EP0454129A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

System for generating a texture mapped perspective view

Assignee: Honeywell Inc

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Filing: 1991-04-25

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Granted: —

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Expires: 2011-04-25

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Abstract

Abstract A method and apparatus for providing a texture mapped perspective view for digital map systems. The system includes apparatus for storing elevation data (10), apparatus for storing texture data (24), apparatus for scanning a projected view volume (12) from the elevation data storing apparatus, apparatus for processing (14), apparatus for generating a plurality of planar polygons (16) and apparatus for rendering images. The processing apparatus further includes apparatus for receiving the scanned projected view volume from the scanning apparatus, transforming the scanned projected view volume from object space to screen space, and computing surface normals at each vertex of each polygon so as to modulate texture space pixel intensity. The generating apparatus generates the plurality of planar polygons from the transformed vertices and supplies them to the rendering apparatus which then shades each of the planar polygons. In one alternate embodiment of the invention, the polygons are shaded by apparatus of the rendering apparatus assigning one color across the surface of each polygon. In yet another alternate embodiment of the invention, the rendering apparatus interpolates the intensities between the vertices of each polygon in a linear fashion as in Gouraud shading.

Inventors

👤 John F. Dawson
👤 James A. Cousens
👤 Thomas D. Snodgrass

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —

Jurisdiction EP

Data Source google_patents

Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 14:11

CPC Classifications

G; G06; G06T; G06T15/00; G06T15/04

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10

Claim 1

Independent Claim 178 words

System for providing a texture mapped perspective view of a plurality of polygons for a digital map system characterized by : (a) means for storing elevation data (10) for each polygon; (b) means for storing texture data (24) for each polygon; (c) means for scanning a projected view volume (12) coupled to the elevation data storing means; (d) means for processing (14) including means for receiving the scanned projected view volume from the scanning means, means for transforming the scanned projected view volume from object space to screen space (22) and means for computing surface normals at each vertex of each polygon so as to project elevation posts; (e) tiling engine means (40) coupled to the processing means for generating a plurality of planar polygons from the transformed vertices; (f) a texture engine means (30) for tagging the elevation posts with corresponding addresses in texture space; and (g) means (34) coupled to the tiling engine means (40) and texture engine means (30) for rendering images from the planar polygons by shading between the tagged vertices of each polygon.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 202 words

A system for providing a texture mapped perspective view for a digital map system characterized by: (a) a cache memory (10) for storing terrain data; (b) a shape address generator (12) for scanning cache memory (10) and generating shapes for plan view, perspective view, intervisibility and radar simulation; (c) a geometry engine (36) coupled to the cache memory (10) for (i) transformation of terrain data from object space to screen space, (ii) generating three dimensional coordinates, and (iii) computing surface normals at each vertex of the polygon; (d) a tiling engine (40) coupled to the geometry engine (36) for generating the planar polygons from the transformed vertices in screen coordinates and passing them to the rendering engine (34); (e) a symbol generator (38) coupled to the geometry engine (36) and the tiling engine (40) for transmitting data to the geometry engine (36) and processing information from the tiling engine (40) into symbols; (f) a texture engine (30) for tagging elevation posts with corresponding addresses in texture space; (g) a rendering engine (34) coupled to the tiling engine (40) and the texture engine (30) for generating images from the planar polygons; and (h) a display memory (42) coupled to the rendering engine (34).

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 23 words

System according to Claim 2 characterized in that the display memory (42) includes at least four first-in, first-out memory buffers (F1 to F4).

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 24 words

System according to Claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the rendering engine (34) is comprised of a plurality of generic parallel pipeline processors.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 23 words

System according to Claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the rendering means (30) assigns one color across the surface of each polygon.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 27 words

System according to Claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the rendering means (30) interpolates the intensities between the vertices of each polygon in a linear fashion.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 20 words

System according to Claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the rendering means (30) further includes means for providing transparency.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 19 words

System according to Claim 2 further characterized by a video display means (46) coupled to the display memory (42).

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 25 words

System according to Claim 1 or 2 further characterized by a full frame memory means (100) for storing display data coupled to the rendering means.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 46 words

System according to Claim 9 further characterized by a video display means (46) coupled to the full frame memory (100) means wherein the video display means (46) includes switchable display formats being switchable at less than 600 milliseconds between paper chart, DLMS plan and perspective view.

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