Abstract: An indirection texture magnification system and method for producing high-resolution indirection texture results. The system and method uses an indirection texture, designed for use with a low-resolution texture image, and a high-resolution texture image, which is a higher-resolution version of the low-resolution texture image. The indirection texture magnification system and method re-interprets an indirection texture computed for a low-resolution image so that a higher-resolution image can be used with the same indirection texture. This generates additional samples and allows the generation of a magnified, high-resolution indirection texture result. The indirection texture magnification system and method takes three or more neighboring pixel coordinates stored in an indirection texture and offsets those pixel coordinates in order to access the higher-resolution image with an increased precision.

Abstract: The invention provides texture mapping techniques that facilitate interactive painting of a three-dimensional virtual surface by a user in object space, without requiring global parameterization. The texture mapping techniques feature rendering texture for a given virtual object using a plurality of composite textures, each formed by blending collapsible texture layers. Texture coordinates in texture space are derived using information determined at the time of surface mesh generation. The invention features dynamic texture allocation and deallocation, allowing a user to interactively modify the shape of a painted, three-dimensional model. Finally, the invention features an architecture for combined graphical rendering and haptic rendering of a virtual object, allowing a user to experience force feedback during the painting of the object in object space.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for processing one or more fragment data. In one embodiment, the method includes processing one or more fragment data to generate one or more texture map addresses for one or more texels, determining relevance information that correspond to the texture map addresses, and translating the relevance information into a rendering constraint data structure.

Abstract: In a method for determining weighting factors for the color calculation of a color value of texels for a footprint covering a plurality of texels in a texel grid, in a graphic system, form information of the footprint is determined at first. Afterwards, the edges of the footprint are determined and the edges determined in this way are approximated by a staircase function. The texels of the texel grid contacted by the staircase function are determined and a weighting factor is determined for each texel containing a portion of the staircase function, depending on the subarea of the respective texel covered by the footprint.

Abstract: Systems and methods for modifying the number of texture samples used to produce an anisotropically filtered texture mapped pixel may improve texture mapping performance. When the number of texture samples is reduced, fewer texels are read and fewer filtering computations are needed to produce a texture value for an anisotropic footprint. The number of texture samples is reduced based on the mip map level weight. The number of texture samples may also be modified using specific parameters for the coarse and/or fine mip map levels. The spacing between the texture samples along the major axis of anisotropy may be modified to improve image quality or texture cache performance.

Abstract: Systems and methods for modifying the number of texture samples used to produce an anisotropically filtered texture mapped pixel may improve texture mapping performance. When the number of texture samples is reduced, fewer texels are read and fewer filtering computations are needed to produce a texture value for an anisotropic footprint. The number of texture samples is reduced based on the mip map level weight. The number of texture samples may also be modified using specific parameters for the coarse and/or fine mip map levels. The spacing between the texture samples along the major axis of anisotropy may be modified to improve image quality or texture cache performance.

Abstract: A system and method for computing anisotropic texture mapping parameters by using approximation techniques reduces the complexity of the calculations needed to perform high quality anisotropic texture filtering. Anisotropic texture mapping parameters that are approximated may be computed using dedicated processing units within a graphics processor, thereby improving anisotropic texture mapping performance. Specifically, the major axis and minor axis of anisotropy are determined and their respective lengths are calculated using approximations. Other anisotropic texture mapping parameters, such as a level of detail for selecting a particular level are computed based on the calculated lengths of the major and minor axes.

Abstract: An image rendering method includes generating pixels in accordance with graphic information, determining a direction of anisotropy of a footprint obtained by projecting the pixel on a texture on which a set of texels are disposed on uv-coordinates, and executing sampling of a MIP map in accordance with the direction of anisotropy, and executing texture mapping for the pixel. The direction of anisotropy is determined by comparing lengths in at least three different directions of the footprint on the texture.

Abstract: A system and method for merging carpet design image patterns in order to create a custom-designed patterned carpet image. A customized carpet image is defined by identifying a plurality of carpet design fields within a carpet and selecting a distinct design pattern from a plurality of selection options for each identified carpet design field in order to define a customized design field pattern. The customized design field pattern comprises the selected design pattern. Merging the customized design field patterns together defines an image of a custom-designed carpet. Further, a strike-off of the image of the custom-designed carpet image can be produced from the system and method.

Abstract: As for a multi-dimensional texture constituted by a plurality of textures different in photographing environment such as a viewing position or lighting conditions, texture images constituting the multi-dimensional texture are rearranged block by block or pixel by pixel, and converted into an anisotropic texture expressing anisotropic variations of the multi-dimensional texture in an area corresponding to the block or the pixel.

Abstract: Various technologies for visualizing a multi-dimensional view object in a two-dimensional format are described. In accordance with one described embodiment, an interface for visualizing a multi-dimensional view object in two dimensions includes a surface selection tree panel, a view object information panel, and a visualization panel. The surface selection tree panel displays a surface selection tree associated with the multi-dimensional view object. A number of other surface selection trees associated with the multi-dimensional view object also exist and can be displayed if selected. The surface selection trees include one or more surfaces associated with the multi-dimensional view object. The view object information panel complements the surface selection tree panel by displaying information associated with the multi-dimensional view object.

Abstract: A non-linear editing (NLE) system for editing and/or modifying 3D animation information comprises elements represented by clip objects which can be positioned and/or manipulated relative to a time line. The elements can comprise conventional 1D (audio) or 2D (video) information or can comprise 3D animation information which can include animation objects and animation parameters associated with them, as well as 2D renderings of those objects. Positioning and/or manipulation of clip objects representing 3D animation elements can result in alteration of the 2D rendering and or re-rendering of the 3D information, as appropriate.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for using non-power of two texture maps is described. Texture map coordinates for a non-power of two dimension texture map such as u and v are computed without requiring a division operation. In addition to accessing non-power of two texture maps, the texture map coordinates may be used to access filtered versions of the non-power of two texture map, where the dimensions of each filtered version is arbitrary.

Abstract: A method of performing anisotropic texture mip-mapping. The method includes determining a region of support for a set of target pixels of the image to be textured, and mapping the region of support to an area in texture map that is generally elliptical. For each axis of the ellipse the number of samples is determined and a filter function is performed on those samples to find the final color value. For four texels, the filter function is a weighted sum of the color values of each texel, where the weights are determined based on the fraction of the Level of Detail (LOD) and the fraction of the U or V coordinate.

Abstract: In order to perform pseudo-three-dimensional display for analyzing color distribution, there are provided a color-distribution-information input step of inputting color-distribution information indicating color coordinate values that sample points in a first color system can have in a second color system, a user's-instruction input step of inputting an instruction of a user relating to an operation of generating object-surface information, and a generation step of generating three-dimensional-object-surface information in accordance with the instruction of the user, based on the color-distribution information.

Abstract: A graphics system including a custom graphics and audio processor produces exciting 2D and 3D graphics and surround sound. The system includes a graphics and audio processor including a 3D graphics pipeline and an audio digital signal processor. The graphics pipeline renders and prepares images for display at least in part in response to polygon vertex attribute data and texel color data stored as a texture images in an associated memory. An efficient texturing pipeline arrangement achieves a relatively low chip-footprint by utilizing a single texture coordinate/data processing unit that interleaves the processing of logical direct and indirect texture coordinate data and a texture lookup data feedback path for “recirculating” indirect texture lookup data retrieved from a single texture retrieval unit back to the texture coordinate/data processing unit.

Abstract: A texture map for texturing the polygon mesh of a 3D computer model during rendering is generated by defining a respective triangle within the texture map for each triangle in the polygon mesh to create a texture coordinate map, and allocating image data to each defined triangle. To generate the texture coordinate map, the triangles are defined so that the area of each triangle is dependent upon the content of texture data to be stored therein. More particularly, triangles required to store texture data with a relatively large amount of detail have a relatively large area and triangles which are required to store texture data with relatively little detail have a relatively small area. In this way, more area is allocated for the storage of detailed texture data, thereby reducing the amount of information which is lost from the texture data during the creation of a texture map.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for blending textures used to render computer generated images are provided. In an embodiment of the invention, a MIP-mapped mask texture is constructed. Each MIP-level of the MIP-mapped mask texture includes texels representative of different mask information. The MIP-mapped mask texture is sampled during rendering to obtain mask information. The obtained mask information is used to blend between textures. The invention is used to blend, for example, between multiple textures wherein, zero, one, or more of the textures are MIP-mapped and/or between different levels of one or more three-dimensional textures. In an embodiment, the most appropriate texture amongst multiple textures, each providing coverage at different resolutions, is selected for a fragment being rendered, thereby avoiding texture scintillation.

Abstract: A method is described to render a line stipple pattern in an ad hoc piecewise fashion by creating a texture map having information that represents the line stipple pattern. The method also includes, for each of a plurality of line primitives that each represent a different section of the line stipple pattern, mapping a section of the texture map's information to its corresponding line primitive.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to generate one or more graphics textures of a video image, wherein graphics textures have differing resolutions, and to render the video image as a graphics texture using the one or more graphics textures of differing resolutions. The one or more graphics textures have different resolutions, for example, a base resolution and one or more scaled resolutions. The graphics texture may be rendered and displayed on a surface of a multi-dimensional graphics object that may be manipulated on a display.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for detecting an edge in an image or video. The present invention can detect an edge more quickly by detecting edge information by using the absolute values and codes of two coefficients (AC01, AC10) in the DCT domain. In addition, the present invention can detect a more rapid and accurate edge by using the edge detection method using two coefficients as a pre-filter and using the edge detection method using a spatial filter as a post-filter.

Abstract: A method of cubic mapping with texturing is described. Neighboring pixels on an object are mapped to adjacent faces of the cube, but these adjacent faces do not guarantee continuity in the texture mip-map associated with each face. Therefore, the u and v texture map coordinates are adjusted after mapping to adjacent faces to make a continuity adjustment that insures that the LOD for the texture mip-map is the same for each adjacent face. The continuity adjustment includes either switching the u coordinate with the v coordinate or negating one of the coordinates or both. Additionally, if the u and v coordinates are normalized, the normalization may be compensated by adding or subtracting unity from the adjusted coordinate. After the continuity adjustment is made an approximation to the derivative is computed and used to determine the LOD for the mip-map. Texturing can then proceed using the LOD.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to generate more realistic pattern by mapping a texture to a three-dimensional polygon. An image generation device has image memory, in which are stored basic textures to be mapped to generate overall patterns on polygons by mapping and modulation textures with which amplitude modulation is applied to the patterns generated by mapping of the basic textures, and a pixel engine which, by amplitude modulation mapping of modulation textures, performs amplitude modulation processing on the patterns generated by mapping of basic textures.

Abstract: A processing module converts an input signal, which is generated in a computer system device, into a digital output signal at a video output. The digital output signal is adapted to be visualized by a display device. The processing module includes a scaler for scaling a resolution of the output signal to match a resolution of the display device. The processing module can be combined with a display adapter which incorporates a graphical processor and memory. Furthermore, the processing module may include a selector for selecting a resolution for the output signal, corresponding to a resolution of the display device.

Abstract: In a method of analyzing and modifying a footprint depending on a specified number of texture elements touched by the footprint, in a graphics system providing the texture elements having a resolution, a dimension or a shape of the footprint is initially determined. On the basis of the specified number of texture elements and on the basis of the determined dimension or shape, the resolution of the texture elements associated with the footprint is specified. Then it is determined whether the graphics system provides texture elements having the specified resolution. If the graphics system provides texture elements having the specified resolution, the footprint is preserved.

Abstract: Techniques for generating, storing and displaying graphics on computer systems are disclosed. The type of graphics in particular are images, where the image can be defined as a set of areas, whether these areas are lines, geometric shapes, letters or other types of areas. The effect of using these methods is that graphics, such as digital maps, can be handled faster, with more flexibility and with higher display quality, both for screen use and for printing.

Abstract: Trilinear optimization is a technique to reduce the number of texture samples used to determine a texture value associated with a graphics fragment. Bilinear interpolations replace some trilinear interpolations, thereby reducing the number of texture samples read and simplifying the filter computation. A programmable trilinear slope is used to control replacement of a trilinear computation with a bilinear computation, permitting a user to determine a balance between improved texture map performance and texture filtering quality.

Abstract: Shadows, which play an important role in perceiving the shape and texture of an object, are simulated interactively in a real time, self-shadowing of a bump mapped surface for a computer rendered object. A computer graphics textured object function defines a horizon map over an orientation in a tangent space of the object using different textures or basis functions. The implementation can be performed using commodity graphics hardware by precomputing the horizon map for limited visibility for each point on the bump mapped surface given light in each of a plurality of radial directions. The horizon map is used to produce self-shadowing of the bump mapped surface of the object.

Abstract: A method of rendering a glyph of a vector-based font comprises the steps of: generating a MIP map for a glyph, where the MIP map comprises at least one level having a plurality of pixels and where each level is generated from original vector data for the glyph; and storing the MIP map on a computer readable medium. The method further comprises placing the glyph in an image to be rendered; retrieving the stored MIP map for the glyph; rendering a level of the MIP map, where the level is associated with a resolution of the glyph; and displaying the glyph as the rendered level.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product are provided for texture shading in a hardware graphics processor. Initially, a plurality of texture coordinates is identified. Further, it is determined whether a hardware graphics processor is operating in a texture shader mode. If the hardware graphics processor is operating in the texture shader mode, the texture coordinates are mapped to colors utilizing a plurality of texture shader stages in the hardware graphics processor. If, however, the hardware graphics processor is not operating in the texture shader mode, the texture coordinates are mapped to colors utilizing a conventional graphics application program interface (API) in conjunction with the hardware graphics processor.

