Apparatus and method for producing picture data based on two-dimensional and three dimensional picture data producing instructions
First Claim
1. A method for producing image data representing a picture, comprising the steps of:
- obtaining first sprite producing instructions representative of two-dimensional image data, in which each of said first sprite producing instructions includes a sprite data portion and a sprite tag portion representative of an address location;
obtaining polygonal producing instructions representative of three-dimensional image data, in which each of said polygonal producing instructions includes a polygonal data portion and a polygonal tag portion representative of an address location which is similar to a respective sprite tag portion;
producing second sprite producing instructions based on the polygonal producing instructions;
obtaining Z-data corresponding to depths of respective surfaces and performing a Z-sorting operation by utilizing said Z-data for assigning image data producing priorities so as to determine a data production order for the first and second sprite producing instructions;
producing image data by executing the first and second sprite producing instructions in said data production order corresponding to the assigned image data producing priorities, the image data including a plurality of pixels each having a corresponding image location; and
storing the plurality of pixels of the produced image data in a memory such that first pixels produced after second pixels having corresponding image locations overwrite the second pixels.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for producing image data representing a picture from first two-dimensional image data producing instructions for producing two-dimensional image data and three-dimensional image data producing instructions for producing three-dimensional image data. Two-dimensional image data producing instructions are derived from the three-dimensional image data producing instructions. Display data producing priorities are assigned to the various two-dimensional image data producing instructions. Image data are produced by executing the various two-dimensional image data producing instructions in an order corresponding to the assigned image data producing priorities. The image data include a plurality of pixels each having a corresponding picture location and the pixels are stored in a memory such that first pixels produced after second pixels having the same corresponding picture locations overwrite the second pixels.
26 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for producing image data representing a picture, comprising the steps of:
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obtaining first sprite producing instructions representative of two-dimensional image data, in which each of said first sprite producing instructions includes a sprite data portion and a sprite tag portion representative of an address location; obtaining polygonal producing instructions representative of three-dimensional image data, in which each of said polygonal producing instructions includes a polygonal data portion and a polygonal tag portion representative of an address location which is similar to a respective sprite tag portion; producing second sprite producing instructions based on the polygonal producing instructions; obtaining Z-data corresponding to depths of respective surfaces and performing a Z-sorting operation by utilizing said Z-data for assigning image data producing priorities so as to determine a data production order for the first and second sprite producing instructions; producing image data by executing the first and second sprite producing instructions in said data production order corresponding to the assigned image data producing priorities, the image data including a plurality of pixels each having a corresponding image location; and storing the plurality of pixels of the produced image data in a memory such that first pixels produced after second pixels having corresponding image locations overwrite the second pixels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for producing image data representing a picture, said apparatus comprising:
- means for obtaining first sprite producing instructions representative of two-dimensional image data, in which each of said first sprite producing instructions includes a sprite data portion and a sprite tag portion representative of an address location;
means for obtaining polygonal producing instructions representative of three-dimensional image data, in which each of said polygonal producing instructions includes a polygonal data portion and a polygonal tag portion representative of an address location which is similar to a respective sprite tag portion; means for producing second sprite producing instructions based on the polygonal producing instructions; means for obtaining Z-data corresponding to depths of respective surfaces and performing a Z-sorting operation by utilizing said Z-data for assigning image data producing priorities so as to determine a data production order for the first and second sprite producing instructions; image data producing means for producing image data by executing the first and second sprite producing instructions in said data production order corresponding to the assigned image data producing priorities, the image data including a plurality of pixels each having a corresponding image location; and first memory means for storing the plurality of pixels of the produced image data such that first pixels produced after second pixels having corresponding image locations overwrite the second pixels. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
- means for obtaining first sprite producing instructions representative of two-dimensional image data, in which each of said first sprite producing instructions includes a sprite data portion and a sprite tag portion representative of an address location;
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23. A circuit for producing image data representing an image, said circuit comprising:
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a main bus; input means coupled with the main bus for receiving first sprite producing instructions representative of two-dimensional image data and polygonal producing instructions representative of three-dimensional image data and providing the received instructions to the main bus, in which each of said first sprite producing instructions includes a sprite data portion and a sprite tag portion representative of an address location and in which each of said polygonal producing instructions includes a polygonal data portion and a polygonal tag portion representative of an address location which is similar to a respective sprite tag portion; a main memory coupled with the main bus and operative to receive therefrom, store and read out the first sprite producing instructions and the polygonal producing instructions; means coupled with the main bus to receive the polygonal producing instructions for producing second sprite producing instructions therefrom; sorting means for obtaining Z-data corresponding to depths of respective surfaces and performing a Z-sorting operation by utilizing said Z-data for assigning display data producing priorities so as to determine a data production order for the first and second sprite producing instructions and including respective priority data therewith, the sorting means being coupled with the main bus to supply the first and second sprite producing instructions and their respective priority data to the main memory for storage therein; image data producing means for producing image data representing an image to be displayed by carrying out the first and second sprite producing instructions in said data production order, the image data producing means being coupled with the main bus; a memory controller for transferring the first and second sprite producing instructions in accordance with said data production order to the image data producing means via the main bus; and frame memory means for storing the image data produced by the image data producing means. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A game playing apparatus for producing game image data representing a game image, said apparatus comprising:
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game user input means for receiving game operation commands produced in response to an action by a user; means for obtaining first sprite producing instructions representative of two-dimensional image data, in which each of said first sprite producing instructions includes a sprite data portion and a sprite tag portion representative of an address location; means for obtaining polygonal producing instructions representative of three-dimensional image data, in which each of said Polygonal producing instructions includes a polygonal data portion and a polygonal tag portion representative of an address location which is similar to a respective sprite tag portion; conversion means for converting the polygonal producing instructions to modified polygonal producing instructions for producing image data representing a modified image based upon the game operation commands and for converting the modified polygonal producing instructions to converted sprite producing instructions for producing two-dimensional data representing the modified image; sorting means for obtaining Z-data corresponding to depths of respective surfaces and performing a Z-sorting operation by utilizing said Z-data for assigning image data producing priorities so as to determine a data production order for the sprite producing instructions and the converted sprite producing instructions; image data producing means for producing the game image data by carrying out the sprite producing instructions and the converted sprite producing instructions in said data production order corresponding to the assigned image data producing priorities, the game image data including a plurality of pixels each having a corresponding image location; and memory means for storing the plurality of pixels of the produced game image data such that first pixels produced after second pixels having the same corresponding image locations overwrite the second pixels, the memory means being operative to output the stored pixels for producing the game image. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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Specification