Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
68 words
A method of operating a computer having a single framestore, a data input device and a display device under the control of the framestore, the method comprising receiving a plurality of component images and storing these component images separately within the computer memory, editing and combining the component images using a selected combining function and supplying the combined image to the framestore for display by the display device.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising refreshing the image in the framestore at an intermediate stage of editing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 comprising refreshing only a portion of the image in the framestore.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
34 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein a component image is a control image which governs the editing of another image with which the control image is combined.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
24 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein a component image is stored in the computer in pre-multiplied form.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
33 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the editing step affects simultaneously the colour and alpha values for a given pixel in one or more component images.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the editing step affects simultaneously a plurality of images stored in the computer.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
35 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the editing step affecting one component image is responsive to a function of the values of any pixel within another component image.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the editing step is responsive to input information other than a component image.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
47 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein a component image comprises a fixed colour image whose RGB values are fixed but whose alpha values vary between pixels, the editing step depending on said alpha value at the appropriate pixel being edited.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
44 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein a component image comprises an whose alpha values are fixed but whose RGB values vary between pixels, the editing step depending on said RGB value at the appropriate pixel being edited.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
47 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the component images comprise representations of an element which appears within the image successively displaced in successive component images, the editing step comprising combining said component images to represent the movement of the element.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
32 words
A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the editing step comprises applying a smoothing filter to the discontinuities in a component image to achieve a blurring effect.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
71 words
A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the editing step is controlled by a member responsive to applied pressure simulating the cutting of paint by a palette knife, the editing step comprising blending colours from adjacent pixels in adjacent images in response to the pressure applied to and movement of said member simulating the movement of paint from one position to another by a palette knife.