Showing papers by "Apple Inc. published in 1990"

Performance-driven facial animation

Abstract: As computer graphics technique rises to the challenge of rendering lifelike performers, more lifelike performance is required. The techniques used to animate robots, arthropods, and suits of armor, have been extended to flexible surfaces of fur and flesh. Physical models of muscle and skin have been devised. But more complex databases and sophisticated physical modeling do not directly address the performance problem. The gestures and expressions of a human actor are not the solution to a dynamic system. This paper describes a means of acquiring the expressions of real faces, and applying them to computer-generated faces. Such an "electronic mask" offers a means for the traditional talents of actors to be flexibly incorporated in digital animations. Efforts in a similar spirit have resulted in servo-controlled "animatrons," high-technology puppets, and CG puppetry [1]. The manner in which the skills of actors and puppetteers as well as animators are accommodated in such systems may point the way for a more general incorporation of human nuance into our emerging computer media.The ensuing description is divided into two major subjects: the construction of a highly-resoved human head model with photographic texture mapping, and the concept demonstration of a system to animate this model by tracking and applying the expressions of a human performer.

Rapid, stable fluid dynamics for computer graphics

Abstract: We present a new method for animating water based on a simple, rapid and stable solution of a set of partial differential equations resulting from an approximation to the shallow water equations. The approximation gives rise to a version of the wave equation on a height-field where the wave velocity is proportional to the square root of the depth of the water. The resulting wave equation is then solved with an alternating-direction implicit method on a uniform finite-difference grid. The computational work required for an iteration consists mainly of solving a simple tridiagonal linear system for each row and column of the height field. A single iteration per frame suffices in most cases for convincing animation.Like previous computer-graphics models of wave motion, the new method can generate the effects of wave refraction with depth. Unlike previous models, it also handles wave reflections, net transport of water and boundary conditions with changing topology. As a consequence, the model is suitable for animating phenomena such as flowing rivers, raindrops hitting surfaces and waves in a fish tank as well as the classic phenomenon of waves lapping on a beach. The height-field representation prevents it from easily simulating phenomena such as breaking waves, except perhaps in combination with particle-based fluid models. The water is rendered using a form of caustic shading which simulates the refraction of illuminating rays at the water surface. A wetness map is also used to compute the wetting and drying of sand as the water passes over it.

Apparatus and method for editing a video recording by selecting and displaying video clips

Abstract: A video editing system comprising a computer system having a mass storage and a display, a video source, such as a video cassette recorder (VCR), camera, or optical disc player, and a video processor/controller linking the computer to the video source. The computer system functions under the direction of standard operating software and video editing software which provide the user with an interface for controlling both playback and clip editing of video information from the video source. Upon initialization of the editing system, the user is presented with at least a video window for displaying the video information, a control window for regulating playback of the video information, and a clip list window having a number of rows of edit windows organized under begin, end, and clip columns. The user controls playback of video from the video source within the video window through manipulation of standard playback direction and speed indicators. To mark a video frame in the video window as either a begin or end point of a video clip, the user clicks on the desired video frame with a mouse associated with the editing system. A small digitized version of the requested video frame is then created and attached to the cursor. This small digitized frame (SDF) can then be moved in tandem with the cursor from the video window to an edit window and released. Begin and end points of clips are created by releasing an SDF within an edit window under the appropriate column. Releasing an SDF within an edit window under the clip column causes that SDF to be entered as both the begin and end point of the clip. Numerous rows of edit windows can be created in a similar manner. When the begin and end edit windows in the same row are filled with different SDFs, the video frames between those respective points are digitized and automatically inserted into the clip column for that row in an animated form. SDFs can likewise be directly manipulated to modify the content or sequence of edit windows or to change the video frame being played within the video window.

Dynamic predictive keyboard

Abstract: A keyboard having the ability to predictively display different characters in association with its various keys within a variety of predefined character set layouts, based upon either the character preceeding an insertion point in a corresponding text field on a display or the last character entered from the keyboard is disclosed. Although each key of the keyboard is capable of displaying numerous different characters, each key represents only one character at a time and each character is displayed at only one key location. The user can also manually change character set layouts. When a user selects a particular key or selects an insertion point within the text field, all keys are updated to display a character set layout that corresponds to the set of characters from which the user would be most likely to want to select a character from next, based upon the frequency of that particular character combination being used in either a particular language or application. The organization of the characters within each character set layout is also based on the frequency of those characters being used in either a particular language or application. The keyboard can be implemented to operate as either a touch-sensitive display or as a collection of interactive images on any of a number of different displays. The keyboard can also be used in conjunction with the special function keys or buttons that are common to computer system for performing function-character command operations.

Filters for common resampling tasks

Abstract: Even though a signal is sampled, we may have certain rules about inferring the values between the sample points The most common assumption made in signal processing is that the signal is bandlimited to an extent consistent with the sampling rate, ie that the values change smoothly between samples The Sampling Theorem guarantees that a continuous signal can be reconstructed perfectly from its samples if the signal was appropriately bandlimited prior to sampling [Oppenheim 75] Practically speaking, signals are never perfectly bandlimited, nor can we construct a perfect reconstruction filter, but we can get as close as we want in a prescribed manner

Comparative nutrient extraction from forages by grazing bovids and equids: a test of the nutritional model of equid/bovid competition and coexistence.

Abstract: Ruminants are unevenly distributed across the range of body sizes observed in herbivorous mammals; among extant East African species they predominate, in numbers and species richness, in the medium body sizes (10–600 kg). The small and the large species are all hind-gut fermenters. Some medium-sized hind-gut fermenters, equid perissodactyls, coexist with the grazing ruminants, principally bovid artiodactyls, in grassland ecosystems. These patterns have been explained by two complementary models based on differences between the digestive physiology of ruminants and hind-gut fermenters. The Demment and Van Soest (1985) model accounts for the absence of ruminants among the small and large species, while the Bell/Janis/Foose model accounts both for the predominance of ruminants, and their co-existence with equids among the medium-sized species (Bell 1971; Janis 1976; Foose 1982). The latter model assumes that the rumen is competitively superior to the hind-gut system on medium quality forages, and that hind-gut fermenters persist because of their ability to eat more, and thus to extract more nutrients per day from high fibre, low quality forages. Data presented here demonstrate that compared to similarly sized grazing ruminants (bovids), hind-gut fermenters (equids) have higher rates of food intake which more than compensate for their lesser ability to digest plant material. As a consequence equids extract more nutrients per day than bovids not only from low quality foods, but from the whole range of forages eaten by animals of this size. Neither of the current nutritional models, nor refinements of them satisfactorily explain the preponderance of the bovids among medium-sized ungulates; alternative hypotheses are presented.

Computer controlled animation system based on definitional animated objects and methods of manipulating same

Abstract: A computer system and method for the generation and manipulation of animated objects in a computer-controlled environment. The animated objects include state data and methods defining the behavior of the object. The animated objects also have an associated affect volume and affect agents. An interaction manager controls the interaction between objects as the animation sequence progresses. An animation sequence is controlled by a set of rules, state graphs, or scripts. The behavior of objects is modeled using a descriptive and a mathematical representation. Objects containing visual characteristics are rendered to a display screen.

Six degree of freedom graphic object controller

Abstract: A six degrees of freedom interactive display controller device is disclosed, comprising a hand manipulable housing unit having an opening for the passage of a mouse ball, two motion detectors for detecting the movement of the mouse ball and converting that motion to output signals controlling the tranlational movement of an object on the display of a computer, a finger operated conveyor belt or roller for controlling the translational motion of the object with respect to a third translational axis, a first finger controlled mechanism, such as a wheel and motion encoders, affixed to the housing for controlling the rotational motion (pitch) of the object with respect to a first one of the translational axes, a second finger controlled mechanism affixed to the housing for controlling the rotational motion (roll) of the object with respect to a second one of the translational axes, and a third finger controlled mechanism affixed to the housing unit for controlling the rotational motion (yaw) of the object with respect to a third one of the translational axes. All translation and rotation controls are operable to be physcially moved in a direction which corresponds to the desired simulated direction of movement of the object on the display. The physical motion of each control is unbounded and the actual physical position of the housing unit is independent of the simulated position of the object on the display.

Distributed-directory scheme: scalable coherent interface

Abstract: The scalable coherent interface (SCI), a local or extended computer backplane interface being defined by an IEEE standard project (P1596), is discussed. the interconnection is scalable, meaning that up to 64 K processor, memory, or I/O nodes can effectively interface to a shared SCI interconnection. The SCI sharing-list structures are described, and sharing-list addition and removal are examined. Optimizations being considered to improve the performance of large system configurations are discussed. Request combining, a useful feature of linked-list coherence, is described. SCI's optional extensions, including synchronization using a queued-on-lock bit, are considered. >

Sequential information controller

Abstract: A sequential information controller for use in combination with a computer comprising a slider bar, integrating standard velocity and direction indicators, and a control icon. The user controls the playback velocity and direction of the sequential information, such as video information, on the display of the computer through an interactive user interface, which works in combination with the computer's system software. The interface includes an interactive slider bar and an interactive control icon which are depicted within an operating window of the display. The slider bar includes both playback direction/velocity indicators and control buttons. The playback of video information is primarily controlled by manipulating the image of the control icon with respect to the image of the slider bar. The image of the control icon is that of a human-like hand, which holds the slider bar image in either its open or closed hand, depending on the desired playback mode, and can be moved along the length of the slider bar image by a control device, such as a mouse, to control the playback direction and velocity of the video information on the display. When the control icon's hand is open, the control icon is spring loaded from the stop playback position of the slider bar. To keep the control icon from automatically returning to the stop playback position when the control icon's hand is open, the user must continue to hold the control icon in position with the mouse. When the control icon's hand is closed, the control icon will remain at any position along the slider bar it is placed, until moved by operation of the mouse, or until returned to the spring-loaded mode and released by the mouse, thereby allowing it to spring back to the stop position. The mode of the control icon is modulated by positioning the cursor over the control icon, selecting the control icon, and moving the cursor either up or down. Moving the cursor down, when the hand is open, closes the hand and freezes the playback velocity at the speed selected when the hand was closed. Moving the cursor up, when the hand is closed, opens the hand and spring loads the control icon. The control icon can also be rapidly moved to different positions by simply clicking on the slide bar with the mouse, regardless of the mode of operation.

A perceptual pitch detector

Abstract: A pitch detector based on Licklider's (1979) duplex theory of pitch perception was implemented and tested on a variety of stimuli from human perceptual tests. It is believed that this approach accurately models how people perceive pitch. It is shown that it correctly identifies the pitch of complex harmonic and inharmonic stimuli and that it is robust in the face of noise and phase changes. This perceptual pitch detector combines a cochlear model with a bank of autocorrelators. By performing an independent autocorrelation for each channel, the pitch detector is relatively insensitive to phase changes across channels. The information in the correlogram is filtered, nonlinearly enhanced, and summed across channels. Peaks are identified and a pitch is then proposed that is consistent with the peaks. >

Method and apparatus for verifying the integrity of a file stored separately from a computer

Abstract: A method and apparatus for verifying a file stored separately from a computer to be identical with a previous version of the file, before using the file. This verification is done by following a defined procedure to generate a first identifier based on the contents of the previous version of the file, storing this identifier locally on the computer, and storing the file at a separate storage location. Then, at a later time, an unverified second file is retrieved from the separate storage location, the same defined procedure is followed to generate a second identifier, and the first and second identifiers compared to identify a match that verifies the integrity of the second file.

Speaker-independent vowel recognition: spectrograms versus cochleagrams

Abstract: The ability of multilayer perceptrons (MLPs) trained with backpropagation to classify vowels excised from natural continuous speech is examined. Two spectral representations are compared: spectrograms and cochleagrams. The features used to train the MLPs include discrete Fourier transform (DFT) or cochleagram coefficients from a single frame in the middle of the vowel, or coefficients from each third of the vowel. The effects of estimates of pitch, duration, and the relative amplitude of the vowel were investigated. The experiments show that with coefficients alone, the cochleagram is superior to the spectrogram in classification performance for all experimental conditions. With the three additional features, however, the results are comparable. Perceptual experiments with trained human listeners on the same data revealed that MLPs perform much better than humans on vowels excised from context. >

In vitro fertilization and embryo development in vitro and in vivo in the tiger (Panthera tigris).

Abstract: A study was conducted to evaluate the adaptability to the tiger of an in vitro fertilization/embryo culture system previously developed in the domestic cat. In Trial 1 (July 1989), 10 female tigers were treated with either 2 500 (n = 5) or 5000 (n = 5) LU eCG i.m. and with 2 000 LU hCG Lm. 84 h later. In Trial II (January 1990), 6 females (5 of which were treated in Trial I) were given 2 500 LU eCG i.m. and 2 000 [U hCG i.m. 84 h later. Twenty-four to twenty-six hours after hCG treatment, all tigers were subjected to laparoscopy, and oocytes were aspirated transabdominaily. On the basis of follicular development (follicles � 2 mm in diameter), all females responded to exogenous gonadotropins (range, 6-52 follicles/female). Fofficle number and oocyte recovery rate were unaffected (p > 0.05) by eCG dose or time of year. A total of 456 oocytes were collected from 468 fofficles (97.4% recovery; mean, 28.5 ± 3.4 oocytes/female). Of these, 378 (82.9%) qualified as mature, 48 (10.5%) as immature, and 30 (6.6%) as degenerate. During Trial I, 8 electroejaculates were collected from 7 male tigers, and in Trial IL, 3 semen samples were collected from 3 males. Motile sperm were recovered on each occasion; the overall mean (± SEM) ejaculate volume was 7.5 ± 0.7 ml, the number of motile sperm/ejaculate was 105.9 ± 20.6 X 106, and the percentage of structurally normal sperm/ejaculate was 81.4 ± 2.0% - After swim-up processing, 0.05 X 106 motile sperm were co-cultured with 10 or fewer tiger oocytes in a humidified atmosphere (38CC) of 5% CO2 in air. Of the 358 mature oocytes inseminated, 227 (63.4%) were fertilized. Oocytes from 2 females became contaminated in culture and, therefore, were excluded from embryo cleavage calculations. Of the remaining 195 fertilized oocytes, 187 (95.9%) cleaved to the two-cell stage. No parthenogenetic cleavage was observed in noninseminated control oocytes (n = 20). Eighty-six good-to-excellent-quality two- to four-cell embryos were transferred surgically into the oviducts of 4 of the original oocyte donors in Trial I and 2 females in Trial LI. A pregnancy occurred in 1 female in Trial LI, and 3 live-born cubs were delivered by Caesarian section 107 days after embryo transfer. Of the 56 cleaved embryos cultured in vitro in Ham’s FlO for 72 h, 14 (25.0%) were at the sixteen-cell stage, and 15 (26.8%) were morulae. Of the 46 embryos cultured for 96 h, 20 (43.5%) advanced to morulae, and 14 (30.4%) to early blastocysts. The data demonstrate the ability of tiger sperm to fertilize follicular oocytes in vitro. The resulting embryos are capable of advancing to morulae and

Local area network device startup process

Abstract: Method used by a first entity, typically a computer system, on a communication system for assigning itself a unique address known as a network address, which comprises a network number and a node identification number. The entity determines a unique network address for itself within a local subset of entities known as a local area network (LAN). A signal is then transmitted to determine whether a router is connected to the LAN, and if so, to determine if the network number of the address is within a range allowed by the router. If the network number is not within a range allowed by the router, then another network number is selected from a range of numbers provided by the router and another node ID are selected. It is determined whether this value is being used by any other entities in the LAN, and if so, node ID's are selected until an unused network address is ascertained. If all node ID's for an address are checked, then another network number is selected from the range and node ID's are again selected to determine a unique address. Once a unique address is ascertained, this is stored back into a parameter RAM area for a subsequent power up initialization and is used for the unique identification of the first entity.

Method and apparatus for compressing and decompressing color video data with an anti-aliasing mode

Abstract: An adaptive compression/decompression method for color video data with an anti-aliasing mode. 4×4 blocks of pixel data are examined to determine which one of four compression techniques should be used on each block. User settable thresholds can be used to shift the types of compression used. Highest compression is obtained when more data is stored in run length blocks of single colors and lowest compression when more data is stored as two colors with a 32-bit bitmap for each 4×4 block. One type of compression used provides anti-aliasing.

Variable length decoding using lookup tables

Abstract: A method and apparatus for decoding a variable length codeword (VLC) by reading a VLC, the VLC having a maximum length of X bits. The VLC is used as an index into a first table, wherein the first table contains decoded values for all possible VLC's with Y bits not equal to any value in a first set of values. Y is typically less than X and comprises, in the preferred embodiment, the most significant bits of the VLC. If the first Y bits of the VLC are not equal to any value in a first set of values then a second value is returned from the first table. If the first Y bits of the VLC are equal to any value in a first set of values, then a pointer to a second table is returned from the first table. The VLC is used as an index into the second table, and a third value is returned from the second table.

Incremental radiosity: an extension of progressive radiosity to an interactive image synthesis system

Abstract: Traditional radiosity methods can compute the illumination for a scene independent of the view position. However, if any part of the scene geometry is changed, the radiosity process will need to be repeated from scratch. Since the radiosity methods are generally expensive computationally, the traditional methods do not lend themselves to interactive uses where the geometry is constantly changing. This paper presents a new radiosity algorithm to incrementally render scenes with changing geometry and surface attributes. In other words, the question to be asked is "What is the minimum recomputation I need to do if I turn off a light source, change the color of a surface, add or move an object?" Because a modeling change generally exhibits some coherence and affects only parts of an image, the proposed method may drastically reduce the rendering time and therefore allow interactive manipulation. In addition, since the method is conducted incrementally and view-independently, the rendering process can start before the modeling process is completed. The traditional paradigm of modeling-then-rendering is changed to rendering-while-modeling. This approach not only gives the user better visual feedback but also effectively utilizes CPU time otherwise wasted in the modeling process.

Io adapter for system and io buses having different protocols and speeds

Abstract: A bi-directional bus adapter coupling a system bus, which operates at a first speed using a first protocol, and an IO bus, which operates at a second speed using a second protocol, and allowing data transfering devices on either bus to transfer data to or from devices on the other bus. The bus adapter includes a cycle generation mechanism which is responsive to data cycles from one of the buses in order to generate bus cycles needed to complete a data transfer to a device on the other bus. The bus adapter includes a synchronization mechanism for converting the plurality of data cycles generated by the cycle generation mechanism from either the first speed to the second speed or vice versa. The bus adapter includes bi-directional data path mechanism for routing data between the system and IO buses according to said protocols, such that the data path directs bytes of data to specific data lines to perform byte steering and dynamic bus sizing on the data from the system bus to the IO bus. The bus adapter also includes a bi-directional address transceiver mechanism for routing addresses between said system and said IO buses.

Issues in multimedia interface design: media integration and interface agents

Abstract: A central challenge in the design of multimedia databases is integrating information from different media sources while reducing the cognitive load imposed on users by the tasks of learning and operating the interface. In light of results from a prototype multimedia project developed at Apple, we believe that an agent-style interface addresses this challenge in several ways. This paper discusses techniques for achieving media integration and details the use of interface agents in facilitating 'navigation', enhancing content through point of view, and supporting users in a variety of instrumental and experiential tasks.

Method and apparatus for multi-gauge computation

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for performing multi-gauge arithmetic operations in a microprocessor CPU. Special purpose instructions facilitate parallel processing of individual bytes or half words of data words without requiring that the processor's mode be separately controlled. A byte/half word mode flag is provided to control the "width" of narrow gauge operation. Add partial, subtract partial and compare partial instructions operate on corresponding bytes or half words of two operands and return independent byte or half word results. Multiply partial instructions multiply byte or half word muitiplicands by a common multiplier and return independent byte or half word products. The multi-gauge arithmetic operations of the present invention have particular application to graphics processing where repetitive operations are performed on large arrays of pixel data.

Interprocessor communications includes second CPU designating memory locations assigned to first CPU and writing their addresses into registers

Abstract: A method for performing inter-processor communications in a multiprocessor system combines the sending of a message with the sending of a message interrupt. Messages are exchanged through a shared memory organized into pages, each of which may be "owned" by a processor. When a sending processor executes a store instruction that stores its operand to a memory area owned by a destination processor, a message interrupt is presented to the destination processor. If the destination processor is interrupt enabled, the operand of the store instruction is stored at the address specified by the store instruction and that address is stored in a register of the destination processor. Execution of the store instruction by the sending processor then completes.

Apparatus for storing information in and deriving information from a frame buffer

Abstract: An arrangement for storing information to be displayed in a plurality of different pixel formats on a bitmapped output display including apparatus for selecting first positions for storage of information in a first pixel format, apparatus for selecting second positions for storage of information in a second pixel format, apparatus for selecting information from first positions of storage for display in the first pixel format, and apparatus for selecting information from second positions of storage for display in the second pixel format.

Network device location using multicast

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the location of an entity using an alias (or entity name) in a communication system. A second node or entity transmits a first signal to a first router connected to a first local network of the communication system including the alias, wherein the alias includes a zone name. The first router forwards a second signal including the entity name from the first signal to other routers in the network until a second router connected to nodes having the zone name in the entity name is located. Each second router translates the second signal into a third signal which includes the alias, and using a first zone multicast address, multicasts the third signal to a first set of nodes. Each node of the first set of nodes determines whether the zone name contained within the alias is equal to a zone identifier for each node of the first set of nodes. Each node having the zone name determines whether the alias contained within the third signal is equal to alias information for the node. A first entity having the alias then transmits a fourth signal, which includes its network address, to the second entity in response to the third signal.

Three degree of freedom graphic object controller

Abstract: A three degrees of freedom interactive display controller device is disclosed, comprising a hand manipulable housing unit having an opening for the passage of a mouse ball, two motion detectors for detecting the movement of the mouse ball and converting that motion to output signals controlling the translational movement of an object on the display of a computer and a finger operated conveyor belt or roller for controlling the translational motion of the object with respect to a third translational axis. All translation controls are operable to be physically moved in a direction which corresponds to the desired simulated direction of movement of the object on the display. The physical motion of each control is unbounded and the actual physical position of the housing unit is independent of the simulated position of the object on the display.

Method for compresssing and decompressing color video data that uses luminance partitioning

Abstract: A data compression method which recognizes the adverse conditions of duochrominance-isoluminance and nonlinear color distribution. A mxn block of pixel data is examined to compute two colors and a bitmap which best represent the block generally using a luminance partitioning technique. The original data and the compressed data are examined to determine if the resultant decompresssed image will contain artifact associated with duochrominance-isoluminance or nonlinear color distribution. If these artifacts will occur in the decompressed data, the decompressed data is not used but rather the block is represented by storing the color of each pixel. This method produces compressed images of excellent quality.

Apparatus and method for improved caching in a computer system

Abstract: A cache management system for a computer system having a central processing unit, a main memory, and cache memory including a memory management unit for transferring page size blocks of information, apparatus for reading information from main memory, apparatus for writing information to the cache memory, and apparatus for overlapping the write of information to the cache memory to occur during the read of information from the main memory.

Method for building a color look-up table

Abstract: A method for building an inverse color look-up table in a color graphics system The inverse color look-up table accepts as an address input RGB color information and provides as a data output index information for indexing a color look-up table The method initializes an array of data elements, each of said data elements for storing said index information, each of said data elements corresponding to a color position in RGB color space A first index value is stored in the array, the first index value corresponding to an index for the color look-up table The first index value is stored in a first of the data elements, the first data element corresponding to a color represented by the first index value in the color look-up table An address of the first data element is also stored in a queue means For a second of the data elements, it is determined whether the second data element has been assigned an index value If the second data element has not been assigned an index value, second data element is assigned the first index value and an address is stored for the second data element in the queue means

Transformer for use with surface mounting technology

Abstract: A multi-component transformer to be used in conjunction with surface mounting technology. Transformer windings are provided by a plurality of conductors arranged in parallel and disposed around a ferrite core. A portion of the winding is disposed in a spacer member or alternatively is formed from tracings of a circuit board. A portion of a ferrite core is disposed above the conductors. Then a bridge member, which is U-shaped and has a plurality of conductors disposed in a dielectric body, is disposed to overlie a portion of the magnetic core overlying the first tracings. The conductors of the bridge member are coupled to the underlying tracings such that the tracings form a continuous loop around a portion of the magnetic core to function as a winding of a transformer. Alternative embodiments are disclosed in which variations of the multi-component provides variations in the design.