Accelerated matte

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for processing a source frame 901, which comprises storage means 205 for storing said image data, memory means 203 for storing said image data and instructions 504, 510, processing means 201 for processing said instructions and further comprising graphics processing means 206, 310 equipped with at least one frame buffer 309, wherein said instructions are processed by said processing means to configure ( 404, 405 ) said graphics processing means 206, 310 to perform the steps of defining said image data 901 as at least one image texture 911 to be applied to at least one polygon 513, 514 or 515; processing said image texture 911 to generate corresponding texture elements 941 defining a matte thereof; and drawing ( 1006 ) said texture elements 941 in said frame buffer.

1 . Apparatus for processing image data, comprising storage means for storing image data, memory means for storing said image data and instructions, processing means for processing said instructions and further comprising graphics processing means equipped with at least one frame buffer, wherein said instructions are processed by said processing means to configure said graphics processing means to perform the steps of 
 defining said image data as at least one image texture to be applied to at least one polygon;    processing said image texture to generate corresponding texture elements defining a matte thereof; and    drawing said texture elements in said frame buffer.    
     
     
         2 . Apparatus for processing image data according to  claim 1 , wherein said graphics processing means is a graphics accelerator I/O card.  
     
     
         3 . Apparatus for processing image data according to  claim 1 , wherein said graphics processing means is the fragment processor of a graphics accelerator card.  
     
     
         4 . Apparatus for processing image data according to  claim 1 , wherein said frame buffer is configured with an addressable random access memory, whereby said addressable random access memory is configurable by said instructions in a displayable portion and a temporary accumulating portion.  
     
     
         5 . Apparatus for processing image data according to  claim 1 , wherein said image data is a digitised image frame.  
     
     
         6 . Apparatus for processing image data according to  claim 5 , wherein said step of defining said image data further comprises the steps of defining the outline of said digitised image frame as said polygon and defining the image depicted in said digitised image frame as said image texture.  
     
     
         7 . Apparatus for processing image data according to  claim 6 , wherein said image texture preferably includes a highly-saturated color, such as blue or green.  
     
     
         8 . Apparatus for processing image data according to  claim 7 , wherein said step of processing said image texture further comprises processing the respective RGBA color component values of the pixels thereof, whereby the pixels respectively defining said highly-saturated color are keyed out.  
     
     
         9 . Apparatus for processing image data according to  claim 1 , wherein said step of drawing said texture elements in said frame buffer comprises multiple rendering passes.  
     
     
         10 . Apparatus for processing image data according to  claim 9 , wherein at least one of said passes blends said texture elements.  
     
     
         11 . A method of processing image data, comprising image data stored in storage means or memory means, instructions stored in said memory means defining processing to be performed upon said image data by graphics processing means equipped with at least one frame buffer, wherein said method comprises the steps of 
 configuring said graphics processing means according to said instructions;    in said graphics processing means, defining said image data as at least one image texture to be applied to at least one polygon;    in said graphics processing means, processing said image texture to generate corresponding texture elements defining a matte thereof; and    drawing said texture elements in said frame buffer.    
     
     
         12 . A method of processing image data according to  claim 11 , wherein said graphics processing means is a graphics accelerator I/O card.  
     
     
         13 . A method of processing image data according to  claim 11 , wherein said graphics processing means is the fragment processor of a graphics accelerator card.  
     
     
         14 . A method of processing image data according to  claim 11 , wherein said frame buffer is configured with an addressable random access memory, whereby said addressable random access memory is configurable by said instructions in a displayable portion and a temporary accumulating portion.  
     
     
         15 . A method of processing image data according to  claim 11 , wherein said image data is a digitised image frame.  
     
     
         16 . A method of processing image data according to  claim 15 , wherein said step of defining said image data further comprises the steps of defining the outline of said digitised image frame as said polygon and defining the image depicted in said digitised image frame as said image texture.  
     
     
         17 . A method of processing image data according to  claim 16 , wherein said image texture preferably includes a highly-saturated color, such as blue or green.  
     
     
         18 . A method of processing image data according to  claim 17 , wherein said step of processing said image texture further comprises processing the respective RGBA color component values of the pixels thereof, whereby the pixels respectively defining said highly-saturated color are keyed out.  
     
     
         19 . A method of processing image data according to  claim 11 , wherein said step of drawing said texture elements in said frame buffer comprises multiple rendering passes.  
     
     
         20 . A method of processing image data according to  claim 19 , wherein at least one of said passes blends said texture elements.  
     
     
         21 . A computer readable medium having computer readable instructions executable by a computer, such that said computer configures a graphics accelerator card therein equipped with at least one frame buffer upon processing said instructions to perform the steps of: 
 defining said image data as at least one image texture to be applied to at least one polygon;    processing said image texture to generate corresponding texture elements defining a matte thereof; and    drawing said texture elements in said frame buffer.    
     
     
         22 . A computer readable medium according to  claim 21 , wherein said computer further configures the fragment processor of a graphics accelerator card.  
     
     
         23 . A computer readable medium according to  claim 21 , wherein said image data is a digitised image frame.  
     
     
         24 . A computer readable medium according to  claim 23 , wherein said step of defining said image data further comprises the steps of defining the outline of said digitised image frame as said polygon and defining the image depicted in said digitised image frame as said image texture.  
     
     
         25 . A computer readable medium according to  claim 24 , wherein said image texture preferably includes a highly-saturated color, such as blue or green.  
     
     
         26 . A computer readable medium according to  claim 25 , wherein said step of processing said image texture further comprises processing the respective RGBA color component values of the pixels thereof, whereby the pixels respectively defining said highly-saturated color are keyed out.  
     
     
         27 . A computer readable medium according to  claim 21 , wherein said step of drawing said texture elements in said frame buffer comprises multiple rendering passes.  
     
     
         28 . A computer readable medium according to  claim 19 , wherein at least one of said passes blends said texture elements.  
     
     
         29 . A computer system programmed to generate image data, comprising image data storage means, memory means for storing instructions and said image data, processing means for processing said instructions and graphics processing means for processing said image data, wherein said instructions are processed by said processing means to configure said graphics processing means to perform the steps of: 
 defining said image data as at least one image texture to be applied to at least one polygon;    processing said image texture to generate corresponding texture elements defining a matte thereof; and    drawing said texture elements in said frame buffer.    
     
     
         30 . A computer system programmed according to  claim 31 , wherein said graphics processing means is a graphics accelerator I/O card.  
     
     
         31 . A computer system programmed according to  claim 31 , wherein said graphics processing means is the fragment processor of a graphics accelerator card.