IMAGE RENDERING DEVICE, IMAGE RENDERING METHOD, AND RECORDING MEDIUM

• US 20120230607A1
• Filed: 11/17/2010
• Published: 09/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Solution Innovators, Ltd (NEC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC System Technologies Limited (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamaji, Junko
• Granted Patent: US 8,805,119 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/296
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/60 Memory management
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/606 by memory addressing or mapping
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0252 Improving the response speed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/121 using a cache memory
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/363 Graphics controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3877 Image rotation

Abstract

A rendering command generator (11) acquires coordinate transformation information and a rendering region that converts and displays a reference image in a display image, and sets a coordinate transformation matrix in a register (21). A rendering block setting unit (22) sets the number of vertical and horizontal pixels of a rectangular region that divides and covers the rendering region in such a way that the region in which the rectangular region is subjected to coordinate transformation from a rendering region to a reference image by a coordinate transformation matrix conforms with the shape on the image of the image cache (15) from which the reference image is read out. A pixel generator (13) scans the rendering region by using the set rectangular region and generates pixel positions, and a coordinate transformation unit (14) reads out from external memory (20) image data on the pixel positions of the reference image corresponding to the pixels of the rendering region. The image cache (15) stores the image data read out from the external memory (20). A rendering processor (16) reads out image data from the image cache (15) and converts the image data to pixels of the rendering region.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. An image rendering device, comprising:

a rendering region acquisition unit for acquiring information for specifying a rendering region, which is a region in which a reference image is converted and displayed, in a display image;

a coordinate transformation information acquisition unit for acquiring information designating coordinate transformation from coordinates of the rendering region to coordinates of the reference image, for converting and displaying the reference image in the rendering region;

a setting unit for setting vertical and horizontal pixel numbers in a rectangular region covering the rendering region such that a prescribed relationship is satisfied by a first region obtained by having the rectangular region undergo the coordinate transformation, and a second region positioned on the reference image and in response to image data recorded in an image cache that stores the reference image;

a generation unit for generating one or more of the rectangular regions covering the rendering region with the vertical and horizontal pixel numbers set by the setting unit;

a transformation unit for selecting the rectangular regions in order in a prescribed scanning direction, and computing pixel position within the reference image through the coordinate transformation from pixels selected in order in the scanning direction in the selected rectangular regions;

an image acquisition unit for reading image data in the pixel position computed by the transformation unit from memory storing the reference image;

the image cache for storing image data read from the memory; and

a rendering unit for reading image data from the image cache and converting such into pixels in the rendering region.

14. The image rendering device of claim 13, wherein the setting unit sets the vertical and horizontal pixel numbers of the rectangular region in conjunction with block size and block numbers of the image cache so that at least the first region is contained within the second region.

15. The image rendering device of claim 13, wherein the setting unit sets the vertical and horizontal pixel numbers in the rectangular region so that the rectangular region is small if the coordinate transformation magnification is large, and so that the rectangular region is large if said magnification is small.

16. The image rendering device of claim 14, wherein the setting unit sets the vertical and horizontal pixel numbers in the rectangular region so that the rectangular region is small if the coordinate transformation magnification is large, and so that the rectangular region is large if said magnification is small.

17. The image rendering device of claims 13, wherein when the smaller angle formed by the direction of the horizontal direction of the rendering region after coordinate transformation and the horizontal direction of the second region exceeds 45 degrees, the transformation unit switches the primary scanning direction and the auxiliary scanning direction of the primary scanning direction, selects in order rectangular regions covering the rendering region and scans the selected rectangular region to select pixels.

18. The image rendering device of claims 14, wherein when the smaller angle formed by the direction of the horizontal direction of the rendering region after coordinate transformation and the horizontal direction of the second region exceeds 45 degrees, the transformation unit switches the primary scanning direction and the auxiliary scanning direction of the primary scanning direction, selects in order rectangular regions covering the rendering region and scans the selected rectangular region to select pixels.

19. The image rendering device of claims 15, wherein when the smaller angle formed by the direction of the horizontal direction of the rendering region after coordinate transformation and the horizontal direction of the second region exceeds 45 degrees, the transformation unit switches the primary scanning direction and the auxiliary scanning direction of the primary scanning direction, selects in order rectangular regions covering the rendering region and scans the selected rectangular region to select pixels.

