Author: claimsbot

1. A hand held vacuum cleaner comprising:
a handle;
a vacuum motor;
a battery means for powering said vacuum motor;
a vacuum inlet;
a debris receptacle for receiving debris sucked through said inlet by said vacuum motor; and
an outlet associated with said debris receptacle to permit said handheld vacuum cleaner to be emptied when connected to a central vacuum system;
wherein said outlet comprises a door which is sealed when said hand held vacuum cleaner is in use and which is opened when said hand held vacuum cleaner is installed in a docking assembly;
wherein said hand held vacuum cleaner comprises a latch keyway to help said hand held vacuum cleaner register with a docking assembly.
2. The handheld vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a spring to urge said door to a closed and sealed position.
3. The handheld vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 2, wherein said outlet opens onto said debris receptacle wherein upon a vacuum being created in said central vacuum system said debris receptacle is emptied of debris.
4. The handheld vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1, further comprising electrical contacts for recharging said handheld vacuum cleaner.
5. The handheld vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 4, wherein said door opens inwardly into said debris receptacle.
6. The handheld vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a switch on said handle to start and stop said vacuum motor.
7. A docking assembly for a hand held vacuum cleaner comprising:
a body having a front, a back and an airtight passageway;
a vacuum connection sized and shaped to seal to an inlet on a central vacuum system, said vacuum connection being connected to said passageway;
a hand held vacuum cleaner receiving cradle on said front to receive and hold said hand held vacuum cleaner in said docking assembly;
an intake port for engaging an outlet of said hand held vacuum cleaner, said intake port being connected to said passageway in said body;
a valve member for sealing and unsealing said intake port from said passageway; and
a switch for activating said valve member;
wherein said hand held vacuum cleaner can be connected to a central vacuum cleaning system.
8. The docking assembly for a hand held vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 7, wherein said cradle further comprises a securing latch to secure said hand held vacuum cleaner in said docking assembly.
9. The docking assembly for a hand held vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 8, wherein said securing latch is spring loaded to permit said securing latch to depress out of the way as said hand held vacuum cleaner is placed in said docking assembly.
10. The docking assembly for a hand held vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 9, wherein said spring loaded securing latch is urged by said spring to engage a keyway to secure said hand held vacuum cleaner in said docking assembly.
11. The docking assembly for a hand held vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 9, further comprising electrical contacts for charging said hand held vacuum cleaner when said hand held vacuum cleaner is in said docking assembly.
12. The docking assembly for a hand held vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a switch to signal that said hand held vacuum cleaner is secured in said docking assembly.
13. The docking assembly for a hand held vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 12, wherein said switch is a contact switch contacted by said hand held vacuum cleaner located within said docking assembly.
14. The docking assembly for a hand held vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 12, wherein said switch is an electronic switch which detects the presence of said hand held vacuum cleaner in said docking assembly.
15. The docking assembly for a hand held vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a sealing gasket associated with said intake port to seal said outlet of said hand held vacuum cleaner against a loss of suction around said intake port.
16. The docking assembly for a hand held vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 7, wherein said intake port is sized and shaped to connect to said outlet on said hand held vacuum cleaner.
17. The docking assembly for a hand held vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 16, wherein said intake port is sized and shaped to open a moveable door at said outlet on said hand held vacuum cleaner when said hand held vacuum cleaner is secured in said docking assembly.
18. The docking assembly for a hand held vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a seal to seal an inlet nozzle on said hand held vacuum cleaner when said hand held vacuum cleaner is secured in said docking assembly.
19. The docking assembly for a hand held vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a low voltage adapter to generate a battery recharging current.
20. The docking assembly for a hand held vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 7, further comprising an actuator for actuating said valve member for sealing and unsealing said passageway.
21. The docking assembly for a hand held vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 20, wherein said actuator is a solenoid which can open and close said valve member electronically.
22. The docking assembly for a hand held vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 21, further comprising an actuator arm connecting said solenoid to said valve member.
23. The docking assembly for a hand held vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a controller for starting said central vacuum system upon said hand held vacuum cleaner being secured in said docking assembly and for automatically turning said central vacuum cleaner off after a predetermined time.
24. The docking assembly for a hand held vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 23, wherein said predetermined time is between 5 and 60 seconds.
25. The docking assembly for a hand held vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 24, wherein at the end of said predetermined time said controller activates said actuator to seal said intake port from said passageway.
26. The docking assembly for a hand held vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a central vacuum inlet valve assembly.
27. The docking assembly for a hand held vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 26, wherein said central vacuum inlet valve assembly comprises a hinged door opening on said front side of said docking assembly, a sealing means associated with said hinged door, an insertion bore behind said hinged door for receiving a hose cuff of a central vacuum cleaning hose and a low voltage detection circuit to cause said central vacuum motor to start upon one or more of said hose cuff being inserted into said insertion bore and a switch being closed on said hose handle.
28. A cleaning apparatus comprising:
a hand held vacuum cleaner comprising:
a handle;
a vacuum motor;
a battery means for powering said vacuum motor;
a vacuum inlet;
a debris receptacle for receiving debris sucked through said inlet by said vacuum motor; and
an outlet associated with said receptacle to permit said handheld vacuum cleaner to be emptied when connected to a central vacuum system;
and a docking assembly for said hand held vacuum cleaner said docking assembly comprising:
a body having a front, a back and an airtight passageway;
a vacuum connection sized and shaped to seal to an inlet on a central vacuum system, said vacuum connection being connected to said passageway;
a hand held vacuum cleaner receiving cradle on said front to receive and hold said hand held vacuum cleaner in said docking assembly;
an intake port for engaging an outlet of said hand held vacuum cleaner, said intake port being connected to said passageway in said body;
a valve member for sealing and unsealing said intake port from said passageway; and
a switch for activating said valve member;

wherein said hand held vacuum cleaner can be connected to a central vacuum cleaning system.
29. A hand held vacuum cleaner for mounting on an inlet receptacle of a central vacuum system, said hand held vacuum cleaner comprising:
a handle;
a vacuum motor;
a battery means for powering said vacuum motor;
a vacuum inlet;
a debris receptacle for receiving debris sucked through said inlet by said vacuum motor;
electrical contacts for recharging said battery means from electricity carried by said inlet receptacle when said hand held vacuum cleaner is mounted on said inlet receptacle; and
an outlet associated with said debris receptacle, said outlet comprising a door which is in a closed and sealed position when said hand held vacuum cleaner is in use, and which is in an open position when said hand held vacuum cleaner is mounted on said inlet receptacle;
wherein upon a vacuum being created in said central vacuum system said debris receptacle is emptied of said debris.
30. The handheld vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 29, further comprising a spring to urge said door to said closed and sealed position.
31. The handheld vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 30, wherein said outlet opens onto said debris receptacle.
32. The handheld vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 31, wherein said hand held vacuum cleaner comprises a latch keyway to help said hand held vacuum cleaner register with a docking assembly.
33. The handheld vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 32, further comprising electrical contacts for recharging said handheld vacuum cleaner.
34. The handheld vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 33, wherein said door opens inwardly into said debris receptacle.
35. The handheld vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 29, further comprising a switch on said handle to start and stop said vacuum motor.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a backup network device of a high-availability cluster, a state update message from a primary network device of the high-availability cluster, wherein the state update message indicates a network session being inspected by the primary network device and an identified application-layer protocol for the network session;
in response to determining, by the backup network device, that the primary network device has switched over or failed over to the backup network device, receiving, by the backup network device, a packet of the network session, the packet comprising application-layer data;
detecting a beginning of a new transaction from the application-layer data of the packet; and
processing the application-layer data of the network session that include and follow the beginning of the new transaction without performing stateful processing of application-layer data that precede the beginning of the new transaction.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the backup network device, a state update message that indicates a sequence number of a next transaction of the network session prior to determining that the primary network device has switched over or failed over, and wherein detecting the beginning of the new transaction comprises:
determining a sequence number of the packet;
comparing the sequence number of the packet to the sequence number of the next transaction from the state update message; and
determining that the packet includes the beginning of the new transaction when the sequence number of the received packet matches the sequence number of the next transaction from the state update message.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting the beginning of a new transaction comprises determining that the application-layer data comprises a delimiter value that immediately precedes the beginning of the new transaction.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the delimiter value comprises at least one of a new line character, a line feed character, and a carriage return character.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein processing the packets comprises inspecting the application-layer data of the network session to determine whether any portion of the application-layer data corresponds to a network attack.
6. A backup network device of a high-availability cluster configured to operate in a cluster mode, the backup network device comprising:
one or more hardware-based network interfaces configured to receive a state update message from a primary network device of a high-availability cluster of the backup network device, wherein the state update message indicates a network session being inspected by the primary network device and an identified application-layer protocol for the network session, and in response to determining that the primary network device has switched over or failed over to the backup network device, to receive a packet of the network session, the packet comprising application-layer data;
a protocol decoder configured to detect a beginning of a new transaction from the application-layer data of the packet; and
a hardware-based control unit to process the application-layer data of the network session that include and follow the beginning of the new transaction without performing stateful processing of application-layer data that precede the beginning of the new transaction.
7. The backup network device of claim 6,
wherein the one or more hardware-based network interfaces are configured to receive a state update message that indicates a sequence number of a next transaction of the network session prior to the determination that the primary network device has switched over or failed over, and
wherein to detect the beginning of a new transaction, the protocol decoder is configured to determine a sequence number of the packet, compare the sequence number of the packet to the sequence number of the next transaction from the state update message, and determine that the packet includes the new transaction when the sequence number of the packet matches the sequence number of the next transaction from the state update message.
8. The backup network device of claim 7, wherein to detect the beginning of a new transaction, the protocol decoder is configured to determine whether the application-layer data includes a delimiter value that immediately precedes the beginning of the new transaction.
9. The backup network device of claim 8, wherein the delimiter value comprises at least one of a new line character, a line feed character, and a carriage return character.
10. The backup network device of claim 7, further comprising an attack detection module configured to process the packets, wherein the attack detection module inspects the application-layer data of the network session to determine whether any portion of the application-layer data corresponds to a network attack.
11. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions for causing a programmable processor of a backup network device of a high availability cluster to:
receive a state update message from a primary network device of the high-availability cluster, wherein the state update message indicates a network session being inspected by the primary network device and an identified application-layer protocol for the network session;
in response to determining that the primary network device has switched over or failed over to the backup network device, receive a packet of the network session, the packet comprising application-layer data;
detect a beginning of a new transaction from the application-layer data of the packet; and
process the application-layer data of the network session that include and follow the beginning of the new transaction without performing stateful processing of application-layer data that precede the beginning of the new transaction.
12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions to receive a state update message that indicates a sequence number of a next transaction of the network session prior to the determination that the primary network device has switched over or failed over, and wherein the instructions to detect the beginning of a new transaction comprise instructions to:
determine a sequence number of the packet;
compare the sequence number of the packet to the sequence number of the next transaction from the state update message; and
determine that the packet includes a new transaction when the sequence number of the packet matches the sequence number of the next transaction from the state update message.
13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions to detect the beginning of a new transaction comprise instructions to determine that the application-layer data comprises a delimiter value that immediately precedes the beginning of the new transaction.
14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the delimiter value comprises at least one of a new line character, a line feed character, and a carriage return character.
15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions to process the packets comprise instructions to inspect the application-layer data of the network session to determine whether any portion of the application-layer data corresponds to a network attack.
16. A method comprising:
receiving, by a primary network device in a high availability environment, a packet of a network session, the packet comprising application-layer data;
detecting a beginning of a new transaction from the application-layer data of the packet;
calculating a sequence number corresponding to a first packet of a next transaction of the network session, wherein the next transaction follows the new transaction; and
forwarding a state update message that includes the calculated sequence number to a backup network device for the primary network device in the high availability environment.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein detecting the beginning of the new transaction comprises:
calculating, prior to receiving the packet, a sequence number for a first packet of the new transaction;
after receiving the packet, comparing the sequence number of the received packet to the calculated sequence number for the first packet of the new transaction; and
determining that the sequence number of the received packet matches the calculated sequence number for the first packet of the new transaction.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising inspecting, by the primary network device, the application-layer data of the network session to determine whether any portion of the application-layer data represents a network attack.
19. A primary network device of a high availability cluster configured to operate in a cluster mode, the primary network device comprising:
one or more hardware-based network interfaces configured to receive a packet of a network session, the packet comprising application-layer data;
a protocol decoder unit configured to detect a beginning of a new transaction from the application-layer data of the packet; and
a flow management unit configured to calculate a sequence number corresponding to a first packet of a next transaction of the network session, wherein the next transaction follows the new transaction,
wherein the one or more hardware-based network interfaces are configured to forward a state update message that includes the calculated sequence number to a backup network device for the primary network device in the high availability cluster.
20. The primary network device of claim 19, wherein the primary network device comprises a primary intrusion detection and prevention (IDP) device.
21. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions for causing a programmable processor of a primary network device of a high availability cluster to:
receive a packet of a network session, the packet comprising application-layer data;
detect a beginning of a new transaction from the application-layer data of the packet;
calculate a sequence number corresponding to a first packet of a next transaction of the network session, wherein the next transaction follows the new transaction; and
forward a state update message that includes the calculated sequence number to a backup network device for the primary network device in the high availability environment.
22. A high-availability cluster system comprising:
a primary network device; and
a backup network device for the primary network device,
wherein the primary network device is configured to receive a packet of a network session, the packet comprising application-layer data, detect a beginning of a new transaction from the application-layer data of the packet, calculate a sequence number corresponding to a first packet of a next transaction of the network session, wherein the next transaction follows the new transaction, and forward a state update message that includes the calculated sequence number to the backup network device, and
wherein the backup network device is configured to receive a state update message from a primary network device of a high-availability cluster of the backup network device, wherein the state update message indicates a network session being inspected by the primary network device and an identified application-layer protocol for the network session, and in response to determining that the primary network device has switched over or failed over to the backup network device, to receive a packet of the network session, the packet comprising application-layer data, detect a beginning of a new transaction from the application-layer data of the packet, and process the application-layer data of the network session that include and follow the beginning of the new transaction without performing stateful processing of application-layer data that precede the beginning of the new transaction.
23. The high-availability cluster system of claim 22, wherein the primary network device comprises a first intrusion detection and prevention (IDP) device, and wherein the backup network device comprises a second IDP device.

1. A method of fabricating an array of microstructures comprising:
scanning a radiation beam at varying amplitude through a substrate that is transparent thereto into a negative photoresist layer on the substrate to image the array of microstructures in the negative photoresist layer.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the negative photoresist layer is thicker than the array of microstructures and wherein the scanning comprises scanning the radiation beam at varying amplitude through the substrate that is transparent thereto into the negative photoresist layer on the substrate to image a buried array of the microstructures in the negative photoresist layer, adjacent the substrate.
3. A method according to claim 1 wherein at least some of the microstructures include a base and a top that is narrower than the base and wherein the scanning comprises scanning the radiation beam at varying amplitude through the substrate that is transparent thereto into the negative photoresist layer on the substrate to image the array of microstructures in the negative photoresist layer with the bases adjacent the substrate and the tops remote from the substrate.
4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the negative photoresist layer is of variable thickness thereacross, wherein a minimum thickness of the negative photoresist layer is thicker than the microstructures and wherein the scanning comprises scanning the radiation beam at varying amplitude through the substrate that is transparent thereto into the negative photoresist layer on the substrate to image buried microstructures beneath the negative photoresist layer, adjacent the substrate, that are independent of the variable thickness of the negative photoresist layer.
5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the negative photoresist layer includes impurities thereon, remote from the substrate, wherein the negative photoresist layer is thicker than the microstructures and wherein scanning comprises the scanning the radiation beam at varying amplitude through the substrate that is transparent thereto into the negative photoresist layer on the substrate to image buried microstructures in the negative photoresist layer, adjacent the substrate, that are not distorted by the impurities.
6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the substrate is a flexible substrate.
7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the negative photoresist layer is on a cylindrical platform such that the substrate is on the negative photoresist layer remote from the cylindrical platform, and wherein the scanning comprises:
rotating the cylindrical platform about an axis thereof while simultaneously axially rastering the radiation beam at varying amplitude through the substrate that is on the cylindrical platform across at least a portion of the negative photoresist layer to image the array of microstructures in the negative photoresist layer.
8. A method according to claim 7 further comprising simultaneously translating the cylindrical platform andor the radiation beam axially relative to one another.
9. A method according to claim 8 further comprising simultaneously continuously varying the amplitude of the radiation beam.
10. A method according to claim 1 wherein the substrate is at least about one square foot in area.
11. A method according to claim 1 wherein the scanning is performed continuously on the substrate for at least about 1 hour.
12. A method according to claim 1 wherein the scanning is performed continuously on the substrate for at least about 1 hour to fabricate at least about one million microstructures.
13. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:
developing the microstructures that are imaged in the negative photoresist layer to provide a microstructure array master.
14. A method according to claim 13 further comprising:
forming a plurality of second generation stampers directly from the master; and
forming a plurality of third generation microstructure array end products directly from a stamper.
15. A method according to claim 1 wherein the substrate is cylindrical, ellipsoidal or polygonal in shape.
16. A method according to claim 1 further comprising translating the substrate andor the radiation beam relative to one another while performing the scanning the radiation beam.
17. A method according to claim 1 wherein the microstructures comprise optical microstructures.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A game system which executes a computer program to generate an electronic image to provide more realistic view on a display screen, comprising:
means which transforms a depth value, comprising a plurality bits, of each pixel of an original image into a second depth value or an alternative second depth value, both being formed of the lower bits I to J of the depth value which are positioned lower than a most significant bit of the depth value;
means which sets an alpha value of each pixel to a value corresponding to the second depth value or the alternative second depth value;
means which generates the electronic image based on the set alpha value, wherein the bits I to J are an intermediate set of bits, and are below the uppermost bit and above the lowermost bit of the depth value,
wherein, when the depth value is within a predetermined range, the depth value is transformed into the second depth value, and, when the depth value is outside of the predetermined range, the depth value is transformed into the alternative second depth value,
the predetermined range includes a depth value of a focus position of a virtual camera, and
a number of threshold steps of the second depth value is greater than a number of threshold steps of the alternative second depth value.
2. The game system as defined in claim 1,
wherein the original image is blended with a defocused image of the original image based on the alpha value set for each pixel.
3. The game system as defined in claim 2,
wherein the defocused image of the original image is generated by setting the original image as a texture and shifting texture coordinates of a virtual object when the texture is mapped onto the virtual object by texel interpolation method.
4. The game system as defined in claim 1,
wherein the alternative second depth value is clamped into a given value depending on a bit value other than the bits I to J in the depth value.
5. The game system as defined in claim 1,
wherein the depth value is set as an index number in a lookup table for index color texture-mapping; and
wherein the depth value is transformed into the second depth value or the alternative second depth value by performing index color texture-mapping on a virtual object by using the lookup table.
6. The game system as defined in claim 1, wherein:
bits M to N in the depth value are set as an index number in a first lookup table for index color texture-mapping;
the depth value is transformed into a third depth value by performing index color texture-mapping on a virtual object by using the first lookup table;
bits K to L (where K\u2267I\u2267L>M\u2267J\u2267N) in the depth value are set as an index number in a second lookup table for index color texture-mapping;
the depth value is transformed into a fourth depth value by performing index color texture-mapping on a virtual object by using the second lookup table; and
the third and fourth depth values are used to determine the second depth value or the alternative second depth value.
7. A game system which executes a computer program to generate an electronic image to provide more realistic view on a display screen, comprising:
means which sets bits M to N in given image information as an index number in a first lookup table for index color texture-mapping, and uses the first lookup table to perform index color texture-mapping on a virtual object to transform the image information into third image information;
means which sets bits K to L in the image information as an index number in a second lookup table for index color texture-mapping, and uses the second lookup table to perform index color texture-mapping on a virtual object to transform the image information into fourth image information; and
means which transforms the image information into second image information or alternative second image information formed of the bits I to J (where K\u2267I\u2267L>M\u2267J\u2267N) in the image information based on the third and fourth image information,
wherein, when a depth value, which is one of the image information, is within a predetermined range, the image information is transformed into the second image information and, when a depth value, which is one of the image information, is outside of the predetermined range, the image information is transformed into the alternative second image information,
the predetermined range includes a depth value of a focus position of a virtual camera, and
a number of threshold steps of the second image information is greater than a number of threshold steps of the alternative second image information.
