Patents by Inventor Michael T. Bunnell

Michael T. Bunnell 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: 7864177
    Abstract: Frames of image data representative of a scene containing deformable geometry are computed for display on a display device. Frame animation data is computed for a series of frames representative, in animated sequence, of a scene containing deformable geometry. The frame animation data includes a control mesh descriptive of the three-dimensional surface of graphical elements occurring within the scene. Based on the frame animation data, respective illumination values are computed for the individual polygons of the control mesh to determine the global illumination of the scene. The computation is performed iteratively utilizing the directional light functionally emitted from source polygons to receiver polygons to determine global illumination. The directional light emitter values are further utilized, in combination with material properties, specular illumination contributions to the global illumination of the receiver polygons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Michael T. Bunnell
  • Patent number: 7681187
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimizing register allocation during scheduling and execution of program code in a hardware environment. The program code can be compiled to optimize execution given predetermined hardware constraints. The hardware constraints can include the number of register read and write operations that can be performed in a given processor pass. The optimizer can initially schedule the program using virtual registers and a goal of minimizing the amount of active registers at any time. The optimizer reschedules the program to assign the virtual registers to actual physical registers in a manner that minimizes the number of processor passes used to execute the program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Michael G. Ludwig, Jayant B. Kolhe, Robert Steven Glanville, Geoffrey C. Berry, Boris Beylin, Michael T. Bunnell
  • Publication number: 20080259081
    Abstract: Frames of image data representative of a scene containing deformable geometry are computed for display on a display device. Frame animation data is computed for a series of frames representative, in animated sequence, of a scene containing deformable geometry. The frame animation data includes a control mesh descriptive of the three-dimensional surface of graphical elements occurring within the scene. Based on the frame animation data, respective illumination values are computed for the individual polygons of the control mesh to determine the global illumination of the scene. The computation is performed iteratively utilizing the directional light functionally emitted from source polygons to receiver polygons to determine global illumination. The directional light emitter values are further utilized, in combination with material properties, specular illumination contributions to the global illumination of the receiver polygons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventor: Michael T. Bunnell
  • Patent number: 7408550
    Abstract: Frames of image data representative of a scene containing deformable geometry subject to global illumination are computed in real-time. Frame animation data is computed for a series of frames representative, in animated sequence, of a scene containing deformable geometry. The frame animation data includes vertex attributes of a control mesh descriptive of the three dimensional surface of graphical elements occurring within the scene. Based on the frame animation data, respective illumination values are computed for the individual polygons of the control mesh to determine the global illumination of the scene. The computation is performed iteratively with respect to each frame set of frame animation data until a qualified convergence of global illumination is achieved. Within each iteration, the respective illumination values are determined based on the frame-to-frame coherent polygon illumination values determined in a prior iteration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Inventor: Michael T. Bunnell
  • Publication number: 20080018647
    Abstract: Frames of image data representative of a scene containing deformable geometry subject to global illumination are computed in real-time. Frame animation data is computed for a series of frames representative, in animated sequence, of a scene containing deformable geometry. The frame animation data includes vertex attributes of a control mesh descriptive of the three dimensional surface of graphical elements occurring within the scene. Based on the frame animation data, respective illumination values are computed for the individual polygons of the control mesh to determine the global illumination of the scene. The computation is performed iteratively with respect to each frame set of frame animation data until a qualified convergence of global illumination is achieved. Within each iteration, the respective illumination values are determined based on the frame-to-frame coherent polygon illumination values determined in a prior iteration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Inventor: Michael T. Bunnell