Graphics workstation for creating graphics data structure which are stored retrieved and displayed by a graphics subsystem for competing programs

• US 5,097,411 A
• Filed: 10/17/1988
• Issued: 03/17/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digital Equipment Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Dipirro, Steven D., Gerovac, Branko J., Rushforth, Kevin C., Carver, David C., Doyle, Peter L., Shapiro, Raymond E., Armstrong, William P., Ellenberger, John P., Roach, William C., Jones, Ellis O., Gibson, Ellen S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coleman, Eric
• Application Number:
  US07/258,398
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 340/724, 340/747, 340/748, 340/725, 364/518, 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File
• US Class Current: 345/522
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects

Abstract

A method for operating a computer graphics system to build custom nodes containing commands and data information that is stored in a data structure in the graphics subsystem. A host processor calls routines which build the custome nodes. A structure walker traverses the data structure and extracts the information from the data structure to pass it to the graphics subsystem for display. The use of custom nodes increases the flexibility of advanced graphics data structures bny allowing the creation of other data structures during execution of a first data structure.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of displaying graphic information by a plurality of competing application programs via advanced graphic data structures comprising the steps of:

(a) calling and executing routines by a host processor to build at least one custom node containing commands and data information with said data information being stored i a first data structure existing in a graphics subsystem and said custom node being stored in said graphics subsystem, said data information being used for creating a display at a particular time, the custom node being used by the host processor to build a second data structure for creating a second display at another particular time;

(b) scheduling with the host processor asynchronous traversal of the custom node by completing application programs being run by the host so each said completing application program views the graphics subsystem as its own absent the other completing programs;

(c) extracting, during asynchronous traversal of the custom node based upon the scheduling at step (b) the data information from first and second data structures and passing the data information to the graphics subsystem for display.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of passing the information is carried out by a structure walker which controls the flow of the information passed to the graphics subsystem for display.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the custom node includes a generic node which sends the commands and data to the graphics subsystem without effecting the state of the data structure.