Anti-aliasing Or Image Smoothing Patents (Class 345/611)
  • Patent number: 8423291
    Abstract: A navigation device is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the navigation device includes a storage device to store map information and points of interest (POIs), the POIs including description information and location information; and a display to display stored POIs at a location of the map information, based upon the location information, POIs being selectively retrievable from a remote location for subsequent storage and display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: TomTom International B.V.
    Inventor: Pieter Geelen
  • Patent number: 8421819
    Abstract: A display control device used to govern non-content regions in a display space, and selectively determine data for display in the non-content regions is described. The display control device can identify the non-content regions, and determine types of data that can be filled in the non-content regions. Once determined, the fill data can be presented in the non-content regions concurrently with an image frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Gerard Ziemski
  • Publication number: 20130088505
    Abstract: Techniques for calculating sub-pixel coverage values for text to be displayed, so as to enable caching of the sub-pixel coverage values. The sub-pixel coverage values may enable a linear combination of color information for the text with color information for one or more other, overlapping display elements for calculating composite color values to be used in controlling a display. Such composite color values to be used in controlling sub-pixels of a display may be calculated, in some embodiments, without performing a gamma correction process. Also described are techniques for retrieving cached sub-pixel coverage values and combining the values with color information for text and for other, overlapping display elements to calculate composite color values for sub-pixels of a display. At least one graphics processing unit (GPU) may be configured to perform operations using the sub-pixel coverage information and to calculate the composite color values for the sub-pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Megha Jain, Miles M. Cohen, Robert A. Brown, Worachai Chaoweeraprasit, Andrew M. Precious, Kanwal VedBrat
  • Patent number: 8411099
    Abstract: Therefore, a computer graphics processor with a forward mapping renderer is provided. The renderer comprises a texture space rasterizer (TS) for rasterizing a primitive in texture space, a color generating unit (PS) for determining the color of the output of the texture space rasterizer (TS) and for forwarding a color sample along with coordinates, a 2 pass screen space resampler (SSR1, SSR2) for resampling the color sample determined by the color generating unit (PS), and at least one one-dimensional blur filter unit (1PB, 2PB) associated to at least one pass of said screen space resampler (SSR1, SSR2) for performing a one-dimensional filtering before performing said at least one pass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Entropic Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Kornelis Meinds, Bart Gerard Bernard Barenbrug
  • Patent number: 8411991
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a characteristic value calculation unit calculating a block luminance average value, which is an average value of luminance values in each of spatial blocks obtained by dividing an input image in a space direction, and a block luminance dispersion, which is a dispersion of the luminance values in each of the spatial blocks; and an edge-preserving smoothing unit calculating a general luminance value of pixels of the input image by setting a value obtained by approximately calculating a weighted average value of the luminance values of a noticed block containing noticed pixels of the input image, on the assumption that a distribution of the luminance values of each of the spatial blocks conforms to a Gaussian distribution based on the block luminance average value and the block luminance dispersion of each of the spatial blocks, as the general luminance value of the noticed pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kensei Jo, Yoshikuni Nomura, Tomoo Mitsunaga
  • Patent number: 8410994
    Abstract: A method and system for displaying graphics on a display of a second module remotely connected with a first module via a data communications medium. A first controller for the first module and a second controller for the second module are connected to first and second graphics processors, respectively, both graphics processors being operative to request data from the first module when ready to process data. The first controller interfaces between the first graphics processor and the first module. The second controller interfaces between the second graphics processor and the first module via the data communications medium and the first controller. The first controller duplicates data returned to the first graphics processor by the first module in response to data requests, and transmits the duplicated data to the second controller via the data communications medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Matrox Graphics Inc.
    Inventors: André Testa, Eric Saulnier, Stéphane Tremblay
  • Publication number: 20130069971
    Abstract: The disclosed method includes: classifying plural particles in a diffusion field into plural groups, based on data of positions and velocities of the plural particles, so that particles between which a distance is equal to or less than a predetermined distance and of which an absolute value of a difference between velocity vectors is equal to or less than a predetermined value among the plural particles are classified to a same group; first generating, for each of the plural groups, group display data for particles belonging to the group; and second generating display data by attaching the generated group display data to particle display data for displaying the particles belonging to the group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Takao HIRAHARA, Masahiro WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20130063464
    Abstract: Rendering different types of graphical content using a single primitive type. Embodiments enable graphical elements of different content types representing a scene to be rendered as a batch based on the single primitive type, thereby reducing data transfer and improving processing performance. For example, each graphical element in a batch of graphical elements can rendered based modifications to instances of a template shape, which represents a single primitive type usable for rendering different types of graphical content. The modifications to each instance can include modifying the instance according transformation data, clip data, and/or width and height data to position the instance in a scene, and filling the modified instance according to one or more of shape or brush data corresponding to the graphical element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Gerhard Schneider, Bede Jordan, Ashraf Michail, Brendan J. Clark, Pawel Wiktor Olszta
  • Publication number: 20130063475
    Abstract: A method for text rendering that is well suited for use in a computing device with a high resolution display but a low-power graphics processing unit (GPU). The method may comprise calculating a coverage representation of the text in a format that can be efficiently processed by the GPU. As a result, the GPU may perform anti-aliasing and subsequent operations in the rendering process. Efficient processing may be achieved by providing the coverage representation in a format that allows values associated with pixels to be computed based on a byte-aligned chunk of bits in the coverage representation. Additionally, processing on the chunks may be performed using at least one lookup table. For large filtering kernels used for anti-aliasing, the lookup tables may be partitioned into portions dependent on dynamic text characteristics and those independent of the dynamic text characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Miles M. Cohen, Kanwal VedBrat, Andrew M. Precious, Worachai Chaoweeraprasit, Niklas E. Borson, Claire M. L. Andrews, Dylan M. Deverill, Blake D. Pelton, Robert A. Brown
  • Patent number: 8391628
    Abstract: A directional anti-aliasing filter circuit includes an input node and an output node, a directional anti-aliasing filter having an input coupled to the input node, an adaptive gain control having an input coupled to an output of the directional anti-aliasing filter, a summer having a first input coupled to an output of the adaptive gain control, a second input coupled to the input node, and an output coupled to the output node, a texture detector for providing a texture adjust signal to the directional anti-aliasing filter and a texture adaptive gain signal to the adaptive gain control, an edge detector for providing an edge direction signal to the directional anti-aliasing filter, and a corner detector for providing a corner adaptive gain signal to the adaptive gain control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong Huang, Lucas Hui
  • Patent number: 8390641
    Abstract: An image processing device includes: an analysis unit to analyze vector image data including line information and area color information; a detection unit to detect a boundary pixel through which an outline passes; a determination unit to determine whether the outline passes longitudinally through the boundary pixel; and a coloring unit to sequentially fill each pixel on a scan line. A color of a target pixel is calculated based on the area color information and the target pixel is filled with the calculated color when the target pixel is a boundary pixel. A reference filling color is changed from the first color to the second color defined for a target pixel when the target pixel is a boundary pixel through which an outline passes longitudinally. A target pixel is filled with the reference filling color when the target pixel is not a boundary pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Kohei Terazono, Satoshi Iwata
  • Patent number: 8390645
    Abstract: A method for rendering a plurality of line primitives. The method includes the step of accessing a first line primitive and a second line primitive of a line strip. For a junction between the first line primitive and the second line primitive, the first line primitive and the second line primitive are geometrically modified to generate an abutting edge between the first line primitive and the second line primitive. A majority status is assigned to a pixel on the abutting edge. A first color of the first line primitive or a second color of the second line primitive is allocated to the pixel in accordance with the majority status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Nvidia Corporation
    Inventors: Franklin C. Crow, John S. Montrym, David K. McAllister, Craig M. Wittenbrink
  • Patent number: 8379049
    Abstract: The invention provides tools and techniques for clone brushing pixels in an image while accounting for inconsistencies in apparent depth and orientation within the image. The techniques do not require any depth information to be present in the image, and the data structure of the image is preserved. The techniques allow for color compensation between source and destination regions. A snapping technique is also provided to facilitate increased accuracy in selecting source and destination positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: EveryScape, Inc.
    Inventors: Byong Mok Oh, Fredo Durand
  • Publication number: 20130038625
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and an apparatus for displaying anti-aliased graphic objects. Anti-aliasing in prior art is often concentrated at the relationship between foreground object and background view, and such a case where plural objects reside in the same pixel is not necessarily put in the consideration. The present invention offers to provide “colored” subpixels for each pixel thereto render a plurality of anti-aliased graphic objects together in the same frame. Since the colored subpixels are generated with two different memories, they cannot be alpha blended. The transparent representation is to be processed with determination of active subpixels smaller in number than the number of subpixels, thereby shrinking the coverage of rendering objects in respective pixels. These active subpixels are selected through bit masks, and plural bit masks are provided to control transparent levels of graphic objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Inventor: Isao NAKAJIMA
  • Patent number: 8373715
    Abstract: Object previews for projection painting operations using arbitrary paint surfaces are provided. The object preview is rendered from the view of the arbitrary projection paint surface. The object preview is provided to the user, who then may define projection paint attribute values by painting over the object preview. The projection paint attribute values are mapped back on to the projection paint surface and one or more images of the object geometry are rendered using the projection paint attribute values. Object previews are rendered by defining a camera view and a proxy surface. A mapping from the proxy surface to a projection surface is defined and associates proxy surface points with projection paint surface points. Rays generated using a projection operation are defined and a renderer uses these rays to determine attribute values for their associated points on the proxy surface to define an object preview image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Pixar
    Inventor: David Ryu
  • Patent number: 8369636
    Abstract: In a decoding method of decoding encoded image data which has been hierarchically encoded in advance, a size of an image to be outputted is determined, and then the encoded image data is decoded up to a layer of hierarchy which is at least one layer more than a minimum number of layer/layers of hierarchy necessary to acquire an image of the determined size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mitsuru Owada
  • Patent number: 8358319
    Abstract: Various techniques are provided herein for processing raw image data acquired using a digital image sensor in an image processing pipeline of an image signal processing system. In one embodiment, the image processing pipeline may first process the raw image data (e.g., Bayer image data) for the detection and correction of defective pixels. Next, the image processing pipeline may process the raw image data to reduce noise. Thereafter, the image processing pipeline may correct lens shading distortion in the raw image data and, subsequently, apply a demosaicing algorithm to convert the raw image data into full color image data (e.g., RGB image data). The color image data may be further processed by the image processing pipeline to correct color and gamma properties prior to being converted into a luma and chroma color space (e.g., YCbCr color space).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Guy Cote, Jeffrey E. Frederiksen
  • Publication number: 20130009980
    Abstract: A method and a processor for implementing the method are disclosed for processing of an image. A first algorithm is selected to be used for processing information representing an area of interest in the image. A second algorithm is selected to be used for processing information representing an area of the image that is not in the area of interest. The first and second algorithms are applied to their respective portions of the information representing the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: ATI TECHNOLOGIES ULC
    Inventor: Hao Ran Gu
  • Patent number: 8351655
    Abstract: A method of automatically grading beef quality by analyzing a digital image is provided. The method includes: an image acquiring step of acquiring a color image of beef using a CCD camera; a region separating step of separating a lean region from the acquired image; a boundary extracting step of extracting a boundary line of the lean region; a boundary smoothing step of smoothing the boundary line extracted in the boundary extracting step; a boundary correcting step of correcting an indented portion and a protruded portion included in the boundary line having been subjected to the boundary smoothing step; a grading region determining step of determining a grading region on the basis of the boundary line corrected in the boundary correcting step; and a grading step of grading the beef quality on the basis of the image of the grading region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Sungkyunkwan University Foundation for Corporate Collaboration
    Inventor: Heon Hwang
  • Patent number: 8350867
    Abstract: A method includes detecting one of an application access or a file type access, and configuring, in response to detecting the application or file type access, automatically without user interaction, a display system in an image quality configuration for the application or the file type where the image quality configuration is based on providing best image quality with respect to the application or the file type. Configuring the display system in an image quality configuration, may involve determining that a profile associated with the application or associated with the file type is stored in memory, and configuring the display system according to the profile. The method may adjust at least one anti-aliasing parameter or at least one anisotropic filter parameter. The method may monitor an operating system to obtain an indication that an application has been accessed or that a file type has been accessed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC
    Inventors: Raymond F. Dumbeck, Andrew W. Dodd, Michael Casey Gotcher
  • Patent number: 8350855
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide systems and methods for reducing anti-aliasing in a procedural texture. One method includes creating a procedural reduction map describing the texture as applied to an object, and querying the map for radiance of a pixel in the object. One system includes memory and a processor. The processor is programmed, by the code stored in the memory, to create a procedural reduction map describing the texture as applied to an object, and query the map for radiance of a pixel in the object. One system includes means for creating a procedural reduction map describing the texture as applied to an object, and means for querying the map for radiance of a pixel in the object. The map includes a basis functions and a hierarchy of texels. Each texel includes basis weights and a surface normal distribution. Each basis weight corresponds to one of the basis functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Brooks Van Horn, III, Gregory Turk
  • Patent number: 8345063
    Abstract: Embodiments of a filtering method and apparatus for anti-aliasing as described herein take advantage of improved existing hardware by using as input the data stored in the multisampling anti-aliasing (MSAA) buffers after rendering. The standard hardware box-filter is then replaced with a more intelligent resolve implemented using shader programs. Embodiments find scene edges using existing samples generated by Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) hardware. Using samples from a footprint larger than a single pixel, a gradient is calculated matching the direction of an edge. A non-linear filter over contributing samples in the direction of the gradient gives the final result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Konstantine Iourcha, Jason Yang, Andrew Pomianowski
  • Patent number: 8345041
    Abstract: A three-dimensional image display device includes a three-dimensional image generator and a display panel. The three-dimensional image generator includes a memory part, a control part, and an output buffer part. The memory part has a lookup table storing pixel-shift data corresponding to a plurality of viewpoints and depths. The control part stores image data and depth data in an internal memory, and outputs shifted image data based on the pixel-shift data. The output buffer part outputs three-dimensional image data based on the shifted image data. The display panel displays the three-dimensional image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joo-Young Kim, Cheol-Woo Park, Seung-Hoon Lee
  • Patent number: 8339413
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for rendering an artwork comprising a plurality of surfaces, wherein the plurality of surfaces comprises a plurality of semi-transparent surfaces. Each of the semi-transparent surfaces may be rendered to a first image buffer at a multi-sampled resolution. Each of the rendered semi-transparent surfaces at the multi-sampled resolution may be multiplied by one or more transparency values of one or more of the plurality of surfaces nearer than the rendered semi-transparent surface. Each of the rendered and attenuated semi-transparent surfaces may be reduced from the multi-sampled resolution to a display resolution and added at the display resolution to a second image buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventors: Gavin S. P. Miller, Nathan A. Carr
  • Patent number: 8330760
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for modifying glyphs. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a glyph outline for a glyph to be rendered, the glyph to be rendered being associated with a character of a particular font and at a specified scaled size, the glyph to be rendered having one or more horizontal stems; identifying a darkening amount to be applied to the one or more horizontal stems of the glyph; modifying hints of the one or more horizontal stems of the glyph outline using the identified darkening amount to modify the glyph outline; and rasterizing the glyph using the modified glyph outline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventors: R. David Arnold, Terence S. Dowling
  • Patent number: 8330772
    Abstract: Various techniques are provided herein for processing raw image data in front-end processing logic of an image signal processing system. In one embodiment, the front-end processing logic includes a statistics processing unit configured to process raw image data acquired by an image sensor to obtain one or more sets of statistics. The statistics processing unit may first correct defective pixels in the raw image data and then correct lens shading errors in the raw image data prior to extracting the statistics information. In certain embodiments, black level compensation may be applied between the defective pixel correction and lens shading correction steps, and inverse black level compensation may be applied between the lens shading correction step and the extraction of the statistics information. The acquired statistics information may be utilized by an image signal processing pipeline for converting the raw image data into a color (e.g., RGB) and/or luma (e.g., YCbCr) image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Guy Cote, Jeffrey E. Frederiksen
  • Patent number: 8325203
    Abstract: In a graphics pipeline of a graphics processor, a method for caching pixel data. The method includes receiving a graphics primitive for rasterization in a raster stage of a graphics processor and rasterizing the graphics primitive to generate a plurality of tiles of pixels related to the graphics primitive. A subpixel sample group related to each of the plurality of tiles is determined. The plurality of tiles and the corresponding plurality of subpixel sample groups are stored into a frame buffer memory. A set of tiles and a set of corresponding subpixel sample groups from the frame buffer memory are stored in a rasterization cache, wherein the rasterization cache is configured for access by the raster stage to enable a subpixel anti-aliasing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventor: Christopher D. S. Donham
  • Patent number: 8320701
    Abstract: A smoothing filter generates a smoothed picture by smoothing a brightness component of an input picture. An adjustment filter generates an adjusted picture by applying a filter to an area of the input picture. The filter has the same characteristic as the smoothing filter. The area has a brightness matched with a predetermined condition of noise detection. A contrast component calculation unit calculates a contrast component of the input picture by dividing each pixel value of the adjusted picture with a corresponding pixel value of the smoothed picture. An output picture generation unit generates an output picture by multiplying the smoothed picture with the contrast component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazuyasu Ohwaki, Goh Itoh
  • Patent number: 8314812
    Abstract: A dual image source display system with an anti-aliased textual foreground and graphic image background, where display information from each source is combined, but only after the intensity level for each given pixel color component in the graphical image background is dimmed by an amount which is equal to the highest intensity level of any pixel color component in the same pixel as the given pixel color component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: William W. Eckel
  • Patent number: 8305397
    Abstract: A noise removing filter removes noise from an input image and an edge component extracting unit extracts edge components. The edge components are extracted by calculating a difference between the input image and a smoothed image, which is obtained by smoothing the input image in a smoothed image generating portion. An edge component comparing unit compares the extracted edge components with a threshold value and a sum calculating unit calculates the sum of the edge components greater than the threshold value. A control circuit determines the enhancement degree of the edges based on the sum and averaged luminance of the input image calculated by an average luminance calculating unit. An enhancement degree adjustment unit adjusts the determined enhancement degree, and an edge component enhancement unit enhances the edge components based on this enhancement degree and adds it to the input image to perform edge enhancement processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Eizo Nanao Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Ueno, Masanori Katsura, Kazuyuki Watanabe, Yasuhiro Kobayashi, Kiyoyuki Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20120274655
    Abstract: A system and method for improved antialiasing in video processing is described herein. Embodiments include multiple video processors (VPUs) in a system. Each VPU performs some combination of pixel sampling and pixel center sampling (also referred to as multisampling and supersampling). Each VPU performs sampling on the same pixels or pixel centers, but each VPU creates samples positioned differently from the other VPUs corresponding samples. The VPUs each output frame data that has been multisampled and/or supersampled into a compositor that composites the frame data to produce an antialiased rendered frame. The antialiased rendered frame has an effectively doubled antialiasing factor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: ATI Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Arcot J. PREETHAM, Andrew S. POMIANOWSKI, Raja KODURI
  • Patent number: 8294730
    Abstract: A method for rendering graphical data is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes rendering an aliased version of one or more polygons and sampling one or more edges of the aliased polygons. The method also includes calculating a curve that approximates the edge portion and intersects a set of pixels, determining the proportional areas of the pixels located between the curve and the aliased edge portion, and rendering an anti-aliased version of the edge portion based on the proportional areas. Various devices, machine-readable media, and other methods for anti-aliasing of a graphical object are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Tremblay
  • Patent number: 8289334
    Abstract: A floating point rasterization and frame buffer in a computer system graphics program. The rasterization, fog, lighting, texturing, blending, and antialiasing processes operate on floating point values. In one embodiment, a 16-bit floating point format consisting of one sign bit, ten mantissa bits, and five exponent bits (s10e5), is used to optimize the range and precision afforded by the 16 available bits of information. In other embodiments, the floating point format can be defined in the manner preferred in order to achieve a desired range and precision of the data stored in the frame buffer. The final floating point values corresponding to pixel attributes are stored in a frame buffer and eventually read and drawn for display. The graphics program can operate directly on the data in the frame buffer without losing any of the desired range and precision of the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Graphics Properties Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Airey, Mark S. Peercy, Robert A. Drebin, John Montrym, David L. Dignam, Christopher Migdal, Danny D. Loh
  • Publication number: 20120256944
    Abstract: A set of rules is used by a processor of a device to render a digital image of handwriting (e.g., handwritten signature) by connecting data points captured on a touch sensitive surface of the device with line segments or curves. A set of rules determines whether two given data points will be connected by a line segment or a curve. If a curve is used, the set of rules determine characteristics of the curve through the derivation of control points. In some implementations, a smoothness adjustment factor can be applied to magnitudes of curve control points to reduce excessive smoothing for large distances between data points and maintain acceptable smoothing for short distances between data points. The magnitude can then be adjusted by multiplying by a constant factor which can be determined (e.g., heuristically) from the processing speed and resolution of the device upon which the curve is being rendered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Lyndley Crumly, David Clark
  • Patent number: 8274679
    Abstract: This invention deters information leakage by a flexible monitoring method according to the characteristic of an image or document. A job analysis section analyzes a print job and separates image data and attribute information. An image generator generates print image data from the image data by referring to the attribute information. A digital watermark generator and synthesis section embed at least part of the attribute information in the print image data. An image transmitter transmits, to a monitoring server, the print image data with at least part of the attribute information added. A monitoring method selector selectively operates the image transmitter or the digital watermark generator and synthesis section based on the attribute information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Tsuchitoi
  • Patent number: 8269788
    Abstract: A processor unit that can be used in a handheld device and configured for anti-aliasing of a vector graphics image, and including a counter value calculator configured to calculate, for one edge at a time and pixel-by-pixel, counter values for each pixel in a rasterization direction, a counter value recorder configured to store the calculated counter values in an edge buffer, and a pixel coverage value calculator configured to calculate pixel coverage values based on the stored counter values. The calculated pixel coverage values can be utilized for anti-aliasing the vector graphics image, while rasterizing the vector graphics image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
    Inventor: Mika Tuomi
  • Patent number: 8269776
    Abstract: A method generates a distance field of an object, where the distance field includes a set of cells and the object includes a set of stylized strokes. Each stylized stroke includes a centerline, a set of profiles, and a set of terminals. A processor is included for performing steps of the method. A first cell of the set of cells enclosing the object is determined. An outside reconstruction method is associated with the first cell. For each stylized stroke, centerline cells of the set of cells are determined, where each centerline cell encloses a portion of the centerline of the stylized stroke. A centerline reconstruction method is associated with each centerline cell. For each terminal of each stylized stroke a terminal distance field is generated, the terminal distance field including a terminal reconstruction method. Reconstructed distances are determined using the reconstruction methods to generate the distance field of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald N. Perry, Sarah F. Frisken
  • Patent number: 8264500
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, feature receiving an image mask where the image mask identifies a first opacity value of pixels in a raster image. The first opacity value ranges between a value representing foreground and a value representing background. Each pixel in the image has a color. A first boundary pixel is identified in the image. A second opacity value for the first boundary pixel is determined using a first local color model of opacity. The first local color model of opacity is determined based on the colors of the pixels in the image within a local neighborhood of the first boundary pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventor: Gregg D. Wilensky
  • Patent number: 8259131
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, by increasing the number of rays issued through adjacent pixels with colors of high contrast while maintaining the number of rays issued through adjacent pixels which do not have colors of high contrast, a ray tracing image processing system may render an anti-aliased image while minimizing the increase in workload experienced by the image processing system. Additionally, according to another embodiment of the invention, by maintaining the number of rays issued through adjacent pixels which have colors of low contrast while increasing the number of rays issued through adjacent pixels which do not have colors of low contrast, the image processing system may reduce workload experienced while performing ray tracing while maintaining the quality of the rendered image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Douglas Brown, Russell Dean Hoover, Eric Oliver Mejdrich
  • Patent number: 8259130
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, by increasing the number of rays issued through adjacent pixels with colors of high contrast while maintaining the number of rays issued through adjacent pixels which do not have colors of high contrast, a ray tracing image processing system may render an anti-aliased image while minimizing the increase in workload experienced by the image processing system. Additionally, according to another embodiment of the invention, by maintaining the number of rays issued through adjacent pixels which have colors of low contrast while increasing the number of rays issued through adjacent pixels which do not have colors of low contrast, the image processing system may reduce workload experienced while performing ray tracing while maintaining the quality of the rendered image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Douglas Brown, Russell Dean Hoover, Eric Oliver Mejdrich
  • Patent number: 8255531
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing mobile device interoperability with other devices may include at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code may be configured, with the processor, to cause the apparatus to perform at least receiving a frame buffer update request from a remote environment, determining a scan interval defining a first portion of the frame buffer over which scanning to determine data changes is to occur and a second portion over which scanning to determine data changes is not to occur, identifying whether a data change occurs in the first portion of the frame buffer by comparing relatively newer data to relatively older data, and updating a selected portion of the frame buffer to the remote environment based on the identifying. A corresponding method and computer program product are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Raja Bose, Jorg Brakensiek, Keun-Young Park
  • Patent number: 8253759
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for anti-aliasing scan conversion. In one aspect of the invention, an exemplary method to scan convert an image on a data processing system includes: sampling the image in a first direction to generate first signals for points along a second line in a second direction using a closed form solution for a convolution integral with a first kernel; and weighting the first signals for the points according to a second kernel in the second direction to generate a second signal for a pixel. In one example according to this aspect, the closed form solution is tabulated in a look up table. After entries are looked up from the look up table according to the image along a first line in the first direction on a first point of the points, the entries are combined to generate one of the first signals for the first point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Ralph Brunner
  • Patent number: 8248662
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a method of using the same, the image forming apparatus including: a detection unit to detect an edge of an input image; a categorization unit to categorize the detected edge, according to a gray value and line width; and a compensation unit to compensate the gray value according to the categorized edge type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyeon-seok Seo
  • Patent number: 8243095
    Abstract: Provided is a rendering apparatus and method. After a rendering image is generated by forming a splat for each of points generated by projecting a model composed of a plurality of points, then a plurality of predetermined regions which extend over a boundary of the generated rendering image are selected for each splat forming the boundary of the rendering image, and a pixel value of each pixel included in each of the selected regions is corrected based on pixel values of the pixel and its surrounding pixels, thereby correcting the boundary of the rendering image to make the boundary appear to be more natural and thus improving the display quality of the rendering image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-young Sim, Seok-yoon Jung
  • Patent number: 8243093
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to creation, modification and implementation of dither pattern structures applied to an image to diminish contouring artifacts. Some aspects relate to dither pattern structures with pixel values in a first color channel pattern that are spatially dispersed from pixel values in a corresponding pattern in a second color channel. Some aspects relate to application. Some aspects relate to systems and apparatus for creation and application of these dither pattern structures comprising pixel values dispersed across color channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiao-Fan Feng, Scott J. Daly
  • Patent number: 8237738
    Abstract: A method and system for smooth rasterization of graphics primitives. The method includes receiving a graphics primitive for rasterization in a raster stage of a processor, rasterizing the graphics primitive by generating a plurality of fragments related to the graphics primitive, and determining a coverage value for each of the plurality of fragments. If one edge of the graphics primitive lies within a predetermined inter-pixel distance from a pixel center, the one edge is used to calculate the coverage value by using a distance to the pixel center. If two edges of the graphics primitive lie within the predetermined inter-pixel distance from the pixel center, a distance to the pixel center of each edge is used individually to calculate the coverage value. The resulting coverage values for the plurality of fragments are output to a subsequent stage of the processor for rendering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Nvidia Corporation
    Inventor: Franklin C. Crow
  • Patent number: 8228341
    Abstract: A plurality of input image signals are synthesized to generate a synthesis signal on the basis of synthesis information indicating an area where input image signals which are image signals of an image composed of at least one of input moving images and still images are respectively synthesized, a motion vector of the synthesis signal is detected, a synthesis interpolation exclusion area is decided where the interpolation in the synthesis signal is not performed on the basis of the synthesis information and interpolation control information indicating an input interpolation exclusion area where the interpolation in the respective input image signals is not performed, and a synthesis signal in-between signal is interpolated and output which is an image signal at an arbitrary time between the synthesis signal and a previous synthesis signal on the basis of the motion vector in an area other than the synthesis interpolation exclusion area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Matsuura
  • Patent number: 8223157
    Abstract: A graphics system that implements a binning database with an accumulation buffer to perform super sampling. In one embodiment, an application of a host machine passes a geometry of a full scene to a binning database which stores the scene in spatially sorted bins. The contents of the bin are passed to rendering hardware, and rendered multiple times, each time with a stochastic offset applied to the sample points. The results are accumulated in an accumulation buffer and prepared for display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: ZiiLabs Inc., Ltd.
    Inventors: David R. Baldwin, Paul Cartwright
  • Patent number: 8224122
    Abstract: A dynamic wide angle image viewing technique is presented which provides a way to view a wide-angle image while zooming between a wide angle view and a narrower angle view that employs both perspective and non-perspective projection models. In general, this involves first establishing the field of view for a view of the wide angle image that is to be displayed. The view is then rendered and displayed based on the established field of view, such that the projection transitions between a perspective projection associated with narrower angle views and a non-perspective projection (e.g., cylindrical, spherical or some other parameterization) associated with wider-angle views.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Cohen, Matthew Uyttendaele, Johannes Kopf
  • Patent number: 8223167
    Abstract: An RGB signal from an input terminal is supplied to a triple over-sampling/sub-pixel control processing unit and a brightness signal generating circuit in which a brightness signal is generated. A brightness edge detection/judgment unit detects an edge from this brightness signal, judges the kind of the edge, fetches a coefficient select signal corresponding to the judgment result from a memory and supplies the signal to the control processing unit. A tap coefficient corresponding to this coefficient select signal is set in the control processing unit and a triple over-sampling processing is executed for each of RGB. For edge parts, R and B sub-pixels the timings of which are displaced by ±? pixel from the input R and B sub-pixels and the pixel gravitys of which are displaced by ±? or ±? pixel in accordance with the kind of the edge are generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Ogino, Katsunobu Kimura, Mitsuo Nakajima, Gen Endou