20. The image rendering device of claims 16, wherein when the smaller angle formed by the direction of the horizontal direction of the rendering region after coordinate transformation and the horizontal direction of the second region exceeds 45 degrees, the transformation unit switches the primary scanning direction and the auxiliary scanning direction of the primary scanning direction, selects in order rectangular regions covering the rendering region and scans the selected rectangular region to select pixels.

21. An image rendering device, comprising:

a rendering region acquisition unit for acquiring information for specifying a rendering region, which is a region in which a reference image is converted and displayed, in a display image;

a coordinate transformation information acquisition unit for acquiring information designating coordinate transformation from coordinates of the rendering region to coordinates of the reference image, for converting and displaying the reference image in the rendering region;

a setting unit for rectangular regions covering the rendering region;

a generation unit for generating one or more of the rectangular regions covering the rendering region with the rectangular regions set by the setting unit;

a transformation unit for selecting the rectangular regions in order in a prescribed scanning direction, and computing pixel position within the reference image through the coordinate transformation from pixels selected in order in the scanning direction in the selected rectangular regions;

an image acquisition unit for reading image data in the pixel position computed by the transformation unit from memory storing the reference image;

the image cache for storing image data read from the memory; and

a rendering unit for reading image data from the image cache and converting such into pixels in the rendering region;

wherein when the smaller angle formed by the direction of the horizontal direction of the rendering region after coordinate transformation and the horizontal direction of a region corresponding to image data recorded in an image cache in which the reference image is stored and positioned on the reference image exceeds 45 degrees, the transformation unit switches the primary scanning direction and the auxiliary scanning direction of the primary scanning direction, selects in order rectangular regions covering the rendering region and scans the selected rectangular region to select pixels.

22. An image rendering method for:

acquiring information for specifying a rendering region, which is a region in which a reference image is converted and displayed, in a display image;

acquiring information designating coordinate transformation from coordinates of the rendering region to coordinates of the reference image, for converting and displaying the reference image in the rendering region;

setting the size of rectangular regions such that a prescribed relationship is satisfied by a first region obtained by having the rectangular regions undergo the coordinate transformation, and a second region positioned on the reference image and in response to image data recorded in an image cache that stores the reference image;

generating one or more rectangular regions covering the rendering region with the vertical and horizontal pixel numbers set by the set size;

selecting the rectangular regions in order in a prescribed scanning direction, and computing pixel position within the reference image through the coordinate transformation from pixels selected in order in the scanning direction in the selected rectangular regions;

reading image data in the computed pixel position from memory storing the reference image;

storing image data read from the memory; and

reading image data from the image cache and converting such into pixels in the rendering region.

23. The image rendering method of claim 22, wherein the setting step sets the vertical and horizontal pixel numbers of the rectangular region in conjunction with block size and block numbers of the image cache so that at least the first region is contained within the second region.

24. The image rendering method of claim 22, wherein the setting step sets the vertical and horizontal pixel numbers in the rectangular region so that the rectangular region is small if the coordinate transformation magnification is large, and so that the rectangular region is large if said magnification is small.

25. The image rendering method of claim 23, wherein the setting step sets the vertical and horizontal pixel numbers in the rectangular region so that the rectangular region is small if the coordinate transformation magnification is large, and so that the rectangular region is large if said magnification is small.

26. The image rendering method of claims 22, wherein when the smaller angle formed by the direction of the horizontal direction of the rendering region after coordinate transformation and the horizontal direction of the second region exceeds 45 degrees, the transformation switches the primary scanning direction and the auxiliary scanning direction of the primary scanning direction, selects in order rectangular regions covering the rendering region and scans the selected rectangular region to select pixels.

27. The image rendering method of claims 23, wherein when the smaller angle formed by the direction of the horizontal direction of the rendering region after coordinate transformation and the horizontal direction of the second region exceeds 45 degrees, the transformation switches the primary scanning direction and the auxiliary scanning direction of the primary scanning direction, selects in order rectangular regions covering the rendering region and scans the selected rectangular region to select pixels.

