Abstract: An image processing system for producing an image from three-dimensional image data. The system uses a command generator to generate one or more plotting commands for producing the image, and features a coordinate calculator for transforming the three-dimensional data into two-dimensional data. The coordinate calculator operates as a coprocessor of the command generator, and as such does not require use of the system bus to perform its functions.

Abstract: Image processing method and apparatus for producing an image from image data provides an image memory including a drawing area to store image data of an object to be drawn and a texture area to store texture data to decorate the object, a supply circuit for supplying image data to the image memory, a selector for selectively supplying the image data from the supply circuit to the drawing area and the texture area, an image synthesizing circuit for synthesizing an image from the image data stored in the image memory and an output circuit for converting an output signal from the image synthesizing circuit to a video signal for outputting the video signal. The method provides the steps of storing image data of an object to be drawn in a drawing area of an image memory, storing moving image data in a texture area of the image memory, and mapping a texture of the moving image stored in the texture area onto the surface of the object stored in the drawing area.

Abstract: There are provided a geometry transfer engine (GTE) 61 and a graphic processing unit (GPU 62) which act in combination as a transforming means for converting three-dimensional image data retrieved from a CD-ROM disk into two-dimensional image data for drawing an image on a two-dimensional display screen, and a frame buffer 63 which serves as a memory having an image data storage area (picture data area) for storage of the image data and at least a color data tables storage area (CLUT area) for storage of multiple color lookup data tables in a two-dimensional arrangement, each color data table including a color data wherein the structure is arranged substantially identical to that of each pixel of data in the image. A greater number of colors are thus facilitated and the data processing is simplified.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating images wherein access to a main memory is minimized during a translation of an image of a 3D object or the like on a display screen to increase the speed of the translation process. A string of draw commands for drawing an image is preceded by an offset draw command which indicates offset values for the coordinates of the vertices of the image, and the image is translated on the display screen in accordance with the offset draw command. A header portion of each of the offset draw command and the draw commands that constitute the draw command string includes data indicating the address on the main memory of the next draw command to be executed.

Abstract: In a real-time texture mapping system, a more solid and naturally-mapped image is obtained with a minimum of computation volume. The texture-mapping system adds a texture image to an area of a polygon which forms a fundamental unit of three-dimensional image information of an object to be displayed on a screen. A geometry transfer engine (GTE) 61 extracts representing points from the polygonal area. Then, coordinates of the thus extracted representing points are subjected to the perspective transformation. Thereafter, the representing points, after the perspective transformation, are subjected to the linear interpolation in a graphic processing unit (GPU) 62 so that the image is formed.

Abstract: In an apparatus provided with a frame memory for sequentially reading image data written in the frame memory for image display data, an image processing apparatus includes: a recognizing section for recognizing whether the image data written in the frame memory are image data in which each pixel is written with a first bit number or image data in which each pixel is written with a second bit number that is different from the first bit number; a first image data reading section for reading the image data from the frame memory, regarding each pixel as being expressed by the first bit number; a second image data reading section for reading the image data from the frame memory, regarding each pixel as being expressed by the second bit number; and a switching section for switching the first image data reading section and the second image data reading section on the basis of the recognition information from the recognizing section.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for generating image data are provided. A memory and a data processor are coupled with a system bus. In certain embodiments a data expanding apparatus is also coupled to the system bus and compressed data are transferred to the data expanding apparatus via the system bus and decompressed data are transferred therefrom to the memory without passing the compressed data through the data processor. Also in certain embodiments, an image data generation command string is transferred from the memory to an image data generation device via the system bus without passing the image data generation command string through the data processor.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for producing image data representing a picture from first two-dimensional image data producing instructions for producing two-dimensional image data and three-dimensional image data producing instructions for producing three-dimensional image data. Two-dimensional image data producing instructions are derived from the three-dimensional image data producing instructions. Display data producing priorities are assigned to the various two-dimensional image data producing instructions. Image data are produced by executing the various two-dimensional image data producing instructions in an order corresponding to the assigned image data producing priorities. The image data include a plurality of pixels each having a corresponding picture location and the pixels are stored in a memory such that first pixels produced after second pixels having the same corresponding picture locations overwrite the second pixels.

Abstract: An electronic sound source comprises an adder which calculates a sum of volume data and differential volume data in response to each clock signal supplied at equal intervals of time and transfers it to a limiter and a volume register. The sum volume data is then limited to a predetermined value by the limiter and passed across a volume register to a volume controller where it is multiplied by an output of a mute processor.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating the interrupt information includes an addressing device for generating the specified address information for specifying the desired information stored in a memory device, a readout address generating device for generating the readout address information of the desired information stored in the memory device, and a comparator device for comparing the specified address information from the addressing device and the readout address information from the readout address generating device and for generating the interrupt information in case of coincidence of the specified address information and the readout address information and supplying the interrupt information to a central processing unit.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for generating image data are provided. A memory and a data processor are coupled with a system bus. In certain embodiments a data expanding apparatus is also coupled to the system bus and compressed data are transferred to the data expanding apparatus via the system bus and decompressed data are transferred therefrom to the memory without passing the compressed data through the data processor. Also in certain embodiments, an image data generation command string is transferred from the memory to an image data generation device via the system bus without passing the image data generation command string through the data processor.

Abstract: A real time texture mapping method produces an image of an object having a surface that has dynamically changing texture by using image data and moving image texture pattern data. The image data is stored in a drawing area of an image memory, and the moving image texture pattern data is stored frame-by-frame in a texture area of the image memory. The moving image texture pattern data stored in the texture area is mapped a frame per vertical display period onto the surface of the object which is represented in the image data stored in the drawing area. The new two-dimensional image data having the texture pattern data mapped on the surface of the object is used as a current image frame for display. The new image data having the texture pattern data mapped on the surface of the object may be stored in the texture area of the image memory, and used as a new texture pattern to map onto a second object stored in the drawing area for a next image frame to be displayed.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for generating an image which make it possible to prepare texture images of normal brightness and to generate a texture-mapped image as an image brighter than the original texture images.In a system for mapping texture images prepared in advance onto polygonal areas obtained by a drawing process with brightness calculated for each of the polygonal areas, a brightness level lower than the maximum brightness level that can be rendered by the system is used as the maximum brightness level of the texture image prepared in advance, and the rendering of brightness during the mapping of the texture images onto the polygonal areas can be performed with brightness higher than the original brightness of the texture images.

Abstract: A data format is provided capable of assigning a desired color lookup table (CLUT) to a texture pattern of each polygon drawn on a two-dimensional display screen. Assuming that TPF represents a pixel depth of the texture pattern, when TPF is 00, 01, and 10, the format (CLUT) is applied of a 4-bit mode, an 8-bit mode, and 16-bit mode respectively, whereby its related command is decreased in word length and thus requires less storage in a source video memory.

Abstract: Data of a recording medium in a storage device is read out for every sector and is stored in a ring buffer under the control of a CPU which can vary the speed of readout from the buffer as the load on the system varies. Data stored in the ring buffer is read out for every frame and is outputted to an output device. When data read out from the recording medium is to be reproduced in real time, the data can be reproduced substantially at a speed corresponding to a reading speed of the data from the recording medium, with a minimum of data loss and enhanced temporal quality.

Abstract: Digital image data are compressed in a first iteration of orthogonally transforming a predetermined amount of the original image data, such as index data for a splite pattern, and quantizing the transform coefficients. Then the quantized data are locally decoded, and the decoded data are compared with the original image data. If there are no errors, that is, the decoded data matches the original image data, the quantized data are variable length encoded to form compressed data for output, such as recording on a CD-ROM recording medium. If there are errors, then a next iteration is performed, in which the original image data are bit shifted and then orthogonally transformed, the transform coefficients are quantized, and the quantized data are locally decoded. As before, the decoded data are compared with the original image data. If there are no errors, the quantized data are variable length encoded to form compressed data for output.

Abstract: Drawing instructions and control instructions generated by a CPU are transferred to a drawing device sections, which generates an image by sequentially performing drawing operations in accordance with the drawing instructions and the control instructions. Each of the drawing instructions and the control instructions has a data structure consisting of a header portion and an instruction data portion. The header portion has a command identification code for indicating of what kind the instruction is. A drawing instruction sequence is formed in which the drawing instructions and the control instructions are arranged in the order of drawing and control procedures, and DMA-transferred to the drawing device section by a sorting controller. The drawing device section performs drawing and control operations in the order in the drawing instruction sequence.

Abstract: Apparatus and method which map a texture image onto a polygonal area in which the mapped image can have a dynamic brightness range greater than the dynamic brightness range of the original texture image. The brightness levels of the pixels of the texture image are ascertained and reduced, and the polygonal area onto which the texture image is mapped is shaded by multiplying the reduced brightness levels of the pixels by a shading factor, wherein a shading factor greater than 1 produces a mapped texture image which has a dynamic brightness range that is greater than the dynamic brightness range of the texture image.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating the interrupt information includes an addressing device for generating the specified address information for specifying the desired information stored in a memory device, a readout address generating device for generating the readout address information of the desired information stored in the memory device, and a comparator device for comparing the specified address information from the addressing device and the readout address information from the readout address generating device and for generating the interrupt information in case of coincidence of the specified address information and the readout address information and supplying the interrupt information to a central processing unit.

Abstract: Image processing method and apparatus for producing an image from image data provides an image memory including a drawing area to store image data of an object to be drawn and a texture area to store texture data to decorate the object, a supply circuit for supplying image data to the image memory, a selector for selectively supplying the image data from the supply circuit to the drawing area and the texture area, an image synthesizing circuit for synthesizing an image from the image data stored in the image memory and an output circuit for converting an output signal from the image synthesizing circuit to a video signal for outputting the video signal. The method provides the steps of storing image data of an object to be drawn in a drawing area of an image memory, storing moving image data in a texture area of the image memory, and mapping a texture of the moving image stored in the texture area onto the surface of the object stored in the drawing area.