a database and outputted in accordance with recognized parts of the original blank form document. In a second embodiment, the retrieved data is edited before being outputted. The data automatically retrieved from the database is selectively printed onto the original form document or onto a second form document.

Abstract: An image data processor includes a first memory which stores a binary image data of M1 pixels and M2 pixels in the longitudinal and lateral directions and a second memory which stores a multivalued image data of N1 pixels and N2 pixels in the longitudinal and lateral directions. The image data processor is provided with a spatial operation means for operating the binary image data of the first memory with respect to an operation area size of L1, L2 (L1, L2 being a natural number satisfying L1.gtoreq.M1/N1, L2.gtoreq.M2/N2) to generate the multivalued image data of the second memory, an address means for outputting positional information in the first area corresponding to the pixel position in the second area when the image data in the first area is to be reduced to 1/K1, 1/K2 in the longitudinal and lateral directions (1<K1.ltoreq.L1, 1<K2.ltoreq.L2), and a coefficient setting means for setting a correcting coefficient of the spatial operation means corresponding to K1, K2.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for accurate head-tracked stereo display on a workstation CRT is disclosed that corrects inaccuracies caused by CRT optical properties. The correction includes modification of a viewing matrix equation to adjust the physical coordinates of a display window. An alternative correction models the CRT surface as multiple flat "patches" positioned and titled to approximate the spherical or cylindrical shape of the actual screen, and each patch is rendered separately with a patch-specific viewing matrix. Another alternative correction uses angle of view information obtained directly with eye tracking, or indirectly through a "hot spot" determination to bias correction at the point of viewing.

Abstract: A data display system and method that provides for creation of multidimensional data displays in which the dimensions have one or more dimension elements and the display has display cells at dimension element intersections. Provisions are made for allowing rearrangement of display dimensions, reordering of display elements, and sorting within any dimension along with the maintenance of topological formulas during insertions, deletions, sorting and rearrangements. Further included is provision for support of both symmetrical and asymmetrical multidimensional spreadsheets.

Abstract: A connection condition between two adjacent original surfaces, selected from a plurality of connected original surfaces, is determined as to whether it is smooth, concave, or convex. Then, each of the original surfaces is offset at a predetermined distance along unit vectors normal to the original surface, to obtain an offset surface. Also, an original loop for each of the original surfaces is offset at the predetermined distance along unit vectors normal to the original surface at its edges to obtain an offset loop. Then, a new surface between two adjacent offset loops is interpolated when the connection condition is convex. A self-interference portion is removed when the connection condition is concave, so as to obtain a plurality of offset surfaces based on the plurality of original surfaces.

Abstract: A painting pattern generation system for painting interior areas enclosed by outlines indicated by outline data and flag data. This includes a first memory for storing outline data, a second memory for storing flag data, and an operational circuit for reading out the outline data. The flag data in the first and the second memories performs a logical exclusive OR operation on adjacent items of the flag data in the second memory in a scan line direction, and performs an OR operation between the result of the logical exclusive OR operation and the outline data in the first memory in all of the scan line directions. Thus obtaining the painted pattern data, and a writing circuit for writing the painted pattern data obtained by the operational circuit to overlap it with subsequent outline data in the first memory.

Abstract: In a computer image generation system, the number of vertices which define each of a plurality of terrain-defining polygons is augmented in real time for providing finer detail and for effecting substantially continuous smooth level of detail (LOD) transition. Augmented vertices may have components that are statistically derived, in which case it is not necessary to store and/or predefine them. Alternatively, some vertex components may have predetermined values derived from mapping data or from other deterministic sources and may be stored in compact form. Processing polygons, typically triangles defined by selected ones of the sum of the augmented vertices and the original vertices, may be used for displaying the finer detail. Statistically derived finer detail is especially suited for providing non-specific detail to features such as terrain, while deterministic data allows highly accurate representations of specific `real world` locations.

Abstract: A method fills a polygon and then draws edge lines while inhibiting renewal of only depth data in a depth buffer. Thereafter, a method fills the polygon while inhibiting renewal of only color data in a color buffer. The filling and drawing are performed by applying hidden surface removing processings based upon depth buffer algorithm.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for picking three dimensional objects from images depicted on a video display. The displayed objects are selectively rerendered. During such rerendering the object pixels are compared in depth to the data in a Z buffer for determining visibility. The number and size of the objects subject to rerendering by the rasterization processor is constrained by using the front end graphics processor to define object extents and by rerendering only extents which have been clipped to the boundaries of the pick window. The rerendering operation does not alter the three dimensional graphics image stored in and repetitively scanned from the frame buffer. Selection between multiple objects within the pick window can include a weighted comparison using a pick plane memory to store visibility data by object.

Abstract: A method for charting onto a newly produced map mains network data from an old, existing map. It comprises the following steps. In a first memory part is stored the measured data for a new map. In a second memory part is stored the data of the old map including the data relating to mains networks. From the memory parts the new and the old map are read and displayed on a display. Reference points of the old map are moved until they coincide with the appropriate reference points of the new map. Finally, The network reference points moved with the reference points of the old map are interpolated so that the network data is included in the new map.

Abstract: A digital image processor generates a digital signal responsive to an image signal representing a predetermined font demarcated by an outline, by which digital signal a digital image corresponding to the predetermined font is expressed on picture elements by using the luminance of each picture element, the digital image processor using a matrix having matrix elements corresponding to the picture elements, on which matrix the predetermined font can be expressed. The digital image processor digitalizes the image signal to determine the luminance of each picture element by using the matrix and an antialiasing process.

Abstract: Image data including depth data on a pixel basis representing a sphere or column are previously generated and stored in a mapping memory. When the sphere or column is to be displayed on a display screen, the image data are read out from the mapping memory. The image data thus read out are mapped to a predetermined region of a memory for display and are processed for hidden surface removal simultaneously.

Abstract: In order to display the surfaces of internal structures within a solid body from non-intrusively acquired data sets, it is useful to segment the data sets into the internal structures of interest before searching for the surfaces of such structures. To accomplish this, a data segmentation system uses a plurality of sample data points to construct a statistical probability distribution for a plurality of internal structures. Using these probability distributions, each data point is labeled with the most likely structure identification. Searching the thus-segmented data points for surfaces is considerably faster than is possible with the entire data set and produces surface renditions with fewer anomalies and errors. If the solid body is a human head, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is used to obtain two data sets corresponding to the two NMR echoes, then the probability distribution is bivariate and the two echoes can be plotted against each other to assist in identifying tissue clusters.