Real-time simulation of a polygon face object system as viewed by a moving observer
First Claim
1. An image data system responsive to observer position data and observer orientation data provided by a motion simulation computer, for providing raster display data to a raster type display device defining a bounded two dimensional perspective view of a three dimensional object system formed by polygon faces of that portion of an object coordinate system within the volume of vision of an observer in an observer coordinate system, comprising:
- an object system data means for providing object position data defining the position within the object coordinate system of each of the vertices of the polygon faces, and for providing other object data which defines physical properties of the objects within the object system represented by the polygon faces;
an image data computer means for receiving the object data and adapted to receive at least the observer position data from the motion simulation computer, and for combining the data to form digital image data having a predetermined format with predetermined code bits for identifying the object position data and the other object data;
decoding means for receiving the formatted image data and decoding the code bits and storing object position data in a predetermined order;
translation means responsive to the observer position data for redefining the object position data relative to the observer coordinate system origin instead of the object coordinate system origin;
rotation means responsive to the observer orientation data for redefining the object position relative to a particular axis of vision within the observer coordinate system;
projection means responsive to the redefined object position data for converting the three dimensional position coordinates of each vertex of the polygon faces into two dimensional display coordinates to provide the bounded two dimensional view of the three dimensional object system;
slope determining means responsive to the two dimensional display coordinates for determining the slope of the polygon edges extending between adjacent vertices;
vertex sorting means responsive to the two dimensional display coordinates for determining the order in which the vertices appear within each display raster;
display generator means responsive to the display coordinates and to the slope of the polygon edges and to the other object data for providing the deflection and video signals required by the display device to provide the two dimensional perspective view of the three dimensional object system.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The visual system within an aircraft flight simulation system receives flight data from a flight simulation computer, and terrain data from a gaming area data base. A computer within the visual system organizes this image data in a buffer memory according to a particular format, and forwards the image data to an image processor. The following types of data are formatted and processed:
Position vectors, defining the changing position of the aircraft with respect to the origin of the terrain coordinate system.
Rotational data, defining the changing attitude of the aircraft with respect to the terrain coordinate system.
Initialization vectors, defining the position of the landmark points within the terrain coordinate system. The landmark points are translated into the aircraft coordinate system to form translated vectors.
Delta data, defining the position of other points, lines, and faces with respect to the landmark points.
CIF data, defining color, intensity, defocus, etc. of individual lines and points and the texture within each face.
Transfer data, which is coded to identify the data thereafter.
The image processor translates delta data into face vertex vectors, defining the position relationship between the vertices of each terrain object and the aircraft. The image processor then rotates the face vertex vectors into channel vectors and clips the data outside the field of vision. The image processor then projects each three-dimensional channel vector into a two-dimensional display vector. Finally, the image processor generates raster scanlines and a display generator receives the display vector faces, and other image data to provide analog inputs to CRT devices which provide the window displays for the simulated aircraft.
46 Citations
12 Claims
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1. An image data system responsive to observer position data and observer orientation data provided by a motion simulation computer, for providing raster display data to a raster type display device defining a bounded two dimensional perspective view of a three dimensional object system formed by polygon faces of that portion of an object coordinate system within the volume of vision of an observer in an observer coordinate system, comprising:
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an object system data means for providing object position data defining the position within the object coordinate system of each of the vertices of the polygon faces, and for providing other object data which defines physical properties of the objects within the object system represented by the polygon faces; an image data computer means for receiving the object data and adapted to receive at least the observer position data from the motion simulation computer, and for combining the data to form digital image data having a predetermined format with predetermined code bits for identifying the object position data and the other object data; decoding means for receiving the formatted image data and decoding the code bits and storing object position data in a predetermined order; translation means responsive to the observer position data for redefining the object position data relative to the observer coordinate system origin instead of the object coordinate system origin; rotation means responsive to the observer orientation data for redefining the object position relative to a particular axis of vision within the observer coordinate system; projection means responsive to the redefined object position data for converting the three dimensional position coordinates of each vertex of the polygon faces into two dimensional display coordinates to provide the bounded two dimensional view of the three dimensional object system; slope determining means responsive to the two dimensional display coordinates for determining the slope of the polygon edges extending between adjacent vertices; vertex sorting means responsive to the two dimensional display coordinates for determining the order in which the vertices appear within each display raster; display generator means responsive to the display coordinates and to the slope of the polygon edges and to the other object data for providing the deflection and video signals required by the display device to provide the two dimensional perspective view of the three dimensional object system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification