Curvilinear dynamic image generation system
First Claim
1. An image generator system for curvilinear displays wherein images are developed from polygons having edges defined by signal-represented vertices, said generator comprising:
- means for providing processed vertices signals defining edges for a desired image;
generator means for converting said processed vertices signals specifying edges to test vertices signals, which signals are in spherical coordinates and specify said edges at least in terms of two differential angles;
means for testing said test vertices signals specifying edges with respect to predetermined segmentation criteria to provide signals representative of acceptance or rejection;
means for segmenting said processed vertices signals defining an edge into other processed vertices signals defining plural equivalent edges, said means for segmenting connected for operation on occurrence of a rejection signal from said means for testing;
means for cycling said processed vertices signals defining edges through said generator means to said means for testing and through said means for segmenting to said means for providing processed vertices signals, to ultimately attain corrected vertices signals defining said edges in accordance with said predetermined segmentation criteria; and
means coupled to receive said corrected vertices signals for displaying images.
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Abstract
A system is disclosed for the production of real-time, computer-generated images as for projection on a curvilinear surface as on the inside of a dome. A general-purpose computer provides data for visual images and supplies the data in an ordered format. Such data is processed first with regard to viewpoint and second with regard to channel operation. Specifically, viewpoint processing incorporates an object manager and a polygon manager. Channel processing includes a geometric processor and a display processor. The display processor drives a projector for illuminating a spherical surface with the desired images. The geometric processor incorporates several well known elements including a rotator, clippers, a slope calculator and polygon buffer. Additionally, the geometric processor incorporates a segmenter and mapper which replaces the traditional perspective divider to process the data so as to generate images for curvilinear projection. The segmenter tests the character of polygon edges in spherical coordinate format and corrections are performed on data in the same format. Segmentation is performed on data in a rectangular coordinate format.
126 Citations
13 Claims
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1. An image generator system for curvilinear displays wherein images are developed from polygons having edges defined by signal-represented vertices, said generator comprising:
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means for providing processed vertices signals defining edges for a desired image; generator means for converting said processed vertices signals specifying edges to test vertices signals, which signals are in spherical coordinates and specify said edges at least in terms of two differential angles; means for testing said test vertices signals specifying edges with respect to predetermined segmentation criteria to provide signals representative of acceptance or rejection; means for segmenting said processed vertices signals defining an edge into other processed vertices signals defining plural equivalent edges, said means for segmenting connected for operation on occurrence of a rejection signal from said means for testing; means for cycling said processed vertices signals defining edges through said generator means to said means for testing and through said means for segmenting to said means for providing processed vertices signals, to ultimately attain corrected vertices signals defining said edges in accordance with said predetermined segmentation criteria; and means coupled to receive said corrected vertices signals for displaying images. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. In an image generator for curvilinear displays wherein images comprise polygons having edges defined by vertices, a segmenter-mapper apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving signals representative of vertices defining image edges for a display; test means for receiving signals defining said image edges in spherical coordinates wherein said edges are specified in at least two differential angles to test said image edges in accordance with predetermined segmentation criteria; segmentation means for receiving signals defining said image edges in rectangular coordinates for segmenting said image edges to provide signals representative of vertices defining plural image edges equivalent to a received edge; means for cycling signals defining said image edges in select coordinates between said test means and said segmentation means to attain signals defining image edges in accordance with said criteria; and means for correcting said signals defining said image edges in accordance with said criteria for curvilinear display. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification
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- Resources
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Current AssigneeEvans & Sutherland Computer Corp. (Elevate Entertainment, Inc.)
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Original AssigneeEvans & Sutherland Computer Corp. (Elevate Entertainment, Inc.)
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InventorsRobinson, John A., Schumacker, Robert A.
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Primary Examiner(s)NOT, DEFINED
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Application NumberUS06/728,360Time in Patent Office1,198 DaysField of Search364/518, 364/520-522, 350/128, 340/705, 340/729, 340/731, 340/747, 340/732, 358/10, 358/22, 358/56, 358/104US Class Current348/36CPC Class CodesG06T 15/10 Geometric effectsG06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] mode...G06T 3/08 Projecting images onto non-...
