Thomson Licensing

Thomson Licensing S.a.

Interdigital Ce Patent Holdings, Sas

Thomson Multimedia S.a.

Patrice Hirtzlin

Ali Louzir

Jean-Yves Le Naour

Jean-Eudes Marvie

Patrick Wurm

Pascal Gautron

Franck Thudor

Jean-Fran&ccedil;ois Pintos

Philippe Berthaud

Jean-François Pintos

Philippe Chambelin

Olivier Mocquard

Christopher Howson

Gérard Haquet

Henri Fourdeux

Gael Sourimant

David Harrison

Cyprien Buron

Chaoying Guo

François-Louis Tariolle

Olivier Mocquart

Christian Yves Allaire

Luc Pagnier

Chaoying Hu-Guo

Gerard Haquet

Merwan Achibet

Heqi Lu

Jean Yves Le Naour

A method and a system for rendering a 3D scene are disclosed. A set of parameters for objects in the 3D scene are identified. The objects are grouped based on the identified set of parameters and spatial boundaries for an intermediate structure group of objects based on an object type is determined. An illumination contribution for each plane of the spatial boundary of the intermediate structure is determined for the objects in the 3D scene. The 3D scene is then rendered based on the determined spatial boundary and the illumination contribution of the intermediate structure for each object in the scene.

System and method for real-time ray tracing in a 3D environment

Method and device for processing a geometry image generated from a mesh associated with a 3D scene and comprising a plurality of charts that each represents a part of the 3D scene, the method comprising computing a reference direction from mesh coordinates associated with a current pixel and mesh coordinates associated with a first pixel, the first pixel corresponding to a pixel of the border of the first chart located along a determined direction having as origin the current pixel; comparing the reference direction with a set of candidate directions being each computed from the mesh coordinates associated with the at least one current pixel and indirection mesh coordinates associated with one pixel of the neighbourhood of the first pixel, the indirection mesh coordinates corresponding to mesh coordinates of a pixel of the border a second chart corresponding to the pixel of the neighbourhood of the first pixel; and selecting a pixel of the border of the second chart according to the comparison result.

Method and device for processing a geometry image of a 3D scene

The invention is related to a method for processing a computer-animated scene, the computer-animated scene being represented with at least an animation graph, at least an animation graph comprising a plurality of nodes connected by paths, the paths being representative of dependencies between the nodes, at least an event being associated with each node, a first information representative of the type of each event being associated with each node. As to optimize the parallelization of the nodes, the method comprises a step of classifying the nodes in at least a first batch and at least a second batch according to the first information associated with each node, at least a first batch comprising nodes to be evaluated in parallel and at least a second batch comprising nodes to be evaluated sequentially.

Method for processing a computer-animated scene and corresponding device

A method for estimating occlusion in a virtual environment comprising at least two objects and observed from a viewpoint. Thereafter, a second item of information representative of the distance separating a second fragment of a second object from the viewpoint according to an observation direction is computed; the second item of information is compared with a first item of information representative of the distance separating a first fragment of a first object from the viewpoint according to the observation direction and is stored in a first buffer memory. If the second item of information is less than the first item of information, then a third item of information representative of attributes associated with the second fragment is estimated, the second item of information is stored in a second buffer memory and the third item of information is stored in a third buffer memory. If the second item of information is greater than the first item of information, of then the first item of information is stored in the second buffer memory.

Method for estimation of occlusion in a virtual environment

The invention relates to a method for estimating information representative of a pixel of a virtual object. In order to improve the rendering while minimizing the required calculation time, the method comprises defining a first surface element associated with the pixel according to a direction of observation of the virtual object, the first surface element belonging to a representation of the virtual object according to a first level of detail; associating a second surface element with the first surface element, the second surface element being determined by intersection between the direction of observation and a first parametric surface representing the virtual object according to a second level of detail; estimating the information representative of the pixel according to the second surface element and information associated with the second surface element enabling the virtual object to be represented according to a third level of detail.

Method for estimation of information representative of a pixel of a virtual object

The invention relates to a method for estimation of information representative of a height. In order to minimize the required calculation time, the method comprises steps for:

Method for estimation of an item of information representative of height

The present invention relates to a source-antenna for transmitting/receiving electromagnetic waves comprising an array of n radiating elements () operating in a first frequency band, means () with longitudinal radiation operating in a second frequency band, the array and the means with longitudinal radiation having a substantially common phase centre, the n radiating elements being arranged symmetrically about the longitudinal-radiation means, and each element () of the array consisting of a radiating element of the travelling wave type.

Source-antennas for transmitting/receiving electromagnetic waves

The invention provides a simple solution for a broadband transmitter/receiver for which the working bandwidth is split into at least two non-contiguous sub-bands. The invention uses a filtering meanswhich comprises at least two band-pass filtersandprovided with switching meansandThe use of two switched filtersandmakes it possible to use a single synthesizerto scan two sub-bands of the working bandwidth. The frequency synthesizeroperates for one sub-band in supradyne mode and for the other sub-band in infradyne mode. In a variant, the invention uses a third filter and divides the bandwidth into three sub-bands.

Radiofrequency transmitter and/or receiver

An RF signals amplification block receives a first RF signal, and comprises means of amplification of this first RF signal so as to deliver a second, amplified, RF signal. This signal must be amplified by a predetermined nominal power so as to be delivered at the output of the block. The block comprises means of measurement of the power of the second, amplified, RF signal, means of coupling the amplified RF signal to a first output of the block, a control signal generated by a central processing unit for controlling the coupling means. The invention also relates to an RF signals transmission device intended to be arranged at the focus of RF signals focusing means comprising a block according to the invention and an RF signals transmission antenna/terminal. Particular application to the tracking of nonsynchronous satellites.

RF signal amplifier unit, RF signal transmission device and RF signal transmitting terminal-antenna

The module comprises an input/output access point at a first end of a waveguide with a square cross section, called a square waveguide, two access points made of waveguides with a rectangular cross section, called rectangular waveguides, placed side by side at a second end of the square waveguide and a septum positioned in the square waveguide at the end of a separation region common to the two rectangular waveguides in order to allow the production of two circular polarizations of opposite handedness each associated with a rectangular waveguide. The module is arranged so as to form a diplexer in which the septum is included and where the access points by rectangular waveguide are extended by filters, each access point being endowed with a filter provided in order to transmit a frequency band which is different. The steps of the septum are dimensioned so as to compensate for reflections.

Frequency-separator waveguide module with double circular polarization

The invention aims to minimize the analogue/digital converter over-dimensioning within the framework of reception of signals originating from a satellite and exhibiting power levels which can vary over time. The invention proposes a technique of automatic gain control which handles the setting of the noise level associated with the amplified signal. The automatic gain control is achieved by neutralizing the signal received by the antenna, and by adjusting the gain during the neutralization of the signal received until a predetermined noise level is obtained at the end of the reception facility. The invention also pertains to a device comprising the means for implementing the method.

Receiving device with automatic gain control

Devices for sending and receiving electromagnetic waves

The invention proposes the use of a reel, for instance for a device for electromagnetic wave communication, comprising a first component movable in rotation in relation to a second component about an axis and at least one first cable fixed to the first component at at least one point. The first cable is fixed to the second component at at least one point and the first cable is wound spirally about the axis. The reel comprises at least one second cable wound spirally about the axis and separated from the first cable by a first flange perpendicular to the axis.

Cable reel and electromagnetic wave communication device equipped with such a reel

The invention relates to a focusing device comprising a Luneberg lens comprising a homogeneous volume of dielectric. It is characterized in that the dielectric comprises a granular agglomerate defined by a homogeneous granule size distribution of thermoplastic granules, at least one plurality of these granules being welded together by granule boundaries in order to keep said volume consolidated. Particular application to lenses for the tracking of nongeostationary satellites, of at least one geostationary satellite, or for use in an MMDS system.

Focusing device comprising a Luneberg lens including a homogeneous volume of dielectric and method material for making such a lens

The invention comprises a low-noise amplifier of the type comprising a transistor exhibiting a saturation phase for signals of high amplitude. According to the invention, at the output of the amplifier is arranged a load impedance referring back to this output an optimal impedance for maximizing the power at the output of the transistor and an open circuit in the reception frequency band. Thus, the entire parasitic signal is &ldquo;boxed in&rdquo; by the load impedance. Particular application in the field of bidirectional transmissions, especially transmission systems linking a terminal comprising the device according to the invention with at least one satellite or a terrestrial base station.

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Betton, France

Patrice Hirtzlin