Shadowbox input of illumination information

• US 6,266,066 B1
• Filed: 12/04/1998
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Koizumi, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): SANTIAGO, ENRIQUE L
• Application Number:
  US09/206,127
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 345/426, 345/207, 345/147, 345/156, 345/81
• US Class Current: 345/426
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/50 Lighting effects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/506 Illumination models

Abstract

Methods and apparatus adapted for using video input devices to capture illumination information for input to computer graphics applications. The methods include obtaining information from an illuminated region, wherein the illuminated region is generated by passing light from an illumination source through an aperture and impinging that light on a surface; determining a quality of the illumination source derived from the information; and generating an output for use in a computer application, wherein the output is indicative of the quality of the illumination source. The apparatus include an opaque plate having an aperture and second plate adjacent the opaque plate, wherein light from an illumination source passing through the aperture impinges on the second plate, thereby producing an illuminated region on the second plate. Machine-readable medium and systems adapted to utilize the methods and apparatus are included.

Claims

1. A method of providing illumination source quality input for a computer application, the method comprising:

obtaining information from an illuminated region, wherein the illuminated region is generated by passing light from an illumination source through an aperture and impinging that light on a surface;

determining a quality of the illumination source derived from the information; and

generating an output for use in the computer application, wherein the output is indicative of the quality of the illumination source.

2. A machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon capable of causing a processor to carry out the method of:

obtaining information from an illuminated region, wherein the illuminated region is generated by passing light from an illumination source through an aperture and impinging that light on a surface;

determining a quality of the illumination source derived from the information; and

generating an output for use in the computer application, wherein the output is indicative of the quality of the illumination source.

3. A method of providing illumination source quality input for a computer application, the method comprising:

obtaining information from an illuminated region, wherein the illuminated region is generated by passing light from an illumination source through an aperture and impinging that light on a surface, further wherein obtaining information from the illuminated region comprises obtaining a digitized image of the illuminated region;

determining a quality of the illumination source derived from the information; and

generating an output for use in the computer application, wherein the output is indicative of the quality of the illumination source.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the information obtained is at least one datum selected from the group comprising size, shape, position, color and intensity.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the quality is selected from the group comprising location, angle of incidence, color and intensity.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the output is in a form selected from the group comprising textual, graphical and machine readable.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein impinging the light on a surface comprises impinging the light on a frosted surface.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein impinging the light on a surface comprises impinging the light on a frosted surface, further wherein obtaining information from the illuminated region comprises obtaining a digitized image of the illuminated region through the frosted surface.

9. A machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon capable of causing a processor to carry out the method of:

obtaining information from an illuminated region, wherein the illuminated region is generated by passing light from an illumination source through an aperture and impinging that light on a surface, further wherein obtaining information from the illuminated region comprises obtaining a digitized image of the illuminated region;

determining a quality of the illumination source derived from the information; and

generating an output for use in the computer application, wherein the output is indicative of the quality of the illumination source.

10. An input system, comprising:

an opaque plate having an aperture;

a video input device; and

a frosted plate interposed between the video input device and the opaque plate;

wherein light from an illumination source passing through the aperture impinges on the frosted plate, thereby producing an illuminated region on the frosted plate;

wherein the illuminated region on the frosted plate is indicative of at least one quality of the illumination source; and

wherein the illuminated region is visible to the video input device through the frosted plate.

11. An input system, comprising:

an opaque plate having an aperture;

a mirror;

a frosted plate interposed between the mirror and the opaque plate;

a video input device; and

a compensating lens interposed between the mirror and the video input device;

wherein light from an illumination source passing through the aperture impinges on the frosted plate, thereby producing an illuminated region on the frosted plate;

wherein the illuminated region on the frosted plate is indicative of at least one quality of the illumination source;

wherein the illuminated region is visible to the mirror through the frosted plate;

wherein the mirror redirects light from the illuminated region onto the compensating lens; and

wherein the compensating lens focuses the light from the illuminated region within a depth of field of the video input device.

12. The input system of claim 11, wherein a position of the illuminated region is indicative of an angle of incidence of the illumination source.

13. The input system of claim 11, wherein an intensity of the illuminated region is indicative of an intensity of the illumination source.

14. The input system of claim 11, wherein the at least one quality is selected from the group comprising location, angle of incidence, color and intensity.

15. The input system of claim 11, wherein the opaque plate and the frosted plate are generally planar and in a generally parallel space-apart relationship.

16. An input system, comprising:

a first opaque plate having a first aperture;

at least one video input device;

a first frosted plate interposed between the at least one video input device and the first opaque plate;

a second opaque plate having a second aperture; and

a second frosted plate interposed between the at least one video input device and the second opaque plate;

wherein light from an illumination source passing through the first aperture impinges on the first frosted plate, thereby producing a first illuminated region on the first frosted plate;

wherein light from an illumination source passing through the second aperture impinges on the second frosted plate, thereby producing a second illuminated region on the second frosted plate;

wherein the first and second illuminated regions are indicative of at least one quality of the illumination source;

wherein the first illuminated region is visible within a field of view of the at least one video input device; and

wherein the second illuminated region is visible within the field of view of the at least one video input device.

17. An input system, comprising:

a first opaque plate having a first aperture;

a first mirror;

a first frosted plate interposed between the first mirror and the first opaque plate;

a first video input device;

a first compensating lens interposed between the first mirror and the first video input device;

a second opaque plate having a second aperture;

a second mirror;

a second frosted plate interposed between the second mirror and the second opaque plate;

a second video input device; and

a second compensating lens interposed between the second mirror and the second video input device;

wherein light from an illumination source passing through the first aperture impinges on the first frosted plate, thereby producing a first illuminated region on the first frosted plate;

wherein light from the illumination source passing through the second aperture impinges on the second frosted plate, thereby producing a second illuminated region on the second frosted plate;

wherein the first and second illuminated regions are indicative of at least one quality of the illumination source;

wherein the first illuminated region is visible to the first mirror through the first frosted plate;

wherein the second illuminated region is visible to the second mirror through the second frosted plate;

wherein the first mirror redirects light from the first illuminated region onto the first compensating lens;

wherein the second mirror redirects light from the second illuminated region onto the second compensating lens;

wherein the first compensating lens focuses the light from the first illuminated region within a depth of field of the first video input device; and

wherein the second compensating lens focuses the light from the second illuminated region within a depth of field of the second video input device.

18. The input system of claim 17, wherein the first opaque plate and the second opaque plate are the same plate.

19. The input system of claim 17, wherein the first frosted plate and the second frosted plate are the same plate.

20. The input system of claim 17, wherein each opaque plate is generally planar to its corresponding frosted plate.

21. The input system of claim 17, wherein the first video input device and the second video input device are a single video input device, further wherein the light from the first illuminated region is visible to a first portion of a field of view of the single video input device, still further wherein the light from the second illuminated region is visible to a second portion of the field of view of the single video input device.

22. A computer system, comprising:

a processor; and

a machine-readable medium coupled to the processor, wherein the machine-readable medium has instructions stored thereon capable of causing the processor to carry out a method of;

obtaining information from an illuminated region, wherein the illuminated region is generated by passing light from an illumination source through an aperture and impinging that light on a surface;

determining a quality of the illumination source derived from the information; and

generating an output for use in a computer application, wherein the output is indicative of the quality of the illumination source.

23. A computer system, comprising:

a processor; and

a machine-readable medium coupled to the processor, wherein the machine-readable medium has instructions stored thereon capable of causing the processor to carry out a method of;

obtaining information from an illuminated region, wherein the illuminated region is generated by passing light from an illumination source through an aperture and impinging that light on a surface, further wherein obtaining information from the illuminated region comprises obtaining a digitized image of the illuminated region;

determining a quality of the illumination source derived from the information; and

generating an output for use in the computer application, wherein the output is indicative of the quality of the illumination source.

24. The computer system of claim 23, wherein the information obtained is at least one datum selected from the group comprising size, shape, position, color and intensity.

25. The computer system of claim 23, wherein the quality is selected from the group comprising location, angle of incidence, color and intensity.

26. The computer system of claim 23, wherein the output is in a form selected from the group comprising textual, graphical and machine readable.