Method and apparatus for rapidly rendering computer generated images of complex structures
First Claim
1. A method for generating on a display a graphical image of a complex structure represented by a plurality of objects, the method comprising:
- (a) projecting a plurality of rays from a given vision coordinate, and for each projected ray,(i) determining which objects in the plurality of objects are intersected by the ray;
(ii) determining which object, among the objects intersected by the ray, is closest to the given vision coordinate; and
(iii) adding the closest object to a set of visible objects; and
(b) as objects are added to the set of visible objects, for each object in the set of visible objects,(i) reading the object from the set of visible objects as objects are added to the set of visible objects;
(ii) if the object is visible from the current vision coordinate, drawing the object on the display; and
(iii) if the object is not visible from the current vision coordinate, discarding the object from the set of visible objects.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The image rendering system (20) of the present invention rapidly renders graphical image of complex structures. A complex structure is represented by a plurality of objects that can be organized into an object hierarchy. The image rendering system (20) projects a plurality of rays (55) from a given vision coordinate. For each projected ray, the image rendering system (20) determines with which objects in the object hierarchy are intersected by the ray (55). The image rendering system (20) then determines which object among those intersected by the ray (55) is closest to the given vision coordinate and adds that object to a set of visible objects. As objects are added to the set of visible objects, each object is rendered on the display in accordance with a current vision coordinate. Since the process of adding objects to the set of visible objects is decoupled and run asynchronously from the process of rendering visible objects on the display, the image rendering system (20) is capable of rendering objects at real-time frame rates.
98 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for generating on a display a graphical image of a complex structure represented by a plurality of objects, the method comprising:
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(a) projecting a plurality of rays from a given vision coordinate, and for each projected ray, (i) determining which objects in the plurality of objects are intersected by the ray; (ii) determining which object, among the objects intersected by the ray, is closest to the given vision coordinate; and (iii) adding the closest object to a set of visible objects; and (b) as objects are added to the set of visible objects, for each object in the set of visible objects, (i) reading the object from the set of visible objects as objects are added to the set of visible objects; (ii) if the object is visible from the current vision coordinate, drawing the object on the display; and (iii) if the object is not visible from the current vision coordinate, discarding the object from the set of visible objects. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An image rendering system for rendering a graphical image of a complex structure on a display, wherein the complex structure is represented by a plurality of objects, the image rendering system comprising:
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(a) a storage medium for storing the plurality of objects organized into an object hierarchy and for storing a set of visible objects; (b) at least one processing unit coupled to the storage medium for adding those objects in the object hierarchy that are visible from a given viewpoint to the set of visible objects stored in the storage medium and for discarding those objects in the object hierarchy that are not visible from the given viewpoint; and (c) at least one processing unit coupled to the storage medium for rendering each visible object in the set of visible objects on the display in accordance with a current viewpoint while the other at least one processing unit is adding visible objects to the set of visible objects. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for generating a graphical image of a complex structure on a set of displays, wherein the complex structure is represented by a plurality of objects, the method comprising:
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(a) implementing a ray casting routine that (i) casts a plurality of rays from a given vision coordinate; and
(ii) for each casted ray, adds the object intersected by the casted ray that is the closest to the given vision coordinate to a set of visible objects; and(b) implementing an object rendering routine that renders each object in the set of visible objects on a display in accordance with a current vision coordinate, as objects are added to the set of visible objects, and that further discards any object from the set of visible objects if the object is determined to no longer be visible from the current vision coordinate. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification