US5990903A — Method and apparatus for performing chroma key, t…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 130 words

A method of chroma keying filtered textures in a computer system, comprising the steps of: determining whether a texel having a first color matches a predetermined color indicative of transparency; replacing said texel having a first color with a texel having a second color when said texel having a first color matches said predetermined color; filtering texels to produce a filtered color signal comprising n color components; fogging the color components of the texels to produce a fogged and filtered color signal by Xn1=(Xn*(1-f)+(Xnfog*f*A), where Xn represents one color component of the filtered color signal, Xnfog represents one color component of the fog color, f represents a fog factor, and A represents an alpha component of the filtered signal; and blending said filtered and fogged texels with a background color.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 130 words

A method of chroma keying filtered textures in a computer system, comprising the steps of: determining whether a texel having a first color matches a predetermined color indicative of transparency; replacing said texel having a first color with a texel having a second color when said texel having a first color matches said predetermined color; filtering texels to produce a filtered color signal comprising n color components; fogging the color components of the texels to produce a fogged and filtered color signal by Xn1=(Xn*(1-f)+(Xnfog*f*A), where Xn represents one color component of the filtered color signal, Xnfog represents one color component of the fog color, f represents a fog factor, and A represents an alpha component of the filtered signal; and blending said filtered and fogged texels with a background color.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said step of replacing said texel having a first color is accomplished prior to said filtering texels.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said step of filtering texels comprises the step of antialiasing texels.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said step of filtering texels comprises the step of bilinear filtering texels.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of filtering texels results in a filtered color signal, said filtered color signal comprising filtered Alpha, Red, Green, and Blue components.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of filtering texels results in a filtered color signal, said filtered color signal comprising filtered components of the YCBCR color model.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said second color is different from said first color.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 7, wherein said texel having a second color is a texel having Alpha, Red, Green, and Blue components each equal to 0.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 7, wherein said texel having a second color is a texel of the YCBCR color model having Alpha, CR, Y, and CB components equal to 0, 128, 16, and 128, respectively.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 1, wherein when said texel having a first color does not match said predetermined color the color signal Alpha component is set to 1.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 38 words

The method of claim 5, wherein said alpha component (A) of said filtered color signal is blended with an alpha component (Ab) of said background color to produce an output color signal based substantially on the formula Ao=A+[(1-A)*Ab].

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 107 words

The method of claim 5, wherein said red component (R) of said filtered color signal is blended with a red component (Rb) of said background color to produce an output color signal (Ro) based substantially on the formula Ro=R+[(1-A)*Rb], said green component (G) of said filtered color signal is blended with a green component (Gb) of said background color to produce an output color signal (Go) based substantially on the formula Go=G+[(1-A)*Gb], and said blue component (B) of said filtered color signal is blended with a blue component (Bb) of said background color to produce an output color signal (Bo) based substantially on the formula Bo=B+[(1-A)* Bb].

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of fogging texels, wherein said step of fogging texels is performed in accordance with a fog factor (f).

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 13, wherein said step of fogging is performed prior to said step of blending said filtered texels with a background color.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 109 words

The method of claim 5, wherein said red component (R) of said filtered color signal is combined with a red component of a fog signal (Rfog) to produce a fogged and filtered signal (R1) based substantially on the formula R1=[R*(1-f)]+(Rfog*f*A), said green component (G) of said filtered color signal is combined with a green component of a fog signal (Gfog) to produce a fogged and filtered signal (G1) based substantially on the formula G1=[G*(1-f)]+(Gfog*f*A), and said blue component (B) of said filtered color signal is combined with a blue component of a fog color (Bfog) to produce a fogged and filtered signal (B1) based substantially on the formula B1=[B*(1-f)]+(Bfog*f*A).

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 97 words

The method of claim 15, wherein said fogged and filtered signal (R1) is blended with said red component of said background color (Rb) to produce an output color signal (Ro) based substantially on the formula Ro=R1+[(1-A1)*Rb], said fogged and filtered signal (G1) is blended with said green component of said background color (Gb) to produce an output color signal (Go) based substantially on the formula Go=G1+[(1-A1)*Gb], and said fogged and filtered signal (B1) is blended with said blue component of said background color (Bb) to produce an output color signal (Bo) based substantially on the formula Bo=B1+[(1-A1)*Bb].

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 131 words

A computer system comprising: a memory; a processor subsystem coupled to said memory, said processor subsystem determining whether a texel having a first color matches a predetermined color indicative of transparency, replacing said texel having a first color with a texel having a second color when said texel having a first color matches said predetermined color, filtering texels to produce a filtered color signal comprising n color components, fogging the color components of the texels to produce a fogged and filtered color signal by Xn1=(Xn*(1-f))+(Xnfog*f*A), where Xn represents one color component of the filtered color signal, Xnfog represents one color component of the fog color, f represents a fog factor, and A represents an alpha component of the filtered signal, and blending said filtered and fogged texels with a background color.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 131 words

A computer system comprising: a memory; a processor subsystem coupled to said memory, said processor subsystem determining whether a texel having a first color matches a predetermined color indicative of transparency, replacing said texel having a first color with a texel having a second color when said texel having a first color matches said predetermined color, filtering texels to produce a filtered color signal comprising n color components, fogging the color components of the texels to produce a fogged and filtered color signal by Xn1=(Xn*(1-f))+(Xnfog*f*A), where Xn represents one color component of the filtered color signal, Xnfog represents one color component of the fog color, f represents a fog factor, and A represents an alpha component of the filtered signal, and blending said filtered and fogged texels with a background color.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 16 words

The computer system of claim 17, wherein the processor subsystem comprises a processor and a coprocessor.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 59 words

The computer system of claim 17, wherein the processor includes a pixel engine is coupled to said processor subsystem, said pixel engine including circuitry for determining whether a texel having a first color matches a predetermined color, said pixel engine circuitry replacing said texel having a first color when said texel having a first color matches said predetermined color.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 25 words

The computer system of claim 19, wherein said pixel engine includes circuitry for filtering texels and for blending said filtered texels with a background color.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 14 words

The computer system of claim 17, wherein said processor subsystem filters texels by antialiasing.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 15 words

The computer system of claim 17, wherein said processor subsystem filters texels by bilinear filtering.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 16 words

The computer system of claim 17, wherein said second color is different from said first color.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 27 words

The computer system of claim 23, wherein said texel of a second color is a texel having Alpha, Red, Green, and Blue components each equal to 0.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 31 words

The computer system of claim 23, wherein said texel of a second color is a texel having Alpha, CR, Y, and CB components equal to 0, 128, 16, and 128, respectively.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 31 words

The computer system of claim 17, wherein when said texel having a first color does not match said predetermined color the processor subsystem sets the color signal Alpha component to 1.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 39 words

The computer system of claim 17, wherein said alpha component (A) of said filtered color signal is blended with an alpha component (Ab) of said background color to produce an output color signal based substantially on the formula Ao=A+[(1-A)*Ab].

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 107 words

The computer system of claim 17, wherein said red component (R) of said filtered color signal is blended with a red component (Rb) of said background color to produce an output color signal (Ro) based substantially on the formula Ro=R+[(1-A)*Rb], said green component (G) of said filtered color signal is blended with a green component (Gb) of said background color to produce an output color signal (Go) based substantially on the formula Go=G+[(1-A)*Gb], and said blue component (B) of said filtered color signal is blended with a blue component (Bb) of said background color to produce an output color signal (Bo) based substantially on the formula Bo=B+[(1-A)*Bb].

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 13 words

The computer system of claim 20, wherein said pixel engine includes fogging circuitry.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 23 words

The computer system of claim 29, wherein said color components are fogged prior to said blending said filtered texels with a background color.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 110 words

The computer system of claim 17, wherein said red component (R) of said filtered color signal is combined with a red component of a fog signal (Rfog) to produce a fogged and filtered signal (R1) based substantially on the formula R1=[R*(1-f)]+(Rfog*f*A), said green component (G) of said filtered color signal is combined with a green component of a fog signal (Gfog) to produce a fogged and filtered signal (G1) based substantially on the formula G1=[G*(1-f)]+(Gfog*f*A), and said blue component (B) of said filtered color signal is combined with a blue component of a fog color (Bfog) to produce a fogged and filtered signal (B1) based substantially on the formula B1=[B*(1-f)]+(Bfog*f*A).

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 98 words

The computer system of claim 31, wherein said fogged and filtered signal (R1) is blended with said red component of said background color (Rb) to produce an output color signal (Ro) based substantially on the formula Ro=R1+[(1-A1)*Rb], said fogged and filtered signal (G1) is blended with said green component of said background color (Gb) to produce an output color signal (Go) based substantially on the formula Go=G1+[(1-A1)*Gb], and said fogged and filtered signal (B1) is blended with said blue component of said background color (Bb) to produce an output color signal (Bo) based substantially on the formula Bo=B1+[(1-A1)*Bb].

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said color component (Xn) of said filtered color signal is combined with a corresponding color component of a fog signal (Xnfog) to produce a fogged and filtered signal (Xn1) based substantially on the formula Xn1=[Xn*(1-f)]+(Xnfog*f*A).

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method of claim 33, wherein said fogged and filtered signal (Xn1) is blended with a corresponding color component of said background color (Xnb) to produce an output color signal (Xno) based substantially on the formula Xno=Xn1+[(1-A1)*Xnb].

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 42 words

The computer system of claim 17, wherein said color component (Xn) of said filtered color signal is combined with a corresponding color component of a fog signal (Xnfog) to produce a fogged and filtered signal (Xn1) based substantially on the formula Xn1=[Xn*(1-f)]+(Xnfog*f*A).

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 38 words

The computer system of claim 35, wherein said fogged and filtered signal (Xn1) is blended with a corresponding color component of said background color (Xnb) to produce an output color signal (Xno) based substantially on the formula Xno=Xn1+[(1-A1)*Xnb].

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 125 words

A circuit for chroma keying filtered textures, comprising: logic for determining whether a texel having a first color matches a predetermined color; logic for replacing said texel having a first color when said texel having a first color matches said predetermined color; logic for filtering texels including replaced texels to produce a filtered color signal comprising n color components; logic for fogging the color components of the texels to produce a fogged and filtered color signal by Xn1=[Xn*(1-f)]+[Xnfog*f*A], where Xn represents one color component of the filtered color signal, Xnfog represents one color component of the fog color, f represents a fog factor, and A represents an alpha component of the filtered signal; logic for blending said filtered and fogged texels with a background color.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 125 words

A circuit for chroma keying filtered textures, comprising: logic for determining whether a texel having a first color matches a predetermined color; logic for replacing said texel having a first color when said texel having a first color matches said predetermined color; logic for filtering texels including replaced texels to produce a filtered color signal comprising n color components; logic for fogging the color components of the texels to produce a fogged and filtered color signal by Xn1=[Xn*(1-f)]+[Xnfog*f*A], where Xn represents one color component of the filtered color signal, Xnfog represents one color component of the fog color, f represents a fog factor, and A represents an alpha component of the filtered signal; logic for blending said filtered and fogged texels with a background color.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-11-22	2003-05-24	2003-11-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-11-22	2007-05-24	2007-11-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-11-22	2011-05-24	2011-11-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for performing chroma key, transparency and fog operations

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