Abstract: A system and method associate each of a plurality of computer applications with a corresponding physical location external to the computer and display a given one of the applications when the user focuses attention on the physical location associated with that application. Preferably the display as a view window in a graphical user interface, and the user has means for moving that window relative to the given application. The computer can be a portable and display device can be head mounted. Preferably an input device enables the user to interact with the given application, and preferably the physical locations bring to mind their associated applications. In some embodiments, an identifier, such as a bar code or a coded transmitter, is placed near each of the physical locations to help detect when the user focuses attention on that particular location. The invention also provides a head mounted unit which projects a visual image to the user wearing it.

Abstract: A 3-dimensional wire frame representation is derived from a real 3-dimensional objects, where the surface of the object is generally featureless, by projecting a non-uniform pattern of randomly colored spots onto the 3-dimensional object and capturing images of the object by two cameras located at different positions. A wire frame representation of the object is then reconstructed from corresponding colored spots on the images captured by the two cameras. Wire frame representations are rapidly created using generic wire frames which are prototypical of a class of objects and which are modifiable to correspond to a specific instance of the class. A set of generic wire frames are bundled as a tool kit with software for editing wire frames. A method of morphing from a source 3-dimensional stereo rendered wire frame to a target rendered wire frame is also disclosed and the apparent camera viewpoint can change during morphing.

Abstract: A parallel computing system useful for volume visualization, numeric, symbol, and other computing applications. The parallel computing system includes a memory storage system indexed to provide a three dimensional memory storage array, a plurality of local computing units, and a display unit. The plural computing units have the capability of accessing, in parallel and without conflict, the memory storage system. Local and global data transfer mechanisms are provided to facilitate transfer of data elements among the memory storage elements. This system can be used to generate voxel-based 3-D objects and to generate a 2-D image of any such 3-D virtual object along any viewing direction (such as by simulating parallel or perspective viewing ray processes).

Abstract: A method for automatically routing a line (54) through a graphics chart (28) from a starting point (70) to an ending point (71) in the chart is provided. The method includes collecting data for the chart (28) representing the location of each symbol (30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, & 42) in the chart (28) and the starting (70) and ending (71) points for the line. The method further includes determining a number of paths for the line (54) from the starting point (70) to the ending point (71) and scoring each of the lines. The method also includes selecting the line (54) with the best score as the line to route from the starting point (70) to the ending point (71).

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of reducing the complexity of hidden surface removal in 3D grapghic systems. A fuzzy projection (FF) of a surface (SU) as seen from a number of viewpoints (VP) in a bounding box (BB) is stored in a buffer (FA) having elements (FE). A combination of all the patched (PT) of the surface (SU) viewed form a fuzzy region (FR) where surfaces can be either visible, hidden, or unable to be determined with certainty as to whether or not visible/hidden. A non-fuzzy region (NF) describes those patches (PT) that are always visible.

Abstract: A method for manipulating a first three-dimensional object, in a computer system including a display, a first software application, and a second software application. The present method includes the step of creating a model of the first three-dimensional object with the first software application, which has a first three-dimensional coordinate system. A step of storing the model of the first three-dimensional object in a model format is also included. The present method further includes the step retrieving the model of the first three-dimensional object in the model format into a second software application, the second software application having a second coordinate system. The present method also includes the step of manipulating a view of the model of the first three-dimensional object with the second software application and within the second coordinate system.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for generating an assembly view from design drawing data by a CAD system are provided which can generate an assembly view of a three-dimensional body viewed from an arbitrary direction in a short time at a low cost with a pinpoint accuracy, the three-dimensional body being particularly composed of a plurality of parts representing a product. First, the three-dimensional product is displayed to a three-dimensional coordinate system set on a two-dimensional plane. Next, a direction of point of view from which the product of the three-dimensional body is desired to be viewed as an assembly view is entered by a value of a degree of axis rotation, and then parts desired to be disassembled and removed from the plurality of the parts constituting the product are instructed and moving directions and moving distances of the parts are entered with respect to all the parts desired to be disassembled and moved.

Abstract: A computer system and computer-implemented method for rendering images in real-time with a three-dimensional appearance. Using a database including at least one pair of texture maps uses as a stereo pair behind a portal to simulate a scene. An input database can be processed to generate a processed database by performing texture mapping to replace at least one portion of the input data representing a view (or object) by data indicative of a pair of texture maps and an associated polygon or polygons. One of the texture maps represents the view (object) from a left-eye viewpoint; the other represents the view (object) from a right-eye viewpoint. In some embodiments, to generate the texture map pairs, the input database analyzed to produce the images. In other embodiments the images are from photographs or other sources.

Abstract: A system and method for efficiently specifying vertex information for a three-dimensional graphical object which includes a plurality of geometric primitives. The method comprises organizing a first subset of the object's vertices into a strip of geometric primitives (typically triangles). The method next includes representing vertices of the strip by encoding a plurality of commands into a data stream. These commands are usable, during decompression, to reassemble the strip of primitives from a list of vertices. Selected commands specify that attributes of a particular vertex (position, color, normal value, etc.) are to be stored into a mesh buffer for use in forming subsequent primitives. The mesh buffer includes a fixed maximum number of memory locations which are accessible during the decompression process. In one embodiment, vertex parameters are "pushed" on to the mesh buffer, which is organized as a stack.

Abstract: Encoded information is provided about how an image is rendered. When the image is initially rendered, preselected colors are used. The image is re-rendered so that colors used to re-render the image encode information about how the image was originally rendered. For example, the colors for the re-rendered image indicate for each part of the image, the number of vertices included in that part of the image. Alternatively, the colors for the re-rendered image indicate for each part of the image, which type of primitive within a graphics library is used to re-render the first part of the image, or the colors for the re-rendered image indicate for each part of the image, scheduling path within the graphics library used to render that part of the image.

