Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Graphic manipulation
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-03
2001-11-27
Brier, Jeffery (Department: 2672)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Graphic manipulation
Reexamination Certificate
active
06323878
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the field of image display methods and apparatus and more particularly to the application of image zooming technologies to video display.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
With the substantial increase in processing power for personal computers realized in the recent past, it has become possible for such computers to generate and display very complex graphical images, including video images. However, due to various processor and memory limitations, the display of the video image at the computer is typically restricted to a small portion of the available display area—e.g., an area of 320×240 pixels. It would often be desirable from a user's perspective to be able to view the received video image at a larger size. While a limited re-sizing capability is known in the present art, it does not provide a smooth transition from one size to another, and does not permit a concurrent panning and re-sizing of the image.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
A method is provided for transforming a video signal provided to a computer into an object in a zooming universe established in such computer, which zooming object may be enlarged and panned by manipulation by a user via a computer input device. In particular, a video signal is captured in a known video capture system operating with such a computer. At the same time a zooming engine is enabled on the computer and a zooming universe is enabled therefrom. Frames of the video signal being played on the computer video capture system are copied to a video object in the zooming universe and displayed there. By manipulation of the parameters of the bounding box enclosing the zooming video object, through use of a computer input device, the user is able to scale and pan the video image in the zooming universe display up (or down) to a desired viewing size and perspective.
However, because the interlaced video signal does not display well using a direct video surface, it is necessary to copy the received video frames to a video overlay surface, where the interlace problems are largely eliminated. But an image on such an overlay surface cannot be scaled smaller than the original size of the video image from the video frame grabber. Therefore, to effect a smooth scaling throughout a zooming range, and with the recognition that, at and below the relatively small image size as provided by the video frame grabber, the problems with displaying an interlaced frame on a direct video surface are relatively inconsequential, the invention operates to swap the displayed image between the video overlay surface and the direct video surface at the point where the scaled image size reaches the original size of the video image. In an alternative embodiment, to provide a smooth transition in that surface swap, the video signal is cached for the surface to be swapped to during a short interval preceding the swap.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4991022 (1991-02-01), Canfield et al.
patent: 5021772 (1991-06-01), King et al.
patent: 5341466 (1994-08-01), Perlin et al.
patent: 5596346 (1997-01-01), Leone et al.
patent: 5596690 (1997-01-01), Stone et al.
patent: 5615384 (1997-03-01), Allard et al.
patent: 5617114 (1997-04-01), Bier et al.
patent: 5732230 (1998-03-01), Cullen et al.
patent: 5874937 (1999-02-01), Kesatoshi
patent: 5880722 (1999-03-01), Brewer et al
patent: 5995095 (1999-11-01), Ratakonda
patent: 6028585 (2000-02-01), Ishii et al.
patent: 6133960 (2000-10-01), Mendenhall
Cunningham Kathleen
Haffey Samuel F.
Nehme Jad
Brier Jeffery
Good-Johnson Motilewa
Lerner David Littenberg Krumholz & Mentlik LLP
Sony Corporation
LandOfFree
System and method for providing zooming video capture does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with System and method for providing zooming video capture, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and System and method for providing zooming video capture will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2597445