Weather effects generator for simulation systems
First Claim
1. A method of providing data representing weather effects to an image generator that generates a three-dimensional infrared image, comprising the steps of:
- accessing a three-dimensional real-world weather database to obtain a three-dimensional set of data elements, each data element having at least a three-dimensional location value, a liquid water content value, and a temperature value;
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 that 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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Accused Products
Abstract
A weather effects generator that generates weather data based on real-world weather data, and provides this data to a host simulator. The type of data provided and the spatial distribution of the data depend on the type of simulation. A real world database is accessed to obtain a dataspace of weather data elements, each having a location parameter and various weather-related parameters. For visual display simulators, the data elements are preprocessed to obtain color, transparency, and texture values for each data element. The preprocessed data elements are further processed to obtain a prioritized display list of those data elements that correspond to field-of-view data provided by the simulator. Each data element in this list is assigned a graphics primitive that can be rasterized in accordance with the color and transparency values. Simulators other than visual display simulators provide location data and receive data representing the weather effects at that location.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method of providing data representing weather effects to an image generator that generates a three-dimensional infrared image, comprising the steps of:
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accessing a three-dimensional real-world weather database to obtain a three-dimensional set of data elements, each data element having at least a three-dimensional location value, a liquid water content value, and a temperature value; 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 that 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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of providing data representing weather effects to a sensor display simulator that generates a two-dimensional image, comprising the steps of:
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accessing a three-dimensional real-world weather database to obtain a three-dimensional set of data elements, each data element having a three-dimensional location value and at least one weather effect value; receiving location data from said simulator; culling said data elements to determine which are within a range of said simulator, as determined by said location data, to obtain a set of in-range data elements; sorting said data elements to form a list of said in-range data elements in two-dimensions said two-dimensions being spatially distributed in accordance with said simulator. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of using a computer to provide data representing weather effects to an object simulator, comprising the steps of:
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accessing a three-dimensional real-world weather database to obtain a three-dimensional set of data elements, each data element having a three-dimensional location value and at least one weather effect value; receiving location data from said simulator; culling said data elements to determine which are within a predetermined vicinity of said object, as determined by said location data, to obtain a set of neighboring data elements; and interpolating the weather effect values of said neighboring data elements to determine at least one weather effect value representing the net effect of said weather condition on said object. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of providing data representing weather effects to a sensor display simulator that generates a three-dimensional image, comprising the steps of:
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accessing a three-dimensional real-world weather database to obtain a three-dimensional set of data elements, each data element having a three-dimensional location value and at least one weather effect value; receiving location data from said simulator; culling said data elements to determine which are within a range of said simulator, as determined by said location data, to obtain a set of in-range data elements; sorting said in-range data elements to form a list of data elements in depth order; assigning a graphics primitive to each of said in-range data elements; covering an image plane with the graphics primitives associated with the frontmost of said in-range data elements, such that a certain percentage of said image plane is covered; repeating said covering step, using said in-range 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 range-data elements have been used; and assigning said in-range 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. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A method of providing data representing weather effects to a simulator having multiple simulation subsystems, comprising the steps of:
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accessing a three-dimensional real-world weather database to obtain a three-dimensional set of data elements, each data element having a three-dimensional location value and at least one weather effect value; receiving field-of-view data and location data from said simulator; spatially distributing data elements from said database on the basis of said field-of-view data, thereby generating a prioritized display list; spatially distributing said data elements near a location represented by said location data, thereby generating at least one weather effect value; delivering said prioritized display list and said weather effect value to said simulator for use by appropriate simulator subsystems. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A computer-based weather effects generator programmed to provide weather effects data to a simulator, comprising:
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a preprocessor programmed to access weather data from a real-world source and to provide a four-dimensional database of data elements, each data element having at least a three dimensional location value and a weather effect value at a given time; a simulator interface for receiving field-of-view data from said simulator; a memory for storing said data elements; and a data handler for spatially distributing said data elements and assigning a graphics primitive to each of said data elements, each said graphics primitive having an orientation that changes in time in response to changes in said field-of-view data. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of providing a display list of data representing a weather radar display to an image generator that generates a two-dimensional image, comprising the steps of:
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accessing a three-dimensional real-world weather database to obtain a three-dimensional set of data elements, each data element having at least a three-dimensional location value and a liquid water content value; culling said data elements to determine which are within a field-of-view, represented by field-of-view data, to obtain a set of field-of-view data elements; selecting field-of-view data elements at a certain altitude, to obtain a layer of said data elements; and assigning a graphics primitive to each of said data elements in said layer of data elements, each said graphics primitive being oriented in response to said field-of-view data.
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33. A method of providing a display list of data representing a satellite cloud display to an image generator that generates a two-dimensional image, comprising the steps of:
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accessing a three-dimensional real-world weather database to obtain a three-dimensional set of data elements, each data element having at least a three-dimensional location value and a liquid water content value; culling said data elements to determine which are within a field-of-view represented by field-of-view data, to obtain a set of field-of-view data elements; selecting field-of-view data elements at a certain altitude, to obtain a layer of said data elements; and assigning a graphics primitive to each of said data elements in said layer of data elements, each said graphics primitive being oriented in response to said field-of-view data.
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Specification