Abstract: A graphic display system including a display unit, a main memory for storing graphic data, and a controller for controlling the processing and transferring of data between the display unit and the memory. The main memory has an image data region for storing graphic data as a set of unit images. Each unit image is defined by two sides that include two contour lines having the same luminance and another two sides each connecting the ends of the two contour lines. The main memory also includes an interpolation region for storing data for interpolating the luminance of each of the unit images, and a transformation region for storing data for transforming the coordinates of a vertex of each of the unit images in order to transform the unit image. When displaying an image on the display unit, data is read out of the interpolation region and each of the unit images is interpolated by gradually increasing the luminance thereof from one contour line toward the other according to the data.

Abstract: To create a dynamic textured display, images of textured height fields (elevation samples arrayed on a rectangular coordinate grid, as to represent a terrain) are rendered, the system performing an initial pass that re-samples the height-field data into a radial form and a subsequent pass using the radial data to create textured, shaded picture elements (pixels) for an instantaneous field of view. Thus, texturing, shading, blending and scan conversion complete the pixel processing to drive a display unit. The system is particularly applicable to the generation of dynamic perspective images of terrain. The process provides pixel-limited textural resolution in the final image with effective antialiasing of internal and horizontal silhouette edges.

Abstract: A mode such that the same texture pattern is stored into a plurality of memories and is processed in parallel by a plurality of drawing processing units and a mode such that different texture patterns are stored into a plurality of memories and either one of the patterns is selected and processed in a time-division manner by a plurality of drawing processing units can be switched. When a pattern is enlarged and drawn at a rate of (1:N), variation values are added and the read-out coordinate values of the texture patterns are distributed, thereby making a block-like boundary inconspicuous. In the case where an underflow or overflow occurs in an adder to interpolate color values of the pixels, the well-known color value of the final pixel position is fixedly generated. In the case where the depth coordinate values of the whole picture plane which are drawn into frame buffers are equal, a single z value is written into a Z register without using a Z buffer.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for detecting unconstrained collisions between three-dimensional moving objects are described. The apparatus and method addresses the problems associated with handling objects with substance passing through each other in three-dimensional space. When objects collide in a three-dimensional simulation, it is important to identify such collisions in real-time so that the behavior of the colliding objects may be adjusted appropriately. Native vertices are stored and novel structure is provided so that the stored words containing native vertices work together to form polygons, or other object primitives, that work together. For triangle object primitives, three vertices form the first triangle primitive, but a second triangle primitive is formed by receiving and storing only one additional vertex, the other two vertices needed to form the second triangle primitive being shared with the first triangle primitive.

Abstract: The present invention converts an unstructured grid of finite volume data to a rectangular grid of voxel definitions for use by a volume rendering technique operable on such a rectangular grid of voxel definitions. The unstructured finite element grid is sliced using a slicing process generating intersection polygons at scalar data at polygon vertices. This vertex scalar data is then mapped to shades of a color based on a linear mapping function. A linear interpolation is then utilized to generate a rectangular two dimensional array, for each slicing interval, which is dependent upon a pixel resolution of the display device utilized within the data processing system implementing the present invention. Each pixel represents a three-dimensional point in the viewing coordinate space wherein each pixel represents a voxel corner. The color of each pixel is used to determine the scalar value to be associated with each voxel corner.

Abstract: Binary data are obtained on data of reference pixels included in the upper and below lines of an interpolated pixel through binarizing circuits by comparing with the threshold value determined based on the reference pixel data. Binary interpolation data of the interpolated pixel are obtained from the plurality of binary data. Maximum threshold data is determined as multivalued interpolation data of the interpolated pixel, when the binary interpolation data is "1".

Abstract: According to the MIP-map image generating apparatus of the invention, an original texture image stored in a memory is processed by spatial transformation in a discrete cosine transform section, so as to be spatial frequency image data. A polygon calculating section calculates the size of a polygon, and calculates resolution ratios of the texture to be mapped. A spatial low-pass filter allows the components of lower frequencies of the spatial frequency image data to pass therethrough using a cutoff frequency corresponding to the resolution ratios of the texture. After the filtered spatial frequency image data is processed by inverse spatial transformation, the size thereof is reduced. Thus, a MIP-map image having a predetermined size is obtained.

Abstract: A method and system for representing an arbitrary parametric surface having one or more trimming polylines applied thereto. A quadrilateral mesh coextensive with the parametric surface is generated. The quadrilateral mesh has a plurality of edges and vertices coinciding with the line segments and points of the trimming polylines. In order to generate the quadrilateral mesh, a two-dimensional array of U,V values is defined, wherein points in the array are adjusted to include the points of the trimming polylines. After all of the points needing adjustment are adjusted, the points in the array are evaluated, thereby creating geometric coordinate values for each point in the array.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing a mesh representation of an arbitrarily shaped object, for applications such as finite element analysis. The method includes the identifying elements of a mesh, such as a tetrahedral mesh, which are suitable, based on predetermined criteria, for merging into one of a predetermined set of target elements. For instance, if the predetermined set of target elements includes pentahedra and hexahedra, and the method operates on a tetrahedral mesh, then tetrahedra of the mesh are identified based on known ways of decomposing the target elements into tetrahedra. The groups of tetrahedra are identified based on whether they share faces in common, and whether they have faces which share a common edge and which are either coplanar or have an angle between the faces which satisfies a predetermined condition. The latter faces are referred to as quadrilateral pairs. A graph representation of the mesh is used, preferably including nodes representing regions of the mesh (i.e.

Abstract: A technique for providing routing of various multimedia events throughout the course of a multimedia presentation using a computer with a storage and a display. A processor with an attached display, storage and multimedia device builds a component object in the storage of the processor for managing the multimedia device including at least one port for exchanging multimedia information. The processor includes a connection object for connecting the at least one port to the multimedia device to facilitate the exchange of multimedia information and the processor routes information between the multimedia device and the component object port. A list of component objects are stored in the storage and current status for each of the components in the list is also stored. Then, when a multimedia player is invoked, a test is performed on each of the components in the list, and their associated multimedia devices, to determine what aspects of the multimedia presentation can be run.

Abstract: A data processing system utilizes the controlled output of complex forms in one of several different output devices without separate re-engineering of the form specification file. The system iteratively qualifies the form objects in the form file, modifying all objects that are not supported by the designated output device driver. A separate output control file is created with the support commands necessary to implement the form in a desktop, centralized, or production output format. In a separate aspect, the same form structure includes datablock locations permitting electronic completion and fill of selected entries. In this manner, the form can be ported to various locations for data collection and conformation without the existence of hardcopy versions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus determine a line that passes through a set of rectangular, axial boxes defined by vertices in n-dimensional space in O(n) time using linear programming methods to obtain solutions, if they exist. The line is easily converted to a parametric representation by a suitable change of variables and is displayed in a two-dimensional representation. The method and apparatus are especially suited to the digital computer representation of objects as boxes and the problem of finding a line-of-sight through the boxes.