Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display peripheral interface input device
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-10
2001-11-06
Saras, Steven (Department: 2675)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display peripheral interface input device
C345S182000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06313824
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
Different computers can use different video graphics environments to display images on monitor screens. For example, different environments can use a different number of bits to represent pixels. Differences in graphic environments can cause images developed in a first graphic environment to be altered when displayed in a second. For example, pixels in Internet images are often represented by eight-bit tuples offering millions of pixel colors, but are often displayed in a second environment offering a palette of only 256 pixel colors (e.g., a single 8-bit byte is used to represent pixel color). The second environment may dither the image to simulate colors provided by the first environment. One type of dithering intermixes differently colored pixels to produce an appearance of a color not found in a palette (e.g., intermixing red and blue pixels can produce the appearance of purple). While dithering can be effective, the technique often produces noisy, grainy images.
Some image developers solve this problem by limiting themselves to a small subset of the pixel colors (i.e., “Web-safe” palette colors) their environment provides. Others try to produce images that take advantage of the capabilities of more sophisticated environments while lessening the impact (e.g., dithering) of display in less sophisticated environments. Commonly, these developers produce an image in a first graphics environment, alter system parameters to replicate a different graphics environment (e.g., reduce the number of bits the system display uses to describe each pixel), reboot the computer, and view the image. To fix problems discovered by viewing the image in the second graphics environment, the developer can reset system parameters and reboot again.
Developers have also used Adobe Photoshop™ to view an image as it will appear in a different environment. Developers using Photoshop™ can save an image developed in a first graphics environment, maneuver through a series of menus to choose display options that replicate a second graphics environment, then open the saved image in the second environment. After noting image regions that appear unsatisfactorily, the developer can renavigate through menu selections to restore the original graphics environment and modify the original image. The developer can repeat this process until the image appears satisfactorily in both graphics environments.
SUMMARY
In general, in one aspect, the invention provides a preview of an image displayed in a first video graphics environment as it will appear in a second differently palettized video graphics environment by determining the appearance of the image as it will appear in the second video graphics environment, and concurrent with displaying the image in the first video graphics environment, displaying the appearance of the image as it will appear in the second video graphics environment.
Embodiments may include one or more of the following features. The second video graphics environment may be a video graphics environment that uses an 8-bit color palette. The first video graphics environment may be either a 24-bit video graphics environment or an adaptive-palette video graphics environment.
In general, in another aspect, the invention enables developers to tailor how an image displayed in a first video graphics environment will appear in a second video graphics environment. Tailoring proceeds by providing a preview of an image as it will appear in the second video graphics environment. After receiving user selection input that selects a video display characteristic of the preview image and determining a replacement video display characteristic provided by the second video graphics environment, the selected video display characteristic of the preview image is replaced with the determined replacement display characteristic.
Embodiments may include one or more of the following features. The display characteristic may be pixel color. The replacement characteristic may be a web-safe palette color. The user may select the display characteristic by clicking on a region in the preview image. The system may determine a replacement display characteristic by determining the closest web-safe palette color or receiving user input identifying a replacement selection.
Preferably, the different aspects of the invention are embodied in a computer program product disposed on a computer readable medium.
Among the advantages of the invention are one or more of the following. The image preview system enables developers to quickly identify and remedy problems, such as dithering, caused by displaying images in different environments. Further, the system eases control of image appearance in a variety of environments.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and from the claims.
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Meisner Douglas E.
Olson Douglas K.
Shimonek Douglas C.
Adobe Systems Incorporated
Alphonse Fritz
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Saras Steven
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