Image Based (addressing) Patents (Class 345/667)
  • Patent number: 6956589
    Abstract: A method and system for generating an image display plan is provided. In one embodiment, a planning system allows a user to create a display plan that specifies a sequence of images that are to be displayed and how the images are to be displayed. The planning system allows a user to specify different versions of the plan for different aspect ratios. When displaying the image, the planning system may display multiple viewports simultaneously on the image, one for each of the different aspect ratios. The planning system may allow the multiple viewports to be moved around and resized as a unit maintaining a common center point for the viewports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Beon Media Inc.
    Inventors: Scott E. Lipsky, Paul Brownlow
  • Patent number: 6954219
    Abstract: A method and system of scaling images on a video display is disclosed. A video data stream is processed into video data, which is displayed on a video display at a predetermined aspect ratio. A user manipulable controller, such as a joystick, is operative with a graphics processor unit for scaling images on the video display by obtaining video source values of pixel width and height to be displayed and determining the smallest integer increment on the x/y axis that will maintain the desired aspect ratio using a greatest common denominator to reduce the ratio to the lowest integer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Theodore H. Hermanson
  • Patent number: 6933955
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and device for representation on a digital television screen. The process for the representation on a digital television screen of a display comprising the representation of a video signal, the representation of applications and the representation of the navigator is characterized in that it comprises a step of detecting the activation of the navigator, a step of resizing the display of the video signal and the representation of applications according to one and the same homothetic reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing S.A.
    Inventors: Valérie Crocitti, Pierre Houeix, Caroline Landry
  • Patent number: 6922192
    Abstract: The present invention relates to display adjustment and balance methods for liquid crystal displays, LCDs. A wide-range display position adjustment method is described. Compared with the prior art liquid crystal display controllers, the embodiments of this invention are not limited by the width of the vertical and horizontal front and back porch regions of the timing diagrams. These porch values are a function of the display chip technology. The display location control of this invention is independent of the limits of the front and back porch times. The embodiments of this invention facilitate the design of a display position control circuit which allows the image display to be rolled around anywhere on the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Etron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Ming-Hung Wang
  • Patent number: 6900819
    Abstract: A system for automatic emphasis of freeform annotations contained within an electronic document is performed based on a determined importance of each annotation. The importance of each annotation is determined by a mark parser that groups, types and ranks each of the annotations. A weighted value is assigned to each grouped, ranked and typed annotation based on temporal and spatial information. The display characteristics of the weighted annotation is altered based on the weighted value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Catherine C. Marshall, Frank M. Shipman, III, Gene Golovchinsky, William N. Schilit, Kei Tanaka, Morgan N. Price
  • Patent number: 6873343
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating a background or foreground image at different resolutions with a scalable graphic thereon is described. In one embodiment, the method comprises selecting a version of an image for display with a scalable graphic. The version of the image is at one of a plurality of resolutions. The method also includes generating the version of the image from a first image bitstream from which versions of the image at two or more of the plurality of resolutions could be generated. One of the versions is generated using a first portion of the first image bitstream and a second of the versions is generated using the first portion of the first image bitstream and a second portion of the first image bitstream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Zoran Corporation
    Inventor: Charles K. Chui
  • Patent number: 6865404
    Abstract: A handset including a user interface having an input, a display for presenting an item, and a selection device coupled to the input for selecting an item presented on the display. The item may be presented in contracted format and/or expanded format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones Limited
    Inventors: Päivi Tikkala, Mikko With, Christian Kraft
  • Patent number: 6839068
    Abstract: If the main picture's size contained in a picture data file is equal to or smaller than the display's size of a displaying portion, a controlling portion displays the main picture in the display area. If the main picture's size is larger than the display's size and the picture data file does not contain a thumbnail, the controlling portion reduces the main picture's size and displays the reduced main picture. If the main picture's size is larger than the display's size and the thumbnail's size contained in the picture data file is equal to or smaller than the display's size, the controlling portion displays the thumbnail. If the main picture's size is larger than the display's size and the thumbnail's size contained in the picture data file is larger than the display's size, the controlling portion reduces the thumbnail's size and displays the reduced thumbnail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 6833845
    Abstract: An image object content generation device has a key generation unit that generates a key that is a reference for distinguishing an object pixel from a background pixel per pixel of an inputted image signal, a frame size changing unit that changes a frame size of the image signal, and a low frequency component passing unit that removes high frequency components of the image signal which was processed in the frame size changing unit. The image object generation device also has a pixel compensation unit that performs a padding processing to the image signal which was processed in the low frequency component passing unit by using Low Pass Extrapolation padding algorithm, and a pixel selecting unit that selects one of the Image signal which was processed in the low frequency component passing unit and the image signal which was processed in the pixel compensation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisaku Kitagawa, Yoshiyuki Mochizuki, Tadashi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6816817
    Abstract: A technique for monitoring operational parameters of networked components includes storing data within each component descriptive of the component. The data is polled by a monitoring station and provides a basis for monitor views compiled in real time. The monitor views provide a view of current levels of parameters controlled or monitored by each device, such as on virtual meters. Historical levels of operational parameters may be presented in virtual strip chart output. Textual descriptions of the components are provided, along with listings of key settings. More detailed data may be accessed by links between the monitor views and other user viewable representations for the system and the specific components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Retlich, Jinghui Luo, Dave Blair
  • Patent number: 6760041
    Abstract: Electronic equipment which provides an easier-to-use user interface for zoom-in and zoom-out actions has a switch which includes a pressure-sensitive unit, and a processing unit that performs enlargement or reduction processing depending on the output from the pressure-sensitive unit. A computer is provided, which has a controller which has the pressure-sensitive unit a unit which generates a pressure-sensing output signal depending on a pushing pressure of a user, sensed by the pressure-sensitive unit. The computer further has a unit for converting the pressure-sensing output signal to a deformation amount for an object on the screen of the monitor and a unit which deforms the object displayed on the monitor depending on the deformation amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Komata
  • Patent number: 6751565
    Abstract: Waveform data contains waveform signals having transition events and is subdivided into data blocks. Indexing elements are provided for each waveform signal that correspond to a time range of the waveform data, and have a pointer to a data block within which transition events for the waveform signal are stored. Each indexing element has a maximum interval value that indicates the maximum amount of time spanned between transition events of the waveform signal. A minimum time resolution that may be adequately resolved on the display is computed. For indexing elements having maximum interval values that exceed the minimum time resolution, the pointers of the indexing elements are used to access and draw transition events for the waveform signals. For indexing elements having maximum interval values that are less than the minimum time resolution, a predetermined image in place of transition events for the waveform signals is drawn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Springsoft, Inc.
    Inventors: Edwin Kurt Naroska, Fei-Pei Lai, Chung-Chia Chen
  • Patent number: 6750876
    Abstract: A programmable display controller for use in a digital imaging system has a video control register, a data access controller and a programmable modulator. The programmable display control is designed to be used with a digital imaging systems, such as digital cameras, having a variety of display different devices that require respective different control signals, different image signal modulations, and so on. The video control register stores video mode bits indicating the type of video signal to output. The data access controller has a buffer for requesting image data and storing the requested image data in the buffer. The programmable modulator, in response to the video mode bits, generates a video signal from the image data stored in the buffer. In some embodiments, a decoder detects and decodes a link code in received image data. An address generator is responsive to the decoder and outputs a link address corresponding to the decoded link code for fetching image data that is stored at the link address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: ESS Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sean R. Atsatt, William S. Jacobs
  • Patent number: 6747668
    Abstract: An image reducing device comprises a simple-averaging device that calculates a simple average of data of pixels of each simple-averaging area of original image data to acquire a pixel of middle image data, and a weighted-averaging device that multiplies data of pixels of the middle image data that are adjacent to a pixel of reduced image data by weight coefficients according to positions of the pixel of the reduced image data and the pixels of the middle image data to acquire the pixel of the reduce image data. In this method, the weighted-averaging is performed after the number of pixels are reduced by the simple-averaging, and this can obtain the reduced image of high quality without overloading the software and hardware. In addition, the edging can be easily performed at the same time as the weighted-averaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshihiro Tanizawa
  • Patent number: 6747667
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing image stretching, including text image stretching, on a display panel. A video system for controlling the display panel includes a device (e.g., a video device driver) for indicating if the video system is capable of stretching the image. The video system also includes a second device (e.g., a video BIOS program) for activating the image stretching if it is indicated that the video system is capable of stretching the image. The video system may include a third device (e.g., a video chipset) for stretching an image presented for display on the display panel if image stretching is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Keith J. Huntington
  • Patent number: 6741270
    Abstract: Conventionally, text boxes are used to inform an image capture device of the size of an area to which a captured image will need to be scaled, when fitting the captured image into that area of the composite document. In contrast, size selection systems, methods and graphical user interfaces allow the user to select one of a number of predetermined sets of scale dimensions that the captured image is to be scaled to. The size selection systems, methods and graphical user interfaces provide an alternative method for specifying the dimensions that a captured image is to be scaled to. In various exemplary embodiments of the size selection systems, methods and graphical user interfaces, an image size tab of a graphical user interface for an image capture driver includes a scale portion. The scale portion, in addition to having a number of dimension boxes that allow the user to directly input the desired dimensions to which the captured image is to be scaled, also includes a dimension list box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Kristinn R. Rzepkowski, Rudolph A. Rodrigues
  • Patent number: 6718074
    Abstract: A machine vision inspection system and method that increase the resolution of object image-data without physically manipulating the physical optics of cameras used during inspection. The exemplary embodiment of the invention provides a system and method that perform what may be characterized as a digital zoom. Using this digital zoom, the resolution of object image-data provided by a camera may be artificially increased. Moreover, in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the invention, a determination may be made regarding whether portions of the object image-data are under-resolved, and based on that determination, a local digital zoom may be performed on that under-resolved portion of object image-data to increase the resolution of that portion of object image-data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Dutta-Choudhury, Joe Scola, Brad Safford, Igor Reyzin
  • Patent number: 6714210
    Abstract: A method of resolution conversion is disclosed. The method calculates a scaling factor for a first set of discrete data values compared to said second set of discrete data values. A plurality of filter function coefficients are calculated, based on the scaling factor, utilising at least one of a plurality of filter functions. The filter function coefficients are stored and later used to perform interpolation on the first set of discrete data values to generate the second set of discrete data values at a different resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Dominic Yip, Andrew Peter Bradley, Kai Huang
  • Patent number: 6680742
    Abstract: An image display system includes a host side for executing an application and transmitting image data having a P dot width in a block unit with the number of m dots as the width of the block. A panel side is connected through a digital I/F line to the host side, which converts the image data having a P dot width by using magnification to produce data having an R dot width and then displays the image data. The panel side executes scaling by using a block having an integral value obtained by a R×m/P set as a dot width and a block having a dot width of an added integral value obtained by adding 1 to the integral value, and converts by magnification the image data received from the host side in block unit based on the executed scaling and displays the image data on a panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Johji Mamiya, Yoh Sugiuchi, Kazushi Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 6677956
    Abstract: A computer implemented method cross-fades intensities of a plurality of overlapping images by identifying pixels in a target image that are only produced by a first source image. The weights of all the corresponding pixels in the first source image are set to one. Pixels in a second source images contributing to the target image are similarly identified and set to one. the weight of each remaining pixel in the first and second images is inversely proportional to a distance to a nearest pixel having a weight of one. Then, the first and second source image can be projected to form the target image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc., University of North Carolina
    Inventors: Ramesh Raskar, Gregory F. Welch, Kok-Lim Low
  • Patent number: 6674436
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for increasing the perceived quality of displayed images. This is achieved in a variety of ways including the use of a plurality of device specific display characteristics when preparing images for display. It is also achieved through the monitoring of display device and/or ambient light conditions, e.g., on a periodic basis, and using the obtained information when controlling display output. Another approach to improving the perceived quality of displayed images involves the use of information relating to a specific user's ability to perceive image characteristics such as color. By customizing display output to an individual user's own physical perception capabilities and/or viewing characteristics it is possible to enhance the image quality perceived by the individual viewer as compared to embodiments which do not take into consideration individual user characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Bodin Dresevic, William Hill, Gregory Hitchcock, Leroy B. Keely, John C. Platt, J. Turner Whitted
  • Patent number: 6670965
    Abstract: A first scanline of an input image is spatially transformed into a first pixel sequence of an output image. Holes in the first sequence are interpolated if magnifying the input image. Overlapping pixels in the first sequence are adjusted if minifying the input image. After transforming the first scanline, a second scanline of the source image is transformed into a second pixel sequence of the output image. Holes in the second sequence are interpolated if magnifying the input image. Overlapping pixels in the second sequence are adjusted if minifying the input image. Overlapping pixels across the first and second sequences are adjusted and holes between the first and second sequences are interpolated if rotating the input image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Jack R. McKeown
  • Publication number: 20030228071
    Abstract: A resampling technique selects positions for resampled pixels in a resampled tile such that adjacent tiles need not be retrieved to obtain a value for the resampled pixel. Thus, the resampled pixel does not depend on source pixels in adjacent source tiles. As a result, the resampling technique accelerates image resampling by localizing computation of resampled pixels to the source tile that contains the resampled pixel. In an alternate embodiment, the resampling technique combines separately computed partial results for a resampled pixel rather than incurring data transfer and synchronization overhead for transferring whole source tiles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Publication date: December 11, 2003
    Applicant: AXS TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Joaquin Tarraga Gimenez, Benoit Gennart
  • Patent number: 6661427
    Abstract: A graphics integrated circuit chip is used in a set-top box for controlling a television display. The graphics chip processes analog video input, digital video input, graphics input and audio input simultaneously. A video scaling system preferably conserves memory by downscaling video prior to capturing the video in memory and upscaling video after the video is called out of memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander G. MacInnis, Chengfuh Jeffrey Tang, Xiaodong Xie, James T. Patterson, Greg A. Kranawetter
  • Publication number: 20030206184
    Abstract: A display device includes a controller and an interface to display content or media (e.g., image or video data) intended for one resolution into another resolution. The controller may associate a set of neighboring pixels with a target pixel within a first display content of a first resolution. Based on an indication derived from less than all of the neighboring pixels in the first display content of the first resolution, a second display content of a second resolution may be generated. The interface may be operably coupled to the controller to display the second display content of the second resolution. In one embodiment, a combination of neighboring pixels that reduces a cost function may be determined. Using a traveling salesman algorithm, an indication may be derived from pixel characteristics for a target pixel to reconstruct a first display content of a lower resolution into a second display content of a higher resolution by minimizing the cost function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2002
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Inventor: Alexander V. Reshetov
  • Patent number: 6642935
    Abstract: An image displaying apparatus and method thereof, being an image displaying technology of vector data, in which enlarging or reducing the vector data is performed after separating label information, being character information including in the vector data, and label display positions are determined. The image displaying apparatus consists of an image information storing means, an image display deciding means, an image display forming means, a bitmap data display selecting means, a display, a label extracting means, a label information storing means, and a label display selecting means. The image information storing means provides a vector data storing means which stores vector data of an original drawing, and a vector data projecting means which projects the vector data to four kinds of coordinate systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Soga
  • Patent number: 6636237
    Abstract: The subject invention provides a method of providing information to a viewer of a video through a video player (14) on a display such as a computer screen or television screen. A program allows an operator to create links between specific information and dynamic objects (10) within the changing scenes (12) of the video. The subject invention uses a program to establish and store the links. The operator can create the links manually or the program can identify features of the object (10) and then maintain the link when the dynamic object (10) changes in size or shape. The program records all of the links and compiles the information into an interface (18). The interface (18) is transparent and is positioned over the video player (14) on the screen (16). The program synchronizes the links to the video. A viewer, while watching the video, can select one of the objects (10) in the scene (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Inventors: James H. Murray, Neal Fairbanks
  • Patent number: 6633305
    Abstract: An image editing system uses a loupe cursor to magnify a selected area of a basic image displayed on a display device. The system generates basic image data representing the selected area of the basic image, and generates magnified image data by magnifying the selected basic image data. It displays within the loupe cursor a loupe image based on the magnified image data. When a user editing signal is received for editing the loupe image, the system generates modified image data, and dynamically modifies the loupe image displayed within the loupe cursor based on the modified image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Corel Corporation
    Inventor: Edward W. Sarfeld
  • Patent number: 6621501
    Abstract: A computer graphics system efficiently implements a pixel zoom function. The graphics system includes a rasterizer designed to define a new zoomed (enlarged or reduced) raster image of a region in an original raster image having pixels defined in a coordinate system with orthogonal first and second axes (x,y), the region comprising a plurality of original pixels. The region to be zoomed can be modified differently along its x, y axes. In other words, the region may be enlarged (positive zoom) along one axis, while reduced (negative zoom) along the other axis, or either enlarged or reduced by different magnitudes (zoomX, zoomY) along the x, y axes. Furthermore, the zoom magnitudes may be integers (integer zoomX, integer zoomY) or floating point numbers (float zoomX, float zoomY).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Teresa M Morrison
  • Patent number: 6600514
    Abstract: In a video-processing unit comprising a processing means, memory means and a memory manager, the processing means comprises an N-tap digital filter for performing scaling operations on a sampled image present in the memory means. The N-tap digital filter further comprises a predetermined first number of line memories. Each line memory is arranged to contain a predetermined second number of samples of selected lines of the sampled image in the memory means. The second number of samples is smaller than the total number of samples of each line of the sampled image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Cornelis G. M. Van Asma, Matheus J. G. Lammers
  • Patent number: 6585594
    Abstract: Displaying of display data generated by an application onto a display device can immediately be customized. A display control section 803 treats game field data passed from a game processing section 802 as texture data, and deforms the data in accordance with a registered value on a management TB 804 and a player's instruction input via a manipulation receiving section 801. Then, the display control section 803 outputs the data onto a display device. When the player's instruction is not input, the data is deformed on the basis of only the registered value on the management TB 804 and the date is output onto the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Togo, Kazuhito Miyaki
  • Patent number: 6587120
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display system which can accept input display data having a resolution which is larger (e.g. 1120×780 dots) or smaller (e.g. 640×480 dots) than a resolution of a liquid crystal panel (e.g. 1024×768 dots), and convert the input display data to reduced or enlarged display data for display on the liquid crystal panel. The system generates, for example, one new vertical or horizontal line based on two contiguous vertical or horizontal lines in the input display data. If the resolution of the input display data is larger than the resolution of the liquid crystal panel, the system replaces the two contiguous lines with the one new line. If the resolution of the input display data is smaller than the resolution of the liquid crystal panel, the system inserts the one new line between the two contiguous lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naruhiko Kasai, Toshio Tanaka, Hiroyuki Mano, Shigeyuki Nishitani, Mitsutoshi Uchida, Kazuko Hasegawa, Tetsuya Suzuki, Shinji Wakisaka, Hiroko Sato, Tatsuzo Hamada
  • Patent number: 6556217
    Abstract: A system, method and computer program for paginating information received from a content provider so that it may be displayed on any type of user terminal having any size screen and having different types of mechanisms for input of information. This system has a pagination and terminal adaptation module which will calculate the space needed by element to be displayed on a user terminal. The pagination and terminal adaptation module will then determine if sufficient space exits on the user terminal screen to display the element. When sufficient space does not exist on the user terminal screen then the pagination and terminal adaptation module will resize the element when possible in order to make it fit. The pagination and terminal adaptation module accesses a database of user terminal profile information to determine the characteristics of the user terminal as well as the screen size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Mikko Mäkip{umlaut over (aa)}, Hemant Madan, Oleg Beletski, Erkki Tanskanen, Caj Södergård, Matti Aaltonen, Timo Järvinen, Timo Kinnunen, Antti Tammela, Antti V{umlaut over (aa)}tänen, Akseli Anttila, Tapio Hämeen-Anttila, Juuso Vuorenoja, Toni Kopra
  • Patent number: 6549210
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of generating cache indexes that reduces the likelihood that adjacent addresses will map to the same cache regions. The hashing process is optimized to be sensitive to small changes in the input data so that similar sets of input data will preferably not result in the same or even similar output data. Memory accesses of the sort performed when rendering graphical images may involve numerous accesses to relatively similar memory locations Therefore, hashing of the index values that determine where the information from the memory locations will be stored while that information is in cache decreases the likelihood of similar memory locations being stored at the same cache location. Consequently, cache efficiency and performance is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: ATI Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Van Hook, Anthony P. DeLaurier
  • Patent number: 6549215
    Abstract: An image is displayed using anamorphic video. A first portion of an image is displayed on a display at a first scale. At least one second portion of the image is displayed on the display. The at least one second portion is adjacent the first portion of the image. The second portion is displayed at a second scale higher than the first scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventor: Norman P. Jouppi
  • Patent number: 6538653
    Abstract: A graphic processing system has a processor for managing a display area and a character font area both included within an address space. From coded information indicative of a character transferred through a data bus of the system, the processor generates an address at which a character font pattern of the corresponding character has been stored and transfers that character font pattern to a predetermined position on the display area. The graphic processing system realizes high speed development of fonts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koyo Katsura, Shigeru Matsuo, Shigeaki Yoshida, Hiroshi Takeda, Hisashi Kaziwara
  • Patent number: 6535233
    Abstract: In a graphical application which allows an image to be displayed according to a display scale, a method of adjusting the display scale during modification of the image. The method responds to user selection of a modification to be performed on the image by storing the current display scale. Then the current display scale is automatically adjusted during modification of the image and in response to user completion of the modification the stored display scale is automatically returned. In a preferred embodiment, the velocity of a pointing device is measured and the display scale is adjusted as a function of the velocity of the pointing device during graphical modification and before the display of the image is re-centered on the pointing device position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Andrew John Smith
  • Publication number: 20030012457
    Abstract: A method of improving resolution for an image is disclosed. The method for improving resolution of an image includes loading a first image and creating a first super grid image based on the first image. The method also includes loading a second image and creating a second super grid image based on the second image. The method then arranges the first super grid image and a second super grid image into an unprocessed super grid image having a checkerboard like pattern. Next the method calculates a pixel value from at least two pixel values of the unprocessed super grid image. Then the method will insert pixels into a super resolution image and display that super resolution image on a display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2002
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Inventor: Larry John Solecki
  • Patent number: 6501484
    Abstract: A system and method for high definition video rescaling comprises receiving a source image including source pixels each having an associated amplitude, creating destination pixel locations for a rescaled image in accordance with a resealing factor, providing a normalized filter function, multiplying the normalized filter function with the amplitude of each source pixel to produce a filter function for each source pixel, and summing together the filter functions for the source pixels to generate a reconstructed function. The reconstructed function is sampled at the destination pixel locations to provide amplitudes for destination pixels. The amplitudes of the destination pixels are then incorporated into a rescaled image. The filter function is preferably a sinc product function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Globalstreams, Inc.
