Abstract: Method and apparatus for neighbor and edge indexing is described. A vertex is identified and assigned a reference. One-ring neighbor vertices of the vertex are identified. The reference is assigned to each of the one-ring neighbor vertices identified. An index to one of the one-ring neighbor vertices is assigned. The index is successively incremented to provide indices for each of the one-ring neighbor vertices remaining. Edge indexing follows as described above, with the vertex and its one-ring neighbors defining end points of edges. Additionally, offset indexing is described, and may be used for a consistent order of computation.

Abstract: A method of displaying a computer generated hologram includes displaying the image as a set of facets that approximated to the true shape of the object to be displayed. Each of these facets is populated with points that together make up the image. The invention provides a number of array structures that allow adjoining facets at different orientations and angles to be populated with point without creating areas around the join of either point overpopulation or point underpopulation, and so results in a higher quality image. The invention is mainly applicable for producing interference base Computer Generated Holograms, but can also be used in other types of 3D display that make up objects from an array of points.

Abstract: For computing a vector image of a view of a modeled object with removed hidden lines, a bitmap image of the modeled object, with removed hidden lines is first computed (22) in a graphic card. For each line of the modeled object, a raster of the line in the same view is computed (26). The pixels of the raster are compared (30) with corresponding pixels of the bitmap image, to determine whether there exists in the bitmap image pixels corresponding to the pixels of the raster. According to the results of the comparison, the visible parts of the line are determined (38).

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to graphics rendering in which Z-buffering tests are performed at the front of the rendering pipeline. Particularly, Z-buffering test logic at the front of the rendering pipeline is coupled to a render cache memory, which includes a Z-buffer, such that Z-buffering can be accomplished at the front of the rendering pipeline.

Abstract: Provided are methods and apparatuses for encoding and decoding three-dimensional object data, which consists of point texture data, voxel data, or octree data. The method of encoding three-dimensional object data involves generating three-dimensional object data having a tree structure in which nodes are attached labels indicating their types; encoding nodes of the three-dimensional object data; and generating the three-dimensional object data whose nodes are encoded into a bitstream. The apparatus for encoding three-dimensional object data includes a tree structure generator which generates three-dimensional object data having a tree structure in which nodes are attached labels indicating their types; a merging order selector which merges the nodes of the three-dimensional object data by referring to their labels; a node encoder which encodes merged nodes; and a bitstream generator which generates the three-dimensional object data whose merged nodes are encoded into a bitstream.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method and apparatus for representing joint rotations of character models that eliminates the artifacts imposed by the ambiguities inherent in four angle rotations. An embodiment of the invention transforms joint angles from their original four angle representations into a set of defrobulated angles that provides the least confusion between position and twist information. Manipulating the character model using the set of defrobulated angles eliminates the angular discontinuities responsible visual “popping” and other visual discontinuities. In an embodiment, an animator specifies a pose using joint angles in their four angle Euler form. The joint angles of the pose is transformed to the defrobulated form. The defrobulated joint angles are weighted and applied to the points of the character model. The weighted sum of the defrobulated angles for each point are then converted back to an Euler angle form to pose the point.

Abstract: A method for modeling geological structures includes identifying fault planes in a geologic structure, and creating a set of substantially vertically oriented pillars along the fault plane. The pillar grids are then combined into a common three-dimensional grid pillar network, and a two-dimensional plane is defined that intersects the middle node of the pillars. Planes are identified that are oriented in the substantially horizontal direction and horizontal node points are created, and such a process is repeated for other node levels. A skeleton grid is then created by drawing a substantially vertically oriented pillar through each corresponding grid intersection, and then primary horizons as defined by interpretation of seismic data are inserted into the skeleton grid. And, a final scale resolution is created by dividing the spaces bounded between actual horizons and fault planes, and eventual actual part of the outer boundary into one or more horizontally oriented fine layers.

Abstract: Methods, structures and systems for encoding and decoding isosurface data. An encoder process takes volume data and an isolevel as input and produces compressed isosurface data as output. The compressed isosurface data produced by an encoder process is composed of an occupancy image record, an optional intersection points record, and an optional normal vectors record. An occupancy image is compressed with a context-based arithmetic encoder. Compressed isosurface data can be stored in a data storage device or transmitted through a communication medium to a remote computer system, where the decoder process is executed. The decoder processes take compressed surface data as input and produce surface data as output. The decoder processes first reconstructs the occupancy image by decoding the occupancy image record. An in-core isosurface decoder process produces a polygon mesh as a surface representation. An out-of-core isosurface decoder process produces a set of oriented points as a surface representation.

Abstract: Provided are an input file generation method and system using a meta language regarding graphics data compression. The method includes making an extensible markup language (XML) schema that defines at least a compression node describing object data to be compressed, and parameters used to data compression; making style sheets which support conversion of an input XML file into a file, which is to be input to a data compression encoder, based on the XML schema; and generating a file, which is to be input to the data compression encoder, by parsing the input XML file based on the XML schema and the style sheets. Accordingly, an author can easily use and compress three-dimensional (3D) data using the meta language during authoring 3D contents. Further, the author can select a data compression format and controls data compression. Whether data is to be compressed or not and the format of data compression can be determined by representation of the metal language.

