Computer graphics apparatus having an improved walk-through function

• US 6,587,106 B1
• Filed: 02/10/1998
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LD Technology LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Kiyoshi, Hirota, Katsuhiko, Kamada, Hiroshi, Yumoto, Asako, Suzuki, Kaori, Kasai, Satoshi, Tada, Atsuko
• Primary Examiner(s): Jankus, Almis R.
• Application Number:
  US09/021,409
• Time in Patent Office: 1,967 Days
• Field of Search: 345/419, 345/427, 345/428
• US Class Current: 345/428
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/10 Geometric effects

Abstract

A computer graphics apparatus includes a walk-through function to simulate with a computer the concept of walking through a structure such as a building. Display processing time and calculation processing time for one frame of a computer graphic image are improved by an input unit which receives a viewline moving instruction to move a viewline of a computer image. A viewline control unit determines positions and directions of the viewline while a storage unit stores computer graphics data including three-dimensional data of objects, walk-through attribute data and viewline data. An image generation unit then generates images including animated images based on the position of the viewline and the computer graphics data. The resultant images are then displayed on an image display unit.

Claims

1. A computer graphics method, comprising:

calculating display coordinates for stored three-dimensional data of an object based upon viewline position;

displaying an animated image based on the calculated display coordinates; and

determining a total processing time by estimating a calculation processing time for said calculating of display coordinates, estimating a display processing time for said displaying of the animated image, and estimating an expectation processing time for said estimating of said calculation processing time and said display processing time, with the total processing time being generated by summing the estimated expectation processing time, the estimated calculation processing time and the estimated display processing time.

2. A computer graphics method according to claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining an amount of data and kinds of data from the three-dimensional data;

obtaining expectation parameters which are previously determined based on the amount of data and the kinds of data; and

calculating the estimated calculation processing time and estimated display processing time based on the expectation parameters.

3. A computer graphics method according to claim 1, wherein said displaying of the animated image includes displaying the animated image in a first frame, and estimating the display processing time in accordance with change of an amount of data and kinds of data from a frame prior to the first frame.

4. A computer graphics method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

obtaining previously determined expectation parameters; and

calculating calculation processing time and display processing time based on the previously determined expectation parameters.

5. A computer graphics method according to claim 4, further comprising:

setting the estimated expectation processing time for non-moving objects in a view-volume to a previous estimated expectation processing time of a previous view volume;

checking a change of a number of moving objects in the view-volume; and

calculating the estimated calculation processing time in the view-volume using the change of the number of moving objects in the view-volume.

6. A computer graphics method according to claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a volume ratio of a volume of the three-dimensional data and a view-volume;

calculating expectation data using the volume ratio; and

estimating a total processing time from the expectation data.

7. A computer graphics method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining a difference between a previous estimated expectation processing time and an actual expectation processing time; and

correcting the estimated expectation processing time in accordance with the difference.

8. A computer graphics method according to claim 1, further comprising:

reading reference data;

displaying the reference data

obtaining a time to display the reference data;

displaying parameter decision data;

obtaining a time to display the parameter decision data;

reading expectation parameters;

executing a problem using the expectation parameters in a calculation process;

obtaining a time to calculate the calculation process; and

correcting the expectation parameters in accordance with the calculation process.