    Inventor: David Porter
  • Patent number: 6459430
    Abstract: A system and method for implementing multi-level resolution conversion (MLRC) of a set of image pixels efficiently using linear interpolation. The system automatically generates equations for determining the values of output pixels in a real-time manner as a function of the input pixels and a desired resolution conversion. As the input pixel values are received, the MLRC system generates the pixel values in real-time at a rate required for the output resolution without requiring a large number of intermediate complex calculations to be stored in memory. The pixel values utilized in the equations are normalized and scaled to values within a predetermined normalization range in order to minimize the complexity of the calculations performed by the MLRC system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignees: Conexant Systems, Inc., Brooktree Corporation, Brooktree Worldwide Sales Corporation, Conexant Systems Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Winarto Kusumo-Rahardjo, Larry M. Allen
  • Patent number: 6445397
    Abstract: An apparatus for guiding a vehicle allowing a route sweep is disclosed. The apparatus includes a display which shows a portion of a map. The user may move the map on the display from a start point to a finish point. This movement is termed a route sweep. To carry out a route sweep allowing a user to take cognizance of a route proposed by the apparatus, the maximum rate of sweep of the map on a display screen, the so-called cruising rate (L), desirable to obtain a short sweep time, is first calculated. Then starting from a specified scale (R.S.), the map is moved at an increasing rate in such a way as to arrive at the cruising rate (L) after a predetermined time. Simultaneously, the scale (chain-dotted curve) is reduced so as to arrive after the same time at a scale which is compatible with the cruising rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Siemens Corporation
    Inventor: Jean Philippe Boyer
  • Patent number: 6417867
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for representing a digital image on a display having a lower resolution than the image are disclosed. In one embodiment, a display driver maps an original bitmap onto display coordinates using two regions. The first region is a viewer's current area of interest on the display (e.g., determined by active cursor or pointer position, or by an eye tracker). This region of the original bitmap is mapped onto the display at full resolution. The remainder of the bitmap is downsampled to fit the display, and displayed on the remainder of the display. The first region is registered to the second region, such that as the viewer focuses on a new area of the display, the first region “moves” to align with the underlying downsampled image. The invention thus provides an intuitive and easy-to-use interface for viewing images on a limited-resolution display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Bryan Severt Hallberg
  • Publication number: 20020085018
    Abstract: A method for reducing Chinese character fonts in real-time display on a monitor of an electronic calculating machine in real-time is disclosed. The Chinese dot matrix characters have a plurality of column pixels and row pixels according to an original predetermined dot matrix font size. The method has steps of: assigning coordinate numbers to each column pixel and row pixel of the Chinese dot matrix character according to an arrangement sequence; storing a plurality of predetermined reduced Chinese dot matrix characters size formats; receiving a request for reducing a Chinese dot matrix characters font size to one of the predetermined reduced Chinese dot matrix character font sizes; setting a plurality of adjacent two column coordinate numbers and two row coordinate numbers as two predetermined operating units; and performing a plurality of OR operations on adjacent two column pixels and two row pixels to generate a reduced Chinese dot matrix character font.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2001
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Inventor: Ha Chun Chien
  • Patent number: 6411305
    Abstract: An initial magnified image is generated using a lowpass magnification filter. The resulting image will generally have smaller image data gradients than the original image. Portions of the image that the user, or an application, want to sharpen are selected, and the corresponding portions of the original image data are highpass filtered by one or more highpass filters to generate sharpening data. The initial magnified image data and the sharpening data are combined to generate a sharpened magnified image. In a preferred embodiment, two highpass filters are used, and a distinct sharpening parameter is used to scale the coefficients in each of the two highpass filters. The sharpening parameters are user selectable. This gives the user greater control over the image sharpening process than use of a single highpass filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Picsurf, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles K. Chui
  • Patent number: 6407747
    Abstract: An image magnifying method and apparatus magnifies a portion of an image displayed on a computer display device. The user of the computer selects a first region (called a magnification window) of the displayed image, for instance using a mouse or trackball pointer device. Image data from the screen buffer for the user selected magnification window is copied to a first buffer. A magnified image is generated from the copied image data and the magnified image is stored in the screen buffer so as to replace the copied image data. When the user moves the screen cursor, or otherwise selects a second magnification window that overlaps with the first, the magnification application copies image data for a combined window, covering both the first and second magnification windows, from the screen buffer to a second buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Picsurf, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles K. Chui, Haishan Wang
  • Patent number: 6400375
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus and method as well as a providing medium which allow thumbnail images to be displayed in an arbitrary size designated by a user thereby to allow efficient management of image data. A setting inputting section detects and outputs parameters set by a user to an arithmetic section. The arithmetic section calculates one of a horizontal number or a vertical number of thumbnail images to be displayed at a time in an image display region and outputs the calculated number to a decision section. The decision section rounds the value inputted from the arithmetic section into an integer based on a predetermined criterion to obtain an integral value. The decision section further determines a width and a height for a thumbnail image using the integral value and outputs the values to a display control section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Koushin Okudaira
  • Patent number: 6392701
    Abstract: The image size reducing method of the invention, and the image size reducing apparatus using the same, comprising a counter for counting vertical synchronizing signals of entered image signal, a gate signal generating circuit for generating a gate signal from the count value of this counter, reduction rate of image in vertical direction, vertical synchronizing signal and horizontal synchronizing signal, and a gate circuit for decimating horizontal synchronizing signal and either one or both of enable signal and clock signal by using the gate signal, and the image display device driven by signals combined the decimated enable signal, the decimated clock signal and the decimated horizontal scanning line and displaying the reduced image in vertical size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tamotsu Akeyama, Yoshinori Amano
  • Patent number: 6392660
    Abstract: A method of displaying a zoomed version of stored image on a display, where the stored image is defined by a set of data entries mapped to respective pixels of the display. The stored image is first scaled relative to the display in accordance with the desired zooming ratio. The scaled image is then located at an initial position relative to the display and the extent to which each display pixel is overlapped by features of the scaled image is determined. A color tone is assigned to each display pixel in accordance with the extent of the overlap. The scaled image is then shifted relative to said initial position one or more times and, for the or each shift, the overlap of each display pixel is recalculated and a new color tone assigned. The sets of assigned color tones are then displayed cyclically on the display to produce a displayed image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones Limited
    Inventor: Juha Pekka Karjalainen
  • Patent number: 6380948
    Abstract: A video signal of a sub-picture screen is supplied from an input terminal (5) via an adder (6) for superimposing display to a forming control circuit (7) for a sub-picture screen signal, and a sub-picture screen video signal, which is compressed to an arbitrary size, is synthesized with a video signal of a main picture screen from an input terminal (1) at a change-over switch (2). Further, in accordance with a command signal supplied to a microcomputer (10), a central processing unit (CPU) (11) produces a control signal which decides a size, a position and the like of display of sub-picture screen. Also, a signal from the central processing unit 11 is supplied to a display control circuit (12) which then produces a figure signal to be superimposed and displayed. Set values of size, position and the like of sub-picture screen display are recorded on and held by a random access memory (RAM) (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yuzo Murayama, Shigeyuki Sano
  • Patent number: 6377280
    Abstract: A method comprising constructing virtual (Discrete Wavelet Transform) DWT sub-bands from an image by performing the DWT and then applying an inverse DWT upon the virtual sub-bands, the result of the inverse DWT representing an up-sampled version of the image. In an alternate embodiment, an apparatus comprising a computer readable medium having instructions which when executed perform constructing virtual (Discrete Wavelet Transform) DWT sub-bands from an image by performing a DWT upon the image, applying an inverse DWT upon the virtual sub-bands, the result of the inverse DWT representing an up-sampled version of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Tinku Acharya, Ping-Sing Tsai