Abstract: Systems and methods are provided and include a computer terminal located at a flooring store that receives a measured color of a flooring product. A server receives paint product catalog information from a computer system located at a coating manufacturer facility, determines paint colors that coordinate with the flooring product based on the paint product catalog information, and runs a paint product ordering application that interacts with a web browser of the computer terminal. The computer terminal receives a paint product ordering web page from the server that enables a user to create an order for a paint product based on a selected paint color and transmits the order to the server. The server receives the order and communicates the order to the computer system at the coating manufacturer facility. The computer system receives the order for order fulfillment, including creating, packing, and shipping the paint product to the user.

Abstract: Interactive systems and methods are provided for designing and constructing fences or other structures supported by posts, including methods which enable users to design custom fence panels and be presented with dynamic visual representations of such custom fence panels.

Abstract: The invention relates to a computer implemented method for controlling the display of a tile image on a display of the computer device, the method comprising: storing in a computer memory at the computer device, image texture data comprising a plurality of sets of predefined masks, each set of predefined masks for forming a respective tile image; selecting at random a tile image for display from a plurality of tile images; determining a location of each mask in the set of predefined masks for forming the selected tile image, in the image texture data; and supplying an indication of said location to a shader program executed on the computer device to control the shader program to use the set of predefined masks to form the selected tile image on said display.

Abstract: An apparatus including a die including a device side; and a build-up carrier including a body including a plurality of alternating layers of conductive material and dielectric material disposed on the device side of the die, an ultimate conductive layer patterned into a plurality of pads or lands; and a grid array including a plurality of conductive posts disposed on respective ones of the plurality of pads of the ultimate conductive layer of the body, at least one of the posts coupled to at least one of the contact points of the die through at least a portion of the conductive material of the body. A method including forming a body of a build-up carrier including a die, the body of the build-up carrier including an ultimate conductive layer and forming a grid array including a plurality of conductive posts on the ultimate conductive layer of the body.

Abstract: A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, by which transparency and output location of a video can be automatically adjusted. In performing multitasking for processing an additional task while playing a video, the present invention includes displaying a play window for outputting the video by overlaying the play window on a task window for processing the additional task, receiving a user input for scrolling the task window, and automatically adjusting at least one of a transparency of the play window and a display location of the play window while scrolling the task window in response to the user input.

Abstract: Shaking patterns and/or environmental information associated with real-world handheld devices may form a basis for enabling authentication and/or effectuating events in a virtual environment. The handheld devices may include toys and/or other object that can be used to play. The handheld devices may be associated with the virtual environment in that individual handheld devices may share an appearance and/or theme with an avatar, a virtual object, and/or other element within the virtual environment. Shaking a pair of handheld devices together may facilitate authentication of the handheld devices with respect to the virtual environment and/or effectuate one or more events within the virtual environment. By way of non-limiting example, two avatars may dance together or become friends in the virtual environment responsive to two corresponding handheld devices being shaken together.

Abstract: A processing chain for a digital image signal (12) applies a dither pattern (14), having a first spectrum, to the image signal at a point in the processing chain. A further noise pattern (10) is applied to the image signal during the processing chain. The noise pattern (10) has a second spectrum which is configured such that the combination of the first spectrum and second spectrum results in a more continuous spectrum. Another aspect describes a noise pattern (10) which can be used as an offset dither pattern for digital images, especially before color bit depth reduction. The noise pattern comprises an array of values which are linearly distributed across a range, with each value in the range occurring an equal number of times. Similar values at extreme ends of the range of values are dispersed within the array. The pattern has a Poisson-disk two-dimensional spectral energy distribution. Values are positioned in the array based on distance to similar values in neighboring repetitions of the array.

Abstract: Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are provided for mitigating redundant pixel texture contribution for texturing a geometry. That is, the geometry may represent a multidimensional surface of a scene, such as a city. The geometry may be textured using one or more texture images (e.g., an image comprising color values and/or depth values) depicting the scene from various view directions (e.g., a top-down view, an oblique view, etc.). Because more than one texture image may contribute to texturing a pixel of the geometry (e.g., due to overlapping views of the scene), redundant pixel texture contribution may arise. Accordingly, a redundant textured pixel within a texture image may be knocked out (e.g., in-painted) from the texture image to generate a modified texture image that may be relatively efficient to store and/or stream to a client due to enhanced compression of the modified texture image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying a branch structure by emulating natural visual effects of a branch structure, e.g., lightning, is provided. The branch structure comprises branches each formed by segments. Each segment is generated by randomly providing a segment end position according to a segment start position, and randomly determining whether another branch is provided at each segment.

Abstract: A shell texture image shared for use among multilayer shell polygons and including a plurality of areas having transparency different from one another, is distorted to varying degrees depending on a position of each layer of the shell polygons, so as to texture-map each layer of the shell polygons therewith and so as to position the multilayer shell polygons in a virtual three-dimensional space. Thus, it is possible to realistically represent hair, grass, and the like with little effort in three-dimensional image processing.

Abstract: A method and system for creating guilloché base pattern with two-dimensional periodicity in a plurality of replicate patterns is shown wherein the creating can be assessed in real-time for pattern acceptability by a user. A base pattern is set on an imaging device in vector space relative to a set of predetermined pattern nodes. The base pattern is modulated via a user interface by adjusting positions of the pattern known for selectively controlling curve shapes of the pattern. A guilloché mark is illustrated by display on the imaging device of the adjusted base pattern and a compilation of associated replicate patterns for user assessment of the mark.

Abstract: A method for rendering source content for display in a destination figure is provided. The method may include receiving the source content of the file, replicating the source content in a region surrounding the source content, such that replicated source content is aligned with the source content, extracting an axis-aligned rectangular tile containing the source content from the region, and rendering the axis-aligned rectangular tile onto the destination figure.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is for rendering a three-dimensional (3D) effect by transforming a first quadrilateral image to a second quadrilateral image. The apparatus includes a target image determining unit, a block determining unit and a graphic unit. The target image determining unit generates an outline associated with the second quadrilateral image according to the first quadrilateral image and the 3D effect. The block determining unit divides an area within the outline into a plurality of second blocks and correspondingly determines a plurality of first blocks from the first quadrilateral image. The graphic unit scales image data of the first blocks to respectively generate image data of the second blocks to obtain the second quadrilateral image.

Abstract: Various technologies for a layered texture compression architecture. In one implementation, the layered texture compression architecture may include a texture consumption pipeline. The texture compression pipeline may include a processor, memory devices, and textures compressed at varying ratios of compression. The textures within the pipeline may be compressed at ratios in accordance with characteristics of the devices in the pipeline that contains and processes the textures.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention relates to a method for generating a radiance map in High Dynamic Range (HDR) image creation by calculating mean difference curves for a sequence of images taken with different exposures and a transformation curve from the mean difference curve by an algorithm approximated to the Debevec function, by the means of which a radiance map can be calculated from the taken images. A further embodiment of the invention relates to a unit for performing this method.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides techniques that can enable a community of users to upload arbitrary images of particular locations and integrate them into a 3D model of that location in such a way that they appear as correctly aligned overlays with the model. Users can estimate rough location, orientation, and field of view, for one or more images and then add metadata such as keyword “tags” including time parameters. From the user estimates, a computer system determines the pose of the image relative to the 3D model and stores the metadata. A display system enables a community of users to freely navigate through the 3D model with visual indicators of all of the posed images, filterable via the metadata. Users also have control over a “snap-to-view” feature as they approach any of the posed images as well as a transparency feature for the degree of visibility of the overlaid image.

Abstract: A content processing device is in selective communication with a remote server. A graphical user interface is provided. A rendering application is included within the content processing device. The rendering application is configured to: retrieve a set of presentation elements from the remote server, the set of presentation elements including a graphical element; represent the graphical element as a bitmap; determine each of a location, an orientation, and a size for the graphical element within a graphical user interface; expand the graphical element according to the size; and include the graphical element within the graphical user interface.

Abstract: Spherical-like textures are useful to simulate reflections and to generate arbitrary views from a point. For addressing simplicity, graphics systems typically require rectangular arrays of texture samples but an infinite variety of functions can be used to map these samples to a sphere-like object. A new metric is presented for measuring how well various maps use a given number of samples to provide the greatest worst-case frequency content of the image everywhere over the sphere. Using this metric and other important local properties, a comparison is presented of maps used previously in computer graphics as well as other mapping techniques borrowed from cartography. Based on these analysis several novel mapping techniques are presented that are fairly simple to implement and significantly more efficient in terms of the amount of processing and data required, and the quality of the resulting images.

Abstract: A face tracking device for tracking an orientation of a person's face with using a cylindrical head model, the face tracking device comprises: an image means for continuously shooting the person's face and for obtaining a first image data based on a shot of the person's face; an extraction means for extracting a second image data from the first image data, the second image data corresponding to a facial area of the person's face; a determination means for determining whether the second image is usable as an initial value required for the cylindrical head model; and a face orientation detection means for detecting the orientation of the person's face with using the cylindrical head model and with using the initial value determined to be usable by the determination means.

Abstract: An image processing circuit includes: a storage unit; a first multiplication unit that multiplies a pixel value stored in the storage unit, by a pixel value included in input image data, the input image data expressing the pixel values; a subtraction value output unit that outputs a pixel value obtained by subtracting a pixel value at each of the positions in the input image data, from a maximum pixel value in the input image data; a second multiplication unit that multiplies a pixel value included in the input image data or a pixel value included in background image data, by the pixel value output by the subtraction value output unit; and an adder unit that adds up a multiplication result of the first and second multiplication units and outputs addition results as output image data.

Abstract: One or more processors (22) are operated to extract a number of different event identifiers therefrom. These processors (22) are further operable to determine a number a display locations each representative of one of the different identifiers and a corresponding time. The display locations are grouped into sets each corresponding to a different one of several event sequences (330a, 330b, 330c. 330d, 330e). An output is generated corresponding to a visualization (320) of the event sequences (330a, 330b, 330c, 330d, 330e).

Abstract: The present disclosure provides techniques that can enable a community of users to upload arbitrary images of particular locations and integrate them into a 3D model of that location in such a way that they appear as correctly aligned overlays with the model. Users can estimate rough location, orientation, and field of view, for one or more images and then add metadata such as keyword “tags” including time parameters. From the user estimates, a computer system determines the pose of the image relative to the 3D model and stores the metadata. A display system enables a community of users to freely navigate through the 3D model with visual indicators of all of the posed images, filterable via the metadata. Users also have control over a “snap-to-view” feature as they approach any of the posed images as well as a transparency feature for the degree of visibility of the overlaid image.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a color adjustment apparatus, including: a color information storage section configured to store color information regarding an arbitrary region designated through a pointer in an editing image region; and a color coordinate explicitly displaying section configured to explicitly display a mark, which specifies color coordinates corresponding to the color information, at a pertaining position on a hue ring or a hue bar chart prepared for color adjustment.

Abstract: Complex labyrinth curves are interactively generated by an iterative process that spatially modulates curve evolution by an image or other function defined on the evolution space. After curves and evolution parameters are initialized [100], the iterative process allows the curve and evolution parameters to be interactively modified by a user [102], resamples the curves [104], and spatially modulates the curves according to the evolution parameters [106]. The evolved labyrinth curves are may be processed [110] for use in various applications including animation, maze creation, intricate artistic patterns, and graphical user interfaces that map linearly ordered data to the evolved curve and allow the data to be navigated using the rendered curve. The evolved curves can also be triangulated and projected to a plane to create patterns for manufacturing developable surfaces.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing data representative of a full color image. Such systems may comprise the steps of assisting a color blind person to indicate portions of an image which to their color-deficient vision are indistinguishable, and altering the image to cause those portions to become distinguishable and identifiable.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for storing taken image data into a memory and for reading the stored image data to effect image processing thereof, including: a storage section for storing sequence codes that indicate processing procedures of a series of image processing for the image data; an image processing section for effecting the series of image processing on the read out image data; and a sequencer for controlling the image processing section based on the sequence codes read out from the storage section in effecting the series of image processing at the image processing section, wherein the sequence codes are composed of data coding all sequence instructions corresponding to the series of image processing and are tranferred and stored collectively from CPU to the storage section before starting the series of image processing every time when the series of image processing is to be effected.