28. The image rendering method of claims 24, wherein when the smaller angle formed by the direction of the horizontal direction of the rendering region after coordinate transformation and the horizontal direction of the second region exceeds 45 degrees, the transformation switches the primary scanning direction and the auxiliary scanning direction of the primary scanning direction, selects in order rectangular regions covering the rendering region and scans the selected rectangular region to select pixels.

29. The image rendering method of claims 25, wherein when the smaller angle formed by the direction of the horizontal direction of the rendering region after coordinate transformation and the horizontal direction of the second region exceeds 45 degrees, the transformation switches the primary scanning direction and the auxiliary scanning direction of the primary scanning direction, selects in order rectangular regions covering the rendering region and scans the selected rectangular region to select pixels.

30. An image rendering method for:

acquiring information for specifying a rendering region, which is a region in which a reference image is converted and displayed, in a display image;

acquiring information designating coordinate transformation from coordinates of the rendering region to coordinates of the reference image, for converting and displaying the reference image in the rendering region;

setting rectangular regions for covering the rendering region;

generating one or more of the rectangular regions covering the rendering region with the set rectangular regions;

selecting the rectangular regions in order in a prescribed scanning direction, and computing pixel position within the reference image through the coordinate transformation from pixels selected in order in the scanning direction in the selected rectangular regions;

reading image data in the pixel position computed by the coordinate transformation from memory storing the reference image;

storing image data read from the memory;

reading image data from the image cache and converting such into pixels in the rendering region; and

when the smaller angle formed by the direction of the horizontal direction of the rendering region after coordinate transformation and the horizontal direction of a region corresponding to image data recorded in an image cache in which the reference image is stored and positioned on the reference image exceeds 45 degrees, switching the primary scanning direction and the auxiliary scanning direction of the primary scanning direction, selecting in order rectangular regions covering the rendering region and scanning the selected rectangular region to select pixels.

31. A computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a program that causes a computer to execute:

a process for acquiring information for specifying a rendering region, which is a region in which a reference image is converted and displayed, in a display image;

a process for acquiring information designating coordinate transformation from coordinates of the rendering region to coordinates of the reference image, for converting and displaying the reference image in the rendering region;

a process for setting the size of rectangular regions such that a prescribed relationship is satisfied by a first region obtained by having the rectangular regions undergo the coordinate transformation, and a second region positioned on the reference image and in response to image data recorded in an image cache that stores the reference image;

a process for generating one or more of the rectangular regions covering the rendering region with the set size;

a process for selecting the rectangular regions in order in a prescribed scanning direction, and computing pixel position within the reference image through the coordinate transformation from pixels selected in order in the scanning direction in the selected rectangular regions;

a process for reading image data in the computed pixel position from memory storing the reference image;

a process for storing image data read from the memory; and

a process for reading image data from the image cache and converting such into pixels in the rendering region.

32. A computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a program that causes a computer to execute:

a process for acquiring information for specifying a rendering region, which is a region in which a reference image is converted and displayed, in a display image;

a process for acquiring information designating coordinate transformation from coordinates of the rendering region to coordinates of the reference image, for converting and displaying the reference image in the rendering region;

a process for setting rectangular regions for covering the rendering region;

a process for generating one or more of the rectangular regions covering the rendering region with the set rectangular regions;

a process for selecting the rectangular regions in order in a prescribed scanning direction, and computing pixel position within the reference image through the coordinate transformation from pixels selected in order in the scanning direction in the selected rectangular regions;

a process for reading image data in the pixel position computed by the coordinate transformation from memory storing the reference image;

a process for storing image data read from the memory;

a process for reading image data from the image cache and converting such into pixels in the rendering region; and

a process for, when the smaller angle formed by the direction of the horizontal direction of the rendering region after coordinate transformation and the horizontal direction of a region corresponding to image data recorded in an image cache in which the reference image is stored and positioned on the reference image exceeds 45 degrees, switching the primary scanning direction and the auxiliary scanning direction of the primary scanning direction, selecting in order rectangular regions covering the rendering region and scanning the selected rectangular region to select pixels.