Patents by Inventor Kevin M. Olson

Kevin M. Olson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7414635
    Abstract: The optimized primitive filler is used in a computer system, such as a computer system that displays graphic images. A first step of the method it is determined if a primitive is totally outside a predetermined screen region or at least partially within the predetermined screen region. The primitive is then discarded if the primitive is totally outside the screen region. If the primitive is not totally outside the screen region, at least a portion of the primitive is identified that lies within the screen region. Then only those pixels in the portion of the primitive that is inside the screen region are filled. These steps are executed for each primitive of a plurality of primitives that forms a scene of which the screen region is the portion that the computer system displays. No pixels are filled in primitives which are totally outside the screen region, and no pixels are filled in portions of primitives that are outside the screen region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: ATI International SRL
    Inventors: Mark C. Fowler, Kevin M. Olson
  • Patent number: 7126600
    Abstract: A system for traversing and rendering a graphic primitive, comprising a setup engine that outputs representative values of a graphic primitive; and a raster engine that receives the representative values of the graphic primitive and forms therefrom representative pixels, the raster engine having at least a scan module that scans only pixels within the graphic primitive and assigns data values to each of the pixels and a look-ahead module that identifies pixels that are inside of the primitive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: ATI International SRL
    Inventors: Mark C. Fowler, Kevin M. Olson
  • Patent number: 6720964
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing portions of primitives that are being rendered is presented. Primitives that are received are divided into portions that correspond to pixel blocks of the frame. The frame includes a plurality of pixel blocks where each of the pixel blocks includes a plurality of pixels that are included in the frame. Thus, the pixel blocks divide the frame into a number of smaller blocks. A representative Z value for each portion of the primitive is determined, and the representative Z value for the portion of the primitive is compared with a representative buffered Z, which may be the representative buffer Z value for the pixel block to which the portion corresponds. If the representative Z value for the portion compares favorably with the representative buffered Z value such that the portion is determined to lie completely behind the information currently stored for that pixel block, the portion is discarded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: ATI International SRL
    Inventors: Mark C. Fowler, Stephen Morein, Andi Skende, Kevin M. Olson