Interactive computer system for creating three-dimensional image information and for converting two-dimensional image information for three-dimensional display systems

• US 6,590,573 B1
• Filed: 09/25/1992
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David Michael Geshwind
• Original Assignee: David Michael Geshwind
• Inventors: Geshwind, David Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sealey, Lance W.
• Application Number:
  US07/951,267
• Time in Patent Office: 3,938 Days
• Field of Search: 395/119, 395/109, 395/122, 395/129, 340/710, 340/734, 358/3, 348/51, 353/7, 345/473, 345/582, 345/589, 345/167, 345/184
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/162 involving adaptations of sockets based mechanisms secure socket layer H04L63/168
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/111 Transformation of image signals corresponding to virtual viewpoints, e.g. spatial image interpolation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/15 for colour aspects of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/221 using the relative movement between cameras and objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/257 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/261 with monoscopic-to-stereoscopic image conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/289 Switching between monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/324 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/361 Reproducing mixed stereoscopic images; Reproducing mixed monoscopic and stereoscopic images, e.g. a stereoscopic image overlay window on a monoscopic image background
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/00 Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/597 specially adapted for multi-view video sequence encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0081 Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0092 Image segmentation from stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/843 on film
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/015 High-definition television systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/122 involving expansion and subsequent compression of a signal segment, e.g. a frame, a line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/125 : the signal segment being a picture element
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/43 : Conversion of monochrome picture signals to colour picture signals for colour picture display

Abstract

Disclosed is an illustrator- or painter-operated, computer-mediated system for creating binocular, stereoscopic images from 2-D and 3-D image elements created by the operator or imported into the system. Depth effects are synthesized by creating parallax offsets which are applied to the display positions of the various elements in the view presented to each eye. The magnitude of the offset for each object is related to the depth of that object, the direction of the offset is related to which eye the view is intended for. A 3-D input device is described as a system component which may be used to control such a system. Additional techniques are disclosed whereby digital information so created may be displayed, broadcast, or utilized in a virtual reality system.

Claims

1. An improved method for creating image information by using a computer paint system, wherein painting functions include at least some function available in standard computer paint systems including brush-oriented painting and pen-oriented drawing functions, wherein said improvement comprises the creation of three-dimensional image information, wherein said three-dimensional creation is effected by maintenance of a plurality of image information memories and application of at least one paint function to at least two of said image information memories and wherein the application of said at least one paint function in a first of said image information memories is offset with respect to the application of the same paint function in a second of said image information memories.

2. A method for integrating 2D and 3D image elements by utilizing the method of claim 1.

3. A method for modifying a 3D image by utilizing the method of claim 1.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein said offset may be adjusted by a fraction of a pixel for at least one image information value by application of interpolation to apportion said image information value to more than one image information memory location.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein a painting function is truncated in such a manner that for progressively larger offsets an extreme edge of the area to which said painting function may be applied is progressively restricted in order to avoid the application of said painting function to an image intended to be displayed to one eye without it also being applied to an image intended to be displayed to the other eye.

6. A method as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of image information memories are each uniquely associated with at least one of a plurality of image information elements, and left and right images are created by applying parallax offsets to at least some of said plurality of image information elements, and wherein said parallax offsets are determined as a function of depth information associated with at least some of said image information elements.

7. A method as in claim 6 wherein said offsets may be adjusted by a fraction of a pixel for at least one image information memory value by application of interpolation to apportion said image information value to more than one image information display pixel.

8. A method as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of image information memories comprises two, a left image information memory and a right image information memory, and said offset is binocular parallax offset.

9. A method as in claim 8 wherein said left and right image information memories are each maintained as separate contiguous areas of memory and combination of the contents of said left and right image memories is effected only upon display.

10. A method as in claim 8 wherein said left and right image information memories are arranged in an interleaved fashion within a single information memory.

11. A method as in claim 8 wherein an image, element is loaded into both left and right image information memories without offset, the contents of said image information memories are then parallax shifted with respect to each other, and subsequently an additional image element is loaded into both left and right image information memories without offset.

12. A method for displaying information with the perception of depth comprising the synthesis of a plurality of images each created by the process of claim 1, each of said images constructed from a different viewing position, and displaying said plurality of images in an oscillatory sequential manner.

13. A method as in claim 12 comprising in addition the step of conveying at least some of said image information embodied as a video signal via an information bearing medium.

14. A method as in claim 1 comprising, in addition, an improved method for operator input of scaler information to a computer system, wherein the improvement comprises interpretation of the input from a plurality of transducers which are used in two distinct modes one of which is in a coordinated fashion to specify values for a first set of variables and a second of which is in an anti-coordinated fashion to specify values for a second set of variables.

15. A method as in claim 1 comprising in addition the step of conveying at least some of said information via a digital information bearing medium.

16. A method as in claim 1, wherein said plurality of image information memories is two.

17. A method as in claim 1, wherein said plurality of image information memories is more than two.

18. A method as in claim 1 comprising in addition the step of conveying at least some of said image information embodied as a video signal via an information bearing medium.

19. A method as in claim 1 comprising in addition the step of conveying said image information via a left and right pair of film images.

83. A method as in claim 6 providing a third mode of operation which mode is an uncoordinated mode whereby at least one first transducer receives null input and at least one second transducer receives input resulting in specification of a third set of variables.

84. A method as in claim 6 wherein the plurality of transducers comprises at least two translation transducers which when used in a coordinated fashion specify translation and when used in an anti-coordinated fashion specify rotation.

20. An improved method for creating final image information by using a computer image creation/modification system, wherein image creation/modification functions include at least one function available in standard computer paint systems including brush-oriented painting functions, wherein said improvement comprises storage of image depth information in addition to image color information, and wherein said image depth information specifies other than a single plane perpendicular to the depth axis when depth excursions representing surface texture are eliminated, and wherein said at least one function produces dynamic visible feedback in the display of said final image information of its effect upon at least some of said image information during its operation.

21. A method as in claim 20 wherein obscuring of one image information element by another is based on said image depth information.

22. A method as in claim 20 wherein an additional improvement comprises at least one function to paint with a brush that applies both color value to a color image memory plane and depth value to a depth image memory plane.

23. A method as in claim 20 wherein said depth information is sub-divided into depth tag and depth value information and a depth specification to be used is derived as a function of the depth tag and depth value.

24. A method as in claim 20 wherein an additional improvement comprises that for at least one image processing function a set of pixels input to said image processing function and a set of pixels effected by output of said image processing function are dependent upon depth information associated with at least some of said input and effected pixels.

25. A method as in claim 24 comprising in addition the step of conveying at least some of said image information embodied as a video signal carried by an information bearing medium.

26. A method as in claim 20 wherein an additional improvement comprises inclusion in said created image information of shadows cast by at least one first element onto at least one second element whereby a shadow casting function is calculated based upon said depth information.

27. A method as in claim 20 comprising, in addition, an improved method for applying paint system brush-oriented functions, whereby for active/existing pixels within a brush shape, which brush shape is often, but not necessarily, a bounding rectangle, the value of the image under each brush pixel is replaced by some function of the brush pixel value, or its neighborhood, and the value of the image under the brush pixel, or its neighborhood;

and whereby prior to affecting said replacement, for each active/existing pixel within the brush shape, various conditions must be tested for and met;

which conditions include in any combination criteria of values for color, protection, depth, obscuration, alpha, transparency and any other image plane present in a specific computer paint system into which said improvement has been incorporated, for the brush pixel value, image pixel value or some combination of the two;

which results in a necessity to perform as many as P×

C tests where P is defined as the number of pixels within said brush shape, and C is defined as the number of conditions to be met for any pixel within said brush shape to maintain active/existing status;

wherein the improvement comprises;

maintenance of said brush as an array of pixel values and maintenance of a list of brush pixel address indices; and

whereby non-active/non-existent pixels which are within the bounding shape do not appear on the list; and

further manipulation of said list whereby when a pixel fails any one test which is critical said pixel is removed from said list and eliminated from consideration for subsequent tests of conditions to be met.

28. A method as in claim 20 comprising, in addition, an improved method for applying paint system brush-oriented functions, wherein the improvement comprises that during execution of at least some paint function an image protection plane, of at least one bit, is maintained such that said image protection plane may be both written into and referenced during painting and whereby the action of the paint function on the image is adjusted based upon values already stored in said image protection plane.

29. A method as in claim 20 comprising, in addition, an improved method for applying paint system brush-oriented functions, wherein the improvement comprises application of image processing functions, which in standard practice are applied by a program to an entire image or within a bounding shape, including contrast correction, color correction, gamma correction, gain, offset, and math and logical functions, to pixels under a brush being used by an operator.

30. A method for compatible stereoscopic broadcast comprising:

the broadcast of a two-dimensional image which may be displayed on a standard-type television display;

additionally, the broadcast of depth information which is not visibly displayed on a standard television;

the distortion of said two-dimensional image into two images, at least one of which has been modified by the method of claim 20 with respect to said two-dimensional image based upon said depth information; and

, the stereoscopic display of said two images.

31. A method as in claim 30 wherein said depth information is encoded into a video blanking interval prior to the two-dimensional image which is to be modified based upon said depth information.

32. A improved method for stereoscopic display of information created by the process of claim 20, wherein the improvement comprises display of said stereoscopic display as an anaglyphic display comprising a first image tinted by a first color and a second image tinted by a second color, and interleaving of segments tinted by said first color only with segments tinted by said second color only.

33. A method as in claim 32 wherein distribution of those segments tinted by a first color only and those segments tinted by a second color only is varied on a frame-to-frame basis by a variable Spatial-Temporal Signature scheme.

34. A method as in claim 32 comprising in addition the step of conveying at least some of said image information embodied as a video signal via an information bearing medium.

35. A method as in claim 32 wherein said segments each comprise one video line.

36. A method as in claim 20 wherein said depth information is referenced to determine if a selected painting function is to be applied to a selected area of image information.

37. A method as in claim 20 comprising in addition the step of conveying at least some of said information via a digital information bearing medium.

38. A method as in claim 30 comprising in addition the step of conveying at least some of said image information embodied as a video signal via an information bearing medium.

39. A method for the creation of a stereoscopic display comprising the interleaving of at least two images at least one of which was created by the method of claim 20, wherein at least some of the interleaved segments are less than one video field.

40. A product produced by the method of claim 39 and embodied as a video signal carried by an information bearing medium.

41. An improved method as in claim 20 for displaying diagnostic and other medical images which can include x-ray, CAT, NMR, endoscopic, photographic, video, computer or film images, wherein the improvement comprises the creation or modification of depth information to be incorporated into said medical images.

42. A method for viewing sequentially interleaved binocular information created by the method of claim 20 comprising in addition to said method the viewing of said information by use of a set of glasses incorporating light sources which are directed to each eye separately wherein the light sources for the left and right eye are alternated in such a manner that the light source is illuminated for the eye opposite to that for which an image being displayed is intended.

43. An improved method for creating three-dimensional images by the method of claim 20 wherein the improvement comprises that:

for areas of ambiguous or uncertain depth, such as boundaries between objects separated in the depth direction, the depth value utilized is modulated by a random-noise-like function.

44. A method as in claim 20 wherein said image final information is three-dimensional.

45. A method as in claim 20 wherein said image final information is stereoscopic.

46. A method as in claim 20 wherein the display of said final image information is effected by said stored image depth information.

47. A method as in claim 20 comprising in addition the creation or modification of depth information to be incorporated into said final image information.

48. A method as in claim 20 wherein at least some of said image depth information is non-planar.

49. A method as in claim 48 wherein, in addition, each pixel of standard image information has associated with it a unique pixel of image depth information, and wherein said at least one function effects said image depth information during its operation.

50. A computer program stored on a computer readable medium comprising:

a. instructions for performing image creation/modification functions which include at least one function available in standard computer paint systems including brush-oriented painting functions; and

,

b. instructions for storing image depth information in addition to image color information wherein said image depth information specifies other than a single plane perpendicular to the depth axis when depth excursions representing surface texture are eliminated.

51. A computer program as in claim 50 for creating virtual reality databases comprising in addition:

c. instructions for deriving virtual reality shape information from said image depth information.

52. A computer program as in claim 51 additionally comprising instructions to provide that:

a. virtual reality texture information is derived from the color information of said three-dimensional image;

b. said program can operate repeatedly on a series of separate still images each of which is derived from a motion picture sequence; and

,

c. additional depth, position or shape information is automatically derived by computer analysis of the changes in geometry of elements contained in a multiplicity of said still images.

53. A computer program as in claim 51additionally comprising:

d. instructions for deriving virtual reality texture information from said image color information.

54. A computer program as in claim 51, wherein said virtual reality is a videogame.

55. A computer program as in claim 50 additionally comprising instructions to provide for the display of diagnostic and other medical images which can include x-ray, CAT, NMR, endoscopic, photographic, video, computer or film images, wherein the improvement comprises the creation or modification of depth information to be incorporated into said medical images.

56. An improved method for creating image information by using a computer image creation/modification system, wherein image creation/modification functions include at least one function available in standard computer paint systems including brush-oriented painting functions, wherein said improvement comprises storage of depth information in addition to standard image information and wherein an additional improvement comprises the ability to separately inhibit writing to at least one of a multiplicity of information planes which can include red, green, blue, color index, depth, obscuration, protection, alpha, transparency and any other image plane present in a specific computer paint system into which said additional improvement has been incorporated.

57. A method as in claim 56 wherein an additional improvement comprises at least one function, such as ‘

painting a sheet of glass’

, that updates depth information plane values without updating color information plane values.

58. A method as in claim 56 wherein an additional improvement comprises at least one function, such as shape paint, that updates color information plane values without updating depth information plane values.

59. An improved method for creating final image information by using a computer image creation/modification system, wherein image creation/modification functions include at least one function available in standard computer paint systems including brush-oriented painting functions, wherein said improvement comprises storage of image depth information in addition to image color information, and wherein said at least one function effects said image depth information during its operation, and wherein said at least one function produces dynamic visible feedback in the display of said final image information of its effect upon at least some of said image information during its operation.

60. A method as in claim 59 for creating virtual reality databases whereby virtual reality shape information is derived from said image depth information.

61. A method as in claim 60 comprising in addition the step of conveying at least some of said information embodied as a virtual reality database via a digital information bearing medium.

62. A computer program as in claim 61, wherein said virtual reality is a videogame.

63. A method as in claim 60 whereby, in addition, virtual reality texture information is derived from said image color information.

64. A method as in claim 63 for creating virtual reality databases whereby said method is repeatedly applied to a series of separate still images each of which is derived from a motion picture sequence.

65. A method as in claim 64 wherein additional depth, position or shape information is automatically derived by computer analysis of the changes in geometry of elements contained in a multiplicity of said still images.

66. A product produced by the method of claim 64 comprising a virtual reality database and mediated by a digital information bearing medium.

67. A computer program as in claim 66, wherein said virtual reality is a videogame.

68. A computer program as in claim 64, wherein said virtual reality is a videogame.

69. A method as in claim 59 wherein said image final information is three-dimensional.

70. A method as in claim 59 wherein said image final information is stereoscopic.

71. A method as in claim 59 wherein the display of said final image information is effected by said stored image depth information.

72. A method as in claim 59 comprising in addition the creation or modification of depth information to be incorporated into said final image information.

73. A method as in claim 59 comprising in addition the step of conveying at least some of said information via an information bearing medium.

74. A method as in claim 59 wherein said image depth information specifies other than a single plane perpendicular to the depth axis when depth excursions representing surface texture are eliminated.

75. A method for modifying a pre-existing stereoscopic image by:

a. creating from the information comprising said pre-existing stereoscopic image an image set of at least two images where stereoscopic depth is expressed as parallax offsets between coherent features as represented in individual images of said image set; and

,

b. altering parallax shifts of said coherent image features within said image set.

