Multi-layer atmospheric fading in real-time computer image generator
First Claim
1. A method for modifying the color (chromicity and intensity) of light to be emitted at each pixel of a display scene in a computer image generation (CIG) system, responsive to a fading effect of scattering through a plurality n of different atmospheric layers on the visibility Fp from a viewpoint VP of each separate one of a multiplicity of viewed points P on each visible polygon surface in that scene, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing (1) a signal containing at least altitude AltVP data for the viewpoint VP for the present scene to be displayed, (2) a separate data signal representing a location of each of the plurality of viewed points P of the present scene, and (3) a set of other data signals, each representing a beginning altitude Alt Li, for 1≦
i≦
n, for the i-th one of the plurality n of scattering layers;
(b) providing an associated different one of a multiplicity of input data signals Cp for the color of each separate point P in the present scene;
(c) separately generating, for each point P of the scene, an inverse range data signal, responsive to a viewscreen data signal, obtained from the VP and P data signals, of a viewscreen location (Ip,Jp) of a viewray from the viewpoint VP to that viewed point P;
(d) generating another data signal representing an altitude Altp of the viewed point P;
(e) generating, from the Altp and AltVP data signals and the set of Alt Li data signals, an effective cumulative layer half-fading reciprocal distance (1/Dfeff.sbsb.--cumm) data signal;
(f) generating a data signal representing a total diminished visibility Fp of point P from viewpoint VP through all of the intervening scattering layers, responsive to selected ones of the inverse range, viewed point altitude, viewpoint altitude and effective cumulative layer half-fading reciprocal distance data signals; and
(g) modifying the received data signals Cp, responsive to the point P diminished visibility data signal Fp, to an output data signal Cf used to determine the color and intensity of the visible light emitted by at least one display pixel associated with each viewed point P of the scene then being displayed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The effect of multi-layer atmospheric scattering on the visibility F of each point P on a visible surface of each polygon in a display scene, in a computer image generation (CIG) system, is provided by determining the effective average reciprocal half-fading distance between viewpoint and the viewed point, knowing the altitudes at which each of the different scattering layers start and accounting for any transitional slopes therebetween. The total reduced visibility of that viewed point P is a function of the average reciprocal half-fading distance for that point and of the total range between the viewed point P and the viewpoint VP.
92 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for modifying the color (chromicity and intensity) of light to be emitted at each pixel of a display scene in a computer image generation (CIG) system, responsive to a fading effect of scattering through a plurality n of different atmospheric layers on the visibility Fp from a viewpoint VP of each separate one of a multiplicity of viewed points P on each visible polygon surface in that scene, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing (1) a signal containing at least altitude AltVP data for the viewpoint VP for the present scene to be displayed, (2) a separate data signal representing a location of each of the plurality of viewed points P of the present scene, and (3) a set of other data signals, each representing a beginning altitude Alt Li, for 1≦
i≦
n, for the i-th one of the plurality n of scattering layers;(b) providing an associated different one of a multiplicity of input data signals Cp for the color of each separate point P in the present scene; (c) separately generating, for each point P of the scene, an inverse range data signal, responsive to a viewscreen data signal, obtained from the VP and P data signals, of a viewscreen location (Ip,Jp) of a viewray from the viewpoint VP to that viewed point P; (d) generating another data signal representing an altitude Altp of the viewed point P; (e) generating, from the Altp and AltVP data signals and the set of Alt Li data signals, an effective cumulative layer half-fading reciprocal distance (1/Dfeff.sbsb.--cumm) data signal; (f) generating a data signal representing a total diminished visibility Fp of point P from viewpoint VP through all of the intervening scattering layers, responsive to selected ones of the inverse range, viewed point altitude, viewpoint altitude and effective cumulative layer half-fading reciprocal distance data signals; and (g) modifying the received data signals Cp, responsive to the point P diminished visibility data signal Fp, to an output data signal Cf used to determine the color and intensity of the visible light emitted by at least one display pixel associated with each viewed point P of the scene then being displayed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Apparatus for modifying the color (chromicity and intensity) of light to be emitted at each pixel of a display scene in a computer image generation (CIG) system, responsive to a fading effect of scattering through a plurality n of different atmospheric layers on the visibility Fp from a viewpoint VP of each separate one of a multiplicity of viewed points P on each visible polygon surface in that scene, comprising:
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first means for receiving (1) a signal containing at least altitude AltVP data for the viewpoint VP for the present scene to be displayed, (2) a separate data signal representing a location of each of the plurality of viewed points P of the present scene, and (3) a set of other data signals, each representing a beginning altitude Alt Li, for 1≦
i≦
n, for each i-th one of the plurality n of scattering layers;second means for receiving an associated different one of a multiplicity of input data signal Cp for the color of each separate point P in the present scene; third means for separately generating, for each point P of the scene, an inverse range data signal, responsive to a viewscreen data signal, obtained from the VP and P data signals, of a viewscreen location (Ip,Jp) of a viewray from the viewpoint VP to that viewed point P; fourth means for generating another data signal representing an altitude Altp of the viewed point P; fifth means for generating, from the Altp and AltVP data signals and the set of Alt Li data signals, an effective cumulative layer half-fading reciprocal distance (1/Dfeff.sbsb.--cumm) data signal; sixth means for generating a data signal representing a total diminished visibility Fp of point P from viewpoint VP through all of the intervening scattering layers, responsive to selected ones of the inverse range, viewed point altitude, viewpoint altitude and effective cumulative layer half-fading reciprocal distance data signals; and seventh means for modifying the second means data signals Cp, responsive to the point P diminished visibility data signal Fp from the sixth means, to an output data signal Cf used to determine the color and intensity of the visible light emitted by at least one display pixel associated with each viewed point P of the scene then being displayed. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification