Rendering and warping image generation system and method

• US 5,684,935 A
• Filed: 11/27/1995
• Issued: 11/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: L-3 Communications Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wright, John R., Herberger, Kenneth S., Demesa, Nicanor P. III, Martin, Kevin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Herndon, Heather R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Buchel, Rudolph
• Application Number:
  US08/563,226
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 395/119, 395/124, 395/956, 434/36-38, 273/351
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/205 Image-based rendering

Abstract

A method and system (10) for generating a plurality of images of a three-dimensional scene from a database and a specified eye point and field of view. The method includes rendering an image frame, and warping the image frame by changing the eye point and field of view. The warping process is continued on the same image frame in accordance with a predetermined criteria, such as an evaluation of the distortion between the initial image displayed and the last image displayed for this image frame. The warping process utilizes convolution to change the eye point and field of view. The database includes a traversal vector for enabling the eye point and field of view to be determined, and a plurality of voxel elements of at least two different type.

Claims

1. A method of generating a plurality of images of a three-dimensional scene for a simulator, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a database for permanently storing voxel based data which defines said three-dimensional scene from an initial eye point and field of view;

(b) rendering a first image frame from said permanently stored voxel based data in said database;

(c) generating a first warped image frame by warping said first rendered image frame by changing said initial eye point and field of view;

(d) generating successively warped images frames by warping a previously warped image frame with a different eye point and field of view until a predetermined distortion is reached between a most recently warped image frame and a second most recently warped image frame; and

(e) rendering a second image frame once the predetermined distortion has been reached.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said database includes the initial specification of a traversal vector for enabling said eye point and field of view to be determined in said warping step, said traversal vector defining an area of said database to be warped which is larger than said field of view.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said rendering step includes the extraction of three-dimensional information from said database and determination of said initial eye point and field of view.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said warping step is employed in combination with rendering a subframe, said subframe having a distortion level substantially the same as said predetermined distortion.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said database includes a plurality of sub-frames for defining said three-dimensional scene, and said rendering step utilizes one or a plurality of the subframe images from said database to generate a new subframe image.

6. The method according to claim 1, including the step of controlling both spatial and temporal aliasing for said rendered image and for said warped image.

7. The method according to claim 1, including the step of repeating steps (d) and (e) at least once.

8. A system for generating a plurality of images of a three-dimensional scene for a simulator, comprising:

database means for permanently storing voxel based data for defining said three-dimensional scene from an initial eye point and field of view;

means for rendering a first image frame from said permanently stored voxel based data in said database;

means for generating a first warped image frame by warping said first rendered image frame by changing said initial eye point and field of view;

means for generating successively warped images frames by warping a previously warped image frame with a different eye point and field of view until a predetermined distortion is reached between a most recently warped image frame and a second most recently warped image frame; and

means for rendering a second image frame once the predetermined distortion has been reached.