Abstract: User interactive methods of determining vertex correspondence between boundaries or curves on objects to be merged is provided. One method relates to projecting a boundary of one object onto a second object to determine a merging curve, along which the two objects will be joined. Another method includes projecting a first object onto a plane to form a planar curve. The planar curve is then mapped to a second object to form a merging curve. Still another method includes interactively selecting corresponding key vertices on different objects to form a merging curve. A system presented that can use one or more of the methods of determining correspondence between boundaries. A merged object can be generated from the merging curve using a mesh solver, such as a Poisson or non-Poisson mesh solver.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for at least modeling any one of mesostructure shadowing, masking, interreflection and silhouettes on a surface, as well as subsurface scattering within a non-homogeneous volume. Such techniques include, at least, acquiring material parameters for a material sample, determining irradiance distribution values for the material sample, synthesizing the material sample onto a mesh of an object. The synthesized object may then be rendered by one of plural rendering techniques.

Abstract: Methods for synthesizing progressively-variant textures based on texton masks are provided. A first method creates a synthesized texture image guided by a sample texture, first texton mask corresponding to the sample texture and a second texton mask modified based on the first texton mask. A second method also creates a synthesized texture image guided by a first and second sample textures and corresponding first and second texton masks. A method for rendering a synthesized texture on an image of a three-dimensional object includes creating a synthesized texture on the object guided by a two-dimensional progressively-variant sample texture, a texton mask for the sample texture and a mesh of a plurality of vertices representing the object.

Abstract: Radiometric calibration of an image capture device (e.g., a digital camera) using a single image is described. The single image may be a color image or a grayscale image. The calibration identifies and analyzes edge pixels of the image that correspond to an edge between two colors or grayscale levels of a scene. Intensity distributions of intensities measured from the single image are then analyzed. An inverse response function for the image capture device is determined based on the intensity distributions. For a color image, the radiometric calibration involves calculating an inverse response function that maps measured blended colors of edge pixels and the associated measured component colors into linear distributions. For a grayscale image, the radiometric calibration involves deriving an inverse response function that maps non-uniform histograms of measured intensities into uniform distributions of calibrated intensities.

Abstract: A system and process for adding a photorealistic rendering of a body of water to a virtual 3D scene or image and creating a video therefrom having interactive water effects. A region of water is added to an image by adding an area depicting the original scene as it would appear if reflected by still body of water. Then, the appearance of the added water region is distorted over a series of image frames in such a way as to simulate how the reflected scene would look if the surface of the water were in motion. The water can have dynamic waves and the user can interact with the water in numbers of ways, including generating ripples on the water surface and creating rain. In addition, these effects can be achieved at full screen resolution with the use of the latest graphics hardware by employing a texture shifting technique.

Abstract: A system and process for reconstructing optimal texture maps from multiple views of a scene is described. In essence, this reconstruction is based on the optimal synthesis of textures from multiple sources. This is generally accomplished using basic image processing theory to derive the correct weights for blending the multiple views. Namely, the steps of reconstructing, warping, prefiltering, and resampling are followed in order to warp reference textures to a desired location, and to compute spatially-variant weights for optimal blending. These weights take into consideration the anisotropy in the texture projection and changes in sampling frequency due to foreshortening. The weights are combined and the computation of the optimal texture is treated as a restoration problem, which involves solving a linear system of equations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus improve the efficiency of simulating a virtual environment by filtering information about the virtual environment on a group basis instead of a character basis. The filtered information is sent to each client associated with a character in the group.

Abstract: A system and process for reconstructing optimal texture maps from multiple views of a scene is described. In essence, this reconstruction is based on the optimal synthesis of textures from multiple sources. This is generally accomplished using basic image processing theory to derive the correct weights for blending the multiple views. Namely, the steps of reconstructing, warping, prefiltering, and resampling are followed in order to warp reference textures to a desired location, and to compute spatially-variant weights for optimal blending. These weights take into consideration the anisotropy in the texture projection and changes in sampling frequency due to foreshortening. The weights are combined and the computation of the optimal texture is treated as a restoration problem, which involves solving a linear system of equations.

Abstract: Knitwear modeling is disclosed. A macrostructure correponding to a three-dimensional object is generated, based on a stitch pattern and optionally a color pattern. Yarn microstructure is generated and applied to the macrostructure to yield a knitwear model. The stitch positions of the macrostructure can be perturbed to achieve stitch position irregularities. The fluffiness of the yarn microstructure can be controlled. In an alternative embodiment, a two-dimensional knitwear texture is generated, which can then be mapped to a three-dimensional object to yield a knitwear model.

Abstract: A “mesostructure renderer” uses pre-computed multi-dimensional “generalized displacement maps” (GDM) to provide real-time rendering of general non-height-field mesostructures on both open and closed surfaces of arbitrary geometry. In general, the GDM represents the distance to solid mesostructure along any ray cast from any point within a volumetric sample. Given the pre-computed GDM, the mesostructure renderer then computes mesostructure visibility jointly in object space and texture space, thereby enabling both control of texture distortion and efficient computation of texture coordinates and shadowing. Further, in one embodiment, the mesostructure renderer uses the GDM to render mesostructures with either local or global illumination as a per-pixel process using conventional computer graphics hardware to accelerate the real-time rendering of the mesostructures.

