Dynamic time-of-day sky box lighting
First Claim
1. A method for creating a background for display in a virtual environment, where the background is dynamically variable, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing;
(i) geometry data that define the background;
(ii) gray scale texture data for the background;
(iii) color texture data for the background, said color texture data defining chrominance values that vary as a function of a predefined parameter;
(b) supplying a value for the predefined parameter, said value dynamically changing;
(c) using the value supplied for the predefined parameter to determine chrominance values from the color texture data for pixels comprising the background, where specific pixels correspond to specific portions of the color texture data;
(d) modulating the gray scale texture data for successive pixels with the chrominance values determined for the pixels; and
(e) using results from the step of modulating, successively rendering the background in the virtual environment, so that the background dynamically changes as a function of the value for the predefined parameter.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A background (sky box) in a video game or other virtual reality environment dynamically changes as a function of a parameter, producing a more realistic display. Luminance-only texture and color texture data are employed to create the background. The color texture data are provided as a lookup table in which one axis of the lookup table corresponds to time or another variable, and the other axis indicates the colors of pixels in the display as a function of the altitude or azimuth of the pixels. The luminance-only texture data are thus modulated by the chrominance values from the color texture data for pixels in the background. Optionally, one of a plurality of two-dimensional color textures can be selected as a function of the variable and applied to the luminance-only texture data.
27 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for creating a background for display in a virtual environment, where the background is dynamically variable, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing;
(i) geometry data that define the background;
(ii) gray scale texture data for the background;
(iii) color texture data for the background, said color texture data defining chrominance values that vary as a function of a predefined parameter;
(b) supplying a value for the predefined parameter, said value dynamically changing;
(c) using the value supplied for the predefined parameter to determine chrominance values from the color texture data for pixels comprising the background, where specific pixels correspond to specific portions of the color texture data;
(d) modulating the gray scale texture data for successive pixels with the chrominance values determined for the pixels; and
(e) using results from the step of modulating, successively rendering the background in the virtual environment, so that the background dynamically changes as a function of the value for the predefined parameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for displaying a background in a virtual environment so that the background varies dynamically as a function of time, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing;
(i) geometry data that define the background;
(ii) gray scale texture data for the background;
(iii) color texture data for the background, said color texture data defining chrominance values that vary as a function of time in the virtual environment;
(b) as time passes in the virtual environment, determining corresponding chrominance values from the color texture data, for pixels comprising the background in the virtual environment;
(c) multiplying the gray scale texture data by the chrominance values to determine data defining pixels in the background; and
(d) using data for the pixels for rendering the background in the virtual environment, so that the background dynamically changes as time passes in the virtual environment. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for providing a background for a virtual environment, where the background is dynamically varied as a function of a predefined parameter, comprising:
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(a) a display;
(b) a memory in which are stored;
(i) a plurality of machine instructions;
(ii) gray scale texture data for the background; and
(iii) color texture data for the background, said color texture data defining chrominance values that vary as a function of the predefined parameter; and
(c) a processor coupled to the memory and to the display, said processor executing the machine instructions to carry out a plurality of functions, including;
(i) using the value for the predefined parameter, determining chrominance values from the color texture data, for corresponding pixels comprising the background;
(ii) modulating the gray scale texture data for pixels with the chrominance values corresponding to the pixels; and
(iii) using results from the step of modulating, successively rendering the background in the virtual environment on the display as the value of the predefined parameter changes, so that the background dynamically changes as a function of the value of the predefined parameter. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for displaying a background in a virtual environment so that the background varies dynamically as a function of time, comprising:
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(a) a display;
(b) a memory in which are stored;
(i) a plurality of machine instructions;
(ii) gray scale texture data for the background; and
(iii) color texture data for the background, said color texture data defining chrominance values that vary as a function of time passing in the virtual environment; and
(c) a processor coupled to the memory and to the display, said processor executing the machine instructions to carry out a plurality of functions, including;
(i) as time passes in the virtual environment, determining corresponding chrominance values from the color texture data, for pixels extending across the background in the virtual environment;
(ii) multiplying the gray scale texture data by the chrominance values to determine pixels in the background; and
(iii) using the pixels for rendering the background in the virtual environment, so that the background dynamically changes on the display as time passes in the virtual environment. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification