Abstract: An improved method and system for generating real-time anti-aliased polygon images is disclosed. Fixed orientation multipixel structures contain multiple regions, each with independent color and depth value, and an edge position. Regions are constructed for polygon edge pixels which are then merged with current region values, producing new multipixel structures. Multipixel structures are compressed to single color values before the pixel buffer is displayed.

Abstract: An improved method and system for generating real-time anti-aliased polygon images is disclosed. Fixed orientation multipixel structures contain multiple regions, each with independent color and depth value, and an edge position. Regions are constructed for polygon edge pixels which are then merged with current region values, producing new multipixel structures. Multipixel structures are compressed to single color values before the pixel buffer is displayed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of simulating the physical dynamics of a predetermined set of objects that are part of a computer/video game. The objects are connected to each other at one or more respective links. The method of the invention includes the step of grouping a first and a second object in the predetermined set of objects to define a first binary object. A solution for the physical dynamics of the objects in the first binary object at a first link is solved. A third object is grouped to the first binary object to define a second binary object. The third object has at least one link to the first binary object thereby defining a second link. A solution for the physical dynamics of the objects in the second binary object at the second link is solved. Additional objects are recursively grouped to create additional binary objects and the physical dynamics of the additional binary objects is solved.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for shading polygons in a graphics rendering system is provided. The method includes the step of providing, for each polygon to be shaded, a polygon coordinate system defined by three normalized vectors which represent the X, Y and Z axes. A light source defining a three dimensional light direction vector is further provided. The three dimensional light vector is rotated to correspond with the polygon direction vector. The rotated three dimensional light vector is converted into a two dimensional-vector whose length is proportional to the angle between the polygon Z vector and the light direction vector. Another aspect of the present invention involves the interpolation of two dimensional vertex angle values, provided for each of the polygon's vertices, at each drawn pixel within the polygon surface. A bump map vector value is added to the interpolated vertex value forming a two dimensional composite surface angle vector.

Abstract: A programmable hardware per-pixel shading device for use in real-time 3D graphics applications containing additional asynchronous hardware units to assist in real-time per-pixel lighting. The standard programmable shading unit contains hardware for execution of a user-defined sequence of texture lookup and color blend operations. Programmable shader is assisted by a Vector Generation Unit responsible for generating normalized shading vectors and providing said vectors for use within said programmable shading unit. One or more Vector Shading Units operate in parallel with the programmable shading unit providing hardware accelerated lighting/color calculations and making results available for use in the programmable shading unit.