Abstract: A “mesostructure renderer” uses pre-computed multi-dimensional “generalized displacement maps” (GDM) to provide real-time rendering of general non-height-field mesostructures on both open and closed surfaces of arbitrary geometry. In general, the GDM represents the distance to solid mesostructure along any ray cast from any point within a volumetric sample. Given the pre-computed GDM, the mesostructure renderer then computes mesostructure visibility jointly in object space and texture space, thereby enabling both control of texture distortion and efficient computation of texture coordinates and shadowing. Further, in one embodiment, the mesostructure renderer uses the GDM to render mesostructures with either local or global illumination as a per-pixel process using conventional computer graphics hardware to accelerate the real-time rendering of the mesostructures.

Abstract: A “mesostructure renderer” uses pre-computed multi-dimensional “generalized displacement maps” (GDM) to provide real-time rendering of general non-height-field mesostructures on both open and closed surfaces of arbitrary geometry. In general, the GDM represents the distance to solid mesostructure along any ray cast from any point within a volumetric sample. Given the pre-computed GDM, the mesostructure renderer then computes mesostructure visibility jointly in object space and texture space, thereby enabling both control of texture distortion and efficient computation of texture coordinates and shadowing. Further, in one embodiment, the mesostructure renderer uses the GDM to render mesostructures with either local or global illumination as a per-pixel process using conventional computer graphics hardware to accelerate the real-time rendering of the mesostructures.

Abstract: A video rewrite technique for rendering a talking head or agent completely simulates a conversation by including a waiting or listening state. Smooth transitions are provided to and from a talking state.

Abstract: A method of performing stretch-driven mesh parameterization. A method of performing stretch-driven mesh parameterization comprising, computing a spectral analysis to parameterize a mesh, and iterating a stretch optimization calculation to further optimize the initial parameterization.

Abstract: An operating system shell provides on a display screen a graphical user interface through which a user interacts with the operating system. The operating system shell provides a background noisy display rendered on the display screen in accordance with a background physical lighting model, and an ambient notification rendered over at least a portion of the background noisy display to provide a user notification. The ambient notification is rendered in accordance with an ambient notification physical lighting model that is different from the background physical lighting model.

Abstract: A system and process for adding a photorealistic rendering of a body of water to a virtual 3D scene or image and creating a video therefrom having interactive water effects. A region of water is added to an image by adding an area depicting the original scene as it would appear if reflected by still body of water. Then, the appearance of the added water region is distorted over a series of image frames in such a way as to simulate how the reflected scene would look if the surface of the water were in motion. The water can have dynamic waves and the user can interact with the water in numbers of ways, including generating ripples on the water surface and creating rain. In addition, these effects can be achieved at full screen resolution with the use of the latest graphics hardware by employing a texture shifting technique.

Abstract: A method and system for efficient synthesis of photorealistic free-form knitwear, where a single cross-section of yarn serves as the basic primitive for modeling entire articles of knitwear. This primitive, called the lumislice, describes radiance from a yarn cross-section based on fine-level interactions, including occlusion, shadowing, and multiple scattering, among yarn fibers. By representing yarn as a sequence of identical but rotated cross-sections, the lumislice can effectively propagate local microstructure over arbitrary stitch patterns and knitwear shapes. This framework accommodates varying levels of detail and capitalizes on hardware-assisted transparency blending. To further enhance realism, a technique for generating soft shadows from yarn is also introduced.

Abstract: A system and process for adding a photorealistic rendering of a body of water to a virtual 3D scene or image and creating a video therefrom having interactive water effects. A region of water is added to an image by adding an area depicting the original scene as it would appear if reflected by still body of water. Then, the appearance of the added water region is distorted over a series of image frames in such a way as to simulate how the reflected scene would look if the surface of the water were in motion. The water can have dynamic waves and the user can interact with the water in numbers of ways, including generating ripples on the water surface and creating rain. In addition, these effects can be achieved at full screen resolution with the use of the latest graphics hardware by employing a texture shifting technique.

Abstract: An operating system shell provides on a display screen a graphical user interface through which a user interacts with the operating system. The operating system shell provides a background noisy display rendered on the display screen in accordance with a background physical lighting model, and an ambient notification rendered over at least a portion of the background noisy display to provide a user notification. The ambient notification is rendered in accordance with an ambient notification physical lighting model that is different from the background physical lighting model.

Abstract: A method and system for efficient synthesis of photorealistic free-form knitwear, where a single cross-section of yarn serves as the basic primitive for modeling entire articles of knitwear. This primitive, called the lumislice, describes radiance from a yarn cross-section based on fine-level interactions, including occlusion, shadowing, and multiple scattering, among yarn fibers. By representing yarn as a sequence of identical but rotated cross-sections, the lumislice can effectively propagate local microstructure over arbitrary stitch patterns and knitwear shapes. This framework accommodates varying levels of detail and capitalizes on hardware-assisted transparency blending. To further enhance realism, a technique for generating soft shadows from yarn is also introduced.