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.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for editing a digital image with automatic conversion of region modalities. Input comprising an instruction to perform an operation on a first portion of the digital image may be received. The first portion of the digital image may comprise data defined by a first region modality. The operation may be applicable to data defined by a second region modality. In response to receiving the input, the first portion of the digital image may be automatically converted from the first region modality to the second region modality. The operation may be automatically performed on the converted first portion of the digital image (i.e., as defined by the second region modality).

Abstract: An apparatus and method for selectively outputting image frames are provided. The apparatus includes a main topic frame extractor which extracts a main topic frame, which expresses a main topic selected by a user, from continuous image frames; a composite image frame creator which extracts a key object to realize the main topic from the main topic frames, and estimates a background object with respect to the key object to create a composite image frame using the key object and the background object; a wide-angle image frame creator which creates a wide-angle image frame, which includes the composite image frame and an image frame having common information to the composite image frame, among the continuous image frames; an attractive region setting unit which sets an attractive region with respect to the wide-angle image frame; and an output unit which outputs the attractive region.

Abstract: An alternate display content controller provides a technique for controlling a video display separately from and in addition to the content displayed on the operating system display surface. Where the display is a computer monitor, the alternate display content controller interacts with the computer utility operating system and hardware drivers to control allocation of display space and create and control one or more parallel graphical user interfaces in addition to the operating system desktop. An alternate display content controller may be incorporated in either hardware or software. As software, an alternate display content controller may be an application running on the computer operating system, or may include an operating system kernel of varying complexity ranging from dependent on the utility operating system for hardware system services to a parallel system independent of the utility operating system and capable of supporting dedicated applications.

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.

Abstract: A method for test-wearing image producing method for a personal product includes the steps of: posting a base image layer which contains an image of a wearer; defining a display area and a masking area on the base image layer in responsive to the personal product being physically worn by the wearer; selecting a product image layer containing an image of the personal product to locate on the base image layer; and creating a test-wearing image, wherein a portion of the image of the personal product within the display area is visibly shown on the image of the wearer while a portion of the image of the personal product within the masking area is invisibly hidden, such that the test-wearing image contains a virtual appearance of the wearer physically wearing the personal product.

Abstract: Presented herein are a system and method for sharpening edges in a region. In one embodiment, there is presented a method for sharpening edges. The method comprises measuring differences between at least a value associated with a first pixel and a value associated with a second pixel of a plurality of pixels; and applying a sharpening mask to the plurality of pixels, wherein the sharpening mask is a function of at least one of the measured differences, a first value associated with any one of the plurality of pixels, and a second value associated with any other of the pixels, thereby resulting in sharpened pixels.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for improving content visibility on a liquid crystal display (LCD) under low-contrast viewing conditions. According to one aspect of the present invention an enhanced image may be formed by combining a key-feature map associated with an input image and a brightness-boosted version of the input image.

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.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is described. The method includes generating a coarse resolution image from a finer resolution image, generating a coarse coverage mask that identifies valid and non-valid data in the coarse resolution image, and determining whether data in the finer resolution image is valid or non-valid data based on whether corresponding data identified by the coarse coverage mask is valid or non-valid data. In certain embodiments, generating a coarse resolution image can include segmenting the finer resolution image into tiles and compressing each tile. Compressing each tile can be preformed using a lossless compression, and at least two tiles can be transmitted to separate computing devices and compressed in parallel.

Abstract: A method of displaying a computer application comprising a plurality of objects within an initially transparent application window comprises creating an animated content window below the application window for each animated content object of the computer application and directing the player responsible for playing the animated content object to draw the animated content directly therein. The objects of the computer application are examined and a clipping mask for each animated content object corresponding generally to the animated content window created therefor is defined. Starting from bottom to top, an object from the list is selected. If the selected object is not an animated content object, the object is drawn within the application window except in areas corresponding to the clipping masks.

Abstract: A system redacts content in a multi-layered document by executing a content modifier process that redacts a first portion of content in a source layer and then automatically redacts related content in at least one target layer. The content modifier process overlays the source redaction region on corresponding areas of other layers in the document to identify target redaction regions in those other layers that contain target content. In turn, the content modifier process automatically identifies and redacts the target content within target redaction regions.

Abstract: A noted image information extraction section 31 specifies a region of a noted image in an original image, and noted image information containing information relating to position and size of the noted image WMM region within the original image is extracted. Continuing on, mask image formation means 31 forms a mask image by displaying superimposed on the original image, based on noted image information and mask image information registered in a mask image information file. As a result, a mask image comprised of element images selected using element image selection information contained in mask image information is formed at a specified position and specified size in the noted image region of the original image. A composite image having the mask image superimposed on the original image is then formed by composite image formation means 33. As a result, an image that a user has rendered in an original image is simply and appropriately formed, regardless of whether it is a still image or a moving picture.

Abstract: Systems and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing techniques for compositing a digital image. The invention performs the steps of identifying a graphics element in a compositing order, the graphics element identifying a source image from among a plurality of images; copying the source image into a working buffer; using the element to modify the working buffer by applying a general filtering operation to data in the working buffer; and crossfading a first image with the modified working buffer.

Abstract: A background image wherein areas in which still images are to be rendered have been defined is prepared. Product images are obtained by multiplying mask images and positioned still images together. The background image and the product images are added to obtain a sum image that constitutes one frame of a slideshow. A plurality of still-image portions obtained from a plurality of still images in one frame are contained in the sum image. An advanced slideshow is thus obtained.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for editing a digital image with automatic conversion of region modalities. Input comprising an instruction to perform an operation on a first portion of the digital image may be received. The first portion of the digital image may comprise data defined by a first region modality. The operation may be applicable to data defined by a second region modality. In response to receiving the input, the first portion of the digital image may be automatically converted from the first region modality to the second region modality. The operation may be automatically performed on the converted first portion of the digital image (i.e., as defined by the second region modality).

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.

Abstract: The invention provides methods of protecting selected regions of an image from subsequent modification during the operation of a graphics application. The methods allow a user to select a region of an image to protect, and to assign a level of protection to the selected region. Subsequent brush strokes in the region are then attenuated according to the assigned level of protection and blended into the image without artifacts caused by overlapping strokes. The invention also provides a method of blending individual strokes into a texture without segmentation artifacts.

Abstract: Decomposing a computer display image into different layer types and associated masks based on the unique nature of the image is disclosed. These types include text, objects, background and pictures. A set of image masks is used to uniquely identify different layer types within an image, where each layer type includes none, some or all of the pixels of the original image. Each layer of the image is processed prior to transmission (i.e. compressed) using a method appropriate for the characteristics of that layer.

Abstract: A method for determining a depth ordering between two planes in a 3D workspace of an application is provided. The method includes projecting vectors from a reference position through points of interest on the planes, determining corresponding points on the other plane, determining a number of points of interest on a first plane having a depth lower than its corresponding point and a number of points of interest on a second plane having a depth lower than its corresponding point, and setting the depth ordering based on these numbers. A method for displaying interconnects between nodes of a tree displayed in an application is provided. A node represents a multimedia item or a function and an interconnect represents data passed between two nodes. The method includes displaying an interconnect in the tree having an appearance indicating at least one characteristic of the data being passed between two nodes.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus implementing systems and techniques for revealing a clipped portion of an image. In general, in one implementation, the techniques include presenting a visual representation of an image object having a clipped portion hidden from view in the visual representation, and during an edit operation, revealing the clipped portion of the image object as a transparent image overlay in the visual representation.

Abstract: A simplified general model and an associated estimation algorithm is provided for modeling visual data such as a video sequence. Specifically, images or frames in a video sequence are represented as collections of flat moving objects that change their appearance and shape over time, and can occlude each other over time. A statistical generative model is defined for generating such visual data where parameters such as appearance bit maps and noise, shape bit-maps and variability in shape, etc., are known. Further, when unknown, these parameters are estimated from visual data without prior pre-processing by using a maximization algorithm. By parameter estimation and inference in the model, visual data is segmented into components which facilitates sophisticated applications in video or image editing, such as, for example, object removal or insertion, tracking and visual surveillance, video browsing, photo organization, video compositing, etc.

Abstract: A portion of a digital image is displayed. A change associated with a mask is received, where the mask is associated with a displayed portion of the digital image. A transformation to be applied is determined based at least in part on the received change. A new portion of the digital image is displayed based at least in part on the received change and the transformation, where the new portion that is displayed has the same center point as the previously displayed portion.

Abstract: A system and method for allowing a user to exercise control over a first image that is not directly accessible because it is covered by a second image. Electronic product designs for online user editing are assembled from multiple overlying images. If a content image in a design is positioned beneath a second image, such as an image that adds a visual effect to the content image, a transparent surrogate image of the same size and the same position in the product design as the content image is positioned above the second image. The surrogate image is linked to the content image such that user selection of the surrogate image is interpreted by the system as a request by the user to select the content image, giving the user the impression that the user is directly accessing the content image.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for multimedia content based manipulation. The method comprises the masking at least one part of the segment of an interaction, said masking can include the hiding, blurring, or alternatively, the enhancing or focusing on a region of interest.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for combining raster image masks in a digital image. A first raster image mask may be generated that comprises a first set of one or more pixels having a first intermediate value for membership in the first raster image mask. A second raster image mask may be generated that comprises the first set of one or more pixels having a second intermediate value for membership in the second raster image mask. The first raster image mask and the second raster image mask may be combined to generate a third raster image mask, wherein a boundary of the third raster image mask is not greater than a combined boundary of the first raster image mask and the second raster image mask.

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.

Abstract: A user interface method and system for controlling automated image processing operations of HCS and/or HTS systems includes a graphical interface to enable user designation of an image naming convention, image sources and destinations, image processing channels, processing parameter values, and processing spatial designations. The graphical interface includes an image viewer.

Abstract: The system includes a bounds primitive rasterizer that rasterizes a bounds primitive into a selection of primitive pixels. The selection of primitive pixels bounds a shape to be rendered to a screen. The system also includes a pixel mask generator that generates a pixel mask for the shape. The pixel mask includes mask pixels that each corresponds to one of the primitive pixels. A mask pixel is a covered pixel when the shape covers at least a threshold portion of the mask pixel and is an uncovered pixel when the shape does not cover the mask pixel. The system also includes a pixel screener configured to retain primitive pixels that correspond to covered mask pixels and to discard primitive pixels that correspond to uncovered mask pixels.

Abstract: Computerized techniques are provided for linking digitized images of serial sections of a biological tissue sample. Linked, digitized images of the serial section are displayed on a display and manipulation of one digitized image causes other digitized images to be similarly manipulated. To link digitized images, a copy of a digitized image of one serial section is positioned over a digitized image of another serial section. The digitized image of the other serial section is visible through the copy. The transparency of the copy is changed to effect change of the visualization of the digitized image of the other serial section. The copy is registered to the digitized image of the other serial section.

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.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus implementing a technique for preparing one or more vector data objects for rendering. In general, in one aspect, the technique includes receiving an object that is a vector data object and defining clipping states of the object. Each clipping state of the object represents an appearance of the object for a region of the object. The technique includes, for each clipping state, determining whether a clipping path is needed to render the appearance of the object represented by the clipping state and generating clipping instructions in accordance with the determining. The technique includes, for each clipping state, generating rendering instructions for rendering the appearance of the region of the object represented by the clipping state. The technique includes associating the generated clipping and rendering instructions to the corresponding clipping states.

Abstract: Planar substrates are printed, cut, and folded to form three-dimensional cartons. Given graphics intended to appear on a carton surface or panel, printed graphics are laid-out and automatically positioned and manipulated using structural information associated with the cartons. Preferably a single computer-generated graphics file is created for use in printing the various panels and flaps. The graphics design can be overlaid on a computer image of the substrate, and graphic portions can be rotated, scaled, and aligned to properly fit printing areas on what will be panels and flaps (after cutting occurs). A computer generated three-dimensional image of the carton showing graphics printed on the panels and flaps can be manipulated by a graphics artist to confirm accuracy of the graphic file data before actual printing occurs.

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.

Abstract: An image processor for processing endoscopic images is provided with a first masking processor for masking a useless marginal area of each frame of the endoscopic image that is output from an endoscope, a PIP processor for resolution conversion and PIP processing of the endoscopic image frames after the masking, and a second masking processor for masking a composite image output from the PIP processor. The PIP processor may be configured using a commercially available general-purpose IC for video output. Although a border between an image display area and a masked area of the endoscopic image gets rough as a result of the resolution conversion to increase the resolution of the image, the second masking processor masks the rough-edged border so as to sharpen the border, so the rim around the image display area is sharp and clear as the endoscopic image is displayed on the screen.

Abstract: A method of compositing a plurality of ordered image layers which include a group of consecutive layers. The group has a shape effect and a composition effect. Any image layers under the group are composited to generate a first intermediate image. A first subset of the plurality of image layers is composited to generate a second intermediate image, the first intermediate image is composited with the second intermediate image according to the composition effect to generate a third intermediate image, and the third intermediate image is composited with a second subset of the plurality of image layer to generate a fourth intermediate image. The first intermediate image is cross-faded with the fourth intermediate image according to the shape effect to generate a fifth intermediate image. The fifth intermediate image is composited with any remaining image layers to generate a final image.

Abstract: A mark on a surface in sensed by a pen as the mark is made on the surface using the pen. The surface has printed thereon a pattern of markings that define a two-dimensional coordinate system. Stroke data associated with the mark is stored. The stroke data includes coordinates corresponding to a subset of the pattern of markings traversed by the mark. The stroke data is associated with a region of the surface. The stroke data is operated on according to an operation associated with the region.

