Data processing method and apparatus

• US 6,246,418 B1
• Filed: 05/09/1997
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Oka, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Padmanabhan, Mano
• Application Number:
  US08/853,704
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 345/423, 345/434, 345/441, 345/429
• US Class Current: 345/441
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/005 General purpose rendering architectures

Abstract

In a data processing system for improving processing speed, a main CPU transmits coordinates of a center point in a three-dimensional space over a main bus 101 to a programmable pre-processor which generates figure data for drawing plural unit figures (polygons) around the center point transmitted from the CPU and sends the figure data to a GPU. The GPU performs rendering processing in accordance with figure data supplied from the PPP for drawing a picture defined by the combination of the unit figures on a graphic memory.

Claims

1. A picture information processing system comprising:

a first processor for generating a data packet including a drawing command and figure data having a first center point and for outputting the data packet on a bus which has a given data transferring speed;

a second processor for receiving the data packet via the bus, for generating a plurality of second center points positioned relative to the first center point and for generating, for each of the plurality of second center points, figure data for a unit figure, the figure data including a plurality of apex points positioned relative to a corresponding one of the plurality of second center points; and

a graphic processor for drawing each of the unit figures in accordance with the figure data,

wherein the second processor supplies the generated figure data to the graphic processor directly and successively without using the bus.

2. The picture information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the first center point and each of the plurality of second center points have three-dimensional coordinate data.

3. The picture information processing system according to claim 1 wherein the second processor generates the plurality of second center points in order that each of the plurality of second center points is spaced a random distance in a random direction relative to the first center point.

4. The picture information processing system according to claim 1 wherein the second processor generates the plurality of apex points in order that each of the plurality of apex points is spaced a random distance in a random direction relative to the corresponding one of the plurality of second points.

5. The picture information processing system according to claim 1 wherein the first processor generates the data packet in order that the drawing command of the data packet instructs the second processor to generate a plurality of unit figures around the first center point.

6. A picture information processing method used in a system comprising a main processor for generating a packet including a drawing command and figure data for a first center point, a pre-processor connected to the main processor via a bus which has a given data transferring speed, and a graphic processor, the method comprising the steps of:

supplying the packet generated by the main processor to the pre-processor via the bus;

causing the pre-processor to generate a plurality of second center points positioned relative to the first center point of the packet according to the drawing command of the packet;

causing the pre-processor to generate, for each of the plurality of second center points, figure data for a unit figure, the figure data including a plurality of apex points positioned relative to a corresponding one of the plurality of second center points; and

supplying the figure data generated by the pre-processor from the pre-processor to the graphic processor directly and successively without using the bus, so that the unit figures are drawn in a graphic memory.

7. The picture information processing method according to claim 6, wherein the first center point and each of the plurality of second center points have three-dimensional coordinate data.

8. The picture information processing method according to claim 6 wherein the plurality of second center points are generated by the pre-processor in order that each of the plurality of second center points is spaced a random distance in a random direction relative to the first center point.

9. The picture information processing method according to claim 6 wherein the figure data is generated by the pre-processor in order that each of the plurality of apex points is spaced a random distance in a random direction relative to the corresponding one of the plurality of second center points.

10. A picture information processing system comprising:

a bus having a given data transferring speed;

a main processor for generating figure data including a single three-dimensional coordinate point and a drawing command and for outputting the figure data and the drawing command on the bus;

a pre-processor for receiving the figure data and the drawing command via the bus, for generating a plurality of additional three-dimensional coordinate points positioned relative to the single three-dimensional coordinate point and for generating, for each of the plurality of additional three-dimensional coordinate points, figure data for a unit figure, the figure data including a plurality of apex points positioned relative to a corresponding one of the plurality of additional three-dimensional coordinate points; and

a graphic processor for drawing each of the unit figures in accordance with the figure data,

wherein the pre-processor supplies the generated figure data to the graphic processor directly and successively without using the bus.

11. The picture information processing system according to claim 10, wherein the pre-processor generates the plurality of additional three-dimensional coordinate points in order that the unit figures surround the single three-dimensional coordinate point.

12. The picture information processing system according to claim 10, wherein the pre-processor generates the plurality of additional three-dimensional coordinate points so that the plurality of additional three-dimensional coordinate points are at random positions around the single three-dimensional coordinate point and generates the figure data in order that the plurality of apex points are at random positions around their respective additional three-dimensional coordinate points.

