Abstract: In a system that uses tile-based road network rendering for displaying map information to a user, a tile is rendered for display by rendering a tile 10 by using a first texture comprising one or more map features to be displayed for the tile of the map in combination with a second texture to apply a texture to a graphics primitive or primitives representing the tile such that at least one map feature 11, such as a water feature, being displayed on the tile 10 is bordered by a border region 24 that represents a border to that map feature. In this way, a more visually appealing depiction of the map feature 11 can be achieved.

Abstract: A digital signal processor 1 is provided for performing digital image processing operations such as forward texture mapping. A first logic unit 21 receives input sample coordinates xr and xl, and determines a first color weight value “w” and a second color weight value “wN”. A second logic unit 23 weights an input sample color with the color weight value wN, with the resultant weighted sample color being added to accumulated weighted sample colors from one or more previous iterations, thereby producing a new accumulated weighted sample color, ie the rgbaPartOut signal 13. A third logic unit 25 is configured to weight the input sample color with the first color weight value w, with the resultant weighted sample color being added to the accumulated weighted sample colors rgbaPartIn to produce the output color signal rgbaOut 11.

Abstract: In a system that uses tile-based road network rendering for displaying map information to a user, a tile is rendered for display by rendering a tile 10 by using a first texture comprising one or more map features to be displayed for the tile of the map in combination with a second texture to apply a texture to a graphics primitive or primitives representing the tile such that at least one map feature 11, such as a water feature, being displayed on the tile 10 is bordered by a border region 24 that represents a border to that map feature. In this way, a more visually appealing depiction of the map feature 11 can be achieved.

Abstract: Therefore, a computer graphics processor with a forward mapping renderer is provided. The renderer comprises a texture space rasterizer (TS) for rasterizing a primitive in texture space, a color generating unit (PS) for determining the color of the output of the texture space rasterizer (TS) and for forwarding a color sample along with coordinates, a 2 pass screen space resampler (SSR1, SSR2) for resampling the color sample determined by the color generating unit (PS), and at least one one-dimensional blur filter unit (1PB, 2PB) associated to at least one pass of said screen space resampler (SSR1, SSR2) for performing a one-dimensional filtering before performing said at least one pass.

Abstract: A graphics system for tile-by-tile converting of vertex data into output images for displaying on a screen. The vertex data represents objects by a set of polygons and comprises 3D space coordinates for each vertex (q1, q2, . . . , q12) in the image. A polygon is constituted of at least three vertices (q1, q2, . . . , q12). The system comprises a tile processor, for subdividing the image into a plurality of tiles (t21, 22, t23) and for determining polygon strips (q1-q12), comprising a sequence of polygons. The tile processor is also operative to determine sub-strips (q3-q10) for each polygon strip (q1-q12). Each sub-strip (q3-q10) comprises those polygons of the polygon strip (q1-q12) which at least partly overlap a single one of the tiles (t21, 22, t23). For processing a tile (t21, 22, t23), only the sub-strips (q3-q10), i.e. the polygons covering that tile (t21, 22, t23), have to be processed.

Abstract: A data processing circuit has a programmable processor (12a, b) with an instruction set that comprises an new type of instruction. This instruction has a first operand that refers to a string of bits, and a second operand that refers to a position in that string of bits. The programmable processor (12a, b) is arranged to execute this type of instruction by returning, as a result, a code that is indicative of a count of a number of bits that occurs from said position in the string of bits until the string of bits from said position deviates from a predetermined bit pattern. The instruction is particularly useful for use in programs that perform variable length decoding and/or decoding.

Abstract: A digital signal processor 1 is provided for performing digital image processing operations such as forward texture mapping. A first logic unit 21 receives input sample coordinates xr and xl, and determines a first colour weight value “w” and a second colour weight value “wN”. A second logic unit 23 weights an input sample colour with the colour weight value wN, with the resultant weighted sample colour being added to accumulated weighted sample colours from one or more previous iterations, thereby producing a new accumulated weighted sample colour, ie the rgbaPartOut signal 13. A third logic unit 25 is configured to weight the input sample colour with the first colour weight value w, with the resultant weighted sample colour being added to the accumulated weighted sample colours rgbaPartIn to produce the output colour signal rgbaOut 11.

Abstract: An apparatus for mapping primitives of a 3D graphics model from a texture space to a screen space. The apparatus includes a texture memory for storing texture maps. A resampler resamples, for each primitive, data from a texture map that corresponds to the primitive to corresponding pixel data defining a portion of a display image that corresponds to the primitive. The texture space resampler and/or the screen space resampler is operative to select a resampling algorithm for performing the resampling from a respective set of at least two distinct resampling algorithms. The selection is done in dependence on a size of the primitive.

Abstract: A computer graphics processor is described comprising a model information providing unit (210) for providing information representing a set of graphics primitives, a rasterizer (227) capable of generating a first sequence of coordinates which coincide with a base grid associated with the primitive, a color generator (235) for assigning a color to said first sequence of coordinates, and a display space resampler (245) for resampling the color assigned by the color generator in the base grid for coordinates u,v to a representation in a grid associated with a display with coordinates x,y, in a first and a second transformation. The transformation is carried out in a first and a second pass, and optionally includes a transposition. The order of the passes and the decision to apply a transposition or not is based on an evaluation of the partial derivatives formula (I) two of which determine shear and two of which determine scaling in the transformations.

Abstract: A data processing circuit has a programmable processor (12a, b) with an instruction set that comprises an new type of instruction. This instruction has a first operand that refers to a string of bits, and a second operand that refers to a position in that string of bits. The programmable processor (12a, b) is arranged to execute this type of instruction by returning, as a result, a code that is indicative of a count of a number of bits that occurs from said position in the string of bits until the string of bits from said position deviates from a predetermined bit pattern. The instruction is particularly useful for use in programs that perform variable length decoding and/or decoding.

Abstract: A graphics system for tile-by-tile converting of vertex data into output images for displaying on a screen. The vertex data represents objects by a set of polygons and comprises 3D space coordinates for each vertex (q1,q2, . . . ,q12) in the image. A polygon is constituted of at least three vertices (q1,q2, . . . ,q12). The system comprises a tile processor, for subdividing the image into a plurality of tiles (t21,22,t23) and for determining polygon strips (q1-q12), comprising a sequence of polygons. The tile processor is also operative to determine sub-strips (q3-q10) for each polygon strip (q1-q12). Each sub-strip (q3-q10) comprises those polygons of the polygon strip (q1-q12) which at least partly overlap a single one of the tiles (t21,22,t23). For processing a tile (t21,22,t23), only the sub-strips (q3-q10), i.e. the polygons covering that tile (t21,22,t23), have to be processed.

Abstract: Therefore, a computer graphics processor with a forward mapping renderer is provided. The renderer comprises a texture space rasterizer (TS) for rasterizing a primitive in texture space, a color generating unit (PS) for determining the color of the output of the texture space rasterizer (TS) and for forwarding a color sample along with coordinates, a 2 pass screen space resampler (SSRI, SSR2) for resampling the color sample determined by the color generating unit (PS), and at least one one-dimensional blur filter unit (1PB, 2PB) associated to at least one pass of said screen space resampler (SSR1, SSR2) for performing a one-dimensional filtering before performing said at least one pass.

Abstract: In a method of generating motion blur in a 3D-graphics system, geometrical information (GI) defining a shape of a graphics primitive (GP) is received (RSS; RTS) from a 3D-application. A displacement vector (SDV; TDV) defining a direction of motion of the graphics primitive (GP) is also received from the 3D-application or is determined from the geometrical information. The graphics primitive (GP) is sampled (RSS; RTS) in the direction indicated by the displacement vector to obtain input samples (RPi), and an one dimensional spatial filtering (ODF) is performed on the input samples (RPi) to obtain temporal prefiltering.

