초록 ▼

A high speed hidden surface processor capable of operating in real time and suitable for interaction with a computer-generated imagery or computer graphics system, whereby a realistic three-dimensional scene can be projected on a two-dimensional video display. The scene is formed by one or more poly

A high speed hidden surface processor capable of operating in real time and suitable for interaction with a computer-generated imagery or computer graphics system, whereby a realistic three-dimensional scene can be projected on a two-dimensional video display. The scene is formed by one or more polygons that are visible from an arbitrary viewpoint. The present hidden surface processor employs a hidden surface algorithm, such that certain polygons or portions of polygons, which polygons are obscured by other polygons lying closer to the viewpoint, are removed or truncated. Ordered linked lists of scan line data corresponding to the surfaces of the visible polygons are assembled and stored, so that the complete scene may be subsequently displayed with increased speed and minimized hardware implementation costs.

대표청구항 ▼

A hidden surface processor to distinguish between the hidden and visible surfaces of a pair of video scan line segments relative to a viewpoint, one of said segments being positioned behind the other, said segments comprising one or more picture elements and forming portions of a three dimensional s

A hidden surface processor to distinguish between the hidden and visible surfaces of a pair of video scan line segments relative to a viewpoint, one of said segments being positioned behind the other, said segments comprising one or more picture elements and forming portions of a three dimensional scene, and said hidden surface processor including: first memory means including buffer memories to store information regarding a first scan line segment including the location thereof relative to an arbitrary set of axes, second memory means including a random access memory to store information regarding the second scan line segment including the location thereof relative to said set of axes, processor means interconnected with said first and second memory means for accessing the memories thereof and for comparing the information regarding the first and second scan line segments to determine whether the respective locations of said segments relative to one another are such that at least a portion of one of said segments is obscured by the other of said segments with respect to the viewpoint, and multiplier means interconnected with said processor means for multiplying together certain of the information stored in said first and second memory means for providing an indication of the distance from the viewpoint to a picture element which forms one of said first or second scan line segments.