Apparatus and method for simulating specular reflection in a computer graphics/imaging system
First Claim
1. A specular-reflected illumination color intensity data processing unit for a display processor in a real-time computer image generator, comprising:
- means for receiving separate input data signals characterizing (a) a specular coefficient (SC) for a polygon presently being rendered, (b) a shininess exponent (S) specified for said polygon, and (c) an intensity (Is) of a light source illuminating that polygon;
means for receiving a Gouraud Shading Intensity (GSI) data signal for each of a plurality of pixels to be displayed as defining said polygon; and
means for generating a data signal (SL) setting a specular-reflected component of the present pixel illumination intensity as the product of said light source intensity Is data signal and said specular coefficient (SC) data signal and a data signal for a shading term proportional to the exponentiation of GSI by S.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The final viewable color of each pixel to be displayed responsive to specular reflected illumination intensity from a polygon is determined by generating a data signal, setting a specular component of the present pixel illumination intensity for the associated color, as the product of the intensity of a light source illuminating the polygon, a specular coefficient for that polygon, and a shading term proportional to the exponentiation of the rendered Gouraud Shading Intensity (GSI) for each of a plurality of selected primary colors of a sequence of pixels to be displayed as defining that polygon, by S, a shininess exponent (S) specified for that polygon.
40 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A specular-reflected illumination color intensity data processing unit for a display processor in a real-time computer image generator, comprising:
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means for receiving separate input data signals characterizing (a) a specular coefficient (SC) for a polygon presently being rendered, (b) a shininess exponent (S) specified for said polygon, and (c) an intensity (Is) of a light source illuminating that polygon; means for receiving a Gouraud Shading Intensity (GSI) data signal for each of a plurality of pixels to be displayed as defining said polygon; and means for generating a data signal (SL) setting a specular-reflected component of the present pixel illumination intensity as the product of said light source intensity Is data signal and said specular coefficient (SC) data signal and a data signal for a shading term proportional to the exponentiation of GSI by S. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for determining the final viewable color of each pixel to be displayed by a display means responsive to specular-reflected illumination intensity from a polygon to be displayed by a real-time computer image generator, comprises the steps of:
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(1) receiving separate input data signals characterizing (a) a specular coefficient (SC) for a polygon presently being rendered, (b) a shininess exponent (S) specified for that polygon, and (c) an intensity (Is) of a light source illuminating that polygon; (2) inputting data for a rendered Gouraud Shading Intensity (GSI) value for each of a plurality of selected primary colors of a sequence of pixels to be displayed as defining that polygon, (3) generating a data signal (SL) setting a specular-reflection component of the present pixel illumination intensity for the associated color, as the product of;
(x) the light source intensity Is data signal, (y) the specular coefficient (SC) data signal, and (z) a data signal for a shading term proportional to the exponentiation of GSI by S; and(4) displaying that pixel responsive to the specular-reflection color intensity data generated in step (3). - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification