Image generating apparatus, image generating method, and computer program

• US 20030071809A1
• Filed: 09/25/2002
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Adachi, Hajime, Matsumoto, Reiji
• Granted Patent: US 7,215,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/205 for detecting the geographical location of the game platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6661 for changing the position of the virtual camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation

Abstract

A picture generating apparatus (1) is provided with: a drawing application processor (11) for instructing a drawing device (13) to generate a 3D image; and a graphics library (12). The drawing application processor is provided with a drawing object information generation device for generating drawing object information to generate an image; and a coordinate transformation information generation device for generating coordinate transformation information. The drawing device generates the 3D image by applying the coordinate transformation information to the drawing object information. Consequently, this ensures the high-speed generation of the image and the ability of replacement of the drawing device.

Claims

1. An image generating apparatus for drawing a three-dimensional image comprising:

a drawing object information generating device for generating drawing object information, which is information for drawing objects as the three-dimensional image, in a single coordinate system;

a coordinate transformation information generating device for generating coordinate transformation information, which is information for defining at least one of a view point and a field of view concerning the three-dimensional image;

a drawing object information storing device for storing the drawing object information;

a coordinate transformation information storing device for storing the coordinate transformation information; and

a drawing device for generate the three-dimensional image by using the stored drawing object information and the stored coordinate transformation information.

2. An image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drawing object information storing device stores a plurality of units of the drawing object information generated by the drawing object information generating device, the coordinate transformation information storing device stores a plurality of units of the coordinate transformation information generated by the coordinate transformation information generating device, and the drawing device generates the three-dimensional image with an arbitrary combination of one or more than one of the plurality of units of the drawing object information and one or more than one of the plurality of units of the coordinate transformation information.

3. An image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drawing object information generating device comprises a list generating device for generating a list of the drawing object information.

4. An image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image generating apparatus includes a drawing application processor and a graphics library,

the graphics library comprises:

the drawing object information storing device;

the coordinate transformation information storing device; and

a controlling device for controlling the drawing device, and

the drawing application processor comprises;

the drawing object information generating device;

the coordinate transformation information generating device; and

an instructing device for instructing the controlling device to execute the generation of the three-dimensional image.

5. An image generating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a map information supplying device for supplying map information, which contains a source of the drawing object information, to the drawing object information generating device.

6. An image generating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the image generating apparatus comprises a first portion and a second portion which are detachable each other, the drawing application device is put on the first portion, and the graphics library and the drawing device are put on the second portion.

7. An image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drawing device generates the three-dimensional image with perspective.

8. An image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the coordinate transformation information includes information for defining a light source.

9. An image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information for defining the view point is set on the basis of a view point of a movable body operator.

10. An image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information for defining the field of view is set on the basis of a field of view of a movable body operator.

11. An image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the view point on the three-dimensional image is set so as to be located at a central portion of a display area of a display device.

12. An image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drawing device generates a plurality of partial frame images on the basis of the stored drawing object information, and superimposes the plurality of partial frame images.

13. An image generating apparatus according to claim 12 further comprising a frame buffer for storing the plurality of partial frame images.

14. An image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the coordinate transformation information generating device generates a plurality of units of the coordinate transformation information, in which at least one of the view point and the field of view is different from each other, with respect to one unit of the drawing object information, and the image processing device generates the three-dimensional image which changes with time by applying the plurality of units of the coordinate transformation information to the one unit of the drawing object information.

15. An image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a process of generating the drawing object information in the drawing object information generating device, a process of generating the coordinate transformation information in the coordinate transformation information generating device, a process of storing the drawing object information in the drawing object information storing device and a process of storing the coordinate transformation information in the coordinate transformation information storing device are carried out with multitasking.

16. An image generating apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a display device for displaying the images generated by the drawing device.

17. A program storage device readable by a computer for tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform an image generating method of drawing a three-dimensional image, the image generating method comprising:

a drawing object information generating process of generating drawing object information, which is information for drawing objects as the three-dimensional image, in a single coordinate system;

a coordinate transformation information generating process of generating coordinate transformation information, which is information for defining at least one of a view point and a field of view concerning the three-dimensional image;

a drawing object information storing process of storing the drawing object information;

a coordinate transformation information storing process of storing the coordinate transformation information; and

a drawing process for generating the three-dimensional image by using the stored drawing object information and the stored coordinate transformation information.

18. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing a series of instructions which cause a computer to perform an image generating method of drawing a three-dimensional image, the image generating method comprising:

a drawing object information generating process of generating drawing object information, which is information for drawing objects as the three-dimensional image, in a single coordinate system;

a coordinate transformation information generating process of generating coordinate transformation information, which is information for defining at least one of a view point and a field of view concerning the three-dimensional image;

a drawing object information storing process of storing the drawing object information;

a coordinate transformation information storing process of storing the coordinate transformation information; and

a drawing process for generating the three-dimensional image by using the stored drawing object information and the stored coordinate transformation information.

19. An image generating method of drawing a three-dimensional image comprising:

a drawing object information generating process of generating drawing object information, which is information for drawing objects as the three-dimensional image, in a single coordinate system;

a coordinate transformation information generating process of generating coordinate transformation information, which is information for defining at least one of a view point and a field of view concerning the three-dimensional image;

a drawing object information storing process of storing the drawing object information;

a coordinate transformation information storing process of storing the coordinate transformation information; and

a drawing process for generating the three-dimensional image by using the stored drawing object information and the stored coordinate transformation information.

20. An image generating method according to claim 19, wherein the drawing object information generating process comprises a list generating process of generating a list of the drawing object information.