76. An improved method for creating image information by using a computer paint system, wherein painting functions include at least some function available in standard computer paint systems including brush-oriented painting and pen-oriented drawing functions, wherein said improvement comprises application of at least one paint function in such a manner that:

a. those portions of the function which effect a first image are offset from those portions of the function which effect a second image;

b. where said offset is related to the depth at which said paint function is to be applied to said images;

c. where said first and said second image are displayed in combination in an interleaved fashion; and

,

d. where the two offset portions of the visual representation of said paint function are displayed in an interleaved fashion.

77. An improved method for creating image information by using a computer image creation/modification system, wherein image creation/modification functions include at least one function available in standard computer paint systems including brush-oriented painting functions, wherein said improvement comprises storage of depth information in addition to standard image information and comprising, in addition, an improved method of presenting a Graphic User Interface on a computer system, which Graphic User Interface comprises at least one of a standard set of elements common to Graphic User Interfaces including:

buttons, menus, palettes, slidebars, check boxes, frames and windows;

where the improvement comprises displaying at least one of said elements in stereo scopic format.

78. A method as in claim 77 wherein said Graphic User Interface is employed as an interface to an animation system.

79. A method as in claim 77 wherein said Graphic User Interface is employed as an interface to a microprocessor-based windowing system.

80. A method as in claim 79 wherein said Graphic User Interface is employed in addition as an interface to visual programming language software.

81. A method as in claim 77 comprising in addition that said at least one of said elements in stereoscopic format comprises in addition a stereoscopic drop shadow.

82. An improved method for creating image information by using a computer image creation/modification system, wherein image creation/modification functions include at least one function available in standard computer paint systems including brush-oriented painting functions, wherein said improvement comprises storage of depth information in addition to standard image information and comprising, in addition, an improved method for operator input of scaler information to a computer system, wherein the improvement comprises interpretation of the input from a plurality of transducers which are used in two distinct modes one of which is in a coordinated fashion to specify values for a first set of variables and a second of which is in an anti-coordinated fashion to specify values for a second set of variables, and at least some of said variables are input to control at least some of said image creation/modification functions.

85. A method as in claim 82 comprising, in addition, an improved method for interpreting input from a device for the operator input of scaler information to a computer system, whereby the improvement comprises accumulating the input in one direction and ignoring input in the other direction.

86. A method as in claim 82, wherein the method is to be used to create/modify a multiplicity of images and it is desired to be able to display any of said multiplicity of images for creation, modification, review or presentation, said method comprising, in addition, an improved method for controlling the presentation of a multiplicity of ordered images as presented on a computer screen, wherein the improvement comprises interpreting input from a device for operator input of scaler information to a computer, such that the number of images skipped over between the currently displayed image and the next image displayed is directly dependent upon input from the device by utilization of a page flip paradigm.

87. An improved method for creating image information by using a computer image creation/modification system, wherein image creation/modification functions include at least one function available in standard computer paint systems including brush-oriented painting functions, wherein said improvement comprises storage of depth information in addition to standard image information and comprising, in addition, an improved method for operator input of scaler information to a computer system, wherein the improvement comprises interpretation of input from a plurality of rotational transducers at least one of which is used in at least two modes to specify in each of said modes a different variable of information.

88. A method as in claim 87 wherein the plurality of rotational transducers comprises two balls.

89. A method as in claim 87 wherein the plurality of rotational transducers comprises four balls at the corners of a square and one pivot ball in the center and where at least the four corner balls provide active input data.

90. A computer program stored on a computer readable medium comprising:

a. instructions for performing computer paint system functions which include at least one function available in standard computer paint systems including brush-oriented painting functions, used for the creation of three-dimensional image information;

b. instructions for maintaining a plurality of image information memories; and

,

c. instructions for applying at least one paint function to at least two of said image information memories, wherein the application of said at least one paint function in a first of said image information memories is offset with respect to the application of the same paint function in a second of said image information memories.

91. A computer program as in claim 90 additionally comprising:

a. instructions for uniquely associating said plurality of image information memories each with at least one of a plurality of image information elements;

b. instructions for creating left and right images by applying parallax offsets to at least some of said plurality of image information elements; and

,

c. instructions for determining said parallax offsets as a function of depth information associated with at least some of said image information elements.

92. A computer program as in claim 91 wherein said offsets may be adjusted by a fraction of a pixel for at least one image information memory value by further comprising instructions for applying interpolation to apportion said image information value to more than one image information display pixel.

93. An improved method for creating final image information by using a computer image creation/modification system, wherein image creation/modification functions include at least one function available in standard computer paint systems including brush-oriented painting functions, wherein said improvement comprises storage of image depth information in addition to image color information, and wherein each pixel of image color information has associated with it a unique pixel of image depth information, and wherein said at least one function produces dynamic visible feedback in the display of said final image information of its effect upon at least some of said image information during its operation.

94. A method as in claim 93 wherein said image final information is three-diminsional.

95. A method as in claim 93 wherein said image final information is stereoscopic.

96. A method as in claim 93 wherein the display of said final image information is effected by said stored image depth information.

97. A method as in claim 93 comprising in addition the creation or modification of depth information to be incorporated into said final image information.

98. A method as in claim 93 wherein said image depth information specifies other than a single plane perpendicular to the depth axis when depth excursions representing surface texture are eliminated.

99. A method as in claim 93 wherein obscuring of one image information element by another is based on said depth information.

100. A method as in claim 93 wherein an additional improvement comprises at least one function to paint with a brush that applies both color value to a color image memory plane and depth value to a depth image memory plane.

101. A method as in claim 93 wherein said depth information is sub-divided into depth tag and depth value information and the depth specification to be used is derived as a function of the depth tag and depth value.

102. A method as in claim 93 wherein an additional improvement comprises that for at least one image processing function a set of pixels input to said image processing function and a set of pixels effected by output of said image processing function are dependent upon depth information associated with at least some of said input and effected pixels.

103. A method as in claim 93 wherein an additional improvement comprises inclusion in said created image information of shadows cast by at least one first element onto at least one second element whereby a shadow casting function is calculated based upon said depth information.

104. A method as in claim 93 wherein an additional improvement comprises at least one function, such as ‘

painting a sheet of glass’

, that updates depth information plane values without updating color information plane values.

105. A method as in claim 93 wherein an additional improvement comprises at least one function, such as shape paint, that updates color information plane values without updating depth information plane values.

106. A method as in claim 93 comprising, in addition, an improved method for applying paint system brush-oriented functions, whereby for active/existing pixels within a brush shape, which brush shape is often, but not necessarily, a bounding rectangle, the value of the image under each brush pixel is replaced by some function of the brush pixel value, or its neighborhood, and the value of the image under the brush pixel, or its neighborhood;

and whereby prior to affecting said replacement, for each active/existing pixel within the brush shape, various conditions must be tested for and met;

which conditions include in any combination criteria of values for color, protection, depth, obscuration, alpha, transparency and any other image plane present in a specific computer paint system into which said improvement has been incorporated, for the brush pixel value, image pixel value or some combination of the two;

which results in a necessity to perform as many as P×

C tests where P is defined as the number of pixels within said brush shape, and C is defined as the number of conditions to be met for any pixel within said brush shape to maintain active/existing status;

wherein the improvement comprises;

maintenance of said brush as an array of pixel values and maintenance of a list of brush pixel address indices; and

whereby non-active/non-existent pixels which are within the bounding shape do not appear on the list; and

further manipulation of said list whereby when a pixel fails any one test which is critical said pixel is removed from said list and eliminated from consideration for subsequent tests of conditions to be met.

107. A method as in claim 93 comprising, in addition, an improved method for applying paint system brush-oriented functions, wherein the improvement comprises that during execution of at least some paint function an, image protection plane, of at least one bit, is maintained such that said image protection plane may be both written into and referenced during painting and whereby the action of the paint function on the image is adjusted based upon values already stored in said image protection plane.

108. A method as in claim 93 comprising, in addition, an improved method for applying paint system brush-oriented functions, wherein the improvement comprises application of image processing functions, which in standard practice are applied by a program to an entire image or within a bounding shape, including contrast correction, color correction, gamma correction, gain, offset, and math and logical functions, to pixels under a brush being used by an operator.

109. A method as in claim 93 comprising in addition the step of conveying at least some of said information via an information bearing medium.