Abstract: A computer graphics processor having a renderer for rendering N views of 3D scenes is provided. Said renderer comprising a rasterizer SSR for transversing a surface grid over a surface of primitives of said 3D scenes for all N views. Furthermore, said renderer comprises a shader means PPS for determining a color of the output of the rasteriser SS and forwarding a shaded color sample along with its screen coordinates, and N screen space resamplers SSR each for resampling the shaded color sample determined by said shader means PPS according to one of the N views. This is much more efficient, because the surface traversal, texture fetching and shading computations are only performed once for the N different views. The resulting shaded colors are reused for all views. Additionally, the ability to traverse any grid over the surface of the primitive provides more rendering freedom.

Abstract: An apparatus for mapping primitives of a 3D graphics model from a texture space to a screen space. The apparatus includes a texture memory (134) for storing texture maps. A resampler (132, 140) resamples, for each primitive, data from a texture map that corresponds to the primitive to corresponding pixel data defining a portion of a display image that corresponds to the primitive. The texture space resampler (132) and/or the screen space resampler (140) is operative to select a resampling algorithm for performing the resampling from a respective set of at least two distinct resampling algorithms. The selection is done in dependence on a size of the primitive.

Abstract: A computer graphics processor is described comprising a model information providing unit (210) for providing information representing a set of graphics primitives, a rasterizer (227) capable of generating a first sequence of coordinates which coincide with a base grid associated with the primitive, a color generator (235) for assigning a color to said first sequence of coordinates, and a display space resampler (245) for resampling the color assigned by the color generator in the base grid for coordinates u,v to a representation in a grid associated with a display with coordinates x,y, in a first and a second transformation. The transformation is carried out in a first and a second pass, and optionally includes a transposition. The order of the passes and the decision to apply a transposition or not is based on an evaluation of the partial derivatives formula (I) two of which determine shear and two of which determine scaling in the transformations.

Abstract: A computer graphics system according to the invention comprises a model information providing unit (MIU), a rasterizer (RU), MIU a color generator, and a display space resampler (DSR). The model information providing unit (MIU) provides information representing a set of graphics primitives, the information comprising at least geometrical information defining a shape of the RU primitives and appearance information defining an appearance of the primitives. The rasterizer (RU) is capable of generating a first sequence of coordinates ((u1,v1)) which coincide with a base grid associated with the primitive, and capable of generating one or more sequences of interpolated values associated with the first sequence comprising a second sequence of coordinates ((u2,v2)) for adressing samples of a texture (T2). The color generator assigns a color (Cu,v) to said first sequence of coordinates using said appearance information, and comprises a texture data unit (TDU), a texture space resampler (TSR) and a shading unit (SU).

Abstract: In a method of generating motion blur in a 3D-graphics system, geometrical information (GI) defining a shape of a graphics primitive (GP) is received (RSS; RTS) from a 3D-application. A displacement vector (SDV; TDV) defining a direction of motion of the graphics primitive (GP) is also received from the 3D-application or is determined from the geometrical information. The graphics primitive (GP) is sampled (RSS; RTS) in the direction indicated by the displacement vector to obtain input samples (RPi), and an one dimensional spatial filtering (ODF) is performed on the input samples (RPi) to obtain temporal prefiltering.

Abstract: A computer graphics includes a texture memory (134) storing texture maps in a mipmap structure, texels in a texture map being specified by a pair of u and v coordinates. A rasterizer (120) determines for a texel (u, v) corresponding initial 4D mipmap levels (mmlu, mmlv) and a magnification factor representing a magnification that occurs when the texel is mapped to a corresponding pixel position on the display. It then determines final 4D mipmap levels in dependence on the determined initial 4D mipmap levels mmlu, mmlv, and the magnification factor. A texture space resampler (132) obtains texture data from a texture map identified by the pair off final 4D mipmap levels. A texture mapper (140) maps the obtained texture data to corresponding pixel data defining the display image.

Abstract: Spatial transformation of an input image array of first sampled signals to an output image array of second sampled signals is executed by for each second sampled signal accumulating a finite set of products that are each generated by implementing a filter transform function value, times the various applicable ones of said first sampled signals. In particular, the method is applied to steplessly variable sample-rate-conversion used in a two-pass forward mapping procedure for in a three-dimensional graphics pipeline effecting texture mapping.