Abstract: A multi-dimensional texture synthesis apparatus includes a generator to generate a reference multi-dimensional texture including a codebook and a reference index image, the codebook including a set of color information of the same-position pixels of the reference texture images, and the reference index image including a set of indexes for addressing the codebook, a quantizater to quantize the reference multi-dimensional texture at one or more quantization levels to generate a quantized codebook and a quantized reference index image, a synthesizer to synthesize a new index image having a specified size from the quantized reference index image using a hierarchical structure of the reference multi-dimensional texture corresponding to the one or more quantization levels, and a generator to generate the new multi-dimensional texture by combining the new index image with the quantized codebook.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for determining an amount of storage for a level of detail in a MIP map. It includes identifying a given level of detail; identifying a size for an immediately larger level of detail and a magnitude for each dimension of the immediately larger level of detail; and calculating the amount of storage based on the size and magnitudes without using a multiply operation or a precomputed table of offsets.

Abstract: A texturing system for use in a three-dimensional imaging system comprises a memory (22) for storing mip-map data for use in texturing an image. A controller (24) retrieves from the memory the mip-map data required and this data is stored in a cache (30). A lower-level mip-map generator (36) generates portions of the mip-map which is next below, in the hierarchical series, the mip-map of which portions are held in the cache. A trilinear interpolator (34) interpolates one output texel from input texels from the two mip-map levels. The texture data is represented by compressed codes. The lower-level mip-map generator (36) interpolates on the compressed code values.

Abstract: A method is described that involves storing 1D texture map information within a 2D texture map. The 1D texture map has a size that exceeds a maximum allowable 1D texture map size.

Abstract: A method and apparatus utilizes a three dimensional rendering engine to rotate an image based on user selected or otherwise determined screen orientation. A vertex coordinate transformation is defined for a rotated destination image. The source image is used as a texture for texture mapping during rendering operation to produce rotated image. In one embodiment, a separate set of software instructions is used for each orientation mode. Accordingly, a non-pixel by pixel based 3D rotation may be carried out using a 3D rendering engine to avoid a single parameter based seriatim pixel by pixel based orientation.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for preventing the occurrence of aliasing at the edges of polygons in 3D graphics. The system may detect both polygon geometric edges and Z edges due to intersection of multiple polygons. In one embodiment, the system includes an edge anti-aliasing module configured to selectively super-sample edge portions of primitives. The system further includes a coarse memory for storing information of pixels that are not super-sampled and a fine memory for storing information of pixels that are super-sampled by the edge anti-aliasing module.

Abstract: A method for displaying a desktop display surface. The method includes creating a render target surface having substantially the same dimensions as a desktop display surface, casting the desktop display surface as a texture, and setting the render target surface as a scanout read location. The method further includes creating a two dimensional rectangular object, rendering the two dimensional rectangular object by mapping the desktop display surface texture to the two dimensional rectangular object, storing the rendered two dimensional rectangular object to the render target surface and scanning out the rendered two dimensional rectangular object from the render target surface.

Abstract: The present invention includes a processor, a storage device having compressed texture data, a texture buffer having decompressed texture data. The processor reads the compressed texture data from the storage device and decompresses the texture data. The processor then stores the decompressed texture data in the texture buffer.

Abstract: A method of simply mapping a texture such as a light point texture onto a three-dimensional model comprises the steps of designating a three-dimensional model having polygons to be subjected to a texture mapping process, designating a texture used for the texture mapping process, and transforming the polygons by perspective transformation and performing the texture mapping process by mapping the designated texture onto respective vertices of the transformed polygons.

Abstract: An input two-dimensional image is divided into equal-size blocks. MIP maps with different resolutions are generated in response to each of the blocks. A memory stores data representative of the MIP maps for each of the blocks. Polygon data represent conditions of a polygon and also a correspondence between the polygon and positions of pixels of a two-dimensional image to be applied to the polygon. On the basis of the polygon data, at least one is selected from the MIP maps represented by the data in the memory as a desired MIP map on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Data representative of the desired MIP map are read from the memory. Calculation is made as to a color intensity of each pixel in a final image in which the desired MIP map is applied to the polygon on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Data representative of each calculated pixel color intensity are outputted.

