System and method for coloring polygon using dithering
First Claim
1. In a computer having a video display and a storage, a method of hazing a plurality of polygons, comprising the steps of:
- selecting one of the polygons from the storage;
calculating a haze value as;
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">haze value=(z*kval)/dimvalwherez is the distance between a camera position and the selected polygon,kval is a constant, anddimval is the distance for full hazing;
calculating a shade value as the dot product of a sun vector and the normal to the polygonal plane;
indexing a dither table with the haze and shade values for dither color offsets;
adding a base color to the dither color offsets for dither colors;
determining a dither pattern of dither colors based on the position of the selected polygon; and
drawing the selected polygon on the video display using the dither pattern.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A driver training system for a user of a simulated vehicle. The system includes input devices for controlling the simulated vehicle, a video display having three-dimensional graphics, modeling software for determining position information based on the input devices, atmospheric effects software to simulate time-of-day and weather conditions, and recursive training software to display a previous route through an environment simultaneously with a present route through the environment together with associated performance data. Another aspect of the recursive training software replays either the previous route or present route and controls one of the input devices to provide "hands-on" feedback to the user. The user then incrementally and recursively maximizes parameters associated with vehicle operation skill. The driver training system may be embodied as a vehicle simulator.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. In a computer having a video display and a storage, a method of hazing a plurality of polygons, comprising the steps of:
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selecting one of the polygons from the storage; calculating a haze value as;
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">haze value=(z*kval)/dimvalwhere z is the distance between a camera position and the selected polygon, kval is a constant, and dimval is the distance for full hazing; calculating a shade value as the dot product of a sun vector and the normal to the polygonal plane; indexing a dither table with the haze and shade values for dither color offsets; adding a base color to the dither color offsets for dither colors; determining a dither pattern of dither colors based on the position of the selected polygon; and drawing the selected polygon on the video display using the dither pattern. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A computerized method of modifying a base color of a polygon in a computer accessing a storage and a visual display to indicate a hazing condition, the method comprising the steps of:
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selecting a polygon from the storage of the computer; selecting a first distance representing a distance for full hazing; calculating a second distance representing a distance between an observer and the polygon; calculating a haze value from the first and second distances; determining a shade value for the selected polygon based upon the position of the polygon in the video display and the relative position of at least one light source; indexing a lookup table, stored in the computer, based upon the haze value and the shade value to obtain at least one color offset; adding the at least one color offset to the base color of the polygon to determine dither colors for the polygon; and drawing the selected polygon on the video display using the dither colors. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of coloring a polygon in a computer having a visual display comprising the steps of:
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storing a plurality of color palettes in a memory of the computer; selecting an atmospheric condition; selecting one of the color palettes indicative of the atmosphere condition, wherein each color in the palette is associated with a different shade and haze value; calculating a haze value for the polygon; determining a shade value for the polygon; indexing a dither table based upon the haze and shade values so as to provide dither color offsets; determining dither colors for the polygon based on a base color and the dither color offsets; selecting a dither pattern based upon the position of the selected polygon on the visual display; modifying the user perceived color of the selected polygon in response to the selected dither colors and dither pattern; and displaying the modified polygon on the display device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of coloring a polygon in a user-interactive system comprising the steps of:
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selecting a simulated universe in response to a user input, wherein the simulated universe comprises a plurality of polygons, a type of haze and a thickness of haze; selecting a dimming distance value (dimval) and a color change velocity value (kval) corresponding to the thickness of haze and the type of haze positioned between an observer and one of the polygons; selecting a color palette for the polygon wherein each color of the palette is associated with a unique set of shade and haze values; storing the color palette in a memory; selecting characteristics of a plurality of light sources in the simulated universe; calculating the distance (z) between the observer and a selected point on the polygon; calculating a haze value based upon the dimming distance value (dimval) and distance (z); comparing the distance (z) to the dimming distance (dimval); determining a shade value representative of the relationship between the characteristics of the light sources and a normal to the polygonal plane if the distance (z) is less than the dimming distance value (dimval); producing an index in response to the shade and haze values; selecting first and second color offsets by addressing the memory according to the index and the color palette; selecting a dither pattern based on a position of the polygon; and displaying the polygon with a color determined by the selected color offsets and dither pattern. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. In a computer having a memory and a visual display, a method of coloring a polygon comprising the steps of:
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selecting a color palette for the polygon wherein each color of the palette is associated with a different shade and haze value; storing the color palette in the memory; selecting a plurality of light sources in a computer generated universe; producing a haze value based on a dimming distance value (dimval) and a polygon distance (z) between an observer and the polygon; producing a shade value representative of the relationship between the light sources and a normal to the polygonal plane; selecting color offsets into the color palette based upon the haze and shade values; selecting a dither pattern based on a position of the polygon on the visual display; modifying the color of the polygon in response to the selected color offsets and dither pattern; and drawing the polygon on the visual display. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A system for coloring a polygon to indicate a hazing condition, comprising:
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a computer accessing a storage; an input device connected to the computer capable of selecting a polygon; a color palette for the polygon wherein each color of the palette is associated with a different shade and haze value, said palette stored in the storage; a plurality of simulated light sources generated by the computer; a haze value determined by a dimming distance value (dimval) and a polygon distance (z) between an observer and the polygon; a shade value representative of the relationship between the light sources and a normal to the polygonal plane; a selector of color offsets into the color palette using the haze and shade values; a visual display connected to the computer; a dither pattern selected by the computer; and a modifier to change the color of the polygon in response to the selected color offset and dither pattern; wherein said modified polygon is drawn on the visual display.
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Specification