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Weather simulation system

  • US 5,480,305 A
  • Filed: 10/20/1994
  • Issued: 01/02/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of using a computer to provide display data representing weather conditions based on real-world weather data, comprising the steps of:

  • accessing a real-world weather database to obtain a three-dimensional set of data elements, each data element having at least a location value and a liquid water content value;

    receiving illumination angle data from which the angle of an illumination source with respect to the earth'"'"'s surface can be calculated;

    calculating a transparency value for each of said data elements, using said liquid water content value and said illumination data;

    culling said data elements to determine which are within a field-of-view, to obtain a set of field-of-view data elements;

    sorting said field-of-view data elements to form a list of data elements in depth order;

    assigning a graphics primitive to each of said field-of-view data elements;

    covering an image plane with the graphic primitives associated with the frontmost of said field-of-view data elements, such ath a certain percentage of said image plane is covered;

    repeating said covering step, using said field-of-view data elements in front to back order, until the image plane has been covered a predetermined number of times or until a predetermined number of said field-of-view data elements have been used; and

    assigning said field-of-view data elements to one or more depth bins on the basis of the results of said covering step, so as to generate a prioritized display list.

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