8. The game system as defined in claim 5,
wherein the virtual object is a polygon having a size equal to a size of the display screen.
9. The game system as defined in claim 7,
wherein the virtual object is a polygon having a size equal to a size of the display screen.
10. The game system as defined in claim 5,
wherein the virtual object is a polygon having a size equal to a size of a block obtained by dividing the display screen into blocks.
11. The game system as defined in claim 7,
wherein the virtual object is a polygon having a size equal to a size of a block obtained by dividing the display screen into blocks.
12. A computer-usable program embodied on an information storage medium or in a computer-executable signal capable of being transmitted by a transmitter and received by a receiver to generate an electronic image on a display screen, comprising a processing routine for a computer to realize:
means which transforms a depth of value, comprising a plurality bits, of each pixel of an original image into a second depth value and an alternative second depth value, both formed of the lower bits I to J of the depth value which are positioned lower than a most significant bit of the depth value;
means which sets an alpha value of each pixel to a value corresponding to the second depth value or the alternative second depth value;
means which generates an image based on the set alpha value, wherein the bits I to J are an intermediate set of bits, and are below the uppermost bit and above the lowermost bit of the depth value,
wherein, when the depth value is within a predetermined range, the depth value is transformed into the second depth value, and, when the depth value is outside of the predetermined range, the depth value is transformed into the alternative second depth value,
the predetermined range includes a depth value of a focus position of a virtual camera, and
a number of threshold steps of the second depth value is greater than a number of threshold steps of the alternative second depth value.
13. The program as defined in claim 12,
wherein the original image is blended with a defocused image of the original image based on the alpha value set for each pixel.
14. The program as defined in claim 13,
wherein the defocused image of the original image is generated by setting the original image as a texture and shifting texture coordinates of a virtual object when the texture is mapped onto the virtual object by texel interpolation method.
15. The program as defined in claim 12,
wherein the alternative second depth value is clamped into a given value depending on a bit value other than the bits I to J in the depth value.
16. The program as defined in claim 12,
wherein the depth value is set as an index number in a lookup table for index color texture-mapping; and
wherein the depth value is transformed into the second depth value or the alternative second depth value by performing index color texture-mapping on a virtual object by using the lookup table.
17. The program as defined in claim 12, wherein:
bits M to N in the depth value are set as an index number in a first lookup table for index color texture-mapping;
the depth value is transformed into a third depth value by performing index color texture-mapping on a virtual object by using the first lookup table;

bits K to L (where K\u2267I\u2267L>M\u2267J\u2267N) in the depth value are set as an index number in a second lookup table for index color texture-mapping;
the depth value is transformed into a fourth depth value by performing index color texture-mapping on a virtual object by using the second lookup table; and
the third and fourth depth values are used to determine the second depth value or the alternative second depth value.
18. A computer-usable program embodied on an information storage medium or in a computer-executable signal capable of being transmitted by a transmitter and received by a receiver to generate an electronic image on a display screen, comprising a processing routine for a computer to realize:
means which sets bits M to N in given image information as an index number in a first lookup table for index color texture-mapping, and uses the first lookup table to perform index color texture-mapping on a virtual object to transform the image information into third image information;
means which sets bits K to L in the image information as an index number in a second lookup table for index color texture-mapping, and uses the second lookup table to perform index color texture-mapping on a virtual object to transform the image information into fourth image information; and
means which transforms the image information into second image information or alternative second image information formed of the bits I to J (where K\u2267I\u2267L>M\u2267J\u2267N) in the image information based on the third and fourth image information,
wherein, when a depth value, which is one of the image information, is within a predetermined range, the image information is transformed into the second image information and, when a depth value, which is one of the image information, is outside of the predetermined range, the image information is transformed into the alternative second image information,
the predetermined range includes a depth value of a focus position of a virtual camera, and
a number of threshold steps of the second image information is greater than a number of threshold steps of the alternative second image information.
19. The program as defined in claim 16,
wherein the virtual object is a polygon having a size equal to a size of a display screen.
20. The program as defined in claim 18,
wherein the virtual object is a polygon having a size equal to a size of a display screen.
21. The game system as defined in claim 16,
wherein the virtual object is a polygon having a size equal to a size of a block obtained by dividing a display screen into blocks.
22. The program as defined in claim 18,
wherein the virtual object is a polygon having a size equal to a size of a block obtained by dividing a display screen into blocks.
23. A method of generating an electronic image to provide more realistic view on a display screen, comprising a step of:
transforming a depth value, comprising a plurality bits, of each pixel of an original image into a second depth value, or an alternative second depth value, both being formed of the lower bits I to J of the depth value which are positioned lower than a most significant bit of the depth value;
setting an alpha value of each pixel to a value corresponding to the second depth value or the alternative second depth value;
generating the electronic image based on the set alpha value, wherein the bits I to J are an intermediate set of bits, and are below the uppermost bit and above the lowermost bit of the depth value,
wherein, when the depth value is within a predetermined range, the depth value is transformed into the second depth value, and, when the depth value is outside of the predetermined range, the depth value is transformed into the alternative second depth value,
the predetermined range includes a depth value of a focus position of a virtual camera, and
a number of threshold steps of the second depth value is greater than a number of threshold steps of the alternative second depth value.
24. The method as defined in claim 23,
wherein the original image is blended with a defocused image of the original image based on the alpha value set for each pixel.
25. The method as defined in claim 24,
wherein the defocused image of the original image is generated by setting the original image as a texture and shifting texture coordinates of a virtual object when the texture is mapped onto the virtual object by texel interpolation method.
26. The method as defined in claim 23,
wherein the alternative second depth value is clamped into a given value depending on a bit value other than the bits I to J in the depth value.
27. The method as defined in claim 23,
wherein the depth value is set as an index number in a lookup table for index color texture-mapping; and
wherein the depth value is transformed into the second depth value or the alternative second depth value by performing index color texture-mapping on a virtual object by using the lookup table.
28. The method as defined in claim 23, wherein:
bits M to N in the depth value are set as an index number in a first lookup table for index color texture-mapping;
the depth value is transformed into a third depth value by performing index color texture-mapping on a virtual object by using the first lookup table;

bits K to L (where K\u2267I\u2267L>M\u2267J\u2267N) in the depth value are set as an index number in a second lookup table for index color texture-mapping;
the depth value is transformed into a fourth depth value by performing index color texture-mapping on a virtual object by using the second lookup table; and
the third and fourth depth values are used to determine the second depth value or the alternative second depth value.
29. A method of generating an electronic image to provide more realistic view on a display screen, comprising a step of:
setting bits M to N in given image information as an index number in a first lookup table for index color texture-mapping;
using the first lookup table to perform index color texture-mapping on a virtual object to transform the image information into third image information;
setting bits K to L in the image information as an index number in a second lookup table for index color texture-mapping;
using the second lookup table to perform index color texture-mapping on a virtual object to transform the image information into fourth image information; and
means which transforms the image information into second image information or alternative second image information formed of the bits I to J (where K\u2267I\u2267L>M\u2267J\u2267N) in the image information based on the third and fourth image information;
wherein, when a depth value, which is one of the image information, is within a predetermined range, the image information is transformed into the second image information and, when a depth value, which is one of the image information, is outside of the predetermined range, the image information is transformed into the alternative second image information,
the predetermined range includes a depth value of a focus position of a virtual camera, and
a number of threshold steps of the second image information is greater than a number of threshold steps of the alternative second image information.
30. The method as defined in claim 27,
wherein the virtual object is a polygon having a size equal to a size of the display screen.
31. The method as defined in claim 29,
wherein the virtual object is a polygon having a size equal to a size of the display screen.
32. The method as defined in claim 27,
wherein the virtual object is a polygon having a size equal to a size of a block obtained by dividing the display screen into blocks.
33. The method as defined in claim 29,
wherein the virtual object is a polygon having a size equal to a size of a block obtained by dividing the display screen into blocks.