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Texture mapping apparatus computing texture address by fill address

  • US 5,764,237 A
  • Filed: 10/10/1995
  • Issued: 06/09/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A texture mapping apparatus for mapping a desired texture pattern on an image which two-dimensionally represents a three-dimensional object so as to display a surface structure of the object, the apparatus comprising:

  • frame memory means having storage locations for storing image data representative of the image of the object pixel by pixel, the frame memory means being provided with addresses to indicate the storage locations;

    texture memory means having storage locations for storing texture data representative of at least the desired texture pattern, the texture memory means being provided with addresses to indicate the storage locations;

    coordinates input means for inputting fill coordinates to designate an area of the image to which the desired texture pattern is allocated, and for separately inputting texture coordinates to designate a corresponding area of the desired texture pattern which is allocated to the area of the image;

    address generating means operative based on the inputted fill coordinates for generating fill addresses of the frame memory means which correspond to pixels in the area of the image, the address generating means also being operative based on the inputted texture coordinates for generating texture addresses of the texture memory means which correspond to the fill addresses; and

    mapping means for reading out the texture data from the storage locations of the texture memory means which are designated by the texture addresses, and for writing the read texture data into the storage locations of the frame memory means which are designated by the corresponding fill addresses, in order to allocate the desired texture pattern to the image of the object,wherein when the address generating means initially generates a texture address that does not fall within the range of storage locations of the texture memory means that stores the desired texture pattern, the initial texture address is converted into a corresponding texture address within the range of storage locations of the texture memory means that stores the desired texture pattern, and the mapping means operates based on the corresponding texture address.

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