Sorting processing system and image synthesizing system using the same

Claim 2

A sorting processing system for receiving image data relating to a plurality of polygons defining a pseudo 3-D image, for sorting the image data of said polygons based on Z-coordinates which indicate the position of vertices of said polygons in the direction of view point, and for outputting the sorted image data, comprising: a sorting Z-value setting unit for computing a Z-representative value from the Z-coordinates of the vertices of each polygon and for setting said Z-representative value for every polygon as a sorting Z-value, and a sorting unit for permutating and outputting the polygon image data according to the priority defined by said sorting Z-value, wherein said sorting Z-value setting unit computes said Z-representative value from said Z-coordinates at the vertices in each polygon using a representative value setting pattern selected from a plurality of representative value setting patterns, said representative value setting pattern having been previously specified individually for each polygon for setting said Z-representative value corresponding to the characteristics of each polygon.

Claim 3

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 1 wherein said representative value setting pattern used in said sorting Z-value setting unit is a pattern for selecting said Z-representative value from a group consisting of the minimum value of said Z-coordinates, the maximum value of said Z-coordinates and an average value between the minimum and maximum values; a pattern for selecting said Z-representative value from a group consisting of the maximum and average values: a pattern for selecting said Z-representative value from a group consisting of the minimum and average values; or a pattern for selecting said Z-representative value from a group consisting of the maximum and minimum values.

Claim 4

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 2 wherein said sorting Z-value setting unit includes a shift value adder unit for one of: adding a predetermined shift value to the computed Z-representative value at each polygon to form the sorting Z-value; adding a predetermined shift value to each of 3-D objects defined by a plurality of polygons to form the sorting Z-value; and adding a predetermined shift value to each polygon and also a predetermined shift value to each 3-D object to form the sorting Z-value.

Claim 5

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 3 wherein the sorting Z-value setting unit includes a fixed Z-value setting unit for forming said sorting Z-value by one of: setting the computed Z-representative value at a fixed value for every polygon, setting the computed Z-representative value at a fixed value for every 3-D object defined by a plurality of polygons and setting the computed Z-representative value at a fixed value for every polygon and at another fixed value for every 3-D object.

Claim 6

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 4 wherein the sorting Z-value setting unit includes an absolute priority setting unit for setting an absolute priority bit at the high order bit of the sorting Z-value, and said absolute priority bit controls the priority of each polygon independently of the value of the low order bit of the sorting Z-value.

Claim 7

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 5 wherein the sorting Z-value setting unit includes an absolute priority shifting unit for one of: adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every polygon, adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every 3-D object defined by a plurality of polygons and adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every polygon and another predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every 3-D object.

Claim 8

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 3 wherein the sorting Z-value setting unit includes an absolute priority setting unit for setting an absolute priority bit at the high order bit of the sorting Z-value, and said absolute priority but controls the priority of each polygon independently of the value of the low order bit of the sorting Z-value.

Claim 9

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 7 wherein the sorting Z-value setting unit includes an absolute priority shifting unit for one of: adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every polygon, adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every 3-D object defined by a plurality of polygons and adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every polygon and another predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every 3-D object.

Claim 10

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 2 wherein the sorting Z-value setting unit includes a fixed Z-value setting unit for forming said sorting Z-value by one of: setting the computed Z-representative value at a fixed value for every polygon, setting the computed Z-representative value at a fixed value for every 3-D object defined by a plurality of polygons and setting the computed Z-representative value at a fixed value for every polygon and at another fixed value for every 3-D object.

Claim 11

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 9 wherein the sorting Z-value setting unit includes an absolute priority setting unit for setting an absolute priority bit at the high order bit of the sorting Z-value, and said absolute priority bit controls the priority of each polygon independently of the value of the low order bit of the sorting Z-value.

Claim 12

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 10 wherein the sorting Z-value setting unit includes an absolute priority shifting unit for one of: adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every polygon, adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every 3-D object defined by a plurality of polygons and adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every polygon and another predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every 3-D object.

Claim 13

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 2 wherein the sorting Z-value setting unit includes an absolute priority setting unit for setting an absolute priority bit at the high order bit of the sorting Z-value, and said absolute priority bit controls the priority of each polygon independently of the value of the low order bit of the sorting Z-value.

Claim 14

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 12 wherein the sorting Z-value setting unit includes an absolute priority shifting unit for one of: adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every polygon, adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every 3-D object defined by a plurality of polygons and adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every polygon and another predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every 3-D object.

Claim 15

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 1 wherein said sorting Z-value setting unit includes a shift value adder unit for one of: adding a predetermined shift value to the computed Z-representative value at each polygon to form the sorting Z-value, adding a predetermined shift value to each of 3-D objects defined by a plurality of polygons to form the sorting Z-value and adding a predetermined shift value to each polygon and also a predetermined shift value to each 3-D object to form the sorting Z-value.

Claim 16

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 14 wherein the sorting Z-value setting unit includes a fixed Z-value setting unit for forming said sorting Z-value by one of: setting the computed Z-representative value at a fixed value for every polygon, setting the computed Z-representative value at a fixed value for every 3-D object defined by a plurality of polygons and setting the computed Z-representative value at a fixed value for every polygon and at another fixed value for every 3-D object.

Claim 17

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 15 wherein the sorting Z-value setting unit includes an absolute priority setting unit for setting an absolute priority bit at the high order bit of the sorting Z-value, and said absolute priority bit controls the priority of each polygon independently of the value of the low order bit of the sorting Z-value.

Claim 18

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 16 wherein the sorting Z-value setting unit includes an absolute priority shifting unit for one of: adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every polygon, adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every 3-D object defined by a plurality of polygons and adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every polygon and another predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every 3-D object.

Claim 19

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 14 wherein the sorting Z-value setting unit includes an absolute priority setting unit for setting an absolute priority bit at the high order bit of the sorting Z-value, and said absolute priority bit controls the priority of each polygon independently of the value of the low order bit of the sorting Z-value.

Claim 20

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 18 wherein the sorting Z-value setting unit includes an absolute priority shifting unit for one of: adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every polygon, adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every 3-D object defined by a plurality of polygons and adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every polygon and another predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every 3-D object.

Claim 21

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 1 wherein the sorting Z-value setting unit includes a fixed Z-value setting unit for forming said sorting Z-value by one of: setting the computed Z-representative value at a fixed value for every polygon, setting the computed Z-representative value at a fixed value for every 3-D object defined by a plurality of polygons and setting the computed Z-representative value at a fixed value for every polygon and at another fixed value for every 3-D object.

Claim 22

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 20 wherein the sorting Z-value setting unit includes an absolute priority setting unit for setting an absolute priority bit at the high order bit of the sorting Z-value, and said absolute priority bit controls the priority of each polygon independently of the value of the low order bit of the sorting Z-value.

Claim 23

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 21 wherein the sorting Z-value setting unit includes an absolute priority shifting unit for one of: adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every polygon, adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every 3-D object defined by a plurality of polygons and adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every polygon and another predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every 3-D object.

Claim 24

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 1 wherein the sorting Z-value setting unit includes an absolute priority setting unit for setting an absolute priority bit at the high order bit of the sorting Z-value and said absolute priority bit controls the priority of each polygon independently of the value of the low order bit of the sorting Z-value.

Claim 25

A sorting processing system as defined in claim 23 wherein the sorting Z-value setting unit includes an absolute priority shifting unit for one of: adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every polygon, adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every 3-D object defined by a plurality of polygons and adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every polygon and another predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every 3-D object.

Claim 26

An image synthesizing system comprising an image supply unit for perspectively transforming a 3-D image represented by a plurality of 3-D polygons onto a 2-D plane at each of polygons corresponding to the 3-D polygons, for computing the image data of polygons defining a pseudo 3-D image, and for outputting the image data which include Z-coordinates indicating the position of vertices of said polygons in the direction of view point and data specifying a representative value setting pattern for setting a sorting Z-representative value corresponding to the characteristics of each of said polygons and a sort processing device for sequentially receiving the image data of the polygons and for sorting and outputting the polygon image data according to the Z-coordinates, comprising: a sorting Z-value setting unit for computing a Z-representative value, according to each respective representative value setting pattern, selected from a plurality of representative value setting patterns, at each polygon, from the Z-coordinates of the vertices of each polygon, the Z-representative value being set individually for each polygon as a sorting Z-value, and a sorting unit for permutating and outputting the polygon image data according to the priority defined by said sorting Z-value, said sorting Z-value setting unit computing the Z-representative value from the polygon vertex Z-coordinates, using said representative value setting pattern specified by said specifying data.

Claim 27

An image synthesizing system comprising an image supply unit for perspectively transforming a 3-D image represented by a plurality of 3-D polygons onto a 2-D plane at each of polygons corresponding to the 3-D polygons, for computing the image data of polygons defining a pseudo 3-D image, and for outputting the image data which include Z-coordinates indicating the position of vertices of said polygons in the direction of view point and data specifying a representative value setting pattern for setting a sorting Z-representative value corresponding to the characteristics of each of said polygons and a sort processing device for sequentially receiving the image data of the polygons and for sorting and outputting the polygon image data according to the Z-coordinates, comprising: a sorting Z-value setting unit for computing a Z-representative value, according to each respective representative value setting pattern, selected from a plurality of representative value setting patterns, at each polygon, from the Z-coordinates of the vertices of each polygon, the Z-representative value being set individually for each polygon as a sorting Z-value, and a sorting unit for permutating and outputting the polygon image data according to the priority defined by said sorting Z-value, said sorting Z-value setting unit computing the Z-representative value from the polygon vertex Z-coordinates, using said representative value setting pattern specified by said specifying data.

Claim 28

A sorting processing method for receiving image data relating to a plurality of polygons defining a pseudo 3-D image, for sorting the image data of said polygons based on Z-coordinates which indicate the position of vertices of said polygons in the direction of view point, and for outputting the sorted image data, comprising: a sorting Z-value setting step for computing a Z-representative value from the Z-coordinates of the vertices of each polygon and for setting said Z-representative value for every polygon as a sorting Z-value, and a sorting step for permutating and outputting the polygon image data according to the priority defined by said sorting Z-value, wherein said sorting Z-value setting step computes said Z-representative value from said Z-coordinates at the vertices in each polygon using a representative value setting pattern selected from a plurality of representative value setting patterns, said representative value setting pattern having been previously specified individually for each polygon for setting said Z-representative value corresponding to the characteristics of each polygon.

Claim 29

A sorting processing method for receiving image data relating to a plurality of polygons defining a pseudo 3-D image, for sorting the image data of said polygons based on Z-coordinates which indicate the position of vertices of said polygons in the direction of view point, and for outputting the sorted image data, comprising: a sorting Z-value setting step for computing a Z-representative value from the Z-coordinates of the vertices of each polygon and for setting said Z-representative value for every polygon as a sorting Z-value, and a sorting step for permutating and outputting the polygon image data according to the priority defined by said sorting Z-value, wherein said sorting Z-value setting step computes said Z-representative value from said Z-coordinates at the vertices in each polygon using a representative value setting pattern selected from a plurality of representative value setting patterns, said representative value setting pattern having been previously specified individually for each polygon for setting said Z-representative value corresponding to the characteristics of each polygon.

Claim 30

A sorting processing method as defined in claim 26, wherein said sorting Z-value setting step includes a shift value adder step for one of: adding a predetermined shift value to the computed Z-representative value at each polygon to form the sorting Z-value, adding a predetermined shift value to each 3-D object defined by a plurality of polygons to form the sorting Z-value, and adding a predetermined shift value to each polygon and also a predetermined shift value to each 3-D object to form the sorting Z-value.

Claim 31

A sorting processing method as defined in claim 26, wherein said sorting Z-value setting step includes a fixed Z-value setting step for forming said sorting Z-value by one of: setting the computed Z-representative value at a fixed value for every polygon, setting the computed Z-representative value at a fixed value for every 3-D object defined by a plurality of polygons and setting the computed Z-representative value at a fixed value for every polygon and at another fixed value for every 3-D object.

Claim 32

A sorting processing method as defined in claim 26 wherein said sorting Z-value setting step includes an absolute priority setting step for setting an absolute priority bit at the high order bit of the sorting Z-value, and said absolute priority bit controls the priority of each polygon independently to the low order bit of the sorting Z-value.

Claim 33

A sorting processing method as defined in claim 29 wherein said sorting Z-value setting setup includes an absolute priority shifting step for one of: adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every polygon, adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every 3-D object defined by a plurality of polygons and adding a predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for every polygon and another predetermined shift value to the absolute priority bit for each 3-D object.

Claim 34

An image synthesizing method comprising an image supply step for perspectively transforming a 3-D image represented by a plurality of 3-D polygons onto a 2-D plane at each of polygons corresponding to the 3-D polygons, for computing the image data of polygons defining a pseudo 3-D image, and for outputting the image data which include Z-coordinates indicating the position of vertices of said polygons in the direction of view point and data specifying a representative value setting pattern for setting a sorting Z-representative value corresponding to the characteristics of each of said polygons and a sort processing step for sequentially receiving the image data of the polygons and for sorting and outputting the polygon image data according the Z-coordinates, comprising: a sorting Z-value setting step for computing a Z-representative value according to each respective representative value setting pattern, selected from a plurality of representative value setting patterns, at each polygon from the Z-coordinates of the vertices of each polygon, the Z-representative value being set individually for each polygon as a sorting Z-value, and a sorting step for permutating and outputting the polygon image data according to the priority defined by said sorting Z-value, said sorting Z-value setting step computing the Z-representative value from the polygon vertex Z-coordinates, using said representative value setting pattern specified by said specifying data.

Claim 35

An image synthesizing method comprising an image supply step for perspectively transforming a 3-D image represented by a plurality of 3-D polygons onto a 2-D plane at each of polygons corresponding to the 3-D polygons, for computing the image data of polygons defining a pseudo 3-D image, and for outputting the image data which include Z-coordinates indicating the position of vertices of said polygons in the direction of view point and data specifying a representative value setting pattern for setting a sorting Z-representative value corresponding to the characteristics of each of said polygons and a sort processing step for sequentially receiving the image data of the polygons and for sorting and outputting the polygon image data according the Z-coordinates, comprising: a sorting Z-value setting step for computing a Z-representative value according to each respective representative value setting pattern, selected from a plurality of representative value setting patterns, at each polygon from the Z-coordinates of the vertices of each polygon, the Z-representative value being set individually for each polygon as a sorting Z-value, and a sorting step for permutating and outputting the polygon image data according to the priority defined by said sorting Z-value, said sorting Z-value setting step computing the Z-representative value from the polygon vertex Z-coordinates, using said representative value setting pattern specified by said specifying data.