Image analysis – Image transformation or preprocessing – Changing the image coordinates
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-21
2004-06-29
Zimmerman, Mark (Department: 2676)
Image analysis
Image transformation or preprocessing
Changing the image coordinates
C345S643000, C345S672000, C345S682000, C345S474000, C345S678000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06757448
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for processing object data to express the status of an object image by computer graphics (CG), and more particularly to an image processing method and an image processing apparatus, which are suitable for expressing the object image in the way of chaos-like motion. The “object” is hereinafter referred to as an object that is to be expressed. In this specification, the “object” includes animate beings that move irregularly and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
In connection with how an object image, which is expressed by CG, moves, the motion is determined in accordance with a program that CG designers have decided at the producing stage. This kind of program determines the motion of object image by using the known motion capture and performing numeral calculation using physical law.
Since the object normally moves based on a given logic, the motion can be predicted to a certain degree. This makes it possible to easily determine the motion by the aforementioned program and the expressed motion of the object image becomes natural.
However, in some cases, the object image having unnatural motion is formed, depending on the design of the program in expressing an object image that performs unpredictable motion. Particularly, in the case of expressing biological motion in such a way that a plurality of objects moves to be suited to accomplishing an end as being associated with each other at high speed, it is extremely difficult to design the program for implementing such an expression. Even if such a program is produced, a large amount of data processing and processing time are required in image processing, which is performed by such a program. For this reason, it is unsuitable for expressing the above-mentioned biological motion in the video game and the like that need real time processing in a normal case.
However, in order to raise a user's interest, the expression of the object image that performs more natural and free motion, which is not supported by the logic and which is unpredictable by the user, is required in the recent video game and the like.
In order to make it possible to obtain such an expression, the method using fluctuation variables such as random numbers is conventionally known in the field of image processing. Namely, status variable values, which indicate the status of the position of object, the shape and the like, are obtained using the fluctuation variables, whereby expressing the chaos-like behavior. Whether or not this behavior is naturally seen is determined by checking whether or not the status variable values obtained using the fluctuation variables are within a predetermined range. When the status variable values are within the predetermined range, the status variable values are used. When the status variable value is out of the predetermined range, the status variable value is not used since the unnatural behavior is performed, and status variable values are obtained again using the fluctuation variables.
As mentioned above, in the case of expressing motion in such a way that a plurality of objects moves to be suited to accomplishing an end as being associated with each other, the amount of data processing increases. For this reason, there may be used a multi-processor system that performs data processing using a plurality of processors.
In the case of using the multi-processor, the transmission and reception of the status variable values between the processors physically connected can be easily performed. However, as the need for transmitting and receiving the status variable values among all processors mutually comes about, it takes much time to perform the transmission and reception of the status variable values and this makes it impossible to perform high-speed processing.
For example, in the case of obtaining the status variable values of one object using one processor, direct transmission and reception of the status variable values between the processors directly connected can be mutually and smoothly performed to make it easy to provide the interrelationship between the objects. However, direct transmission and reception of the status variable values cannot be performed between the processors, which are not directly connected to each other. In this case, since the status variable values must be transmitted and received via the other processor connected to the processor that will perform transmission and reception, high-speed processing cannot be carried out.
Though all processors are connected to one another in a crossbar manner to make it possible to transmit and receive the status variable value using the entire multi-processor at high speed, this case needs the massive amounts of hardware and is not the realistic way.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing method and an apparatus for allowing motion of an object image to be expressed more naturally.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image processing method and an apparatus that can express motion in such a way that a plurality of objects moves to be suited to accomplishing an end as being associated with each other at high speed.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a computer program for implementing the aforementioned image processing apparatus in a computer system.
According to the present invention, there is provided an image processing method, in an apparatus for generating object data for expressing the status of an object image, the image processing method comprising the steps of generating a predetermined number of candidate status variable values as a candidate of a status variable value that fixes a status of the object image at a certain point; determining a first candidate status variable value having the highest consistency with a predetermined condition value as the status variable value; and generating the object data at the corresponding point based on the determined status variable value.
The status variable value is determined based on the optimal first candidate status variable value every point to generate object data based on the determined status variable value. For this reason, the motion of object image is defined as the condition value to make it possible to easily express the object image with free motion.
The predetermined number of candidate status variable values is generated in time sequence using a fluctuation variable changeable within a given range.
There is provided another image processing method, which is executed by an apparatus, having a controller that performs two-way communication between a plurality of processors and each processor, for generating object data to express the status of an object image allocated to each of the processors using each of the processors, the method comprising the steps of: generating candidate status variable values as a candidates of a status variable value that fixes a status of the object image at a certain point to transmit the candidate status variable value to the controller individually by at least one of the plurality of processors; broadcasting reference numeral values including the candidate status variable values to all processors at the same time by the controller that has received the candidate status variable value; and quantifying a relative relationship between the reference numeral values received from the controller and the corresponding candidate status variable value to generate the object data at the corresponding point based on the candidate status variable value when the quantifying result is within a predetermined range unique to the corresponding processor by the processor that has transmitted the candidate status variable value.
The “reference numeral value” is that one or a plurality of candidate status variable values sent from the processor is transferred to all processors from the controller so that the transferred candidate status variable values are used as a reference when each p
Arnold Adam
Lerner David Littenberg Krumholz & Mentlik LLP
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
LandOfFree
Image processing method, image processing apparatus, and... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Image processing method, image processing apparatus, and..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Image processing method, image processing apparatus, and... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3365736