Generating an image
First Claim
1. Apparatus for generating an image of objects in a three dimensional space for display on a two dimensional regular pixel array comprising a series of pixel rows, the apparatus comprising:
- rendering means for generating and storing a plurality of primitives representing surfaces to form, for a first one of the pixel rows and then sequentially for a series of new pixel rows in turn, a plurality of renditions of one-dimensional intermediate pixel arrays which contain pixel values at sample points having an offset with respect to said primitives,means for identifying a subset of the primitives as being potentially active for each new row in the series,means for imposing for each such rendition a different predetermined offset between the primitives and sample points, the different offsets for the plurality of renditions corresponding to an oversampling pattern,means for identifying a further subset of the primitives as being potentially active in the new row depending on the said offset, andmeans for combining the plurality of intermediate pixel arrays, for a first one of the pixel rows and then sequentially for the series of new pixel rows in turn, to generate and store a filtered pixel array representing an image which has been oversampled and filtered.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An image of objects in a three dimensional space is generated for display on a two dimensional regular pixel array by offset and span generations (OFGN, SPGN) for anti-alias filtering which causes multiple rendition of the image, with each rendition displaced by a sub-pixel offset (Nx,Ny) with respect to the previous rendition. Image primitives are rendered by a scan line algorithm using a linked active polygon list (APL) and a deleted polygon list (DPL) to enable vertical offsets to be effected. The deleted polygon list stores primitives which would not be effective for a given line but for the offset to enable anti-alias filtering. These polygons would not normally be available for processing when using the scan line algorithm. Economical hardware (600) is provided for horizontal edge correction of parameters such as depth (z) and texture coordinates (u,v).
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. Apparatus for generating an image of objects in a three dimensional space for display on a two dimensional regular pixel array comprising a series of pixel rows, the apparatus comprising:
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rendering means for generating and storing a plurality of primitives representing surfaces to form, for a first one of the pixel rows and then sequentially for a series of new pixel rows in turn, a plurality of renditions of one-dimensional intermediate pixel arrays which contain pixel values at sample points having an offset with respect to said primitives, means for identifying a subset of the primitives as being potentially active for each new row in the series, means for imposing for each such rendition a different predetermined offset between the primitives and sample points, the different offsets for the plurality of renditions corresponding to an oversampling pattern, means for identifying a further subset of the primitives as being potentially active in the new row depending on the said offset, and means for combining the plurality of intermediate pixel arrays, for a first one of the pixel rows and then sequentially for the series of new pixel rows in turn, to generate and store a filtered pixel array representing an image which has been oversampled and filtered. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification