Testing Or Using Bounding Shape (e.g., Bounding Box Sphere) Patents (Class 345/622)
  • Patent number: 8319825
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to using viewport state data objects (VSDO) to render a series of video frames according to render instructions to achieve video compression. In a particular implementation, the video compression format exposes the VSDO and render instructions to a video render client, allowing the video render client to finish rendering a sequence of video frames from different spatial locations and view transform parameters. Implementations of this video compression format further allow any arbitrary client with enough graphics processing power and bandwidth to retransmit novel, completely rendered viewports to thin clients without taxing the root remote render devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Inventor: Julian Urbach
  • Patent number: 8291324
    Abstract: A network management system allows a network administrator to intuitively manage all components of a heterogeneous networked computer system using views of any component or any set of components. These views are generated in a multi-dimensional, virtual reality environment. Navigation tools are provided that allow an operator to travel through the network hierarchy's representation in the virtual environment using an automatic flight mode. Automatic flight mode determines a reasonable trajectory to a network component that avoids collisions with intervening objects in the virtual environment. Since the system is capable of managing a world-wide network, city, building, subnet, segment, and computer, a view may also display internal hardware, firmware, and software of any network component. Views of network components may be filtered so only components pertaining to a specific business or other interest are displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: CA, Inc.
    Inventors: Reuven Battat, Michael Her, Chandrasekha Sundaresh, Anders Vinberg, Sidney Wang
  • Patent number: 8289320
    Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) graphic rendering apparatus is provided. The 3D graphic rendering apparatus includes an object-information extraction module which extracts a bound box of each of a plurality of objects, including an i-th object and a j-th object, wherein i and j are natural numbers; an object alignment module which aligns the i-th object and the j-th object according to distances of the i-th and j-th objects, based on the extracted bound boxes of the i-th and j-th objects, from a visual point; and a rendering module which sequentially renders the aligned i-th and j-th objects such that an object among the i-th and j-th objects distant from the visual point can be rendered earlier than an object among the i-th and j-th objects less distant from the visual point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byung-Kwon Kang, Sung-Hee Cho
  • Patent number: 8276091
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for assessing a hazard associated with an object are disclosed. The apparatus includes a haptic input/output device coupled to a computer with haptic modeling software and a display device. A virtual object and a virtual passageway are displayed on the display device. The virtual passageway includes a haptic layer along a surface thereof. Force applied by a user to the haptic input/output device causes a cursor on the display device to move the virtual object into the virtual passageway. An interaction of the virtual object with the haptic layer generates a virtual contact force which may be determined by the user sensing a corresponding tactile feedback force generated by the haptic input/output device and/or by the computer processor. The magnitude of the virtual contact force may be used to assess a hazard associated with the virtual object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Ram Consulting
    Inventors: Robert Altkorn, Xiao Chen, Scott Milkovich, John Owens, Brian Rider, Eugene Rider, Daniel Stool
  • Patent number: 8217962
    Abstract: Embodiments for single-pass bounding box calculation are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, the single-pass bounding box calculation includes rendering a first target to a 2-dimensional screen space, whereby the first target includes at least six pixels. The calculation further includes producing transformed vertices in a set of geometry primitives based on an application-specified transformation. The calculation also includes generating six new points for each transformed vertex in the set of geometry primitives. The calculation additionally includes producing an initial third coordinate value for each pixel by rendering the at least six new points generate for each pixel to each corresponding pixel. The calculation further includes producing a post-rasterization value for each pixel by rasterizing the at least six new points rendered to each pixel with each corresponding pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Xin Tong, Chen Li, Jinyu Li
  • Patent number: 8169440
    Abstract: A method of processing data relating to geometrical primitives is disclosed. Each of the primitives has a plurality of vertices. The method uses a plurality of processing elements in parallel with one another, and comprises assigning respective vertex data to the processing elements, on each processing element, and in parallel with one another, performing at least one processing step on vertex data to produce processed vertex data, and transferring processed vertex data between processing elements so as to assemble primitive data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Dave Stuttard, Dave Williams, Eamon O'Dea, Gordon Faulds, John Rhoades, Ken Cameron, Phil Atkin, Paul Winser, Russell David, Ray McConnell, Tim Day, Trey Greer
  • Patent number: 8115774
    Abstract: A method. for use in animation includes the steps of establishing a model having a plurality of joints, exposing a region of a first normal map based on a position of one or more of the joints, and applying the exposed region of the first normal map to the model. A system for use in animation is configured to accomplish these steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC
    Inventors: Christoph Alexander Biehn, Donald J. Hamilton
  • Patent number: 8112712
    Abstract: To provide an image editing technique that enables a user to perform movement and magnification of an image with a single operation, and to perform trimming while grasping image composition in printing, the image editing method includes a step of instructing to move an arbitrary point of an image displayed in an image display area among image data; a step of calculating an image movement amount and a magnification ratio in response to the instruction to move the arbitrary point; and a step displaying a predetermined area of the image data in the image display area on the basis of the image movement amount and the magnification ratio, which are calculated in the calculating step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kentaro Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8107768
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus which makes it possible to automatically defining a processing area in which image processing is to be performed according to the type of image processing, to thereby improve user friendliness. A starting point and an ending point are designated on an image displayed on a display, and coordinates as information on the designated points are acquired. A type of image processing to be performed on the displayed image is selected from among a plurality of types of image processing, and information on the selected type is acquired. An editing area on the displayed image, in which the displayed image is to be subjected to the selected type of image processing, is defined according to the information on the designated points and the selected type of image processing. The display of the image in the defined editing area can be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masakazu Nomoto
  • Patent number: 8098964
    Abstract: A system, a method and computer-readable media for processing raw image data with a graphics processing unit (GPU). Raw image data generated by an imaging sensor is received. A set of instructions for demosaicing the raw image data is communicated to the GPU. The GPU is enabled to demosaic the raw image data by executing the set of instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corp.
    Inventors: Tomasz S.M. Kasperkiewicz, Richard S. Turner, Steven J. White
  • Patent number: 8098264
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for rendering a computer graphics primitive intersected with one or more user-defined clipping planes. The method includes receiving a primitive, a clipping plane and a default scissor window; determining a second scissor window according to the spatial relationship among a first scissor window, the clipping plane and the vertices of the primitive; determining a group of pixels to be rendered by eliminating pixels not covered by an adjusted scissor window from the primitive; and determining a group of actually rendered pixels, in which the actually rendered pixels determining step includes removing the pixels meeting a clipping criterion from the group of pixels to be rendered. The present invention also includes an apparatus for performing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: VIA Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Cai-Sheng Wang
  • Patent number: 8026923
    Abstract: Embodiments for contextual variable scaling relate to selection of objects. For example, such objects may include text, audio, visual, and/or physical objects. In one or more examples, such objects may be selected for variable scaling. For example, variable scaling of such selected objects may be based at least in part on a beginning attribute value and/or an ending attribute value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventor: Rahul Gupta
  • Patent number: 7990574
    Abstract: A printing system includes a converter for replacing graphic elements of a color matched document (104). Conversion replaces original elements (2-4) with replacement elements (21-24, 40-42) having modified transparency attributes so that overprinting elements that overlap areas (10-15) appear as intended when subjected to color matching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Glen Cairns
  • Patent number: 7978205
    Abstract: An enhanced graphics pipeline is provided that enables common core hardware to perform as different components of the graphics pipeline, programmability of primitives including lines and triangles by a component in the pipeline, and a stream output before or simultaneously with the rendering a graphical display with the data in the pipeline. The programmer does not have to optimize the code, as the common core will balance the load of functions necessary and dynamically allocate those instructions on the common core hardware. The programmer may program primitives using algorithms to simplify all vertex calculations by substituting with topology made with lines and triangles. The programmer takes the calculated output data and can read it before or while it is being rendered. Thus, a programmer has greater flexibility in programming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Amar Patel, Charles N. Boyd, David R. Blythe, Jeff M. J. Noyle, Michael A. Toelle, Stephen Harry Wright
  • Patent number: 7952574
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a frustum culling algorithm suitable for hardware implementation. In one embodiment, the method includes the separation of coordinates of a normal vector of each frustum plane of a frustum view into positive normal coordinates and negative normal coordinates. In one embodiment, the separation of the coordinates of each normal vector of the frustum planes enables implicit selection of the coordinates of a negative vertex (N-vertex) of an axis-aligned bounded box (AABB). Once implicitly selected, it is determined whether the N-vertex of the AABB is outside at least one frustum plane. In one embodiment, a determination that the N-vertex of the AABB is outside at least one of the frustum planes provides a trivial reject of objects enclosed by the AABB that are therefore is excluded from the rendering process. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Alexander V. Reshetov
  • Patent number: 7944442
    Abstract: The system includes a shape buffer manager configured to store coverage data in the shape buffer. The coverage data indicates whether each mask pixel is a covered pixel or an uncovered pixel. A mask pixel is a covered pixel when a shape to be rendered on a screen covers the mask pixel such that one or more coverage criteria is satisfied and is an uncovered pixel when the shape does not cover the mask pixel such that the one or more coverage criteria are satisfied. A bounds primitive rasterizer is configured to rasterize a bounds primitive that bounds the shape. The bounds primitive is rasterized into primitive pixels that each corresponds to one of the mask pixels. A pixel screener is configured to employ the coverage data from the shape buffer to screen the primitive pixels into retained pixels and discarded pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Angus M. Dorbie, Alexei V. Bourd, Chun Yu
  • Patent number: 7932905
    Abstract: For ray tracing systems, described methods, media, apparatuses provide for accounting of light energy that will be collected at pixels of a 2-D representation without recursive closure of a tree of ray/primitive intersections, and also provide for adaptivity in ray tracing based on importance indicators of each ray, such as a weight, which may be carried in data structures representative of the rays. Examples of such adaptivity may include determining a number of children to issue for shading an identified intersecting primitive, culling rays, and adding rays to achieve more accurate sampling, if desired. All such adaptivity may be triggered with goal-based indicators, such as a threshold value representative of rendering progress to a time-based goal, such as a frame rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Caustic Graphics, Inc.
    Inventors: Luke Tilman Peterson, James Alexander McCombe, Ryan R. Salsbury
  • Patent number: 7916144
    Abstract: A method for reconstructing an image generated from radial trajectory data in frequency or k-space using a GPU. The method includes using a vertex shader of the GPU to transform coordinates of a window aligned with the radial trajectory data and using a pixel shader of the GPU to combine data along the radial trajectory with the coordinate transformed widow to distribute the data along the radial trajectory fed to the pixel shader into cells of a Cartesian coordinate system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Schiwietz, Ti-chiun Chang
  • Patent number: 7826683
    Abstract: This specification describes technologies relating to directional feathering of an image object. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in a method that includes obtaining an image object and directional information for the image object, the object including a shape having edges. The method also includes creating an opacity mask for the image object based on the shape of the image object. The method further includes processing the opacity mask such that opacity values in the opacity mask are different going from edge to interior of the shape and the opacity mask is processed in accordance with the directional information of the image object. Additionally, the method includes outputting a composite image based on the image object and the opacity mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventor: Matthew J. Phillips
  • Patent number: 7800631
    Abstract: This disclosure describes an apparatus, such as a wireless communication device, that applies a direct evaluation technique to render triangles for the 3D graphical environment. The apparatus includes a rendering engine that defines a rectangular area of pixels, referred to as a bounding box, that bounds the area to be rendered. The rendering engine evaluates coordinates associated with the pixels of the rectangular area to selectively render those pixels that fall within the triangular area. The direct evaluation triangle rendering algorithm may require fewer complex operations than the more computationally intensive interpolation process employed by other systems. As a result, the apparatus may present a 3D graphical environment while preserving as much as possible the available power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Yingyong Qi, Yushi Tian, Ning Bi
  • Patent number: 7800632
    Abstract: This disclosure describes an apparatus, such as a wireless communication device, that applies a direct evaluation technique to render triangles for the 3D graphical environment. The apparatus includes a rendering engine that defines a rectangular area of pixels, referred to as a bounding box, that bounds the area to be rendered. The rendering engine evaluates coordinates associated with the pixels of the rectangular area to selectively render those pixels that fall within the triangular area. The direct evaluation triangle rendering algorithm may require fewer complex operations than the more computationally intensive interpolation process employed by other systems. As a result, the apparatus may present a 3D graphical environment while preserving as much as possible the available power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Yingyong Qi, Yushi Tian, Ning Bi
  • Patent number: 7737966
    Abstract: A geometric data processing apparatus which can determine whether a specific component of a three-dimensional model has changed, display two-dimensional images of the specific component and neighboring components thereof, and indicate whether the change in the specific component influences the images of the neighboring components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Taishi Nishida, Masaaki Kagawa
  • Patent number: 7714877
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for determining clipping distances are described. In one embodiment, a graphics processing apparatus includes a clipping unit and an instruction memory connected to the clipping unit. The instruction memory includes a clipping program to direct the clipping unit to perform clipping operations. The clipping program includes a clipping distance instruction to determine a clipping distance with respect to any of a set of clipping planes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Nvidia Corporation
    Inventors: Vimal S. Parikh, Lordson L. Yue
  • Patent number: 7683916
    Abstract: A method and system for enabling a user to import a user-defined graphics edit into at least one template, the method including the steps of selecting, by the user, at least one first editable object, editing, by the user, at least part of the at least one first editable object, thereby producing a user-defined graphics edit, saving the user-defined graphics edit, selecting, by the user, a template containing at least one second editable object; and applying at least part of the user-defined graphics edit to at least part of the at least one second editable object within the template.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Inventors: Philippe Joseph Ghislain Bossut, Natasha Deganello, Adolfo Vide
  • Patent number: 7656401
    Abstract: A quantization transform, corresponding to a geometric object, is determined. The geometric object represents at least a portion of an object in a three-dimensional scene. The quantization transform is suitable for converting a floating point space to a fixed point space, where the floating point space contains floating point data corresponding to the geometric object. The quantization transform is used to convert floating point data to fixed point data. The floating point data is typically vertices corresponding to the geometric object. Additionally, a quantization transform corresponding to a geometric object is determined. The geometric object represents at least a portion of the three-dimensional scene. The quantization transform is suitable for converting a floating point space to a fixed point space, and the fixed point space contains one or more fixed point data corresponding to the geometric object. The floating point space defines at least the portion of the three-dimensional scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Bruce David D'Amora
  • Patent number: 7639249
    Abstract: Computer-generated images often contain two-dimensional objects that have been converted to three-dimensional objects. The three-dimensional objects appear even more visually appealing when edges of the three-dimensional objects are beveled. A direct insetting process computes a graph of how a shape changes as its edges are swept inwards (or outwards) independently such that the computed graph can be applied to a selected bevel profile to produce an interesting three-dimensional geometry for display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Steven P. Kihslinger
  • Patent number: 7616219
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture provide the ability to modify an appearance style of a computer generated rendering. A computer generated rendering consisting of vector geometry is obtained. A closed second geometry is created in the computer generated rendering. The closed second geometry is then converted to a domain. An appearance style for an active region of the domain is identified and applied to all vector geometry in the active region on a per-pixel basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
    Inventors: Mason J. Foster, Jose Madeira De Freitas Garcia, Joseph Cleveland Ard
  • Patent number: 7616218
    Abstract: Apparatus, system, and method for clipping graphics primitives are described. In one embodiment, a clipping module includes a clipping engine and a clipping controller connected to the clipping engine. The clipping controller is configured to determine which edges of an input graphics primitive intersect a first clipping plane. The clipping controller is configured to direct the clipping engine to clip, with respect to the first clipping plane, a first pair of edges of the input graphics primitive in response to determining that the first pair of edges intersect the first clipping plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Vimal S. Parikh, Andrew J. Tao, Lordson L. Yue
  • Patent number: 7593854
    Abstract: A user is presented with a picture image either in hard-copy or electronic form. Particular picture features in the image each have associated information that is presented to the user upon the user requesting such information by at least selecting the picture feature using a feature-selection arrangement. Should the user select a picture feature for which no information is provided, an identifier of the feature, for example its image coordinates, are output to inform a person involved in providing the picture and related information. Preferably, to request information about a picture feature, the user as well as selecting the feature, also inputs a query by voice; in this case, where the selected feature has no associated information, the user query is also provided back to the person involved in providing the picture and related information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Guillaume Belrose
  • Patent number: 7583272
    Abstract: There are disclosed methods to provide stable pose determinations of various three dimensional shapes. Methods are also disclosed for determining multiple, unique drawing descriptors for two dimensional drawings, and for obtaining intermediate three dimensional representations of two dimensional drawings as one way to determine the descriptor. Methods are also disclosed to provide for searching of two dimensional drawings and three dimensional shapes using user-defined input, which may be a drawing or sketch. User interactivity is provided to further refine search results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Karthik Ramani, Jiantao Pu
  • Patent number: 7551183
    Abstract: A method is described that involves redefining a primitive surface to create a redefined primitive surface. The redefining involves clipping a first edge of the primitive surface to a second edge of a displayable screen area. The first edge of the primitive surface extends outside a guard band region prior to the clipping. The guard band region surrounds the displayable screen area. The clipping causes the redefined primitive surface to have an edge running within the guard band that the primitive surface does not have.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Bimal Poddar
  • Patent number: 7511719
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for rendering an image to available display area based on parameters of one or more unusable display areas. The method includes determining one or more trapezoids for defining the available display area based on the parameters of the one or more unusable display areas. After an image is generated, the method determines if the generated image is within the determined one or more trapezoids, and renders the components of the generated image that are determined to be located within the one or more trapezoids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin J. Conner
  • Patent number: 7511718
    Abstract: A media integration layer including an application programming interface (API) and an object model allows program code developers to interface in a consistent manner with a scene graph data structure in order to output graphics. Via the interfaces, program code adds child visuals to other visuals to build up a hierarchical scene graph, writes Instruction Lists such as geometry data, image data, animation data and other data for output, and may specify transform, clipping and opacity properties on visuals. The media integration layer and API enable programmers to accomplish composition effects within their applications in a straightforward manner, while leveraging the graphics processing unit in a manner that does not adversely impact normal application performance. A multiple-level system includes the ability to combine different media types (such as 2D, 3D, Video, Audio, text and imaging) and animate them smoothly and seamlessly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Sriram Subramanian, Leonardo E. Blanco, Donald B. Curtis, Joseph S. Beda, Gerhard A. Schneider, Greg D. Schechter, Adam M. Smith, Eric S. Vandenberg, Matthew W. Calkins, Kevin T. Gallo, Michael Stokes, Rajat Goel
  • Patent number: 7489321
    Abstract: A method for cropping a computer generated original image on a display, comprising the steps of: adjusting a user-selected movable boundary on the original image to define a cropped image within the boundary, the boundary defined by two or more points on the original image; and, distorting the original image in regions surrounding the points, whereby the boundary is accurately positioned for cropping. And, a method for measuring within a computer generated original image on a display, comprising the steps of: adjusting a user-selected movable line segment on the original image to define points on the original image for measuring between; and, distorting the original image in regions surrounding the points, whereby the points are accurately positioned for measuring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Noregin Assets N.V., L.L.C.
    Inventors: Zeenat Jetha, Andrew Carlisle, Andrew Skiers, David Baar
  • Patent number: 7483023
    Abstract: A seed point is selected inside a structure that is to be segmented in image data. An adaptive model is defined around the seed point, and a preprocessing filter is applied only within the bounding region. A presegmentation of the preprocessed result is performed, and the bounding region is expanded if necessary to accommodate the presegmentation result. An adaptive model for post-processing may be used. The model is translated, rotated and scaled to find a best fit with the pre-segmented data. Additional models can be grown based on testing performed on points on a perimeter of previous models to improve the segmentation of an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Carlos E. Cardenas, Steven F. Owens
  • Patent number: 7446770
    Abstract: An apparatus of drawing graphics includes an edge coefficient calculator calculating, from vertex data on vertices of a triangle, edge coefficients of edge functions used to determine whether a pixel is present in an inside region of the triangle, and a bounding box calculator calculating a bounding box of projected images of the triangle on a projection plane based on the edge coefficients. The apparatus also includes a starting point determiner and a traverser. The starting point determiner classifies the projected images of the triangle based on a combination of the edge coefficients for respective sides of the triangle, and determines a scan starting point from a corner of the bounding box based on classification of the projected images. The traverser generates pixel data used in rasterization by scanning the bounding box from the scan starting point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kokojima, Takahiro Saito, Takashi Takemoto, Jiro Amemiya, Kenichi Mori
  • Patent number: 7439988
    Abstract: Apparatus, system, and method for clipping graphics primitives are described. In one embodiment, a clipping module includes a mapping unit and a clipping engine that is connected to the mapping unit. The mapping unit is configured to map a graphics primitive onto a canonical representation that is defined with respect to a clipping plane. The clipping engine is configured to clip the graphics primitive with respect to the clipping plane based on the canonical representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Nvidia Corporation
    Inventors: Vimal S. Parikh, Henry Packard Moreton, Lordson L. Yue
  • Patent number: 7432925
    Abstract: A quantization transform, corresponding to a geometric object, is determined. The geometric object represents at least a portion of an object in a three-dimensional scene. The quantization transform is suitable for converting a floating point space to a fixed point space, where the floating point space contains floating point data corresponding to the geometric object. The quantization transform is used to convert floating point data to fixed point data. The floating point data is typically vertices corresponding to the geometric object. Additionally, a quantization transform corresponding to a geometric object is determined. The geometric object represents at least a portion of the three-dimensional scene. The quantization transform is suitable for converting a floating point space to a fixed point space, and the fixed point space contains one or more fixed point data corresponding to the geometric object. The floating point space defines at least the portion of the three-dimensional scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Bruce David D'Amora
  • Patent number: 7414636
    Abstract: A setup section acquires vertex data including at least homogeneous coordinate and window coordinate relevant to two vertexes of rendering primitive, that is, segment. An edge coefficient calculation unit calculates an edge coefficient used for determining whether or not a pixel exists inside a projection area (parallelogram) of the segment. A bounding box calculation unit calculates a bounding box of the projection area from at least one vertex data of two vertexes and the edge coefficient. A start point determination unit classifies the projection area based on a combination of the edge coefficient, and determines scan start point and scan performing direction of the bounding box in accordance with the classification. An edge function initial value determination unit determines an edge function of the pixel corresponding to the scan start point as an initial value, and carries out a DDA, and thereby, generates setup data for rasterizing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kokojima, Yosuke Bando
  • Patent number: 7400325
    Abstract: The VPC unit and setup unit of a graphics processing subsystem perform culling operations. The VPC unit performs culling operations on geometric primitives falling within a specific criteria, such as having a property within of a numerical range limit. This limit reduces the complexity of the VPC unit. As increasing rendering complexity typically produces a large number of small primitives, the VPC unit culls many primitives despite its limitations. The VPC unit also includes a cache for storing previously processed vertices in their transformed form, along with previously computed culling information. This increases the VPC unit throughput by reducing the number of memory accesses and culling operations to be performed. The setup unit performs culling operations on any general primitive that cannot be culled by the VPC unit. By performing a first series of culling operations in the VPC unit, the processing burden on the setup unit is decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. Gimby, Henry Packard Moreton, Thomas M. Ogletree, David C. Tannenbaum, Andrew D. Bowen, Christopher J. Goodman, Vimal Parikh, Craig M. Wittenbrink
  • Patent number: 7386862
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a method for allowing Applets to be resized independently from the WEB/HTML page they were created. The Applet is made “detachable”, from a user's point of view, from the WEB/HTML page it was initially created. Pushing a “detach” button creates a floating, independent window, extracts the Applet and places it in that new window. In the original Applet area, a “dock” button is displayed. After this transformation, it will be possible to move and resize the “independent Applet window” at will. However, by pushing the “dock” button, it is still possible to perform the opposite operation, i.e. to “dock” the Applet back on the original location, the WEB/HTML page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Alcatel
    Inventor: Marco Mussini
  • Patent number: 7382377
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Cass W. Everitt, William P. Newhall, Jr., David B. Glasco
  • Patent number: 7376905
    Abstract: An improvement to the known method/system for distribution of elements displayed in GUI windows and similar processing environments is disclosed. A visible, moveable, and size-adjustable bounding box is provided. The user can specify any size for the bounding box and locate the bounding box anywhere in the window. In this manner, the user adjusts the size and location of the bounding box as desired, rather than having to manipulate the various elements to try to define the desired spacing and location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Peter A. Walker, Joseph R. Winchester
  • Patent number: 7348995
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for implementing picture format conversion to X,Y plot for waveform comparisons. A picture file and user selected X,Y boundaries are received. Non-white pixels of the picture file between the user selected X,Y boundaries are converted to X,Y coordinate values in a selected format. The converted X,Y coordinate values are plotted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Richard Boyd Ericson
  • Publication number: 20080043022
    Abstract: A relative position of each object with respect to a point of view is changed by changing at least one of information indicating a position of the point of view and information indicating a position of the object, the pieces of information being stored in a storage section. It is determined whether or not a distance from the point of view to each object in a virtual space is smaller than or equal to a predetermined distance, with reference to the information indicating the point of view and the information indicating the position of the object. Next, information indicating a transparency of an object whose distance is determined to be smaller than or equal to the predetermined distance is updated every a unit time so that the transparency of the object is gradually increased. A virtual image including the object is drawn with reference to the information indicating the transparency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2006
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Applicant: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Susumu Ishihara
  • Publication number: 20080018664
    Abstract: A tile binning method including: dividing a scene for rendering a triangle, into a plurality of tiles; determining identification values of tile nodes of each of the tiles; and identifying a tile including an entirety or a part of the triangle from the tiles, based on the identification value of the tile nodes for each of the tiles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Inventors: Kyoung June Min, Jeong Wook Kim, Dong Soo Kang, Suk Jin Kim, Hee Seok Kim, Seok Yoon Jung, Sang Oak Woo
  • Patent number: 7310103
    Abstract: A system and method for performing viewport clipping for multiple viewports using a pipeline. The pixel address coordinates are compared against boundaries of a first viewport window. The results of this comparison, along with the pixel address coordinates, are registered and passed on to the next pipeline stage. There, the pixel address coordinates are compared against the boundaries of a second viewport window. The comparison results are combined with those passed from the previous stage, and the results are again registered. This scheme is repeated until the pixel has been tested against all the viewport window boundaries, with the intermediate results being combined into a single result indicative of whether the pixel is to be passed to the subsequent stages of the graphics pipeline or clipped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Patton
  • Patent number: 7299420
    Abstract: A graphical user interface is provided which allows the user to perform numerous operations suitable for analysis of in-vivo images within a single display screen or a single window. Using the the-vivo GUI, the user may create and manipulate analysis tools such as rectangle and ellipse tools to define regions of interest and perform various measurements on an in-vivo image. In addition, the GUI allows the user to store measurement results in a dated electronic notebook, display testing information, manipulate image presentation and print while maintaining view of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Xenogen Corporation
    Inventor: Michael D. Cable
  • Patent number: 7292242
    Abstract: Clipping techniques introduce additional vertices into existing primitives without requiring creation of new primitives. For an input triangle with one vertex on the invisible side of a clipping surface, a quadrangle can be defined. The vertices of the quadrangle are the two internal vertices of the input triangle and two clipped vertices. For determining attribute values for pixel shading, three vertices of the quadrangle are selected, and a parameter value for an attribute equation is computed using the three selected vertices. For determining pixel coverage for the quadrangle, the three edges that do not correspond to the edge created by clipping are used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: NVIDA Corporation
    Inventors: Craig M. Wittenbrink, Henry Packard Moreton, Douglas A. Voorhies, John S. Montrym, Vimal S. Parikh
  • Patent number: 7286139
    Abstract: A method for rendering a visible portion of an image that includes a plurality of graphics primitives. The size of the graphics primitives may be large and require the use of floating point numbers to represent the vertices. When the graphics primitives have a common vertex that is visible, the edge functions for the primitive are computed so as to avoid the common vertex becoming different for the different primitives. If the other vertices of the graphics primitives lie outside a bounding rectangle, then a vertex is formed at the intersection of the bounding rectangle and the graphics primitive. Fixed point numbers for the common vertex and other vertices including intersection vertices are then used to compute edge functions of the primitive and the primitive is rendered using the edge functions. If the common vertex is not visible, then floating point numbers are used to compute the edge functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Via Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Yang (Jeff) Jiao