Abstract: In some embodiments, a method for high-performance terrain rendering may include one or more of the following steps: (a) obtaining elevation data, (b) determining slope of a terrain surface, (c) selecting a shading model to apply to the terrain surface based upon the slope of the terrain surface, (d) determining if a vehicle's heading has changed, and (e) aligning the shading model index based upon current heading.

Abstract: Digital video effects are described. In one aspect, a foreground object in a video stream is identified. The video stream comprises multiple image frames. The foreground object is modified by rendering a 3-dimensional (3-D) visual feature over the foreground object for presentation to a user in a modified video stream. Pose of the foreground object is tracked in 3-D space across respective ones of the image frames to identify when the foreground object changes position in respective ones of the image frames. Based on this pose tracking, aspect ratio of the 3-D visual feature is adaptively modified and rendered over the foreground object in corresponding image frames for presentation to the user in the modified video stream.

Abstract: An improved interface and algorithm(s) can be used to simplify and improve the process for locating an edge from a series of points in a point cloud. An interface can allow the user to select a hint point thought to be near an edge of interest, which can be used to generate an initial edge profile. An interface can allow the user to adjust the fit of the initial profile in cross-section, then can use that profile to generate a profile of the entire edge. A moving fit window can use a moving average to extend the edge and determine proper end locations. An interface then can display the results of the fit to the user and allow the user to adjust the fit, such as by adjusting the end points of the calculated edge. Such a process can be used to fit linear or curvilinear edges, and can fit a number of irregular shapes as well as regular shaped such as “v-shaped” edges.

Abstract: A drawing device that includes a triangle detecting unit specifying a triangle to be drawn and specifying a pixel block having a pixel of the triangle and includes a B-edge detecting unit judging whether or not the pixel block specified by the triangle detecting unit includes a pixel of a triangle that is connected to the triangle. The drawing device also includes a rasterizing unit that, when the B-edge detecting unit judges that the pixel block specified by the triangle detecting unit includes the pixel of the triangle, performs the rasterization processing on the pixel block so that pixel data is generated, includes a memory R/W unit writing the pixel data of the pixel block that is generated by the rasterizing unit into a memory, and includes a drawing engine controlling a display of an image in accordance with the pixel data written into the memory.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for an information handling system comprising an internal graphics system and an external graphics system, wherein both the internal and external graphics systems may operate simultaneously to support multiple monitors. The internal graphics system may be provided, for example, from a notebook computer. The external graphics system may comprise a pass thru port providing graphics from the internal graphics to a first monitor simultaneously with a graphics card of the external graphics system supporting a second monitor. The external graphics system can support two monitors, as well. HDTV can be supported instead of one of the monitors supported by the external graphics system. The system which contains internal graphics capabilities may include an Express card socket, wherein an external graphics processor unit of the external graphics system is coupled to Express card socket.

Abstract: A method comprises storing pixel data in a frame buffer, retrieving the pixel data from the frame buffer and processing at least one pixel value of the pixel data to generate an output pixel bit stream. The method further comprises storing pixel values in a first update buffer. The pixel values are derived from the output pixel bit stream. The method also comprises providing the pixel values from the first update buffer across a network to a remote graphics system.

Abstract: Deforming a three-dimensional computer-generated model to cause a change of shape of the three-dimensional model includes representing a surface of the model using a surface representation initially comprised of an original surface definition, deriving smooth three-dimensional mapping functions where each mapping function defines a deformation to the surface and at least one mapping function is non-affine, constructing a composition of the mapping functions and the original surface definition where each mapping function is included in the composition in succession in accordance with the order of derivation, and applying the composition after each successive mapping function is included in the composition causing the surface of the three-dimensional model to be deformed while preserving the smoothness to the lowest degree of smoothness of the mapping functions.

Abstract: A method for reconstructing an image generated from radial trajectory data in frequency or k-space using a GPU. The method includes using a vertex shader of the GPU to transform coordinates of a window aligned with the radial trajectory data and using a pixel shader of the GPU to combine data along the radial trajectory with the coordinate transformed widow to distribute the data along the radial trajectory fed to the pixel shader into cells of a Cartesian coordinate system.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for synchronizing two or more engines in a graphics processing unit (GPU). When issuing a command to an engine, a central processing unit (CPU) writes an event value representing the command into an element of an event memory associated with the engine. After executing the command, the engine modifies the content of the event memory in order to recognize the completion of the command execution. The CPU acquires the command execution status by reading the modified content of the event memory. With precise knowledge of the command execution status, the CPU can issue commands to various engines independently, hence the engines can run parallel.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method and system for implementing transparent multi-buffering in multi-GPU graphics subsystems. The purpose of multi-buffering is to reduce GPU idle time. In one example, after rendering a first image by a first GPU in a back buffer, the first image is displayed by flipping to the back buffer. After that, the front buffer and back buffer are exchanged, and then shifting the back buffer and internal buffers in a predetermined sequence. A second image is rendered to current back buffer by a second GPU. The second image is displayed by flipping to a current back buffer. After that, the front buffer and back buffer are exchanged again, and shifting the back buffer and internal buffers again.

Abstract: In-context paint stroke characteristic adjustment, in which a first user input selecting a path of a paint stroke rendered on a display is received, an anchor point on the path is defined based on the first user input, and a characteristic adjustment control is rendered adjacent to the anchor point. A second user input is received via the characteristic adjustment control, and a characteristic of the paint stroke is adjusted at the anchor point based on the second user input.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for rendering artwork using a graphics processing unit (GPU). The GPU may comprise a depth buffer and a stencil buffer. Artwork input comprising one or more dirty regions and one or more clip paths may be received at the GPU. A culling operation may be performed on the artwork input. The culling operation may comprise configuring the depth buffer to reject pixels located outside a union of the one or more dirty regions. A clipping operation may be performed on the artwork input. The clipping operation may comprise configuring the stencil buffer to reject pixels located outside an intersection of the one or more clip paths.

Abstract: An improved interface and algorithm(s) can be used to simplify and improve the process for locating an occluded edge from a series of points in a point cloud. An interface can allow the user to select a hint point thought to be near an edge of interest, which can be used to generate an initial edge profile. An interface can allow the user to adjust the fit of the initial profile in cross-section, then can use that profile to generate a profile of the entire edge. A moving fit window can use an imaginary plane to provide an additional constraint, and can utilize a moving average to extend the edge and determine proper end locations. An interface then can display the results of the fit to the user and allow the user to adjust the fit, such as by adjusting the end points of the calculated edge. Such a process can be used to fit linear or curvilinear occluded edges, and can fit a number of irregular shapes as well as regular shaped edges such as “v-shaped” edges.

Abstract: A method for detecting two dimensional sketch data from source model data for three dimensional reverse modeling. The method includes the steps of detecting optional model data, establishing X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis of the model data depending upon a reference coordinate system information inputted from a user, and setting a work plane for detecting two dimensional section data of the model data; projecting, on the work plane, two dimensional section data to be detected from the model data or polylines detected by designating a detection position; detecting two dimensional projected section data of the model data projected on the work plane, and dividing the two dimensional projected section data into feature segments depending upon a curvature distribution; and establishing a constraint and numerical information in accordance with connection of the divided feature segments of the two dimensional projected section data, and creating two dimensional sketch data.

Abstract: The present invention presents systems and methods for running interactive applications such as video games remotely over broadband network by an interactive application host system. In accordance with the present invention, interactive applications such as video games can be hosted and executed remotely by one or multiple interactive application hosts in native mode or using emulation or other similar binary execution technique. An interactive application host system can use dedicated graphics rendering apparatus inter-connected with the interactive application host(s) for rendering or compressing frames of multiple interactive applications. A graphics rendering apparatus can cache the graphics data received from the interactive application host(s) and share graphics data among multiple instances of interactive application from the same interactive application host or from different interactive application hosts.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method for executing vertex shader in a computer system, the method comprising running software vertex shader for a predetermined vertex shader command in a CPU thread when a GPU is overloaded by vertex shader execution, buffering the output of the software vertex shader, running hardware vertex shader for z-values of the vertex shader command, and replacing z-values from the software vertex shader with the z-values from the hardware vertex shader, wherein the vertex shader overloading can be lessoned yet the vertex shader z-values are consistently transformed by the hardware vertex shader.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for synchronizing graphics processing events in a multi-GPU computer system. A master GPU renders a first image into a first portion of a master buffer associated with a display interface, and then writes a first predetermined value corresponding to the first image in a first memory unit. A slave GPU renders a second image into a slave buffer, and then transfers the second image to a second portion of the master buffer, and writes a second predetermined value corresponding to the second image in the first memory unit. The first and second predetermined values represent a queuing sequence of the rendered images. The master GPU flips the first image to display only after examining the first predetermined value in the first memory unit, and flips the second image to display only after examining the second predetermined value in the first memory unit.

Abstract: Computer-implemented method for enhancing cognition of a participant using visual emphasis. One or more scenes are provided and are available for visual presentation to the participant, each scene having a background and at least one foreground object. A scene is visually presented to the participant with a specified visual emphasis that enhances visual distinction of the at least one foreground object with respect to the background, where the foreground object(s) and/or the background are modified or selected to achieve the specified visual emphasis. The participant is required to respond to the scene, and a determination made as to whether the participant responded correctly. The visual emphasis may be modified based on whether or not the participant responded correctly a specified number of times. The presenting, requiring, and determining (and possibly the modifying) are repeated in an iterative manner to improve the participant's cognition.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for performing an operation on single-channel input using a plurality of execution channels of a graphics processing unit (GPU). A single-channel input may be divided into a plurality of sub-inputs, wherein each of the plurality of sub-inputs comprises a portion of the single-channel input. Borders between the sub-inputs may overlap. Program instructions may be executed on the GPU to perform the operation. At least a subset of the program instructions may be executed on each of the plurality of execution channels in parallel for a corresponding one of the plurality of sub-inputs. In one embodiment, the single-channel input may comprise a single-channel input image for an image-processing operation. In one embodiment, the GPU may comprise four execution channels.

Abstract: Apparatus are provided including device memory, hardware entities, a sub-image cell value cache, and a cache write operator. At least some of the hardware entities perform actions involving access to and use of the device memory. The hardware entities include 3D graphics circuitry to process, for ready display, 3D images from primitive objects. The cache is separate from the device memory, and is provided to hold data, including buffered sub-image cell values. The cache is connected to the 3D graphics circuitry so that pixel processing portions of the 3D graphics circuitry access the buffered sub-image cell values in the cache, in lieu of the pixel processing portions directly accessing the sub-image cell values in the device memory. The write operator writes the buffered sub-image cell values to the device memory under direction of a priority scheme. The priority scheme preserves in the cache border cell values bordering one or more primitive objects.