Automatic scenery object generation

• US 7,038,694 B1
• Filed: 03/11/2002
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Waskey, Jason L., Dent, Jason M., Santodomingo, Victor E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chauhan, U
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAPPAS, PETER
• Application Number:
  US10/096,189
• Time in Patent Office: 1,513 Days
• Field of Search: 345/420
• US Class Current: 345/582
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models

Abstract

Data defining one or more graphic objects, such as buildings and vegetation, are automatically generated in a repeatable manner within each of a plurality of visual tiles of a simulated space. A seed is determined for a tile as a function of a location of the tile in the space. The seed is used to pseudo-randomly determine visually apparent characteristics of the graphic objects, such as position, height, and texture. A tile is preferably characterized by one or a combination of texture classes, such as vegetated and urban. Any tile can be associated with an annotation that specifies other characteristics of an object, such as its footprint, or of a sub-area within which objects will be depicted in the tile and rendered with the randomly determined characteristics. For multi-class tiles, the annotations are used to mask automatically generated graphic objects from undesired portions of the tile.

Claims

1. A method for automatically generating data defining a graphic object within a visual tile in an electronic simulation, comprising the steps of:

(a) associating with the visual tile an annotation specifying a characteristic of the graphic object;

(b) pseudo-randomly determining a parameter of the graphic object that affects a visual appearance of the graphic object;

(c) including the annotation and the parameter in the data defining the graphic object within the visual tile;

(d) applying a first texture to the visual tile;

(e) masking at least a portion of the first texture with a second texture to create a composite texture;

(f) determining whether the annotation is disposed within a portion of the second texture of the composite texture; and

(g) excluding the graphic object from the electronic simulation if the annotation is disposed within the portion of the second texture of the composite texture.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the annotation comprises at least one of a dimensional size of the graphic object, a location of the graphic object within the visual tile, and an area within which the graphic object is disposed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter comprises one of a position of the graphic object, a height of the graphic object, and a texture of the graphic object.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of pseudo-randomly determining a parameter of the graphic object comprises the steps of:

(a) determining a seed value as a function of a location of the visual tile in a simulated space comprising the electronic simulation; and

(b) using the seed value to pseudo-randomly generate the parameter.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of adjusting a level of resolution of the visual tile before determining the parameter.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of successively subdividing the simulated space into successively smaller visual tiles, wherein the level of resolution of the simulated space that is used in the electronic simulation corresponds to a selected level of subdivision.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the simulated space comprises at least one of a planet, a geographic region, a structure, a pathway, a virtual environment, and a fictitious space.

8. A machine readable medium comprising machine instructions for performing the steps of claim 4.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual tile provides a continuity over edges shared with adjacent visual tiles in the simulation so that the visual tile appears visually continuous with the adjacent tiles.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphic object comprises at least one of a structure, a vegetation object, a portion of a structure, an obstruction, a vehicle, a bridge, and a fictitious object.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first texture comprises one of an urban area, a suburban area, a grassland, a forest, a tundra, a mountainous area, a desert, a prairie, an agricultural area, a savanna, a fluid surface, a subsurface fluid area, a wall, and a fictitious texture.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of masking at least the portion of the first texture with the second texture comprises the steps of:

(a) determining one of a plurality of classes at each of a plurality of points on the visual tile;

(b) prioritizing the plurality of classes to determine a priority of the classes relative to each other;

(c) determining a pattern of the plurality of classes within the visual tile as a function of the priority of the classes;

(d) selecting a mask that provides an area of exclusion corresponding to the pattern of the classes;

(e) associating the first texture with a low priority class, and associating the second texture with a high priority class; and

(f) overwriting the first texture with the second texture as determined by the mask, to create the composite texture.

13. A machine readable medium comprising machine instructions for performing the steps of claim 12.

14. A machine readable medium comprising machine instructions for performing the steps of claim 1.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(a) associating with the visual tile, a predefined object at a predefined location within the visual tile;

(b) determining whether the predefined object interferes with the annotation; and

(c) excluding the data defining the graphic object if the predefined object interferes with the annotation.

16. A system for automatically generating data defining a graphic object within a visual tile in an electronic simulation, comprising:

(a) a processor; and

(b) a memory in communication with the processor and storing machine instructions that cause the processor to;

(i) associate with the visual tile, an annotation specifying a characteristic of the graphic object;

(ii) pseudo-randomly determine a parameter of the graphic object that affects a visual appearance of the graphic object;

(iii) include the annotation and the parameter in the data defining the graphic object within the visual tile;

(iv) apply a first texture to the visual tile;

(v) mask at least a portion of the first texture with a second texture to create a composite texture;

(vi) determine whether the annotation is disposed within a portion of the second texture of the composite texture; and

(vii) exclude the graphic object from the electronic simulation if the annotation is disposed within the portion of the second texture of the composite texture.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the annotation comprises at least one of a dimensional size of the graphic object, a location of the graphic object within the visual tile, and an area within which the graphic object is disposed.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the parameter comprises one of a position of the graphic object, a height of the graphic object, and a texture of the graphic object.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to:

(a) associate with the visual tile a predefined object at a predefined location within the visual tile;

(b) determine whether the predefined object interferes with the annotation; and

(c) exclude the data defining the graphic object if the predefined object interferes with the annotation.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to:

(a) determine a seed value as a function of a location of the visual tile in a simulated space comprising the electronic simulation; and

(b) use the seed value to pseudo-randomly generate the parameter.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to adjust a level of resolution of the visual tile before determining the parameter.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to successively subdivide the simulated space into successively smaller visual tiles, wherein the level of resolution that is used in the electronic simulation corresponds to a selected level of subdivision of the simulated space.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the simulated space comprises at least one of a planet, a geographic region, a structure, a pathway, a virtual environment, and a fictitious space.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the visual tile provides a continuity across edges shared with adjacent visual tiles in the simulation so that the visual tile appears visually continuous with the adjacent tiles.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the graphic object comprises at least one of a structure, a vegetation object, a portion of a structure, an obstruction, a vehicle, a bridge, and a fictitious object.

26. The system of claim 16, wherein the first texture comprises one of an urban area, a suburban area, a grassland, a forest, a tundra, a mountainous area, a desert, a prairie, an agricultural area, a savanna, a fluid surface, a subsurface fluid area, a wall, and a fictitious texture.

27. The system of claim 16, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to:

(a) determine one of a plurality of classes at each of a plurality of points on the visual tile;

(b) prioritize the plurality of classes to produce a priority of the classes;

(c) determine a pattern of the plurality of classes within the visual tile as a function of the priority of the classes;

(d) select a mask that provides an area of exclusion corresponding to the pattern of the classes;

(e) associate the first texture with a low priority class and the second texture with a high priority class; and

(f) overwrite the first texture with the second texture according to the mask, to create the composite texture.