Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Attributes
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-14
2003-04-08
Zimmerman, Mark (Department: 2671)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Attributes
C345S629000, C345S597000, C348S038000, C348S383000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06545685
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of the present invention pertains to computer implemented graphics. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for implementing high fidelity multichannel computer graphics displays.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many computer implemented applications interact with and present information to a user via graphical means. Some of the most compelling such applications involve visual computing/data visualization, whereby information and interaction with the user is accomplished through the use of large graphical displays. For example, applications have been created which graphically depict information stored within a database (e.g., information describing an underground oil field) allow the user to interact with the information in real-time, visually, by “moving” through a “virtual” representation of the information stored within the database (e.g., popularly known as “virtual reality”).
These applications typically require large, high fidelity displays for their most compelling implementation. For example, a powerful visual computing system might include a very large wrap-around screen for graphically presenting data/information to one or more users. The large wrap around screens allow the creation of an extremely realistic, compelling, virtual representation of the information to the one or more users, allowing them to realistically “navigate” through any virtual 3D environment, such as, for example, “walking” through the rooms of a newly designed building, “flying” over a large terrain data base of geo-specific data, or the like.
Accordingly, virtual reality, advanced CAD, and other similar advanced visual computing applications require large high fidelity graphics displays for effective implementation. As is well known in the art, the creation of large graphics-type visual displays in a manageable and cost efficient manner has proven problematic. One commonly used method of generating a large display is to combine multiple (e.g., two or more) smaller screens, or visual channels, into a single larger display. This type of display is referred to as a multichannel display, since the single larger image is created through the combination of two or more smaller images.
Prior art
FIG. 1
shows a diagram of a typical large multichannel display system
100
. System
100
includes three smaller screens (e.g., 20 feet by 30 feet), screen
101
, screen
102
, and screen
103
, that are combined to form a single very large display (e.g., 20 feet by 90 feet). Areas
110
and
110
show the junctions between the screens. Screens
101
-
103
function coherently in order to create the large display (e.g., 20 feet by 90 feet) seen by a group of users
105
. In this implementation, screens
101
-
103
are projection type screens, with the images projected from an image projector
130
. Image projector
130
receives video information from an image generator
132
via a blender
131
.
To ensure fidelity, the edges between the channels of screens
101
-
103
, “blend regions”
110
and
111
, need to blend seamlessly in order to create the large image. This has proven problematic. As with most arrayed multichannel displays, the edges of the combined channels must be blended such that the “seams” are as unnoticeable as possible. In projection type multichannel displays (e.g., system
100
), one typical prior art approach is to overlap the edges of the image from each video feed in order to create a smooth transition from the image of one channel to the next, in order to smooth the seams of areas
110
and
111
. This requires some overlap of the video from each image and requires that the brightness of one image reduces as the other increases in the overlap region, areas
110
and
111
. To maintain high fidelity, the brightness levels of the channels need to be precisely controlled. However, achieving this level of control often requires the incorporation of expensive, dedicated hardware within image generator unit
130
.
Prior art
FIG. 2
shows system
100
in greater detail. As depicted in
FIG. 2
, the image generator
132
includes graphics computers
241
-
243
for generating the video information for each video channel. Computers
241
-
243
are respectively coupled to image blenders
251
-
253
, which are in turn coupled to projectors
201
-
203
. Projectors
201
-
203
function by projecting the video information received from computers
241
-
243
and image blenders
251
-
253
onto their respective one of screens
101
-
103
.
As described above, to maintain high fidelity, the seams of blend regions
110
and
111
need to be precisely blended such that they are as unnoticeable as possible. System
100
includes dedicated image blenders
251
-
253
for performing the precise brightness control required to implement the seamless overlap of screens
101
-
103
. Computers
241
-
243
include graphics processing hardware and software and function by generating the video information for each respective channel for screens
101
-
103
. Blenders
251
-
253
perform brightness processing on the video information received from computers
241
-
243
.
With system
100
, and other similar prior art multichannel display systems, the blending function is performed by the dedicated image blenders
251
-
253
. Image blenders
251
-
253
are dedicated, special purpose hardware components which process the video information emerging from computers
241
-
243
. The image blenders
251
-
253
, as is typical with prior art multichannel display systems, are format/hardware implementation specific, in that they are not readily interchangeable among display systems from different manufacturers. Because of the required level of fidelity, image blenders
251
-
253
are relatively complex and expensive, adding significantly to the overall complexity and cost of system
100
.
Thus, what is required is a method and system for implementing high fidelity blending for multichannel displays without requiring the use of a dedicated blending hardware for post-image generation blending processing. What is required is a system which can be efficiently implemented on multiple computer system platforms. The required system should be inexpensive, and not require additional, dedicated hardware for its implementation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a method and system for implementing high fidelity blending for multichannel displays without requiring the use of a dedicated blending hardware for processing video information after it emerges from an image generator. The present invention provides a system which can be efficiently implemented on multiple computer system platforms. The system of the present invention is inexpensive, and does not require additional, dedicated hardware for its implementation.
In one embodiment, the present invention is implemented as an edge blending process executed on a graphics computer system included within the image generator. The computer system included within the image generator performs the edge blending processing on the gamma-corrected image before it is taken from the frame buffer or sent to video. This eliminates the need for a separate dedicated blending hardware unit, as required with prior art multichannel display systems. The computer systems included within the image generator perform the edge blending processing on each of the video frames of the channels such that as the video information emerges from the image generator each of the video frames includes the necessary blending required for creating a seamless multichannel display.
The blending process of the present invention occurs as the information is being rendered by the computer systems. For example, As a left computer generated frame is rendered for display on a first video channel, a calculated blend geometry is rendered onto that frame to modulate the brightness in the blend/overlap region, resulting in a first blended frame. This occurs before the frame is sent to video. As a right frame is rendered for display on a second channel, a second c
Nguyen Kimbinh T.
Silicon Graphics Inc.
Sterne Kessler Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.
Zimmerman Mark
LandOfFree
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