Abstract: A method of and a system for controlling an inverse kinematics generated animation of an articulated chain is described. A resolution plane in a default orientation is computed by determining a root-effector vector extending from a root of an articulated chain to an end effector of the articulated chain and letting the resolution plane extend through the root-effector vector. A control icon representative of a position relative to the root is visually displayed. The resolution plane of an articulated chain is manipulated by manipulating the icon and re-determining the resolution plane using the root-effector vector and a root-control vector extending from the root to the icon. The animation of the articulated chain is constrained relative to the resolution plane and a solution of positions and orientations of all limbs of the articulated chain in achieving a goal is computed and displayed.

Abstract: A system and method for creating lighting for an image generates a large number of images based upon randomly selected light positions, types and directions. The images are then culled to reduce the number of images to be reviewed by a user. The images are culled to provide a set of images which best spans the lighting space represented by the large number of images. The culling process is iterative; at each iteration, the image which is most dissimilar from a nearest neighbor in the selected set is added to the selected set. The images are organized in a hierarchical structure to ease review by the user. The hierarchical structure separates the images into multiple levels. At each level, the images are separated into sets of equal size. Each set includes images which are most similar. An average image from each set is picked as the visual representation for that set. In creating the hierarchical structure, a single image may or may not be included in different subsets.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing texture mapping data in a computer graphics system, the computer graphics system including a host computer, primitive rendering hardware and a primitive data path extending between the host computer and the primitive rendering hardware. The host computer passes primitives to be rendered by the system to the primitive rendering hardware over the primitive data path. The host computer has a main memory that stores texture mapping data corresponding to the primitives to be rendered. The primitive rendering hardware includes a local texture memory that locally stores the texture mapping data corresponding to at least one of the primitives to be rendered. When a primitive passed to the primitive rendering hardware is to be rendered, a determination is made as to whether its corresponding texture mapping data is in the local texture memory.

Abstract: Values for a property of a layer in a composition over a period of time are established by sampling user input at a sequence of sample times to obtain a sequence of input values, corresponding the sequence of sample times with a sequence of layer times, and determining a sequence of property values for the first layer from the sequence of input values, the sequence of property values corresponding to the sequence of layer times.

Abstract: The model of the present invention incorporates incompressibility constraints to infer 3-D motion. Discrete, projected 2-D motion information from two different views of an object are input into the system. A model is realized via the tessellation component, and the material property of incompressibility is imposed on model movement. The output of the system is a continuous 3-D motion model which has interpolated the projected 2-D data.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for automatically generating features of computer animated objects that are represented by a skeleton surrounded by an envelope. An animator may modify the shape of the envelope for a particular configuration of the object's skeleton ("pose"). These envelope modifications for these poses are stored. When an animator desires to create a new pose, the stored modifications for previous poses are blended together, based upon the difference between each pose and the new pose, to automatically generate a modified envelope shape for the new pose. When satisfied with a particular envelope shape for a pose, the animator may store the modification in the database and the modification may then be used for subsequent poses.

Abstract: A method for operating a processor-controlled machine produces a single-image compressed view of a multi-image table by replacing the character image information in each cell of the multi-image table with a graphical representation of the information. Each cell in an original multi-image table is respectively paired with a source data value of a source data item stored in memory. In a multi-image table, the entire table image cannot be accommodated at one time in the display area of a display device because of the size of the cell regions required to represent the character image information; a machine user must scroll or navigate through portions of the table in order to view all of the data. In response to an image display request signal, the data represented directly as character image information in each cell of all portions of the multi-image table is replaced by an indirect, graphical representation of that data that compactly represents the source data values thereof.

Abstract: A system for accessing texture data in a graphics rendering system allows texture data to be stored in memories with high latency or in a compressed format. The system utilizes a texture cache to temporarily store blocks of texture data retrieved from an external memory during rendering operations. In one implementation, geometric primitives are stored in a queue long enough to absorb the latency of fetching and possibly decompressing a texture block. The geometric primitives are converted into texture block references, and these references are used to fetch texture blocks from memory. A rasterizer rasterizes each geometric primitives as the necessary texture data becomes available in the texture cache. In another implementation, geometric primitives are converted into pixels, including a pixel address, color data, and a texture request. These pixels are stored in a queue long enough to absorb the latency of a texture block fetch.

Abstract: An improvement to a spreadsheet application program executed in a processor-controlled machine displays a first spreadsheet image showing a plurality of cell regions each of which shows a direct, symbolic representation of a source data value of a source data item in an n-dimensional (nD) information data array with which the cell is respectively paired. In response to an image display request signal, a second spreadsheet image is displayed which shows, in each cell, a graphical display object representation of the respectively paired source data value in place of its direct representation. The source data values in the nD data array are thus graphically, or indirectly, represented in the cell regions in the second spreadsheet image, facilitating the visual observation, identification and inspection of patterns and trends in the data.

Abstract: A method and system for manipulating and mixing previously stored motion units for computer articulated figure animation. The motion units are combined in a weighted average. The weights give a priority to certain joint rotations of a motion unit which constitute the essence of that motion unit. The motion units can be mixed in an asynchronous fashion, with no limit on the number of motion units that can be mixed together. Phrasing control assigns a weight to each frame in a motion unit, and eases the transitions at the beginning and end of a motion unit. Frame-to-frame smoothing is also used. Fatigue of an articulated figure is simulated by the addition of a "tired" motion unit.