13. A picture information processing method used in a system comprising a bus which has a given data transferring speed, a main processor for generating a single three-dimensional coordinate point and a drawing command, a pre-processor, and a graphic processor, the method comprising the steps of:

supplying the single three-dimensional coordinate point and the drawing command from the main processor to the pre-processor via the bus;

causing the pre-processor to generate a plurality of random three-dimensional coordinate points at random positions around the single three-dimensional coordinate point and a drawing command;

causing the pre-processor to generate, for each of the plurality of random three-dimensional coordinate points, figure data for a unit figure, the figure data including a plurality of apex points at random positions around corresponding one of the plurality of random three-dimensional coordinate points; and

supplying the figure data from the pre-processor to the graphic processor directly and successively without using the bus so that the unit figures are drawn in a graphic memory by the graphic processor.

14. The picture information processing method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of:

causing the pre-processor, after the plurality of apex points are generated, to execute coordinate-transforming of the unit figures in multi-dimensional space.

15. The picture processing method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of:

causing the pre-processor, after the coordinate-transforming is executed, to execute perspective transforming of the unit figures.

16. A picture processing system for processing an image having at least one non-random object and at least one random object, said system comprising:

a data bus;

a main processing unit for generating first figure data for the at least one non-random object and second figure data for the at least one random object, the second figure data including a sole center point and a drawing command, the main processing unit outputting the first figure data and the second figure data over the data bus;

a processing device for receiving said second figure data via the data bus and generating, based on the sole center point and the drawing command, a plurality of random center points at random positions around the sole center point, and generating, for each of the plurality of random center points, figure data for at least one random unit figure, the figure data including a plurality of apex points at random positions around a corresponding one of the plurality of random center points; and

a drawing device for receiving the first figure data via the data bus and for receiving the random unit-figure data directly and successively from the processing device, the drawing device for drawing the non-random object in accordance with the first figure data and drawing each of the random unit figures in accordance with the random unit-figure data.

17. A method of processing an image having at least one non-random object and at least one random object, said method comprising the steps of:

generating first figure data for the at least one non-random object;

generating second figure data for the at least one random object, the second figure data including a sole center point and a drawing command;

transferring the first data to the drawing device via the bus, wherein the drawing device draws the non-random object in accordance with the first figure data;

transferring the second data to a processor via the bus, wherein the processor processes the second figure data by generating, based on the sole center point and the drawing command, a plurality of random center points at random positions around the sole center point, and generating, for each of the random center points, figure data for at least one random unit figure, the figure data including a plurality of apex points at random positions around the random center point; and

transferring the random-unit figure data directly and successively to the drawing device without using the bus, wherein the drawing device draws each of the random unit figures in accordance with the random unit-figure data.

18. An image generating system comprising:

a bus having a given data transferring speed;

a graphic processor for drawing in a graphic memory to generate an image in accordance with a data item;

a main processor for generating a packet including a drawing command and figure data which identifies a desired figure, and for outputting the generated packet on the bus; and

a pre-processor for receiving the packet from the main processor via the bus, for generating a plurality of data items according to the drawing command and the figure data of the received packet, and for supplying the generated data items to the graphic processor directly and successively without using the bus.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the main processor generates the packet which further includes a center point in a three-dimensional coordinate area;

the pre-processor executes a first process for generating a figure based on the desired figure, a second for positioning the generated figure in the three-dimensional coordinate area such that the generated figure is positioned a random distance in a random direction relative to the center point, and a third process for generating one data item including an instruction for the graphic processor to draw the generated and positioned figure into the graphic memory, and repeats the first to third processes by a predetermined number of times so that the plurality of data items are generated; and

the graphic processor draws figures successively in accordance with the plurality of data items thereby generating the image composed of the figures which are positioned around the center point.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein the graphic memory has page boundaries according to accessing by the graphic processor;

and

the pre-processor divides the desired figure which crosses at least one of the page boundaries, into a plurality of figures such that none of the plurality of figures cross any of the page boundaries, and generates the plurality of the data items instructing the graphic processor to draw the figures into the graphic memory respectively.

21. The system according to claim 18, wherein the desired figure has a size which exceeds a display size of a screen,

the pre-processor divides the desired figure into a plurality of figures and generates the plurality of the data items instructing the graphic processor to draw the figures into the graphic memory respectively;

and

the graphic processor selects at least one figure from the figures generated by dividing the desired figure, each of the at least one figure having an overlap portion with the screen, and draws only the selected at least one figure into the graphic memory.

22. The system according to claim 18, wherein the graphic processor is connected with the bus;

the main processor determines whether or not the drawing command and figure data satisfy a predetermined condition; and

when the drawing command and figure data satisfy the predetermined condition, the main processor generates the packet and outputs it to the graphic processor as the data item via the bus.