Patent EP0972273B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0972273B1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for applying effects to graphical images
Assignee: Intergraph Corp
•
Filing: 1998-04-03
•
Granted: 2004-03-24
•
Expires: 2018-04-03
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method of applying an effect to graphical data utilizes a graphics processor to apply the effect to a graphical image having the graphical data. To that end, the graphics processor is configured to process graphical data in accordance with a preselected graphics processing format, and the effect and graphical image are defined and converted, respectively, into the preselected graphics processing format. The graphics processor is controlled to apply the effect to the graphical image to produce an output graphical image. The output graphical image includes both the effect and the graphical image. The graphics processor may be a graphics accelerator card, and the graphics processing format may be the OPENGL® application program interface.
Inventors
- 👤 Gregory Netschke
- 👤 Gabriel Cuellar
- 👤 Gabriel Manana
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 04:48
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T13/00; G06T11/00; G06T11/60; G06T15/00; G06T15/005; G06T2200/00; G06T2200/28; G06T2210/00; G06T2210/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
227 words
A computer program product for use on a computer system for applying effects to
graphical data on a computer system, the computer system having a central processing unit
(105) and a graphics processor that is preconfigured to process graphical data in accordance
with a preselected 3D graphics processing format, the computer program product
comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon,
the computer readable program code including: program code for receiving (202) an input image, the input image being a 2D
representation of a 3D object; program code for defining (200) an effect in the preselected 3D graphics processing
format; program code for mapping (206) the input image into the preselected 3D graphics
processing format to produce a mapped image; program code for controlling (208) the graphics processor (167) to apply the effect
to the mapped image to produce an output graphical image, the output graphical image
being the result of the application of the effect to the mapped image, application of the
effect manipulating the 3D geometry of the mapped image and any textures associated with
the mapped image; and program code for converting (212) the output graphical image into a 2D
representation of the 3D object for display on the display device,
whereby said converted output image is the result of
image processing applied to said input image via 3D graphics
processing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer program product as defined by claim 1 wherein the graphics
processor (167) is a graphics accelerator card.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer program product as defined by claim 1 wherein the preselected
graphics processing format is OPENGL™.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The computer program product as defined by claim 1 wherein the program code for
controlling comprises: program code for normalizing the effect with respect to the input image.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The computer program product as defined by claim I wherein the input image has a
size, the program code for controlling comprising: program code for applying the effect to the input image as a ratio of the size of the
input image.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The computer program product as defined by claim 1 wherein the computer system
includes memory, the computer program product further comprising: program code for storing the output graphical image in memory.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The computer program product as defined by claim 1 wherein the graphical image
is a frame.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The computer program product as defined by claim 1 wherein the graphics
processor (167) includes resident texture memory, the program code for mapping
comprising: program code for storing the mapping image in the resident texture memory.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer program product as defined by claim 1 wherein the effect is defined
as the rendering of a view of a textured 3D object.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer program product as defined by claim 1 wherein the program code for
defining comprises: program code for defining an initial effect and a final effect.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
The computer program product as defined by claim 10 wherein the program code
for controlling comprises: program code for interpolating between the initial effect and the final effect to
render a plurality of output graphical images.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The computer program product as defined by claim 1 wherein the input image
comprises fields.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computer program product as defined by claim 1 wherein the input image is a
plurality of frames in a motion picture.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
192 words
An apparatus for applying effects to graphical data on a computer system, the
computer system having a central processing unit (105) and a graphics processor (167) that
is preconfigured to process graphical data in accordance with a preselected 3D graphics
processing format, the apparatus comprising: means for receiving an input image, the input image being a 2D representation of a
3D object; means for defining an effect in the preselected 3D graphics processing format; means for mapping the input image into the preselected 3D graphics processing
format to produce a mapped image; means for controlling the graphics processor (167) to apply the effect to the mapped
image to produce an output graphical image, the output graphical image being the result of
the application of the effect to the mapped image, application of the effect manipulating the
3D geometry of the mapped image and any textures associated with the mapped image; and means for converting the output graphical image into a 2D representation of the 3D
object for display on the display device,
whereby said converted output image is the result of
image processing applied to said input image via 3D graphics
processing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 14 wherein the graphics processor (167) is a
graphics accelerator card.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 14 wherein the preselected graphics processing
format is OPENGL™.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 14 wherein the means for controlling comprises
the step of: means for normalizing the effect with respect to the input image.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 14 wherein the input image has a size, the means
for controlling comprising: means for applying the effect to the input image as a ratio of the size of the input
. image.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 14 wherein the computer system includes
memory, the apparatus further comprising: means for storing the output graphical image in memory.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 14 wherein the graphical image is a frame.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 14 wherein the graphics processor (167) includes
resident texture memory, the means for mapping comprising: means for storing the mapped image in the resident texture memory.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 14 wherein the effect is defined as the rendering
of a view of a textured 3D object.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 14 wherein the means for defining comprises: means for defining an initial effect and a final effect.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 23 wherein the means for controlling comprises: means for interpolating between the initial effect and the final effect to render a
plurality of output graphical images.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 14 wherein the input image comprises fields.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 14 wherein the input image is a plurality of
frames in a motion picture.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
193 words
A method of applying effects to graphical data on a computer system, the computer
system having central processing unit (105) and a graphics processor (167) that is
preconfigured to process graphical data in accordance with a preselected 3D graphics
processing format, the method comprising the steps of: A. receiving (202) an input image, the input image being a 2D representation of
a 3D object; B. defining (200) an effect in the preselected 3D graphics processing format; C. mapping (206) the input image into the preselected 3D graphics processing
format to produce a mapped image; D. controlling (208) the graphics processor to apply the effect to the mapped
image to produce an output graphical image, the output graphical image being the result of
the application of the effect to the mapped image, application of the effect manipulating the
3D geometry of the mapped image and any textures associated with the mapped image; and E. converting (212) the output graphical image into a 2D representation of the
3D object for display on the display device,
whereby said converted output image is the result of
image processing applied to said input image via 3D graphics
processing.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as defined by claim 27 wherein the graphics processor (167) is a
graphics accelerator card.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method as defined by claim 27 wherein the preselected graphics processing
format is OPENGL™.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as defined by claim 27 wherein the computer system includes a central
processing unit (105).
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as defined by claim 27 where in step D comprises the step of: D1. normalizing the effect with respect to the input image.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method as defined by claim 27 wherein the input image has a size, step D
comprising the step of: D2. applying the effect to the input image as a ratio of the size of the input
image.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as defined by claim 27 wherein the computer system includes memory,
the method further comprising the step of: F. storing the output graphical image in memory.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method as defined by claim 27 wherein the graphical image is a frame.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as defined by claim 27 wherein the graphics processor (167) includes
resident texture memory, step C comprising the step of: C1. storing the mapped image in the resident texture memory.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as defined by claim 27 wherein the effect is defined as the rendering of
a view of a textured 3D object.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as defined by claim 27 wherein step B comprises the step of: B1. defining an initial effect and a final effect.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as defined by claim 37 wherein step D comprises the step of: D3. interpolating between the initial effect and the final effect to render a
plurality of output graphical images.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method as defined by claim 27 wherein the input image comprises fields.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method as defined by claim 27 wherein the input image is a plurality of frames
in a motion picture.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.