Abstract: A diagnostic device has a modality for generating raw data representing contents of a volume, a computer for calculating three-dimensional medical images from the raw data, an image system, an input device for setting a transfer function required for an algorithm and a display device for the medical images. The image system determines a histogram distribution of the gray-scale values, and the image system inserts user interface graphics into the displayed image which shows the histogram distribution of the gray-scale values in a histogram window and symbolically represents a trapezoidal transfer function on which values characterizing input fields for transfer functions are arranged at the associated points. A transfer function is on the basis of entries in the input fields and the selected transfer function is inserted in the histogram distribution of the gray-scale values.

Abstract: A frame where a two-dimensional image is formed is subdivided into predetermined unit areas, and a desired range is determined in the frame, and further, a determination is made whether or not overwrite rendering is possible for each unit area in the desired range. By doing so, it is possible to visibly display an object hidden by a shade of another object without carrying out a determination process relative to a positional relationship between a virtual viewpoint and object and a semi-transparency processing for making object semitransparent, and to realize the display process at high speed and low cost.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed that facilitates realistic navigation of visual content by displaying an interpolated image during navigation and a more exact image when the navigation ceases. Methodologies are disclosed for rendering and displaying “tiles”, portions of the visual content at different levels of detail to minimize perceivable discontinuities.

Abstract: Techniques that enable users (e.g., animators) to accurately animate models in a scene without having to load all the models involved in the scene concurrently in computer memory. For a particular model that a user wishes to animate, only a minimal set of models involved in the scene that are needed for the particular model to evaluate correctly are determined and loaded into computer memory. Additionally, if a particular model is to be unloaded from computer memory, then all models that depend, either directly or indirectly, on the particular model and that are loaded in memory are also unloaded from memory in order to avoid incorrect animation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving bandwidth for depth information communication in a computer graphics system. In operation, a decoder checks a type table associated with a collection of pixels in a memory unit in response to a request for depth information with respect to the collection of pixels. If the type table indicates that the depth information with respect to the collection of pixels has been encoded previously, the decoder computes depth values corresponding to the collection of pixels for each visible polygon in accordance with respective sets of plane parameters in a parameter record associated with a plane pattern, and reconstructs the depth information from the depth values for each visible polygon in accordance with the plane pattern. When the collection of pixels is modified by a new polygon, an encoder updates the plane pattern, the parameter record, and the type table in the memory unit.

Abstract: A method of display of visual content is disclosed which utilizes nodes that launch only when necessary. The nodes may be rendered and/or displayed in the coordinate system of another node, perhaps a parent node, when appropriate. Increase precision of display objects is achieved.

Abstract: Data defining one or more graphic objects, such as buildings and vegetation, are automatically generated in a repeatable manner within each of a plurality of visual tiles of a simulated space. A seed is determined for a tile as a function of a location of the tile in the space. The seed is used to pseudo-randomly determine visually apparent characteristics of the graphic objects, such as position, height, and texture. A tile is preferably characterized by one or a combination of texture classes, such as vegetated and urban. Any tile can be associated with an annotation that specifies other characteristics of an object, such as its footprint, or of a sub-area within which objects will be depicted in the tile and rendered with the randomly determined characteristics. For multi-class tiles, the annotations are used to mask automatically generated graphic objects from undesired portions of the tile.

Abstract: Four predefined vertices define an icosahedron used for constructing a geodesic dome. Each section of the icosahedron, including the top, center, and bottom, is sequentially processed to construct a plurality of vertices and a plurality of indices of triangles on the surface of the geodesic dome. One of the inputs defines the order of the geodesic dome, which determines the number of vertices. A plurality of transformation matrices are employed to rotate a three-dimensional vector about a selected axis through a predefined angle to generate the vertices. The indices for the triangles are constructed as either triangle strips or triangle lists, for each of the three sections of the icosahedron. Vertices are stored in a vertex buffer and indices in an index buffer. The vertices are selected to form a plurality of edges disposed at an equal distance from the center of the icosahedron.

Abstract: The determination of the final posed position is optimized by tracking the changes in animation variables associated with the sequence of deformers over two or more poses. The earliest deformer of the sequence affected by a changed animation variable is designated the cached deformer, and the input to this deformer is stored for future use. For a subsequent pose, the animation variables changed from the previous pose are identified, and the earliest deformer of the sequence affected by these changed animation variables is compared with the cached deformer. If the earliest deformer affected is the cached deformer or is to be processed after the cached deformer, the final posed position of the control point can be determined from the stored intermediate value of the control point, rather than from the initial position of the control point.

Abstract: A method for building a graphics database includes generating a polygonal representation of a terrain surface and generating at least one polygonal feature corresponding to a feature associated with the terrain surface. The method also includes inserting the at least one polygonal feature into the polygonal representation of the terrain surface and rendering the polygonal representation into at least one image. In addition, the method includes capturing at least one pixel representation of the at least one rendered image and storing the at least one pixel representation as at least one texture.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a computer graphics processing system, a memory and a method for use in connection with the computer graphics processing system. In one embodiment, the computer graphics processing system includes a graphics processor and a computer memory responsive to the graphics processor. The computer memory includes an image depth buffer and a hierarchical image depth buffer. The hierarchical image depth buffer contains data items that identify a nearest depth value and a farthest depth value for a plurality of image depth buffer entries associated with a plurality of corresponding pixels. In one embodiment, the method is for use in rendering a portion of an object onto a two-dimensional image plane.