Abstract: The invention provides techniques for wrapping a two-dimensional texture conformally onto a surface of a three dimensional virtual object within an arbitrarily-shaped, user-defined region. The techniques provide minimum distortion and allow interactive manipulation of the mapped texture. The techniques feature an energy minimization scheme in which distances between points on the surface of the three-dimensional virtual object serve as set lengths for springs connecting points of a planar mesh. The planar mesh is adjusted to minimize spring energy, and then used to define a patch upon which a two-dimensional texture is superimposed. Points on the surface of the virtual object are then mapped to corresponding points of the texture. The invention also features a haptic/graphical user interface element that allows a user to interactively and intuitively adjust texture mapped within the arbitrary, user-defined region.

Abstract: A method for determining a pose of an object from a range image is presented. A distribution of poses for an object is determined from a model of the object. A set of reference poses is selected according to the distribution, such that more reference poses are selected for more probable poses than less probable poses. A reference image for each reference pose is generated, and the reference pose used to generate the reference image that best matches a range image including the object is assigned as the pose of the object.

Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a shape may comprise one or more repeated graphic elements.

Abstract: Three-dimensional text is displayed without losing its related two-dimensional text properties. The two-dimensional text properties are captured and mapped to the three-dimensional text. Capturing the properties helps preserve the look of the two-dimensional text when it is converted and displayed as three-dimensional text. A texture map is used to capture the two-dimensional properties that are associated with the text. The texture map capturing the two-dimensional text properties is applied to the three-dimensional text and then displayed.

Abstract: The invention provides techniques for wrapping a two-dimensional texture conformally onto a surface of a three dimensional virtual object within an arbitrarily-shaped, user-defined region. The techniques provide minimum distortion and allow interactive manipulation of the mapped texture. The techniques feature an energy minimization scheme in which distances between points on the surface of the three-dimensional virtual object serve as set lengths for springs connecting points of a planar mesh. The planar mesh is adjusted to minimize spring energy, and then used to define a patch upon which a two-dimensional texture is superimposed. Points on the surface of the virtual object are then mapped to corresponding points of the texture. The invention also features a haptic/graphical user interface element that allows a user to interactively and intuitively adjust texture mapped within the arbitrary, user-defined region.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention relates to a system for reconstructing an image. During operation, the system receives an original image, wherein the original image includes a defective area to be reconstructed. The system also receives a reference to a texture image, which contains a texture to be used during the reconstruction. The system then divides the values of pixels in the defective area and surrounding boundary pixels, by the values of corresponding pixels in the texture image to produce a first intermediate image. Next, the system solves a partial differential equation (PDE) for non-boundary pixels in the first intermediate image subject to values of the boundary pixels in the first intermediate image to produce a second intermediate image. The system then multiplies the values of pixels in the second intermediate image by the values of corresponding pixels in the texture image to produce a replacement image.

Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a shape may comprise one or more repeated graphic elements.

Abstract: A process for the creation of a merged image comprising the steps of preparing at least two base images in digital format, selecting a pattern wherein said pattern comprises a multiplicity of cells, each cell having n regions wherein n is the number of prepared base images and wherein each region of a cell is assigned to a different prepared base image, applying the pattern to each base image, selecting a mergable portion of each respective base image wherein the mergable portion includes a tile corresponding to the region of each cell assigned to the respective base image, and merging of the mergable portions of each respective base image to provide a merged image.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to render concave polygons. In some embodiments, the method includes setting an alpha buffer of a hardware rasterizer to zero, generating an alpha mask by rendering the concave polygon as a plurality of convex polygons of connected vertices, wherein an alpha value for each of the plurality of the plurality of polygons is toggled between a zero value and a second non-zero value on successive renderings of each portion of the plurality of the convex polygons. The alpha values may be stored in the alpha buffer, and the plurality of convex polygons may be re-rendered based on the generated alpha mask, where the stored alpha value is the second non-zero value.

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: 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 rotating unit forwards and rewinds a recording medium by rotating in a normal direction and in a reverse direction, respectively. A recording unit records an image on a surface of the recording medium. An erasing unit erases the image recorded on the surface of the recording medium. A shift-amount adjusting unit adjusts a shift amount per unit time of a forwarding portion of the recording medium at a recording position or on an upstream side of the recording position in a forwarding direction. A weight is fixed to the forwarding portion of the recording medium exposed outside from an opening that is provided on a casing.

Abstract: An array of view-dependent sprited tiles provide different views of an image texture (e.g., structure, color, shading, illumination, transparency, as well as other image attributes). The different views of the image texture correspond to different viewing angles at which a user would see the tiles when they are applied to an image geometry. In one implementation, the view dependent sprited tiles are two-dimensional projections of three-dimensional structures. The projections maintain the dimensions (including shape) of the front surfaces of three-dimensional structures at different viewing angles. A projection that meets these characteristics is the oblique parallel projection.

Abstract: A method and system for performing textured mapping of a target area is provided. According to the method, input is received that defines a textured image. Tiles are generated from the textured image used to cover the target area in an aperiodic tiling pattern. According to one aspect, the textured image is obtained by scanning one or more texture images into memory. According to another aspect, to cover the target area an aperiodic tiling pattern is selected. Textured tiles based on the aperiodic tiling pattern are then generated and applied to the target area. According to another aspect, to apply the textured aperiodic tiles to the target area, the target area is covered with one or more aperiodic tiles that are based on a selected aperiodic tiling pattern. A corresponding textured tile is then mapped to each of the one or more aperiodic tiles.

Abstract: Provided is an environment which enables a user to implement 3D space design on a computer accessible to a server computer via a network. The server computer includes a layout design program which is operable on a screen activated by a browser of the client computer to enable the user to implement space design of a layout in the terms of a 2D image, an object database which stores object data used for layout design for retrieval and extraction, and a 3D display program which is operable on the browser screen of the client computer to display the designed space in the terms of a 3D image. The client computer is equipped with the browser capable of executing programs of the layout design program and the 3D display program. Upon receiving the layout design program and the 3D display program from the server computer via the network, the programs of the layout design program and the 3D display program are executable on the browser screen.

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: An input apparatus is disclosed having a hand-sensing system, a wake-up detector, and a microcontroller. After a period of inactivity, the apparatus is placed into a sleep mode to conserve power. During the sleep mode, an electrical property that the hand-sensing system presents to the wake-up circuit is measured. If the electrical property exceeds a predetermined level, then the input apparatus is activated. In alternative embodiments, an accelerometer, a pressure switch, or a computer system's response can be used to trigger the activation of the input apparatus.

Abstract: An electroluminescence display device that comprises an array of pixels, an electroluminescence device formed in each of the pixels, a first electrode formed in the electroluminescence device, a second electrode formed in the electroluminescence device, an electroluminescence layer formed in the electroluminescence device between the first and second electrodes to emit light through the first and second electrodes, a plurality of scan drivers to activate the array of pixels, and a control unit to control a scanning sequence of the plurality of scan drivers, the electroluminescence display device further comprising a first mode wherein the array of pixels are activated in a sequence from a first row to a last row, and a second mode wherein the array of pixels are activated in a sequence from the last row to the first row.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for synthesizing a texture of a desired size from a sample texture is provided. The method comprises the steps of generating a matrix of the desired size, and providing values to the matrix. The values include random values and at least a portion of the values represents a desired structure according to which graphical features of a synthesized texture are to substantially conform. The method further comprises executing a texture synthesis process that utilizes the matrix to generate a synthesized texture of the desired size having graphical features arranged therein substantially in conformance with the desired structure.

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: An image display apparatus comprises a line buffer unit which stores binary image data, the binary image data being divided into a plurality of line portion data, each line portion data having a fixed length. Pattern matching units are connected in parallel with the line buffer unit and receives the line portion data respectively, each pattern matching unit determining whether an input pattern of a related line portion data matches with one of reference patterns. When the match occurs each pattern matching unit outputs a truth signal indicating the value one, and otherwise each pattern matching unit outputs a falseness signal indicating the value zero.

Abstract: The invention establishes a target face to which a texture will be mapped and determines the start point for drawing the texture and the number of drawing iterations. In accordance with the drawing start point and the number of drawing iterations, the texture is mapped to the target face and, further, a wireframe dividing the mapped texture is drawn. When movement of the wireframe is requested, the drawing start point is changed in accordance with the amount of movement of a drag operation. When the number of lines of the wireframe is requested, the number of drawing iterations is changed in accordance with the amount of movement of a drag operation.

Abstract: A graphics system architecture, in which condensed cache tags for texture are achieved by a remapping operation which exploits the relation between the level-of-detail parameter of mip mapping and the maximum resolution.