Patents by Inventor Stephen Ecob

Stephen Ecob 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: 20060244748
    Abstract: Disclosed is an imaging engine system (699) generally intended for the reproduction of graphical object images using apparatus having limited computing resources, such as so-called “thin clients”. Numerous developments of traditional image processing and rendering enable high quality image generation. One such development takes advantage of temporal coherence between one frame in an animation sequence and the succeeding frame. In particular, there will often be some edges (233, 235) of graphical objects that remain “static” across several contiguous frames. One example of this includes those edges used to draw image background detail. Another development performs antialiasing during scan line rendering of a graphic object image where sub-pixel resolution coverage bit-masks (A-buffers 29-34) are generated for a limited number of scan lines at a time. Preferably the A-buffers are generated for only one pixel at a time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Publication date: November 2, 2006
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Timothy Long, Scott Bradley, Stephen Ecob, Benjamin Lever
  • Publication number: 20060157574
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program for generating a barcode (200) representing one or more portions of data is disclosed. A block-based correlatable pattern of data is generated and the generated data patterns are arranged according to a predetermined arrangement. The one or more portions of data are interdispersed with the arranged data patterns to generate the barcode (200).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Publication date: July 20, 2006
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Stephen Farrar, Stephen Hardy, Peter Fletcher, Kieran Larkin, Eric Cheung, Stephen Ecob
  • Publication number: 20050052455
    Abstract: Method, apparatus and program are disclosed for rendering a series of raster image frames from object graphic elements (1000, 1020). At least one old fill run (A1, A2, A3, A4) is retained during the rendering of a first frame (A). The retained fill run is compared with at least one new fill run (B1, B2, B3, B4) required for a subsequent frame (B). For at least one of the new fill runs (B1, B4), the generation of pixel data for at least part of the new fill run is suppressed and pixels retained from the first frame are used instead.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Publication date: March 10, 2005
    Inventors: Timothy Long, Stephen Ecob, Scott Bradley
  • Publication number: 20050035976
    Abstract: Disclosed is an imaging engine system (699) generally intended for the reproduction of graphical object images using apparatus having limited computing resources, such as so-called “thin clients”. Numerous developments of traditional image processing and rendering enable high quality image generation. One such development takes advantage of temporal coherence between one frame in an animation sequence and the succeeding frame. In particular, there will often be some edges (233, 235) of graphical objects that remain “static” across several contiguous frames. One example of this includes those edges used to draw image background detail. Another development performs antialiasing during scan line rendering of a graphic object image where sub-pixel resolution coverage bit-masks (A-buffers 29-34) are generated for a limited number of scan lines at a time. Preferably the A-buffers are generated for only one pixel at a time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Publication date: February 17, 2005
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Stephen Ecob, Scott Bradley, Michael Lawther
  • Publication number: 20050017984
    Abstract: Disclosed is an imaging engine system (699) generally intended for the reproduction of graphical object images using apparatus having limited computing resources, such as so-called “thin clients”. Numerous developments of traditional image processing and rendering enable high quality image generation. One such development takes advantage of temporal coherence between one frame in an animation sequence and the succeeding frame. In particular, there will often be some edges (233, 235) of graphical objects that remain “static” across several contiguous frames. One example of this includes those edges used to draw image background detail. Another development performs antialiasing during scan line rendering of a graphic object image where sub-pixel resolution coverage bit-masks (A-buffers 29-34) are generated for a limited number of scan lines at a time. Preferably the A-buffers are generated for only one pixel at a time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Publication date: January 27, 2005
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Michael Lawther, Christopher Cormie, Stephen Ecob
  • Publication number: 20050007372
    Abstract: Disclosed is an imaging engine system (699) generally intended for the reproduction of graphical object images using apparatus having limited computing resources, such as so-called “thin clients”. Numerous developments of traditional image processing and rendering enable high quality image generation. One such development takes advantage of temporal coherence between one frame in an animation sequence and the succeeding frame. In particular, there will often be some edges (233, 235) of graphical objects that remain “static” across several contiguous frames. One example of this includes those edges used to draw image background detail. Another development performs antialiasing during scan line rendering of a graphic object image where sub-pixel resolution coverage bit-masks (A-buffers 29-34) are generated for a limited number of scan lines at a time. Preferably the A-buffers are generated for only one pixel at a time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Stephen Ecob, Scott Bradley