Method for coloring a polygon on a video display

Claim 5

A computer-based method of coloring a polygon for simulating atmospheric conditions in a user-interactive, simulated universe wherein the polygon is displayed on a display device, comprising the steps of: (a) selecting characteristics corresponding to a selected atmospheric condition; (b) selecting at least one polygon in the universe in response to a user input; (c) selecting a minimum dimming distance (dimval) which is the minimum distance that an observer must be from the selected polygon before the observer's view of the polygon is affected by the atmospheric condition; (d) selecting a color palette for the polygon wherein each color of the palette is associated with a different distance between the polygon and the observer and with an angle with a light source; (e) selecting characteristics of a plurality of light source vectors in the simulated universe; (f) producing values (A) representative of the relationship between the selected characteristics of the light sources and the normal to the polygon; (g) selecting a point on the polygon; (h) calculating the distance (Z) between the observer and the selected point; (i) comparing the distance (Z) to the minimum dimming distance (dimval) and proceeding to step (k) if the distance (Z) is less than the minimum dimming distance (dimval); (j) modifying the values (A) by a function of the dimming distance (dimval) and a selected one of the characteristics of the atmospheric condition; (k) producing an index in response to the values (A); (l) selecting a color from the color palette in response to the index produced; (m) modifying the selected polygon in response to the selected color to represent a hazed condition; and (n) displaying the polygon on the display device using the selected color.

Claim 6

A computer-based method of coloring a polygon for simulating atmospheric conditions in a user-interactive, simulated universe wherein the polygon is displayed on a display device, comprising the steps of: (a) selecting characteristics corresponding to a selected atmospheric condition; (b) selecting at least one polygon in the universe in response to a user input; (c) selecting a minimum dimming distance (dimval) which is the minimum distance that an observer must be from the selected polygon before the observer's view of the polygon is affected by the atmospheric condition; (d) selecting a color palette for the polygon wherein each color of the palette is associated with a different distance between the polygon and the observer and with an angle with a light source; (e) selecting characteristics of a plurality of light source vectors in the simulated universe; (f) producing values (A) representative of the relationship between the selected characteristics of the light sources and the normal to the polygon; (g) selecting a point on the polygon; (h) calculating the distance (Z) between the observer and the selected point; (i) comparing the distance (Z) to the minimum dimming distance (dimval) and proceeding to step (k) if the distance (Z) is less than the minimum dimming distance (dimval); (j) modifying the values (A) by a function of the dimming distance (dimval) and a selected one of the characteristics of the atmospheric condition; (k) producing an index in response to the values (A); (l) selecting a color from the color palette in response to the index produced; (m) modifying the selected polygon in response to the selected color to represent a hazed condition; and (n) displaying the polygon on the display device using the selected color.

Claim 7

The method defined by claim 3, wherein the selected characteristics of the atmospheric condition are the type and thickness of haze in the simulated universe.

Claim 8

The method defined by claim 3, wherein the selected characteristics of the light source vectors are the positions, directions, and intensities of the light source vectors.

Claim 9

The method defined by claim 3, wherein the relationship between the light sources and the normal to the polygon is determined in step (f) by calculating a set of dot products between the light source vectors and the normal to the polygon, summing the dot products, and adding a translation factor.

Claim 10

The method defined by claim 3, wherein the point selected in step (g) is the point on the polygon which is most distant from the observer.

Claim 11

The method defined by claim 3, wherein the modifying step of step (j) is performed by multiplying the values (A) by: (1--) wherein C is a constant and (kval) is a preselected value which determines the speed at which colors are changed due to the effects of the atmospheric condition.

Claim 12

The method defined by claim 3, wherein the index produced in step (k) is calculated as a function of the number of colors within the selected color palette.

Claim 13

A computer-based method of coloring a polygon in a user-interactive system, comprising the steps of: selecting a simulated universe from a plurality of simulated universes in response to a user input, wherein each simulated universe has a type and a thickness of haze; selecting a dimming distance value (dimval) and a color change velocity value (kval) corresponding to the thickness and the type of haze positioned between an observer and the polygon; selecting a color palette for the polygon wherein each color of the palette is associated with a different distance from the polygon and angle with a light source; storing the color palette in a memory of the system; selecting the positions, directions and intensities of a plurality of light source vectors in the simulated universe; calculating a set of dot products between the light source vectors and the normal to the polygon; summing the dot products and adding a translation factor so as to produce a range of positive values (A); selecting a point on the polygon; calculating the distance (Z) between the observer and the selected point; comparing the distance (Z) to the dimming distance value (dimval); offsetting the range (A) by a function of the dimming distance value (dimval) and the color change velocity value (kval) if distance (Z) is greater than the dimming distance value (dimval); dividing the range (A) by the number of selected colors in the color palette, thereby producing a color palette index number; selecting a color from the color palette by addressing the color palette memory in response to the color palette index number; modifying the polygon in response to the selected color to represent a hazed condition; and drawing the polygon on a video display using the selected color.

Claim 14

A computer-based method of coloring a polygon in a user-interactive system, comprising the steps of: selecting a simulated universe from a plurality of simulated universes in response to a user input, wherein each simulated universe has a type and a thickness of haze; selecting a dimming distance value (dimval) and a color change velocity value (kval) corresponding to the thickness and the type of haze positioned between an observer and the polygon; selecting a color palette for the polygon wherein each color of the palette is associated with a different distance from the polygon and angle with a light source; storing the color palette in a memory of the system; selecting the positions, directions and intensities of a plurality of light source vectors in the simulated universe; calculating a set of dot products between the light source vectors and the normal to the polygon; summing the dot products and adding a translation factor so as to produce a range of positive values (A); selecting a point on the polygon; calculating the distance (Z) between the observer and the selected point; comparing the distance (Z) to the dimming distance value (dimval); offsetting the range (A) by a function of the dimming distance value (dimval) and the color change velocity value (kval) if distance (Z) is greater than the dimming distance value (dimval); dividing the range (A) by the number of selected colors in the color palette, thereby producing a color palette index number; selecting a color from the color palette by addressing the color palette memory in response to the color palette index number; modifying the polygon in response to the selected color to represent a hazed condition; and drawing the polygon on a video display using the selected color.

Claim 15

The method of coloring defined in claim 10, additionally comprising the step of initially setting the directions of the light source vectors to equal the directions of observer vectors.

Claim 16

A computer-based method of coloring a polygon for a hazing effect in a user-interactive system, comprising the steps of: selecting a simulated universe from a plurality of simulated universes in response to a user input, wherein each simulated universe has a type and a thickness of haze; selecting a dimming distance value (dimval) and a color change velocity value (kval) corresponding to the thickness and the type of haze positioned between an observer and the polygon; selecting a color palette for the polygon wherein each color of the palette is associated with a different distance from the polygon and angle with a light source; storing the color palette in a memory of the system; selecting characteristics of a plurality of light sources in the simulated universe; producing a range of values representative of the relationship between the characteristics of the light sources and the normal to the polygon; selecting a point on the polygon; calculating the distance (Z) between the observer and the selected point; comparing the distance (Z) to the dimming distance (dimval); modifying the range of values by a function of the dimming distance value (dimval) and the color change velocity value (kval) if the distance (Z) is greater than the dimming distance value (dimval); producing an index in response to the modified values; selecting a color from the color palette by addressing the memory according to the index; modifying the polygon in response to the selected color to represent a hazed condition; and drawing the polygon using the selected color.

Claim 17

A computer-based method of coloring a polygon for a hazing effect in a user-interactive system, comprising the steps of: selecting a simulated universe from a plurality of simulated universes in response to a user input, wherein each simulated universe has a type and a thickness of haze; selecting a dimming distance value (dimval) and a color change velocity value (kval) corresponding to the thickness and the type of haze positioned between an observer and the polygon; selecting a color palette for the polygon wherein each color of the palette is associated with a different distance from the polygon and angle with a light source; storing the color palette in a memory of the system; selecting characteristics of a plurality of light sources in the simulated universe; producing a range of values representative of the relationship between the characteristics of the light sources and the normal to the polygon; selecting a point on the polygon; calculating the distance (Z) between the observer and the selected point; comparing the distance (Z) to the dimming distance (dimval); modifying the range of values by a function of the dimming distance value (dimval) and the color change velocity value (kval) if the distance (Z) is greater than the dimming distance value (dimval); producing an index in response to the modified values; selecting a color from the color palette by addressing the memory according to the index; modifying the polygon in response to the selected color to represent a hazed condition; and drawing the polygon using the selected color.

Claim 18

A computer-based method of coloring a polygon for simulating atmospheric conditions in a simulated universe, wherein at least a portion of the simulated universe is displayed on a display device of a user-interactive system, comprising the steps of: (a) selecting a portion of the universe to be displayed in response to at least one user input, wherein the universe has a type and a thickness of haze, and wherein the selected universe portion comprises a plurality of polygons; (b) selecting one of the polygons; (c) selecting a dimming distance value (dimval) and a color change velocity value (kval) corresponding to the thickness and the type of haze positioned between an observer and the polygon; (d) selecting a color palette for the polygon wherein each color of the palette is associated with a different distance from the polygon and angle with a light source; (e) storing the color palette in a memory of the system; (f) selecting characteristics of a plurality of light source vectors in the simulated universe; (g) producing a range of values representative of the relationship between the light source vectors and the normal to the polygon; (h) selecting a point on the polygon; (i) calculating the distance (Z) between the observer and the selected point; (j) comparing the distance (Z) to the dimming distance (dimval) and proceeding to step (l) if the distance (Z) is less than the dimming distance (dimval); (k) modifying the range of values by a function of the dimming distance value (dimval) and the color change velocity value (kval); (l) producing an index in response to the modified values; (m) selecting a color from the color palette by addressing the memory according to the index; modifying the polygon in response to the selected color to represent a hazed condition; and (n) drawing the polygon using the selected color.

Claim 19

A computer-based method of coloring a polygon for simulating atmospheric conditions in a simulated universe, wherein at least a portion of the simulated universe is displayed on a display device of a user-interactive system, comprising the steps of: (a) selecting a portion of the universe to be displayed in response to at least one user input, wherein the universe has a type and a thickness of haze, and wherein the selected universe portion comprises a plurality of polygons; (b) selecting one of the polygons; (c) selecting a dimming distance value (dimval) and a color change velocity value (kval) corresponding to the thickness and the type of haze positioned between an observer and the polygon; (d) selecting a color palette for the polygon wherein each color of the palette is associated with a different distance from the polygon and angle with a light source; (e) storing the color palette in a memory of the system; (f) selecting characteristics of a plurality of light source vectors in the simulated universe; (g) producing a range of values representative of the relationship between the light source vectors and the normal to the polygon; (h) selecting a point on the polygon; (i) calculating the distance (Z) between the observer and the selected point; (j) comparing the distance (Z) to the dimming distance (dimval) and proceeding to step (l) if the distance (Z) is less than the dimming distance (dimval); (k) modifying the range of values by a function of the dimming distance value (dimval) and the color change velocity value (kval); (l) producing an index in response to the modified values; (m) selecting a color from the color palette by addressing the memory according to the index; modifying the polygon in response to the selected color to represent a hazed condition; and (n) drawing the polygon using the selected color.

Claim 20

The method defined by claim 13, wherein the modifying step of step (k) is performed by multiplying the range of values by: (1--), wherein C is a constant.

Claim 21

The method defined by claim 13, wherein the memory is a look-up table memory.

Claim 22

The method defined by claim 13, wherein the selected characteristics are the positions, directions, and intensities of the light source vectors.

Claim 23

The method defined by claim 13, wherein the range of values produced in step (g) is determined by calculating a set of dot products between the light source vectors and the normal to the polygon, summing the dot products, and adding a translation factor.

Claim 24

The method defined by claim 13, wherein the index produced in step (l) is calculated as a function of the number of colors within the selected color palette.

Claim 25

The method defined by claim 13, wherein the address used in step (m) is produced by adding the index to a base address for the memory.

Claim 28

A computer-based method of coloring a polygon for simulating atmospheric conditions in a simulated universe, wherein at least a portion of the simulated universe is displayed on a display device of a user-interactive system, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of light sources in the universe; selecting a portion of the universe to be displayed in response to at least one user input, wherein the selected universe portion comprises a plurality of polygons; selecting one of the polygons; selecting an atmospheric condition; selecting a color from a color palette, said color representative of the effect that the selected atmospheric condition produces upon the one polygon; modifying the polygon in response to the selected color so as to represent the selected atmospheric condition; and displaying the modified polygon on the display device using the selected color.

Claim 29

A computer-based method of coloring a polygon for simulating atmospheric conditions in a simulated universe, wherein at least a portion of the simulated universe is displayed on a display device of a user-interactive system, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of light sources in the universe; selecting a portion of the universe to be displayed in response to at least one user input, wherein the selected universe portion comprises a plurality of polygons; selecting one of the polygons; selecting an atmospheric condition; selecting a color from a color palette, said color representative of the effect that the selected atmospheric condition produces upon the one polygon; modifying the polygon in response to the selected color so as to represent the selected atmospheric condition; and displaying the modified polygon on the display device using the selected color.

Claim 30

The method defined in claim 21, wherein the selecting a color step comprises the steps of: selecting a dimming distance value (dimval) and a color change velocity value (kval) corresponding to the thickness and type of the atmospheric condition positioned between an observer and the one polygon; selecting the color palette for the polygon wherein each color of the palette is associated with a different distance from the polygon and angle with a light source; storing the color palette in a memory in the system; selecting the positions, directions and intensities of a plurality of light source vectors in the simulated universe; calculating a set of dot products between the light source vectors and the normal to the polygon; summing the dot products and adding a translation factor so as to produce a range of positive values (A); selecting a point on the polygon; calculating the distance (Z) between the observer and the selected point; comparing the distance (Z) to the dimming distance value (dimval); offsetting the range (A) by a function of the dimming distance value (dimval) and the color change velocity value (kval) if distance (Z) is greater than the dimming distance value (dimval); dividing the range (A) by the number of selected colors in the color palette, thereby producing a color palette index number; and addressing the color palette memory in response to the color palette index number.