Abstract: A method of storing a texel in a texel cache comprising reading a t coordinate of the texel, the t coordinate comprising a plurality of bits, reading a s coordinate of the texel, the s coordinate comprising a plurality of bits, forming an offset by concatenating bits of the t coordinate with bits of the s coordinate and forming an index by concatenating bits of the t coordinate with bits of the s coordinate and at least one bit of a level of detail is discussed.

Abstract: The present invention provides texture roaming via dimension elevation. A degree elevated texture is used to contain level of detail (LOD) levels (or tiles) of a clip-map across a degree elevated coordinate space. For example, a three-dimensional (3D) texture is used for two-dimensional (2D) clip-mapping, a four-dimensional (4D) texture is used for 3D clip-mapping, and a 2D texture is used for one-dimensional (1D) clip-mapping. Once the levels of a clip-map are placed in an extra dimension coordinate space, the extra dimension texture coordinate value can be computed based on clip-mapping rules.

Abstract: A graphical display system comprises memory and a texture mapper. The memory stores a parametric texture map (PTM) and a non-parametric texture map (non-PTM). The texture mapper is configured to selectively apply, based on a viewing parameter of a graphical object, the PTM and the non-PTM to a pixel of the graphical object.

Abstract: Trilinear optimization is a technique to reduce the number of texture samples used to determine a texture value associated with a graphics fragment. Bilinear interpolations replace some trilinear interpolations, thereby reducing the number of texture samples read and simplifying the filter computation. A programmable trilinear slope is used to control replacement of a trilinear computation with a bilinear computation, permitting a user to determine a balance between improved texture map performance and texture filtering quality.

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for calculating a level of detail (LOD) value for use during computer graphics processing. First, a plurality of geometrically arranged coordinates is identified. A distance value is computed based on the geometrically arranged coordinates. A LOD value is then calculated using the distance value for use during computer graphics processing. In one embodiment, a derivative value is estimated based on the geometrically arranged coordinates, and the distance value is computed based on the derivative value.

Abstract: A graphical processing unit (GPU) and methods for rendering a three-dimensional (3D) scene generated in a field of view having in-focus and out-of-focus regions on a two-dimensional (2D) screen region of pixels are described. One method includes initially rendering the scene to create color and depth texture maps and creating mip-map layers for the color texture map. The method further comprises subsequently rendering the scene by, for each pixel: creating a mip-map layer selection value as a function of a depth of the pixel from the depth texture map, generating a color value by interpolation using color values from at least one of the mip-map layers chosen according to the mip-map layer selection value, and setting a color of the pixel to the generated color texture.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an anisotropic filtering configuration where a ratio value is computed as the ratio of the major axis to the minor axis of a pixel projection on a texture map. The number of subpixels generated and sampled is based upon the value of the ratio. For four-way anisotropic filtering, subpixels are generated that move as the computed ratio between the major and minor axis increases. Subpixels may be placed anywhere from 0.5 to 1.5 texel distance from the pixel center depending on the computed ratio. The contribution of the subpixels is equally weighted.

Abstract: A pixel is textured by storing a first texel reference value, a second texel reference value, and texel mapping values where each texel mapping value represents a k-tuple of (ternary) references to the first texel reference value, the second texel reference value and a third texel reference value to thereby represent a block of texels. A pixel value for the pixel is generated from the stored texel values and the pixel is displayed responsive to the generated pixel value. In some embodiments, respective pluralities of texel reference values and texel mapping values that map thereto are stored for respective ones of a plurality of overlapping blocks of texels. In further embodiments, a first mipmap value for a pixel is bilinearly interpolated from the retrieved texel values for the set of nearest neighbor texels. A second mipmap value for the pixel is generated by averaging the retrieved texel values for the set of nearest neighbor texels.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a graphical image on a display is disclosed. The image is provided from data describing at least one object. The display includes a plurality of pixels. Each of the plurality of pixels has a size and a plurality of display elements. Each of the plurality of display elements has a color. The data includes a plurality of fragments for the at least one object. The plurality of fragments intersects a portion of the plurality of pixels. Each of the plurality of fragments includes a texture and at least one color. The method and system include ensuring that a texture area corresponds to the size of the pixel for the plurality of fragments and taking a plurality of samples of the at least one color for each of the plurality of fragments. The plurality of samples corresponds to the plurality of display elements. The method and system also include processing the texture for each of the plurality of fragments using the texture area.

Abstract: Texture coordinates and LOD (Level of Detail) values are computed on a pixel-by-pixel basis from object data, and based on the texture coordinates and LOD values, a filtering domain of texels read from a texture memory is determined, and a weighted average is acquired depending on the size of the determined filtering domain, to create the texture color to be adhered to the polygon.