Abstract: A do-it-yourself photo realistic talking head creation system and method comprising: a template; a video camera having an image output signal of a subject; a computer having a mixer program for mixing the template and image output signal of the subject into a composite image, and an output signal representational of the composite image; a computer adapted to communicate the composite image signal thereto the monitor for display thereto the subject as a composite image; the monitor and the video camera adapted to allow the video camera to collect the image of the subject therethrough and the subject to view the composite image and the subject to align the image of the subject therewith the template; storage means having an input for receiving the output signal of the video camera representational of the collected image of the subject, and storing the image of the subject substantially aligned therewith the template.

Abstract: An omnidirectional video camera captures images of the environment while moving along several intersecting paths forming an irregular grid. These paths define the boundaries of a set of image loops within the environment. For arbitrary viewpoints within each image loop, a 4D plenoptic function may be reconstructed from the group of images captured at the loop boundary. For an observer viewpoint, a strip of pixels is extracted from an image in the loop in front of the observer and paired with a strip of pixels extracted from another image on the opposite side of the image loop. A new image is generated for an observer viewpoint by warping pairs of such strips of pixels according to the 4D plenoptic function, blending each pair, and then stitching the resulting strips of pixels together.

Abstract: A system for designing visual information on a monitor unit which enables the use of the monitor unit manufactured at a reduced cost but assures rapid reproduction of the intended visual information. The monitor unit is utilized in combination with a programmable logic controller (PLC) for monitoring a task to be performed by I/O devices managed by the PLC. The monitor unit includes a display, a controller section, and a memory. The system includes an image design tool operating on a personal computer for creating a source display code of the visual information to be reproduced on the display. The image design tool has a conversion means which translates the source display code into a corresponding bitmapped image and exports the bitmapped image to the monitor unit for immediate reproduction of the visual information on the display.

Abstract: A technique for solving an inverse-kinematic problem by interpolating solutions from examples. Example poses or motions of an object are collected and annotated. The annotations are essentially parameters for a function—i.e., the function X(p) generates degree-of-freedom values of an object that is posed in a manner that satisfies parameters p. The analytic function X is interpolated from these examples and improved automatically based on kinematic measurements. Preferably, the interpolation is created by taking a weighted sum of cardinal basis functions having linear and radial parts, Preferably, the interpolation is a weighted sum of cardinal basis functions having linear and radial portions.

Abstract: A technique for spatial partitioning and a data structure for storing references to objects in a scene. A grid-based loose octree (GLOtree) is a data structure that combines advantages of a uniform grid-based subdivision method and an octree-based subdivision method to provide a general purpose spatial partitioning method that works well with both static and dynamic scenes. In a GLOtree, objects are located at lower levels of the tree than in the prior art octree. This allows traversals to search for specific objects to be accomplished more quickly when a starting search level of the GLOtree is predicted. The GLOtree uses loose octree nodes that adapt the sizes of octants to the scene.

Abstract: A reflection image and an environment map are loaded into memory. During rendering of an object, an environment texture sample is retrieved from the environment map based on a reflection vector stored in a pixel of the reflection image. The retrieved environment texture sample is then applied to the object. The object thus rendered is stored in a frame buffer.

Abstract: Hierarchical lattice generating method, apparatus, and program are capable of representing figures of areas in the neighborhood of boundary surfaces on a hierarchical lattice at reduced computation costs and with desired resolutions, using form data for computer simulation. A hierarchical lattice is generated by dividing a group of cells that are composed of vertices and line segments present in a predetermined area, in accordance with a resolution. A boundary surface provided in the area, is represented in the hierarchical lattice by hierarchically dividing cells in a vicinity of a boundary surface. A first value is assigned as an initial value to all of the vertices in the area in an initial state. A second value is assigned to each of vertices in focus, out of the vertices, that has the first value or the second value if any cell to which each of the vertices in focus belongs includes the boundary surface, and otherwise assigning a third value to each of the vertices in focus.

Abstract: The invention allows a user to select a text option displayed on a display device during playback of an interactive production. The action of the production continues regardless of whether the user selects an option. Options expire after an active time interval. After the active time interval the option can no longer be selected and is considered “expired.” Expired options are eventually removed from the display and new options appear. A time indicator is used to alert the user that an option is going to expire. Any type of time indicator can be used including a numerical readout of the remaining active time for an option, an animation that shows that the option is about to expire, a symbol, color change, intensity change, animation, etc., can be used as a time indicator.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for decreasing the amount of data required to represent depth information for 3D images. In accordance with one embodiment, depth information is represented by a piecewise function Z(x,y). An (x,y) space is split into areas representing a region of primitive shapes. For each of these regions, Z(x,y) is defined as a simple parametric analytical function. Subsequently, only a few parameters are required to encode this function in each region. By using these parametric analytical functions to represent depth value of the split, the present invention achieves advantages such as reductions in required storage space and required bandwidth with a concomitant increase in processing speed.