Drawing method for drawing image on two-dimensional screen

• US 7,167,600 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2001
• Issued: 01/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, KANJIBHAI B
• Application Number:
  US10/012,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20020089515A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,922 Days
• Field of Search: 382/162, 382/169, 382/264, 382/284, 382/305, 345418-419, 345/422, 345/426, 345/582, 345/589, 345600-601, 345/629, 358/521, 348/590, 463/31
• US Class Current: 382/284
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/10 Geometric effects

Abstract

A value for expressing distance from a virtual viewpoint is set to every predetermined compositional unit of a first image; a second image is generated; a coefficient is defined corresponding to the value for expressing the distance set to every predetermined compositional unit; and the first image and the second image are synthesized based on the coefficient defined for every predetermined compositional unit. This successfully creates an image with a natural perspective by which the compositional unit is blurred according to the distance thereof from the virtual viewpoint, while causing only a small load to CPU.

Claims

1. A drawing method, comprising the steps of:

setting a value for expressing distance from a virtual viewpoint to every predetermined compositional unit of a first image;

generating a second image from the first image;

defining a coefficient corresponding to the value for expressing the distance set to every predetermined compositional unit, wherein the coefficient is defined using a predetermined byte when the value for expressing the distance for every predetermined compositional unit is composed of at least three bytes;

synthesizing the first image and the second image based on the coefficient defined for every predetermined compositional unit; and

outputting the synthesized image.

2. The drawing method according to claim 1, wherein the coefficient is extracted from a table having a plurality of coefficients gradationally composed therein using the value for expressing the distance for every predetermined compositional unit as an index.

3. The drawing method according to claim 1, wherein the second byte is selected as the predetermined byte for the case that the value is composed of three bytes.

4. The drawing method according to claim 1, wherein the coefficient is defined as a semi-transparent coefficient such that increasing a ratio of the second image as the distance from the virtual viewpoint increases.

5. The drawing method according to claim 1, wherein the second image is generated by subjecting the first image to a predetermined image processing.

6. The drawing method according to claim 5, wherein the predetermined image processing for the first image is blurring.

7. The drawing method according to claim 1, wherein the second image is generated using an arbitrary color.

8. The drawing method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined compositional unit is a pixel.

9. A drawing device, comprising:

a distance setting means for setting a value for expressing distance from a virtual viewpoint to every predetermined compositional unit of a first image;

an image generation means for generating a second image from the first image;

a coefficient definition means for defining a coefficient corresponding to the value for expressing the distance set to every predetermined compositional unit, wherein the coefficient is defined using a predetermined byte when the value for expressing the distance for every predetermined compositional unit is composed of at least three bytes;

a synthetic means for synthesizing the first image and the second image based on the coefficient defined for every predetermined compositional unit; and

an output means for outputting the synthesized image.

10. The drawing device according to claim 9, wherein the coefficient definition means extracts the coefficient from a table having a plurality of coefficients gradationally composed therein using the value for expressing the distance for every predetermined compositional unit as an index.

11. The drawing device according to claim 9, wherein the coefficient definition means selects the second byte as the predetermined byte for the case that the value is composed of three bytes.

12. The drawing device according to claim 9, wherein the coefficient definition means defines the coefficient as a semi-transparent coefficient such that increasing a ratio of the second image as the distance from the virtual viewpoint increases.

13. The drawing device according to claim 9, wherein the image generation means generates the second image by subjecting the first image to a predetermined image processing.

14. The drawing device according to claim 13, wherein the image generation means subjects the first image to blurring as the predetermined image processing.

15. The drawing device according to claim 9, wherein the image generation means generates the second image using an arbitrary color.

16. The drawing device according to claim 9, wherein the distance setting means sets the distance for every pixel as a compositional unit.

17. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded therein a draw processing program to be executed on a computer, the draw processing program comprising:

a distance setting step for setting a value expressing distance from a virtual viewpoint to every predetermined compositional unit of a first image;

an image generation step for generating a second image from the first image;

a coefficient definition step for defining a coefficient corresponding to the value for expressing the distance set to every predetermined compositional unit;

a synthetic step for synthesizing the first image and the second image based on the coefficient defined for every predetermined compositional unit; and

an output step for outputting the synthesized image,

wherein the coefficient definition step further comprises a step for defining such coefficient using a predetermined byte for the case that the value for expressing the distance for every predetermined compositional unit is at least three bytes.

18. The computer-readable recording medium having recorded therein a draw processing program according to claim 17, wherein the coefficient definition step further comprises a step for extracting such coefficient from a table having a plurality of coefficients gradationally composed therein using the value for expressing the distance for every predetermined compositional unit as an index.

19. The computer-readable recording medium having recorded therein a draw processing program according to claim 17, wherein the coefficient definition step further comprises a step for selecting the second byte as the predetermined byte for the case that the value is composed of three bytes.

20. The computer-readable recording medium having recorded therein a draw processing program according to claim 17, wherein the coefficient definition step further comprises a step for defining as such coefficient a semi-transparent coefficient such that increasing a ratio of the second image as the distance from the virtual viewpoint increases.

21. The computer-readable recording medium having recorded therein a draw processing program according to claim 17, wherein the image generation step further comprises a step for generating the second image by subjecting the first image to a predetermined image processing.

22. The computer-readable recording medium having recorded therein a draw processing program according to claim 21, wherein the image generation step further comprising a step for subjecting the first image to blurring as the predetermined image processing.

23. The computer-readable recording medium having recorded therein a draw processing program according to claim 17, wherein the image generation step further comprises a step for generating an image composed of an arbitrary color as the second image.

24. The computer-readable recording medium having recorded therein a draw processing program according to claim 17, wherein the predetermined compositional unit is a pixel.

25. A program execution device for executing a draw processing program, such draw processing program comprising:

a distance setting step for setting a value expressing distance from a virtual viewpoint to every predetermined compositional unit of a first image;

an image generation step for generating a second image from the first image;

a coefficient definition step for defining a coefficient corresponding to the value for expressing the distance set to every predetermined compositional unit;

a synthetic step for synthesizing the first image and the second image based on the coefficient defined for every predetermined compositional unit; and

an output step for outputting the synthesized image,

wherein the coefficient definition step further comprises a step for defining such coefficient using a predetermined byte for the case that the value for expressing the distance for every predetermined compositional unit is at least three bytes.

26. The program execution device for executing a draw processing program according to claim 25, wherein the coefficient definition step further comprises a step for extracting such coefficient from a table having a plurality of coefficients gradationally composed therein using the value for expressing the distance for every predetermined compositional unit as an index.

27. The program execution device for executing a draw processing program according to claim 25, wherein the coefficient definition step further comprises a step for defining such coefficient using a predetermined byte for the case that the value for expressing the distance for every predetermined compositional unit is composed of two or more bytes.

28. The program execution device for executing a draw processing program according to claim 25, wherein the coefficient definition step further comprises a step for selecting the second byte as the predetermined byte for the case that the value is composed of three bytes.

29. The program execution device for executing a draw processing program according to claim 25, wherein the coefficient definition step further comprises a step for defining as such coefficient a semi-transparent coefficient such that increasing a ratio of the second image as the distance from the virtual viewpoint increases.

30. The program execution device for executing a draw processing program according to claim 25, wherein the image generation step further comprises a step for generating the second image by subjecting the first image to a predetermined image processing.

31. The program execution device for executing a draw processing program according to claim 30, wherein the image generation step further comprises a step for subjecting the first image to blurring as the predetermined image processing.

32. The program execution device for executing a draw processing program according to claim 25, wherein the image generation step further comprises a step for generating an image composed of an arbitrary color as the second image.

33. A draw processing program to be executed on a computer comprising:

a distance setting step for setting a value expressing distance from a virtual viewpoint to every predetermined compositional unit of a first image;

an image generation step for generating a second image from the first image;

a coefficient definition step for defining a coefficient corresponding to the value for expressing the distance set to every predetermined compositional unit;

a synthetic step for synthesizing the first image and the second image based on the coefficient defined for every predetermined compositional unit; and

an output step for outputting the synthesized image,

wherein the coefficient definition step further comprises a stem for defining such coefficient using a predetermined byte for the case that the value for expressing the distance for every predetermined compositional unit is at least three bytes.

34. A drawing device comprising:

a distance setting unit for setting a value expressing distance from a virtual viewpoint to every predetermined compositional unit of a first image;

an image generation unit for generating a second image from the first image;

a coefficient definition unit for defining a coefficient corresponding to the value for expressing the distance set to every predetermined compositional unit, wherein the coefficient is defined using a predetermined byte when the value for expressing the distance for every predetermined compositional unit is composed of at least three bytes;

a synthetic unit for synthesizing the first image and the second image based on the coefficient defined for every predetermined compositional unit; and

an output unit for outputting the synthesized image.

35. A drawing method, comprising the steps of:

setting a value for expressing distance from a virtual viewpoint to every predetermined compositional unit of a first image;

generating a second image from the first image;

defining a coefficient corresponding to the value for expressing the distance set to every predetermined compositional unit;

synthesizing the first image and the second image based on the coefficient defined for every predetermined compositional unit; and

outputting the synthesized image,

wherein the second image is generated by subjecting the first image to a predetermined image processing that is blurring.

36. A drawing method, comprising the steps of:

setting a value for expressing distance from a virtual viewpoint to every predetermined compositional unit of a first image;

generating a second image from the first image;

defining an α

blending coefficient corresponding to the value for expressing the distance set to every predetermined compositional unit;

synthesizing the first image and the second image based on the coefficient defined for every predetermined compositional unit; and

outputting the synthesized image,

wherein;

the value for expressing the distance for every predetermined compositional unit is composed of twenty four bits, and

the α

a blending coefficient is defined using successive predetermined bits of the twenty four bits.

37. A drawing device, comprising:

a distance setting means for setting a value for expressing distance from a virtual viewpoint to every predetermined compositional unit of a first image;

an imaged generation means for generating a second image from the first image;

a coefficient definition means for defining an α

blending coefficient corresponding to the value for expressing the distance set to every predetermined compositional unit;

a synthetic means for synthesizing the first image and the second image based on the coefficient defined for every predetermined compositional unit; and

an output means for outputting the synthesized image,

wherein;

the value for expressing the distance for every predetermined compositional unit is composed of twenty four bits, and

the α

blending coefficient is defined using successive predetermined bits of the twenty four bits.

38. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded therein a draw processing program to be executed on a computer, the draw processing program performing the steps of:

setting a value for expressing distance from a virtual viewpoint to every predetermined compositional unit of a first image;

generating a second image from the first image;

defining an α

blending coefficient corresponding to the value for expressing the distance set to every predetermined compositional unit;

synthesizing the first image and the second image based on the coefficient defined for every predetermined compositional unit; and

outputting the synthesized image,

wherein;

the value for expressing the distance for every predetermined compositional unit is composed of twenty four bits, and

the α

blending coefficient is defined using successive predetermined bits of the twenty four bits.

39. A program execution device for executing a draw processing program, the draw processing program performing the steps of:

setting a value for expressing distance from a virtual viewpoint to every predetermined compositional unit of a first image;

generating a second image from the first image;

defining an α

blending coefficient corresponding to the value for expressing the distance set to every predetermined compositional unit;

synthesizing the first image and the second image based on the coefficient defined for every predetermined compositional unit; and

outputting the synthesized image,

wherein;

the value for expressing the distance for every predetermined compositional unit is composed of twenty four bits, and

the α

blending coefficient is defined using successive predetermined bits of the twenty four bits.