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Showing papers on "Graphics published in 2000"


Proceedings ArticleDOI
01 Jul 2000
TL;DR: This work describes one implementation of ADFs, illustrating its utility on two diverse applications: 1) artistic carving of fine detail, and 2) representing and rendering volume data and volumetric effects.
Abstract: Adaptively Sampled Distance Fields (ADFs) are a unifying representation of shape that integrate numerous concepts in computer graphics including the representation of geometry and volume data and a broad range of processing operations such as rendering, sculpting, level-of-detail management, surface offsetting, collision detection, and color gamut correction. Its structure is uncomplicated and direct, but is especially effective for quality reconstruction of complex shapes, e.g., artistic and organic forms, precision parts, volumes, high order functions, and fractals. We characterize one implementation of ADFs, illustrating its utility on two diverse applications: 1) artistic carving of fine detail, and 2) representing and rendering volume data and volumetric effects. Other applications are briefly presented.

730 citations


Proceedings ArticleDOI
01 Aug 2000
TL;DR: This paper proposes new rendering techniques that significantly improve both performance and image quality of the 2D-texture based approach and demonstrates how multi-stage rasterization hardware can be used to efficiently render shaded isosurfaces and to compute diffuse illumination for semi-transparent volume rendering at interactive frame rates.
Abstract: Interactive direct volume rendering has yet been restricted to high-end graphics workstations and special-purpose hardware, due to the large amount of trilinear interpolations, that are necessary to obtain high image quality. Implementations that use the 2D-texture capabilities of standard PC hardware, usually render object-aligned slices in order to substitute trilinear by bilinear interpolation. However the resulting images often contain visual artifacts caused by the lack of spatial interpolation. In this paper we propose new rendering techniques that significantly improve both performance and image quality of the 2D-texture based approach. We will show how in ulti-texturing capabilitiesof modern consumer PC graphboards are exploited to enable in teractive high quality volume visualization on low-cost hardware. Furthermore we demonstrate how multi-stage rasterization hardware can be used to efficiently render shaded isosurfaces and to compute diffuse illumination for semi-transparent volume rendering at interactive frame rates.

336 citations


Book
23 Aug 2000
TL;DR: Active contours as mentioned in this paper deals with the analysis of moving images and is concerned with understanding, specifying and learning prior models of varying strength and applying them to dynamic contours, and its aim is to develop and analyse these modelling tools in depth and within a consistent framework.
Abstract: From the Publisher: Active Contours deals with the analysis of moving images - a topic of growing importance within the computer graphics industry. In particular it is concerned with understanding, specifying and learning prior models of varying strength and applying them to dynamic contours. Its aim is to develop and analyse these modelling tools in depth and within a consistent framework.

321 citations


Proceedings ArticleDOI
01 Nov 2000
TL;DR: Jazz, a general-purpose 2D scene graph toolkit that runs on all platforms that support Java 2.0, is described and the lessons learned using Jazz for ZUIs are described.
Abstract: : In this paper the authors investigate the use of scene graphs as a general approach for implementing two-dimensional (2D) graphical applications, and in particular Zoomable User Interfaces (ZUIs) Scene graphs are typically found in three-dimensional (3D) graphics packages such as Sun's Java3D and SGI's OpenInventor They have not been widely adopted by 2D graphical user interface toolkits To explore the effectiveness of scene graph techniques, the authors have developed Jazz, a general-purpose 2D scene graph toolkit Jazz is implemented in Java using Java2D, and runs on all platforms that support Java 2 This paper describes Jazz and the lessons we learned using Jazz for ZUIs It also discusses how 2D scene graphs can be applied to other application areas (5 figures, 27 refs)

313 citations


01 Jan 2000
TL;DR: Several techniques for interactively performing occlusion and collision detection between static real objects and dynamic virtual objects in augmented reality are presented.
Abstract: We present several techniques for interactively performing occlusion and collision detection between static real objects and dynamic virtual objects in augmented reality. Computer vision algorithms are used to acquire data that model aspects of the real world. Either geometric models may be registered to real objects, or a depth map of the real scene may be extracted with computer vision algorithms. The computer vision-derived data are mapped into algorithms that exploit the power of graphics workstations, in order to interactively produce new effects in augmented reality. By combining live video from a calibrated camera with real-time renderings of the real-world data from graphics hardware, dynamic virtual objects occlude and are occluded by static real objects. As a virtual object is interactively manipulated collisions with real objects are detected, and the motion of the virtual object is constrained. Simulated gravity may then be produced by automatically moving the virtual object in the direction of a gravity vector until it encounters a collision with a real object.

293 citations


Proceedings ArticleDOI
01 Jul 2000
TL;DR: This paper proposes a simple and computationally inexpensive method for animation of clouds that can realize the realistic motion of clouds, shadows cast on the ground, and shafts of light through clouds.
Abstract: This paper proposes a simple and computationally inexpensive method for animation of clouds. The cloud evolution is simulated using cellular automaton that simplifies the dynamics of cloud formation. The dynamics are expressed by several simple transition rules and their complex motion can be simulated with a small amount of computation. Realistic images are then created using one of the standard graphics APIs, OpenGL. This makes it possible to utilize graphics hardware, resulting in fast image generation. The proposed method can realize the realistic motion of clouds, shadows cast on the ground, and shafts of light through clouds.

275 citations


Patent
09 Nov 2000
TL;DR: In this paper, a system and method for implementing a smooth scrolling function in a map display tool used with a navigation system and a map database is presented, which includes a map processing layer in the display tool having a multi-tasking abstraction layer and a synchronization object for allowing portability between different platforms.
Abstract: A system and method for implementing a smooth scrolling function in a map display tool used with a navigation system and a map database. The system includes a map processing layer in the map display tool having a multi-tasking abstraction layer and a synchronization object for allowing portability between different platforms. The method includes the steps of updating a display from a first graphics buffer while executing a look-ahead process in the background and filling a second graphics buffer with map information on a predicted future position.

212 citations


Patent
15 Jun 2000
TL;DR: In this paper, a disposable absorbent article such as a training pant includes wetness indicating graphics that provide an interactive training aid, which can include a permanent character graphic and one or more active object graphics, which "appear" or "disappear from view in response to exposure to urine or the environment.
Abstract: A disposable absorbent article such as a training pant includes wetness indicating graphics that provide an interactive training aid. The interactive graphics can include a permanent character graphic and one or more active object graphics, which “appear” or “disappear” from view in response to exposure to urine or the environment. The interactive graphics can also include a story line in which the permanent character graphic is illustrated performing an activity involving the active object graphic. The wetness indicating feature and the graphic story line allow the caregiver to interact with the child in an educational and motivational manner to enhance the toilet training process.

204 citations


Proceedings Article
01 Jan 2000
TL;DR: An efficient way to denoise bivariate data like height fields, color pictures or vector fields, while preserving edges and other features is presented, which generalizes previous anisotropic diffusion approaches in image processing, and is applicable to data of arbitrary dimension.
Abstract: In this paper, we present an efficient way to denoise bivariate data like height fields, color pictures or vector fields, while preserving edges and other features. Mixing surface area minimization, graph flow, and nonlinear edge-preservation metrics, our method generalizes previous anisotropic diffusion approaches in image processing, and is applicable to data of arbitrary dimension. Another notable difference is the use of a more robust discrete differential operator, which captures the fundamental surface properties. We demonstrate the method on range images and height fields, as well as greyscale or color images. CR Categories: I.3.7 [Computer Graphics] Three-Dimensional Graphics and Realism; I.4.3 [Image Processing and Computer Vision] Enhancement.

201 citations


Patent
22 Aug 2000
TL;DR: In this article, a virtual reality perspective-view image of a room is presented in an actual room of a client's home, which is used to promote the sale to the client of goods which are normally obtained through the graphics service provider.
Abstract: A design professional such as an interior designer running a browser program at a client computer (i) optionally causes a digital image of a room, or a room model, or room images to be transmitted across the world wide web to a graphics server computer, and (ii) interactively selects furnishings from this server computer, so as to (iii) receive and display to his or her client a high-fidelity high-quality virtual-reality perspective-view image of furnishings displayed in, most commonly, an actual room of a client's home. Opticians may, for example, (i) upload one or more images of a client's head, and (ii) select eyeglass frames and components, to (iii) display to a prospective customer eyeglasses upon the customer's own head. The realistic images, optionally provided to bona fide design professionals for free, promote the sale to the client of goods which are normally obtained through the graphics service provider, profiting both the service provider and the design professional. Models of existing objects are built as necessary from object views. Full custom objects, including furniture and eyeglasses not yet built, are readily presented in realistic virtual image. Also, a method of interactive advertising permits a prospective customer of a product, such as a vehicle, to view a virtual image of the selected product located within a customer-selected virtual scene, such as the prospective customer's own home driveway. Imaging for all purposes is supported by comprehensive and complete 2D to 3D image translation with precise object placement, scaling, angular rotation, coloration, shading and lighting so as to deliver flattering perspective images that, by selective lighting, arguably look better than actual photographs of real world objects within the real world.

176 citations


Patent
16 May 2000
TL;DR: In this article, a method of displaying graphic user interface layouts including the steps of accessing a data repository storing an instruction set for constructing a graphical user interface layout through a network connection is presented.
Abstract: A method of displaying graphic user interface layouts including the steps of accessing a data repository storing an instruction set for constructing a graphic user interface layout through a network connection, rendering the graphic user interface layout associated with the instruction set and reducing the graphic user interface layout to a bitmap image. Once the graphics and text are laid out, the screen display is reduced to a bitmap image and associated with a uniform resource locator string. When a search query that retrieves the uniform resource locator string, the bitmap image and the uniform resource locator string are displayed to the end-user. As an alternative to displaying the actual text of the resource locator string, it may be embedded as an image hyperlink.

Patent
15 Jun 2000
TL;DR: In this article, a disposable absorbent article such as a training pant includes wetness indicating graphics that provide an interactive training aid, which can include a permanent character graphic and one or more active object graphics which "appear" or "disappear from view in response to exposure to urine or the environment.
Abstract: A disposable absorbent article such as a training pant includes wetness indicating graphics that provide an interactive training aid. The interactive graphics can include a permanent character graphic and one or more active object graphics, which “appear” or “disappear” from view in response to exposure to urine or the environment. Various mechanisms are employed to conceptually and/or visually separate the permanent character graphic from the interactive wetness indicating graphic, such that the character graphic remains independent in the child's mind from the process of toilet training.

Proceedings ArticleDOI
24 Apr 2000
TL;DR: A haptic simulation system that allows a human operator to perform real-time interaction with soft 3D objects that go through large global deformations using geometrically nonlinear finite element methods (FEM).
Abstract: Force feedback coupled with a real-time physically realistic graphic display provides a human operator with an artificial sense of presence in a virtual environment. Furthermore, it allows a human operator to interact with the virtual environment through "touch". We describe a haptic simulation system that allows a human operator to perform real-time interaction with soft 3D objects that go through large global deformations. We model and simulate such a global deformation using geometrically nonlinear finite element methods (FEM). We also introduce an efficient method that computes the force feedback, in real-time, by simulating the collision between the virtual "proxy" and the deformable object. To perceptually satisfy a human operator, haptics requires a much higher update frequency (at least 1000 Hz) than graphics. We update the graphics using full simulation and interpolate the fully simulated states at a higher frequency to render haptics. The interpolation is made possible by intentionally delaying the display (both graphics and haptics) by one full simulation cycle.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A complete system for the analysis of architectural drawings, with the aim of reconstructing in 3D the represented buildings, and a proposed 3D modeling process which matches reconstructed floors is presented.
Abstract: In this paper, we present a complete system for the analysis of architectural drawings, with the aim of reconstructing in 3D the represented buildings. We successively describe the graphics recognition algorithms used for image processing and feature extraction, the 2D modeling step, which includes symbol recognition and converts the drawing into a description in terms of basic architectural entities, and a proposed 3D modeling process which matches reconstructed floors. The system also includes a powerful and flexible user interface.

Patent
03 Feb 2000
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a tool for modeling and analysis of financial scenarios, including a graphical user interface which enables a user to create a graphical model of a financial scenario, generally including at least one financial transaction, on a display screen.
Abstract: A financial scenario modeling and analysis tool, including a graphical user interface which enables a user of the tool to create a graphical model of a financial scenario, generally including at least one financial transaction, on a display screen, and an engine operable, in response to creation of the graphical model, to automatically generate information, such as financial or mathematical information, which at least partially models at leat a part of the financial scenario using information collected by the engine during creation of the graphical model. The graphical user interface enables the user to create party graphics respectively representing parties to the financial deal, and to generate financial instrument graphics representing financial instruments, wherein each financial instrument graphic connects two of the party graphics. The engine generates, in response to the creation of a graphical model, an instrument information, such as an object or template, for each of the instruments in the graphical model. The tool includes a natural date language and a formula language for use in modeling a scenario. The tool enables optimization of optimizable parameters defined in the scenario, and includes a user-friendly, book-like and CAD-like user interface.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A hardware accelerated approach to the voxelization of a wide range of 3D objects, including curves/surfaces, solids, and volumetric CSG models, is presented, which allows 3D scenes to be modeled and manipulated in their own representations, and generates the volume representations of regions of interest on-the-fly forvolumetric operations.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This work presents an algebraic framework, called Constructive Volume Geometryn (CVG), for modelling complex spatial objects using combinational operations, and describes the interior as well as the exterior of objects.
Abstract: We present an algebraic framework, called Constructive Volume Geometry (CVG), for modelling complex spatial objects using combinational operations. By utilising scalar elds as fundamental building blocks, CVG provides high-level algebraic representations of objects that are dened mathematically or built upon sampled or simulated datasets. It models amorphous phenomena as well as solid objects, and describes the interior as well as the exterior of objects. We also describe a hierarchical representation scheme for CVG, and a direct rendering method with a new approach for consistent sampling. The work has demonstrated the feasibility of combining a variety of graphics data types in a coherent modelling scheme.

Patent
03 Apr 2000
TL;DR: In this article, an internet on-demand system for television presents internet content and traditional television programming as part of a single coherent interface, which includes a server and a client capable of providing a dynamic graphical user interface.
Abstract: An internet on-demand system for television presents internet content and traditional television programming as part of a single coherent interface. The system can display an internet gateway interface which actively scrolls through and highlights links to selected web pages which are organized according to templates corresponding to their content. The links are highlighted in a dynamic revolving sequence with associated graphics and sounds. The system includes a server and a client capable of providing a dynamic graphical user interface. The web pages are presented on the graphical user interface as channels as part of the same milieu as channels of traditional television programming. The user can select a channel from a rotary menu wheel. An intelligent agent passively filters selected web pages for a user to explore based on the user's past pattern of usage of the client. The server queries the client regarding its available data stream connections, including telephone modems, cable modems, and digital satellite broadcasting, in order to determine the most efficient delivery of different types of data through all of the available bandwidth connections. The efficient delivery of data allows the client to present text, graphics, video, audio and other multimedia information from a web page over the internet as a coordinated presentation.

Patent
16 May 2000
TL;DR: In this paper, a method and apparatus for creating motion blur, depth of field, and screen door effects when rendering three-dimensional graphics data are disclosed, including a graphics system configured with a graphics processor, a super-sampled sample buffer, and a sample-to-pixel calculation unit.
Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating motion blur, depth of field, and screen door effects when rendering three-dimensional graphics data are disclosed. A graphics system configured with a graphics processor, a super-sampled sample buffer, and a sample-to-pixel calculation unit is disclosed. The graphics processor may be configured to use a sample mask to select different subsets of sample coordinates to be rendered for a particular frame. Each subset may be rendered applying a different set of attributes, and the resulting samples may then be stored together in the sample buffer. The sample-to-pixel calculation unit may be configured to filter the samples into output pixels that are provided to a display device. The attributes that may be changed from subset to subset include the viewpoint, the time at which objects in the data are rendered, which objects or geometric primitives in the data are rendered, the position of objects in the data, the color of objects in the data, the transparency of objects in the data, and the shape of objects in the data.

01 Jan 2000
TL;DR: Overall, this analysis suggests two principles, Apprehension and Expression, for successful animated graphics, though these principles do not guarantee that animated graphics will be superior to equivalent static ones.
Abstract: Graphics, such as maps, have been used since ancient times to portray things that are inherently visual. More recently, graphics such as diagrams and graphs, have been used to portray things that are metaphorically spatio-visual. The assumption is that graphics facilitate comprehension, learning, memory, and inference. Assumptions aside, research on static graphics has shown that only carefully designed and appropriate graphics prove to be beneficial. Despite enthusiasm for animated graphics, the research reviewed here on their efficacy is not encouraging. In cases where animated graphics seemed superior to static ones, scrutiny of the actual stimuli revealed that the animated graphics conveyed more information, especially about the microsteps between larger steps. Lack of benefit from animations of events may be because animations are difficult to perceive and because events are often conceived of as sequences of discrete steps. Overall, this analysis suggests two principles, Apprehension and Expression, for successful animated graphics, though these principles do not guarantee that animated graphics will be superior to equivalent static ones.

Patent
15 Jun 2000
TL;DR: In this paper, a training pant includes active graphics that can change color during use and can provide an interactive training aid, which can include moisture sensitive color change compositions that disappear from view or blend in with background graphics upon activation.
Abstract: A disposable absorbent article such as a training pant includes active graphics that can change color during use and can provide an interactive training aid. The active graphics in particular embodiments can comprise moisture sensitive color change compositions that disappear from view or blend in with background graphics upon activation. In particular embodiments, the active graphics comprise at least two compositions that have different post-activation colors.

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Sep 2000
TL;DR: VPython as mentioned in this paper is an easy-to-use package for interactive 3D graphics, allowing even beginning physics students without prior programming experience to write programs with real-time 3D visualizations.
Abstract: VPython, a remarkable easy-to-use package for interactive 3D graphics, lets even beginning physics students without prior programming experience write programs with real time 3D visualizations. Developed at Carnegie Mellon University, VPython is part of an effort to develop a more modern first-year physics curriculum.

Proceedings ArticleDOI
01 Nov 2000
TL;DR: A trace analysis framework is described, from trace generation to visualization, that includes a unified tracing facility on IBMâ SPä systems, a self-defining interval file format, an API for framework extensions, utilities for merging and statistics generation, and a visualization tool with preview and multiple time-space diagrams.
Abstract: In this paper we describe a trace analysis framework, from trace generation to visualization. It includes a unified tracing facility on IBMâ SPa systems, a self-defining interval file format, an API for framework extensions, utilities for merging and statistics generation, and a visualization tool with preview and multiple time-space diagrams. The trace environment is extremely scalable, and combines MPI events with system activities in the same set of trace files, one for each SMP node. Since the amount of trace data may be very large, utilities are developed to convert and merge individual trace files into a self-defining interval trace file with multiple frame directories. The interval format allows the development of multiple time-space diagrams, such as thread-activity view, processor-activity view, etc., from the same interval file. A visualization tool, Jumpshot, is modified to visualize these views. A statistics utility is developed using the API, along with its graphics viewer.

Proceedings ArticleDOI
01 Aug 2000
TL;DR: The techniques for tracking state, as well as efficient algorithms for computing the difference between two graphics contexts are described, which allows WireGL to transmit less state data over the network by updating server state lazily and allows the system to context switch between multiple graphics applications several million times per second without flushing the hardware accelerator.
Abstract: As networks get faster, it becomes more feasible to render large data sets remotely For example, it is useful to run large scientific simulations on remote compute servers but visualize the results of those simulations on one or more local displays The WireGL project at Stanford is researching new techniques for rendering over a network For many applications, we can render remotely over a gigabit network to a tiled display with little or no performance loss over running locally One of the elements of WireGL that makes this performance possible is our ability to track the graphics state of a running applicationIn this paper, we will describe our techniques for tracking state, as well as efficient algorithms for computing the difference between two graphics contexts This fast differencing operation allows WireGL to transmit less state data over the network by updating server state lazily It also allows our system to context switch between multiple graphics applications several million times per second without flushing the hardware accelerator This results in substantial performance gains when sharing a remote display between multiple clients

Patent
16 Mar 2000
TL;DR: In this article, a unique combination of enhancement building on a generic single multi-display graphics subsystem is proposed for digital video playback in a wide variety of modes using multiple display controllers.
Abstract: Multiple independent displays from one graphics controller can be driven in a wide variety of modes using multiple display controllers This invention incorporates a unique combination of enhancement building on a generic single multi-display graphics subsystem Digital video is gaining vast popularity in the worldwide consumer, professional and commercial market The applications of this invention cover all these market segments and include (but are not limited to) Digital Content Creation, Digital video playback, digital entertainment, DVD Authoring etc

Patent
16 May 2000
TL;DR: In this article, a system consisting of a graphics processor, a sample buffer, and a sample-to-pixel calculation unit is described. Butler et al. present a method for performing blur effects, including motion blur and depth of field effects.
Abstract: A graphics system and method for performing blur effects, including motion blur and depth of field effects, are disclosed. In one embodiment the system comprises a graphics processor, a sample buffer, and a sample-to-pixel calculation unit. The graphics processor is configured to receive a set of three-dimensional (3D) graphics data and render a plurality of samples based on the set of 3D graphics data. The processor is also configured to generate sample tags for the samples, wherein the sample tags are indicative of whether or not the samples are to be blurred. The super-sampled sample buffer is coupled to receive and store the samples from the graphics processor. The sample-to-pixel calculation unit is coupled to receive and filter the samples from the super-sampled sample buffer to generate output pixels, which in turn are displayable to form an image on a display device. The sample-to-pixel calculation units are configured to select the filter attributes used to filter the samples into output pixels based on the sample tags.

Patent
21 Mar 2000
TL;DR: In this paper, a conferencing server 22 and methods for use with a video conferecing system 20 for multimedia collaborative conferencecing is described, which includes a control unit 50 that is selectively programmed to couple a first of the at least two video graphics input ports 67 to the video graphics output port 77 for allowing the transfer of information from the computer belonging to the participant located in a local video conference room.
Abstract: A conferencing server 22 and methods for use with a video conferencing system 20 for multimedia collaborative conferencing. The conferencing server 22 includes at least two data ports 69 and at least two video graphics input ports 67 , each pair of data and video graphics input ports for connecting to one of at least two computers 72 belonging to a participant located in a local video conference room. The conferencing server 22 also includes a video graphics output port 77 for connecting to a local input port 40 of the video conferencing system 22 . The conferencing server 22 includes a control unit 50 that is selectively programmed to couple a first of the at least two video graphics input ports 67 to the video graphics output port 77 for allowing the transfer of information from the computer connected to the first of the at least two video graphics input ports to the video conferencing system 20 . In some specific embodiments, the video graphics input and output ports are SVGA input and output ports.

Patent
Leland Wilkinson1
20 Apr 2000
TL;DR: In this paper, a computer method, apparatus and storage medium is provided for creating quantitative aesthetic graphics from data, which utilizes a graph algebra to construct graphs and visually or otherwise represents the graphs as a quantitative aesthetic graphic representation.
Abstract: A computer method, apparatus and storage medium is provided for creating quantitative aesthetic graphics from data. The invention utilizes a graph algebra to construct graphs and visually or otherwise represents the graphs as a quantitative aesthetic graphic representation. To create the quantitative aesthetic graphics from data, the data is indexed to form a data set. Thereafter, the data is converted into a variable data structure composed of an index set, a range and a function. The variable data structure is converted into a variable set by using at least one of a blend step, a cross step and a nest step. The variable set is mapped into a set of points and the set of points is mapped into an aesthetic representation.

Book
12 May 2000
TL;DR: From the Publisher: Web expert Thomas Powell provides thorough explanations of effective site architecture, layout, and navigational features.
Abstract: From the Publisher: Web expert Thomas Powell provides thorough explanations of effective site architecture, layout, and navigational features. Describes how to add graphics, links, interface widglets, and multimedia.

Patent
14 Nov 2000
TL;DR: In this paper, a computer graphics system splits vertex data into first and second streams and stores the streams in separate regions of memory, where the first stream includes positional data and the second stream includes non-positional color and texture data.
Abstract: A computer graphics system splits vertex data into first and second streams and stores the streams in separate regions of memory. In a specific embodiment, the first stream includes positional data and the second stream includes non-positional color and texture data. A visibility subsystem uses only the first stream to perform visibility processing, thus reducing bandwidth requirement. The rendering system processes data from subsets, identified by the visibility subsystem, of both streams required to render the visible part of a scene.