Abstract: A hidden line processing method includes the steps of obtaining the maximum value PZmax of the Z-axis direction component of each vertex in a viewpoint coordinate system for each of the plurality of polygons; sorting the plurality of polygons in a descending order based on the obtained maximum values PZmax; obtaining a value LZmin that is the smaller of the Z-axis direction components in the viewpoint coordinate system of two end points of an arbitrary line obtained from the plurality of polygons; and comparing the maximum value PZmax of the Z-axis direction component of the plurality of polygons with the value LZmin that is the smaller of the above obtained Z-axis direction components of the arbitrary line, in the sorted order, wherein at the time when LZmin?PZmax, determination of whether or not the lines are hidden lines is avoided for polygons subsequent to the plurality of polygons sorted.

Abstract: A to-be-animated creature is set up by creating a rig, defining connection points on the rig, and associating geometry with the rig via the connection points. The set up creature is then animated by moving the creature with user defined actions which move a part of the rig. When one part of the rig moves, the remaining parts follow.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for generating an animatable object. A skeleton of the desired character is constructed by the user utilizing various predetermined components. These predetermined components include a various selection of rods and joints. The rods are static components which remain rigid during motion, while the various joints are moveable components. A static digitized image, for example, an image of the user, is utilized and a constructed skeleton is superimposed onto it. The desired object, such as the image of the user, can then be extracted from the background of the digital image and the resulting personal character can then be animated, for instance by selecting and dragging one of the hands with a mouse.

Abstract: A method animates an object as a sequence of frames according to an animation script. The object is represented as a two-dimensional distance field. For each frame in the sequence of frames, a pose of the object is updated according to the animation script. The object is rendered using the updated pose and an antialiasing rendering method.

Abstract: A hard disk stores a CAD file having 3-D data that relates to an assembly product comprised of a plurality of parts. Based on this 3-D data of an assembly product, a parts data retriever retrieves 3-D data for each part. According to this 3-D data for each part, a bitmap output unit generates 2-D bitmap image data illustrating the part image, which is viewed from a predetermined direction. Moreover, using the 2-D data of the part, a management data generator generates a management table describing steps to output an assembly scene on a screen. A file having this management table and a file having 2-D data are then delivered to a PC for assembly scene output, in order to output the assembly scene.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for controlling a graphical user interface to display a plurality of data items in a first orientation. In the event that the GUI is subsequently requested to display the data items in a second orientation, the GUI, operating under software control, animates the required movement of the individual data items such that the individual data items are shown moving from their positions in the first orientation to their positions in the second orientation.

Abstract: A method for generating a mesh of an object for three-dimensional analysis includes an outer-region-element-generating step of determining a distance to which each of triangles created on the surface of the object is to be projected toward the inside of the object, and generating a pentahedral element in an outer region of the object by projecting the triangle for the determined distance. In this step, the distance for which each triangle is projected decreases as the thickness of the object at the position corresponding to the triangle decreases. Accordingly, the precision of the analysis can be increased without increasing the processing time.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method to process a model of an object includes mapping a mesh representation of the model onto a plane to form a planarized mesh; generating a shape image by associating a shape descriptor with each vertex of the planarized mesh; forming a color image of the planarized mesh by using the shape descriptor to encode a color of each mesh vertex; creating a region map of the color image corresponding to areas of small shape variation; fitting a coarse two dimensional mesh to the region map and computing a target representation from the coarse two dimensional mesh. In the presently preferred embodiment the target representation is expressed as a multiresolution subdivision surface representation. The shape descriptors can include surface normals obtained from the mesh representation and, more generally, can be descriptive of one of surface normal, Gaussian curvature, mean curvature, shape index and curvedness.

Abstract: A method of generating a synthesized 3D image from a source 2D image for display on a 3D display device including mapping a position on the display device to a fractional view number, and determining a source pixel of the 2D image to represent the said fractional view number, wherein the source pixel is determined as a function of the depth of a pixel at the position.

Abstract: A hand-manipulated prop is picked-up via a single video camera, and the camera image is analyzed to isolate the part of the image pertaining to the object for mapping the position and orientation of the object into a three-dimensional space, wherein the three-dimensional description of the object is stored in memory and used for controlling action in a game program, such as rendering of a corresponding virtual object in a scene of a video display. Algorithms for deriving the three-dimensional descriptions for various props employ geometry processing, including area statistics, edge detection and/or color transition localization, to find the position and orientation of the prop from two-dimensional pixel data. Criteria are proposed for the selection of colors of stripes on the props which maximize separation in the two-dimensional chrominance color space, so that instead of detecting absolute colors, significant color transitions are detected.

Abstract: A viewing device is provided for viewing at least one image transparency having an associated tracking memory. The viewing device comprises an illumination device having at least one viewing surface adapted to present at least one illumination pattern, at least one radio frequency read write device for obtaining electronic data stored in an associated tracking memory of an image transparency positioned proximate to the viewing surface and at least one display device for viewing at least one electronic image related to said at least one image transparency. A control processing unit is adapted to receive said obtained data from said associated tracking memory and to use the obtained data for forming the at least one electronic image.