Simulated three-dimensional display using bit-mapped information

• US 5,977,979 A
• Filed: 10/31/1995
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Clough, Scott James, Jones, Jesse Dean, Wood, Tad Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark K.
• Application Number:
  US08/550,854
• Time in Patent Office: 1,463 Days
• Field of Search: 345/421, 345/422, 345/435, 345/439, 345/113, 345/114, 345/139, 345/127
• US Class Current: 345/422
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/10 Geometric effects

Abstract

A computer-controlled display provides a two dimensional simulation of a three dimensional scene while providing for relatively low computing load. Data which is used in determining scaling of figures placed against a background scene and/or used to determine, pixel by pixel, relative occlusion of a figure with respect to features of a scene (or other figures) are largely precalculated and stored so that little or no calculation of these three dimensional characteristics needs to be performed on the fly.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of displaying a simulated three-dimensional scene without performing three-dimensional rendering, comprising:

storing first computer-readable data representative of the display of a background scene defining a plurality of locations, said background scene corresponding to a two-dimensional array of pixels;

storing second computer-readable data representative of at least a first figure;

storing third computer-readable data for providing a plurality of scaling factors associated with at least some of said locations, said step of storing said third computer-readable data includes storing (1) a first set of scaling factors corresponding to a first plurality of said pixels, and (2) storing a second set of scaling factors corresponding to a second plurality of said pixels, wherein there is at least one pixel common to said first and second pluralities of pixels;

receiving, in a computer, user input indicating a location on said background scene at which said user wishes to position said figure;

displaying, under computer control, an image which is the combination of a first image of at least a portion of said background scene with a second image of at least a portion of said figure, wherein said second image is scaled by a scaling factor which is selected from said plurality of scaling factors in response to said location indicated by said user input and wherein said image is located, with respect to said background scene, substantially near said location indicated by said user input.

2. A method, as claimed in claim 1, futher comprising:

storing third data computer-readable data for providing a plurality of location depth values representative of at least some of said locations;

determining, in said computer, a figure depth value for at least a portion of said figure related to said location indicated by said user;

comparing, in said computer, said figure depth value with at least one location depth value;

wherein said step of displaying includes displaying said image, wherein at least said a first portion of said figure is displayed only if said figure value has a first relational value with respect to a location depth value representative of said region indicated by said user input.

3. A computer-implemented method of displaying a simulated three-dimensional scene without performing three-dimensional rendering, comprising:

storing first computer-readable data representative of the display of a background scene defining a plurality of locations;

storing second computer-readable data representative of at least a first figure;

storing third data computer-readable data for providing a plurality of location depth values representative of at least some of said locations wherein data corresponding to at least a first region of said background scene includes first and second different depth values;

receiving, in a computer, user input indicating that said user wishes to position said figure in a location at least partially overlapping said region of said background scene;

determining, in said computer, a figure depth value for at least a portion of said figure related to said location indicated by said user, wherein said figure depth value is between said first and second different depth values;

displaying, under computer control, an image which is the combination of a first image of at least a portion of said background scene with a second image of at least a portion of said figure, wherein at least a portion of said figure occludes at least portions of said background which are associated with said first depth value and wherein at least portions of said region of said background which are associated with said second depth value occlude at least portions of said figure, to provide an image in which said figure appears dimmed.

4. A method, as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least a portion of said third data includes said first and second values substantially in a checkerboard distribution.

5. A computer implemented method of providing a display with foreshortening and occlusion characteristics in response to input form a user, the method comprising:

storing, on a computer-readable medium, a data array having a plurality of elements, each element indicating a color for a corresponding one of a first plurality of pixels of a first two-dimensional scene;

storing, on a computer-readable medium, a second data array having a plurality of elements, each element indicating a scaling factor, said plurality of elements of said second data array corresponding to at least a first sub-set of said first plurality of pixels;

storing, on a computer-readable medium, a third data array having a plurality of elements, each element indicating a scaling factor, said plurality of elements of said third data array corresponding to at least a second sub-set of said first plurality of pixels;

storing, on a computer-readable medium, a fourth data array having a plurality of elements, each element indicating the use of either said first data array or said second data array, said plurality of elements of said fourth data array corresponding to at least a sub-set of said first plurality of pixels;

storing, on a computer-readable medium, a fifth data array, having a plurality of elements, each element indicating an occlusion value, said plurality of elements of said fifth data array corresponding to at least a sub-set of said first plurality of pixels;

storing, on a computer-readable medium, a sixth data array having a plurality of elements, each element indicating a color for a corresponding one of a second plurality of pixels of a first two-dimensional figure, one of said second plurality of pixels being designated as a first position pixel;

storing, on a computer-readable medium, a seventh data array having a plurality of elements, each element indicating a color for a corresponding one of a third plurality of pixels of a second two-dimensional figure, one of said third plurality of pixels being designated as a second position pixel;

displaying, under computer control, a first image including said first two-dimensional scene by displaying a color, for each of said first plurality of pixels, indicating by the element of said first data array corresponding to said pixel;

receiving, in a computer, user input indicating a first of said first plurality of pixels where said user wishes to place said first position pixel, to define a first selected pixel;

selecting one of said second and third data arrays as a selected scaling factor array depending on the value of the element of said fourth array corresponding to said first selected pixel;

scaling said first figure to provide a first scaled figure having a size related to a first selected scaling factor, said first selected scaling factor being the scaling factor indicated by the element of said selected scaling factor array corresponding to said first selected pixel, said first scaled figure having a fourth plurality of pixels, and including said first position pixel;

defining a third sub-set of said first plurality of pixels, said third sub-set of pixels being those pixels of said first plurality of pixels which would be occupied by said first scaled figure if said first scaled figure were positioned over said first two-dimensional scene with said first position pixel positioned over said first selected pixel;

displaying, under computer control, a second image which includes pixels from the first two-dimensional scene for those pixels which are different from said third sub-set of pixels, and which includes, for each pixel in said third sub-set of pixels, the corresponding pixel of said first two-dimensional scene only if said first selected scaling factor is greater than the occlusion value indicated by the element of said fifth data array corresponding to said each pixel, and which otherwise included the corresponding pixel from said fourth plurality of pixels;

modifying those elements of said fifth data array which correspond to said third sub-set of pixels, to indicate an occlusion value equal to said first selected scaling factor;

receiving, in a computer, user input indicating a second of said first plurality of pixels where said user wishes to place said second position pixel, to define a second selected pixel;

obtaining a second selected scaling factor, said second selected scaling factor being the scaling factor indicated by the element of said selected scaling factor array corresponding to said second selected pixel,

if said second selected scaling factor equals zero, selecting one of said second and third data arrays as a selected scaling factor array depending on the value of the element of said fourth array corresponding to said second selected pixel, and repeating said step of obtaining a second selected scaling factor;

scaling said second figure to provide a second scaled figure having a size related to said second selected scaling factor, said second scaled figure having a fifth plurality of pixels, and including said second position pixel;

defining a fifth sub-set of said first plurality of pixels, said fifth sub-set of pixels being those pixels of said first plurality of pixels which would be occupied by said second scaled figure if said second scaled figure were positioned over said first two-dimensional scene with said second position pixel positioned over said second selected pixel;

displaying, under computer control, a third image which includes pixels from said second image for those pixels which are different from said fifth sub-set of pixels, and which includes, for each pixel in said fifth sub-set of pixels, the corresponding pixel of said second image only if said second selected scaling factor is greater than the occlusion value indicated by the element of said fifth data array corresponding to said each pixel, and which otherwise includes the corresponding pixel from said fifth plurality of pixels.