Method and apparatus for using a general three-dimensional (3D) graphics pipeline for cost effective digital image and video editing, transformation, and representation
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- providing a digital representation of a two-dimensional image;
providing a computer model of a geometric surface;
binding said digital representation to said computer model of said geometric surface, whereby during said act of binding, said geometric surface is a flat or substantially flat geometric surface; and
generating an array of pixels corresponding to an image to be displayed, said image to be displayed including said geometric surface textured by said two-dimensional image.
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Abstract
A method in accordance with our invention permits the manipulation of a two-dimensional pixel array using a standard 3D graphics pipeline. The method comprises the steps of forming a wire mesh of the two-dimensional image. This wire mesh comprises a set of triangles, in which all of the vertices and sides of the triangles are located in the same plane in x, y, z coordinate space. The 2D image is then mapped into the mesh. The resulting object representation can then be manipulated in the same manner that 3D representations are manipulated by a 3D graphics pipeline.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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providing a digital representation of a two-dimensional image;
providing a computer model of a geometric surface;
binding said digital representation to said computer model of said geometric surface, whereby during said act of binding, said geometric surface is a flat or substantially flat geometric surface; and
generating an array of pixels corresponding to an image to be displayed, said image to be displayed including said geometric surface textured by said two-dimensional image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
receiving information corresponding to a location of a virtual viewer, said act of generating an array of pixels comprising generating said array of pixels so that the image to be displayed is displayed from the perspective of said virtual viewer.
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17. Method of claim 16 further comprising:
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changing the position of said virtual viewer; and
regenerating said array of pixels so that the image being displayed is displayed from the perspective of said virtual viewer after the position of said virtual viewer has been changed.
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18. Method of claim 1 further comprising receiving information corresponding to the location of a virtual lighting source, said act of generating an array of pixels comprising generating said array of pixels so that the image to be displayed is displayed as it would appear if illuminated by said virtual lighting source.
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19. Structure comprising:
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a first memory for storing a digital representation of a two-dimensional image;
a second memory for storing a model of a flat geometric surface;
a third memory for storing a world coordinate system, said world coordinate system representing a location and orientation of an object to be displayed; and
a graphics 3D pipeline for binding said model of said flat geometric surface to said two-dimensional image and generating a pixel array corresponding to an image to be displayed, said generating of said image being based, at least in part, on said flat geometric surface textured in accordance with said two-dimensional image, said image being oriented and positioned in accordance with said world coordinate system. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method comprising the acts of:
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providing a video image to a 3D graphics pipeline;
providing a geometric surface to said 3D graphics pipeline; and
generating a pixel array based on the binding of at least a portion of said video image to said geometric surface. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A method comprising the acts of:
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providing a two-dimensional image to a 3D graphics pipeline;
providing a flat geometric surface to said 3D graphics pipeline;
generating a pixel array based on the binding of at least a portion of said two-dimensional image to said flat geometric surface. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. Structure comprising:
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a source of a video image; and
a 3D graphics pipeline receiving said video image and processing said video image by binding said video image to a geometric surface and generating a pixel array based on the binding of at least a portion of said video image to said geometric surface.
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27. Structure comprising:
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a memory containing a representation of a two-dimensional image;
a memory containing a flat geometric surface; and
a 3D graphics pipeline for binding said two-dimensional image to said flat geometric surface and generating a pixel array corresponding to said bound two-dimensional image.
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Specification