Patents by Inventor John J. Watters

John J. Watters has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20040194091
    Abstract: A monitoring software program for capturing data regarding the process flow may be installed. Information regarding a plurality of steps may be stored in a database. At least one output may be constructed in response to user input, wherein said constructing comprises retrieving information from said database. In one embodiment, constructing the output may further comprise processing said retrieved information from said database. In various embodiments, the output may comprise a flow file, a comparison of a historical flow file to a reference flow file, a report of history of a database object, verification of “up-to-date”-ness of a database object, verification of an outcome of a process that created an output, or a report of quality of an object (such as an input, an output, or a step) in said database.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2002
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventors: Mason L. Weems, John J. Watters, L. Wayne Walker, Keith L. Smethers, Julie A. Holden, Kathrin T. Brewer
  • Patent number: 5815163
    Abstract: A graphics controller for use in a computer system includes a run slice line draw engine to generate a line as a plurality of slices. The run slice line draw engine calculates the length of the slices responsive to line definition parameters, such as the coordinates of the two line endpoints. Groups of like-sized slices can be determined to decrease the computations necessary to compute the size of each slice. The slices can be either drawn to the display through the frame buffer or used as endpoints for other lines to be generated. To increase the speed of operation, while parameters requiring a division are being calculated, the partial quotient is being used to generate partial slices. Clipped lines can be generated in part using normal Bresenham techniques for partial slices and using the run slice techniques for the full slices entirely within a window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventors: Giang H. Dao, John J. Watters
  • Patent number: 5740345
    Abstract: A graphics controller for use in a computer system stores information from the screen memory portion of its frame buffer in a compressed form, either in a separate compressed data memory or a portion of the frame memory separate from the screen memory. Data in the compressed data memory references color data in a color dictionary. The display controller uses the color data from the compressed data memory to drive the display, thereby reducing accesses to the frame buffer by the display controller. Accordingly, other devices, such as hardware accelerators, have greater opportunities to access the frame buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventors: Brian H. Danielson, John J. Watters, Timothy J. McDonald
  • Patent number: 5657435
    Abstract: A graphics controller for use in a computer system includes a run slice line draw engine to generate a line as a plurality of slices. The run slice line draw engine can perform non-linear scaling and shading of lines in accordance with a parametric equation by approximating the parametric equation as a polyline with a plurality of linear segments. The polyline approximation can be generated using information concerning each derivative of the parametric equation. Each linear segment of the polyline includes a plurality of slices generated by the run slice line draw engine. By approximating the polyline as a plurality of linear segments, non-linear scaling and/or shading by the run slice line draw engine can be performed without complex mathematical computations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventors: John J. Watters, Giang H. Dao
  • Patent number: 5627957
    Abstract: A graphics controller for use in a computer system includes a run slice line draw engine to generate a line as a plurality of slices. The run slice line draw engine calculates the length of the slices responsive to line definition parameters, such as the coordinates of the two line endpoints. Groups of like-sized slices can be determined to decrease the computations necessary to compute the size of each slice. The slices can be either drawn to the display through the frame buffer or used as endpoints for other lines to be generated. To increase the speed of operation, while parameters requiring a division are being calculated, the partial quotient is being used to generate partial slices. Clipped lines can be generated in part using normal Bresenham techniques for partial slices and using the run slice techniques for the full slices entirely within a window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventors: Giang H. Dao, John J. Watters
  • Patent number: 5627956
    Abstract: A graphics controller for use in a computer system includes a run slice line draw engine to generate a line as a plurality of slices. The run slice line draw engine calculates the length of the slices responsive to line definition parameters, such as the coordinates of the two line endpoints. Groups of like-sized slices can be determined to decrease the computations necessary to compute the size of each slice. The slices can be either drawn to the display through the frame buffer or used as endpoints for other lines to be generated. To increase the speed of operation, while parameters requiring a division are being calculated, the partial quotient is being used to generate partial slices. Clipped lines can be generated in part using normal Bresenham techniques for partial slices and using the run slice techniques for the full slices entirely within a window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventors: Giang H. Dao, John J. Watters
  • Patent number: 5617524
    Abstract: A graphics controller for use in a computer system includes a run slice line draw engine to generate a line as a plurality of slices. The run slice line draw engine calculates the length of the slices responsive to line definition parameters, such as the coordinates of the two line endpoints. Groups of like-sized slices can be determined to decrease the computations necessary to compute the size of each slice. The slices can be either drawn to the display through the frame buffer or used as endpoints for other lines to be generated. To increase the speed of operation, while parameters requiring a division are being calculated, the partial quotient is being used to generate partial slices. Clipped lines can be generated in part using normal Bresenham techniques for partial slices and using the run slice techniques for the full slices entirely within a window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventors: Giang H. Dao, John J. Watters
  • Patent number: 5611029
    Abstract: A graphics controller for use in a computer system includes a run slice line draw engine to generate a line as a plurality of slices. The run slice line draw engine can perform non-linear scaling and shading of lines in accordance with a parametric equation by approximating the parametric equation as a polyline with a plurality of linear segments. The polyline approximation can be generated using information concerning each derivative of the parametric equation. Each linear segment of the polyline includes a plurality of slices generated by the run slice line draw engine. By approximating the polyline as a plurality of linear segments, non-linear scaling and/or shading by the run slice line draw engine can be performed without complex mathematical computations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventors: John J. Watters, Giang H. Dao
  • Patent number: 5604852
    Abstract: A graphics controller for use in a computer system includes a run slice line draw engine to generate a line as a plurality of slices. The run slice line draw engine calculates the length of the slices responsive to line definition parameters, such as the coordinates of the two line endpoints. Groups of like-sized slices can be determined to decrease the computations necessary to compute the size of each slice. The slices can be either drawn to the display through the frame buffer or used as endpoints for other lines to be generated. To increase the speed of operation, while parameters requiring a division are being calculated, the partial quotient is being used to generate partial slices. Clipped lines can be generated in part using normal Bresenham techniques for partial slices and using the run slice techniques for the full slices entirely within a window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1997
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventors: John J. Watters, Giang H. Dao, Randolph W. Spurlock
  • Patent number: 5600769
    Abstract: A graphics controller for use in a computer system includes a run slice line draw engine to generate a line as a plurality of slices. The run slice line draw engine calculates the length of the slices responsive to line definition parameters, such as the coordinates of the two line endpoints. Groups of like-sized slices can be determined to decrease the computations necessary to compute the size of each slice. The slices can be either drawn to the display through the frame buffer or used as endpoints for other lines to be generated. To increase the speed of operation, while parameters requiring a division are being calculated, the partial quotient is being used to generate partial slices. Clipped lines can be generated in part using normal Bresenham techniques for partial slices and using the run slice techniques for the full slices entirely within a window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1997
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventors: Giang H. Dao, John J. Watters