Method and apparatus for capturing and viewing a sequence of 3-D images
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of producing a 3-D image file, the method comprising the steps of:
- generating graphics instructions which define image-related characteristics of a first 3-D image frame, wherein a graphics instruction can be used to instruct a display software having a rendering tool to render a characteristic of a 3-D image frame;
generating image commands corresponding to the graphics instructions, the image commands including graphics instruction reference data and graphics instruction argument data;
transferring the image commands to an output 3-D image file;
rendering a sequence of 3-D image frames with the rendering tool using the instructive information stored in the output 3-D image file and matching up the image commands with corresponding graphics instructions;
wherein the output file includes information to instruct the display software to display the original 3-D image frame so as to be viewable from multiple viewpoints.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for producing a 3-D image file. In a preferred embodiment, the 3-D image file is produced using a source including a set of graphics instructions. The source data is produced, for example, by translating a data set into graphics instructions by a translation application. The graphics instructions are then converted into movie file commands by a graphics converter. In a preferred embodiment, the graphics instructions are converted by a set of procedures which contain storage and display information for each of the graphics instructions. Each command corresponds to a specific graphics instructions, and contains information for instructing a display software application to display a characteristic of a 3-D image. The commands are then recorded in the output 3-D image file.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of producing a 3-D image file, the method comprising the steps of:
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generating graphics instructions which define image-related characteristics of a first 3-D image frame, wherein a graphics instruction can be used to instruct a display software having a rendering tool to render a characteristic of a 3-D image frame;
generating image commands corresponding to the graphics instructions, the image commands including graphics instruction reference data and graphics instruction argument data;
transferring the image commands to an output 3-D image file;
rendering a sequence of 3-D image frames with the rendering tool using the instructive information stored in the output 3-D image file and matching up the image commands with corresponding graphics instructions;
wherein the output file includes information to instruct the display software to display the original 3-D image frame so as to be viewable from multiple viewpoints. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of viewing a 3-D imagery, the method comprising:
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(a) reading a movie file command, the movie file command containing graphics instruction reference data and graphics instruction argument data;
(b) using the movie file command to reference a corresponding graphics library instruction template;
(c) building a graphics instruction by using information contained in a main file header and linking the graphics instruction argument data to the graphics library instruction template;
(d) executing the graphics instruction using a display software; and
(e) repeating steps (a) through (d) for a plurality of movie file commands;
wherein the graphics instruction contains information for rendering a characteristic of a 3-D image so as to be viewable from multiple viewpoints. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A memory for storing data, the data including information for instructing a display software to display a characteristic of a 3-D image so as to be viewable from multiple viewpoints, the memory comprising:
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a main header containing information concerning a plurality of 3-D images;
a graphics instruction data field that contains reference information corresponding to a single graphics instruction, the single graphics instruction containing information for instructing the display software to display a characteristic of the 3-D image; and
an argument data field defining at least one argument, the argument data field containing data to be used by the single graphics instruction in generating the 3-D image characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus producing a 3-D image file, the apparatus comprising:
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a translation application for translating a data set into graphics instructions, the data set containing information about the contents of at least one 3-D image, and each graphics instruction containing information for instructing a display software to display a characteristic of a 3-D image;
a graphics converter for converting the graphics instructions into movie file commands, each movie file command including a reference to a corresponding graphics instruction and graphics instruction argument data; and
a movie file recorder for recording a plurality of movie file commands in an output 3-D image file;
a buffer, wherein the movie file commands are first written to the buffer and subsequently transferred from the buffer to the output 3-D image file;
wherein the output 3-D image file includes information for instructing a rendering software to render a 3-D imagery, so as to be viewable from multiple viewpoints and further includes image frame, the image frames including a plurality of movie file commands and wherein the movie file commands are written to the buffer until a complete frame is written to the buffer after which the frame is transferred from the buffer to the output file. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An apparatus for viewing a 3-D imagery, the apparatus comprising:
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a graphics library hash table for referencing a movie file command to a graphics instruction, the movie file command containing a reference to a graphics instruction and argument data for the graphics instruction, the graphics instruction including information for instructing a display software to display a characteristic of a 3-D image so as to be viewable from multiple viewpoints, and the hash table including references to a plurality of graphics instructions and corresponding movie file commands, and the movie manager translates a plurality of movie file commands into corresponding graphics instructions;
a movie manager connected to the display software for translating a movie file command into a graphics instruction by referencing the corresponding graphics instruction on the graphics library hash table; and
the display software for displaying the graphics instruction. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A computer data signal for instructing a display software to display a characteristic of a 3-D image so as to be viewable from multiple viewpoints, the signal embodied in a carrier wave, the signal comprising:
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a main header containing information concerning a plurality of 3-D images;
a graphics instruction data field that contains reference information corresponding to a single graphics instruction, the single graphics instruction containing information for instructing the display software to display a characteristic of the 3-D image; and
an argument data field defining at least one argument, the argument containing data to be used by the single graphics instruction in generating the 3-D image characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification