Method of producing image data, image data processing apparatus, and recording medium

• US 5,793,376 A
• Filed: 11/30/1995
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Masayoshi, Oka, Masaaki, Ichioka, Hidetoshi, Hagiwara, Kaoru, Yutaka, Teiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phu K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vo, Cliff N.
• Application Number:
  US08/565,683
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 395/119, 395/130, 395/131, 395/133, 395/129
• US Class Current: 345/582
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/60 Memory management
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/005 General purpose rendering architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/80 Shading

Abstract

A method and apparatus includes a geometry transfer engine (GTE) acting as a graphical transformation engine for converting three-dimensional image data of TMD format into two-dimensional image data by perspective view transformation, and a graphics processing unit (GPU) acting as a drawing device for transferring the two-dimensional image data in a given transmission standard to draw an image on a two-dimensional display screen. A structure of the three-dimensional image data, excluding the information to be perspective view transformed, is arranged identical to that of the given transmission standard of the two-dimensional image data. Accordingly, in the GTE, the information to be perspective view transformed is discriminated from the other data of the three-dimensional image data wherein the structure is identical to that of the given transmission standard of the two-dimensional image data, subjected to the perspective view transformation, and is combined with the other data wherein the structure is identical to that of the given transmission standard for production of the two-dimensional image data. An original format file including data to be transformed is thereby easily converted into a file having a new format.

Claims

1. A method for producing three-dimensional image data which is to be converted by perspective view transformation into two-dimensional image data and transferred in a given transmission standard to draw an image on a two-dimensional display screen, said method comprising the steps of:

structuring a data format for holding said three-dimensional image data, said data format excluding said three-dimensional image data to be perspective view transformed, said data format being configured identical to that of said given transmission standard for said two-dimensional image data; and

recording said data format to a recording medium.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said data format includes data for an individual polygon.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said data format includes texture data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said data format is for a rendering command which includes a combination of individual polygon coordinate data and texture data for said polygon.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said polygon coordinate data is perspective-view transformed coordinate data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said image data includes information about shading on an object to be drawn on said two-dimensional display screen.

7. An apparatus for processing image data, said apparatus comprising:

means for converting three-dimensional image data by perspective view transformation into two-dimensional image data;

means for structuring said three-dimensional image data, excluding any three-dimensional image data to be perspective-view transformed, in a data format identical to that of a given transmission standard for said two-dimensional image data;

means for discriminating said three-dimensional image data to be perspective view transformed from other three-dimensional image data;

means for combining said perspective-view transformed image data with said other three-dimensional image data to provide a rendering command having a format identical to that of said given transmission standard; and

drawing means for receiving said rendering command and for drawing a corresponding image on a two-dimensional display screen.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said data format includes data for an individual polygon.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said data format includes texture data.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said rendering command includes a combination of individual polygon coordinate data and texture data for said polygon.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said polygon coordinate data is perspective-view transformed coordinate data.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said three-dimensional image data includes information about shading of an object to be drawn on the two-dimensional display screen.

13. A recording medium used in an image data processing apparatus, said recording medium comprising:

a first storage element for carrying three-dimensional image data which is to be converted by perspective view transformation into two-dimensional image data and transferred in a given transmission standard to draw an image on a two-dimensional display; and

a second storage element for carrying three-dimensional image data, excluding the three-dimensional data to be perspective view transformed, said second storage element having a data format identical to that of said given transmission standard.

14. The recording medium of claim 13, wherein said three-dimensional image data includes information about shading on an object to be drawn on the two-dimensional display screen.

15. The recording medium of claim 14, wherein said data format includes data for an individual polygon.

16. The recording medium of claim 14, wherein said data format includes texture data.

17. The recording medium of claim 14, wherein said data format is for a rendering command which includes a combination of individual polygon coordinate data and texture data for said polygon.

18. The recording medium of claim 17, wherein said polygon coordinate data is perspective-view transformed coordinate data.

32. The recording medium of any of claims 13-17 wherein said storage element is a CD-ROM.

19. An image data processing apparatus, comprising:

(a) separation means for separating first data representing a three-dimensional image and second data for image data of a polygon;

(b) converting means for converting said first data into two-dimensional image data;

(c) instruction generating means for combining said converted two-dimensional image data with said second data to generate instruction data for each polygon.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said converting means converts said first data into said two-dimensional image data by perspective-view transformation.

21. The apparatus of either of claims 19 or 20, wherein said converting means is a graphical transformation engine.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

drawing means for drawing a graphic image on a graphic memory in response to said instruction data; and

means for providing said graphic image read out from said graphic memory to a display.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said drawing means is a graphical processing unit.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said second data denotes a texture mapped on said polygon.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said second data includes an address where texture graphic data is stored.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said first data includes the coordinates of vertices of said polygon.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said first data includes a pointer to where said coordinates of said polygon are stored.

28. A method for processing a three-dimensional image, comprising the steps of:

(a) separating first data representing a three-dimensional image and second data for image data of a polygon;

(b) converting said first data into two-dimensional image data;

(c) combining said converted two dimensional image data with said second data to generate instruction data for each polygon.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said instruction data provides a rendering command.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein said converting step converts said first data into said two-dimensional image data by perspective-view transformation.

31. The method of either of claims 28, 29 or 30, further comprising the steps of:

drawing a graphic image on a graphic memory in response to said instruction data; and

providing said graphic image read out from the graphic memory to a display.

33. An apparatus for processing image data, said apparatus comprising:

a graphical transformation engine for converting three-dimensional image data by perspective view transformation into two-dimensional image data;

means for structuring said three-dimensional image data, excluding any three-dimensional image data to be perspective-view transformed, in a data format identical to that of a given transmission standard for said two-dimensional image data;

a graphical transformation engine for discriminating said three-dimensional image data to be perspective view transformed from other three-dimensional image data;

means for combining said perspective-view transformed image data with said other three-dimensional image data to provide a rendering command having a format identical to that of said given transmission standard; and

a graphical processing unit for receiving said rendering command and for drawing a corresponding image on a two-dimensional display screen.

34. An image data processing apparatus, comprising:

(a) a data separator for separating first data representing a three-dimensional image and second data for image data of a polygon;

(b) a data transformation unit for converting said first data into two-dimensional image data;

(c) an instruction generator for combining said converted two-dimensional image data with said second data to generate instruction data for each polygon.