Abstract: A system and method for displaying a glyph on a graphical user interface to protect the displayed glyph against eavesdropping. The method comprises providing multiple frames of the glyph, each frame representing a partial glyph which includes at least one component of the glyph. The multiple frames of the glyph may be displayed successively, at a predetermined frequency, on the graphical user interface so that a user observes the glyph by visually integrating the successive multiple frames of partial glyphs. The glyph may be a combination of glyphs including characters, keys or images which may represent an onscreen keyboard or keypad. The glyph may be moved across the graphical user interface and may further be obfuscated.

Abstract: A method and system for decoding data on a medium that is captured by an input device is described. The method decodes a symbol design, such as an embedded interaction code (EIC), on a display screen, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD). An image that is captured by an input device, such as a universal pen-type input device with a camera, is received. The captured image is processed to output an extracted bit stream. Position data and/or metadata information is decoded from the extracted bit stream and a position of the captured image with respect to a screen of the LCD is determined based upon the decoded position data. The EIC pattern may be recognized from LCD pixel grids and a bit stream of EIC bits may be extracted based upon the recognized EIC pattern.

Abstract: Methods and computer readable media for generating displays of user-defined blocks of networking addresses on a map of an associated address space are provided. Each block of networking addresses is described in a user-defined table with a start address and a map size. The display for each block of network addresses may be rendered on the map at a location based on the relative position of the start address within the associated address space and of a size based on the mask size in relation to the associated address space.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for masking and overlaying images in a multiple projector system are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for compensating for clipped portions of one or more objects in an image provide a boundary mask portion adjacent to one or more edges of an image display. The boundary mask portion is used to display information which will fill clipped portions of the objects in the image.

Abstract: A surveillance system includes an image deformation unit for deforming the image captured or picked up by a surveillance camera so that the appearance of a specified region within this image has the same geometric shape as that of its corresponding region on the map, and an image synthesis display unit operable to extract the specific region of the deformed image and synthesize it in the corresponding map region for on-screen visualization, obtaining the mutual relationship of a plurality of images.

Abstract: A computer readable medium is provided embodying instructions executable by a processor to perform a method for generating a volumetric mask. The method includes providing a closed surface mesh, determining a discrete volume representation of the closed surface mesh, determining a temporary surface mask based on the closed surface mesh and a slice direction chosen from the discrete volume representation to produce a contour of the closed surface mesh for each slice of the discrete volume representation, and filling a surface defined by the contours to generate the volumetric mask.

Abstract: The invention provides methods of protecting selected regions of an image from subsequent modification during the operation of a graphics application. The methods allow a user to select a region of an image to protect, and to assign a level of protection to the selected region. Subsequent brush strokes in the region are then attenuated according to the assigned level of protection and blended into the image without artifacts caused by overlapping strokes. The invention also provides a method of blending individual strokes into a texture without segmentation artifacts.

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

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses that enable memory devices to inform graphical processing systems about the results of WRITE de-skew training. A WRITE-TRAINING mode is added to a memory device. When the WRITE-TRAINING mode is asserted the memory data mask (DM) pin is converted to an output port. Incoming WRITE data is strobed-into the memory device and the resulting data pattern is compared to a desired pattern. If the incoming WRITE data and strobed-in data match, that result is sent to the graphical processing system by setting the DM pin HIGH. If the incoming WRITE data and the strobed-in data do not match, that result is sent to the graphical processing system by setting the DM pin LOW. Beneficially, the incoming data and the desired pattern are derived from pseudo random bit sequence (PRBS) sources.

Abstract: In this method, the surface to be investigated is first of all exposed to collimated light and the radiation rejected therefrom supplied to a position-resolving image processing means. Then, a mask is generated on the basis of the image supplied by the image processing means, said mask having masked regions being defined by relatively bright areas of said image and unmasked regions being defined by relatively dark areas of said image. Now, the surface to be investigated is exposed to diffuse light and the radiation rejected therefrom supplied to the image processing means, with only the radiation from the unmasked regions being taken into consideration for analyzing purposes.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and apparatus for hardware acceleration of display data clipping. In one embodiment, all display data is presented to the display system. The display system uses its hardware to clip the undesired data and display the desired data. In one embodiment, the display system has one or more clipping registers. As display data arrives from each source, the information's display location is classified by all the clipping registers. Only pixels which are calculated to be visible by the clipping registers is written to memory for later display. In one embodiment, the display system has an extra amount of memory, termed “display mask memory.” In one embodiment, there is a corresponding data location in the display mask memory for each pixel in the display memory. In one embodiment, the display system has another set of memory, termed “low-resolution display mask memory.