Animated texture map apparatus and method for 3-D image displays
First Claim
1. An apparatus for generating a 3-D image, comprising:
- a system bus, for transferring data;
a video decoder, coupled to said system bus, for receiving and decoding encoded animated texture data to produce decoded animated texture data; and
a graphics subsystem, coupled to said system bus, for receiving 3-D image data and decoded animated texture data and combining and processing said received 3-D image data and decoded animated texture data to output processed 3-D image data,wherein said video decoder may control said system bus to the exclusion of other devices to transfer the decoded animated texture data to said graphics subsystem at texture data frame rates sufficient to provide a realistic animation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for generating 3-D images utilizes an MPEG decoder to decode/decompress animated texture maps into a half-frame buffer. The MPEG decoder may act as a PCI bus master to assert control of the host system bus to the exclusion of all other system devices to transfer animated texture maps into an off-screen portion of video memory. A graphics subsystem generates a 3-D image from 3-D image data stored in display memory portion of video memory and superimposes the 3-D image with texture map data from the off-screen portion of video memory. Texture map data may be continually updated by MPEG decoder 360 on a periodic basis without interfering with the operation of the graphics subsystem. The resultant 3-D image with animated texture maps may provide a more realistic display, particularly for animated objects, such as a human face.
96 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for generating a 3-D image, comprising:
a system bus, for transferring data; a video decoder, coupled to said system bus, for receiving and decoding encoded animated texture data to produce decoded animated texture data; and a graphics subsystem, coupled to said system bus, for receiving 3-D image data and decoded animated texture data and combining and processing said received 3-D image data and decoded animated texture data to output processed 3-D image data, wherein said video decoder may control said system bus to the exclusion of other devices to transfer the decoded animated texture data to said graphics subsystem at texture data frame rates sufficient to provide a realistic animation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for generating a 3-D image, comprising the steps of:
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receiving and decoding in a video decoder, encoded animated texture data to produce decoded animated texture data, asserting control of a system bus coupled to the video decoder, to the exclusion of other devices on the system bus, transferring the decoded animated texture data over the system bus to a graphics subsystem, and receiving 3-D image data and decoded animated texture data in a graphics subsystem and combining and processing said received 3-D image data and decoded animated texture data to output processed 3-D image data. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification