Abstract: The CRT visual system within an aircraft flight simulator receives flight data from a flight simulation computer, and polygon face terrain data from a gaming area data base. The vertices of each polygon face are defined by three object position coordinates. A perspective relationship is maintained between the vertices as the observer changes course in the training flight. The position of each face vertex on the CRT display is determined by two display coordinates. A separate miniraster is constructed for each face based on the position of the vertices. The set of spaced scan lines of progressively increasing and decreasing length thus provided systematically fill in the face area outlined by the face vertices. The vertical position of each vertex will normally not coincide exactly with a scan line, but will fall somewhere between two adjacent scan lines. The endpoint of the scan line subsequent to each vertex must be properly proportioned to accurately position the subsequent edge.

Abstract: The visual system within an aircraft flight simulation system receives flight data from a flight simulation computer, and terrain data from a gaming area data base. A computer within the visual system organizes this image data in a buffer memory according to a particular format, and forwards the image data to an image processor. The following types of data are formatted and processed:Position vectors, defining the changing position of the aircraft with respect to the origin of the terrain coordinate system.Rotational data, defining the changing attitude of the aircraft with respect to the terrain coordinate system.Initialization vectors, defining the position of the landmark points within the terrain coordinate system. The landmark points are translated into the aircraft coordinate system to form translated vectors.Delta data, defining the position of other points, lines, and faces with respect to the landmark points.CIF data, defining color, intensity, defocus, etc.

Abstract: The visual system within an aircraft flight simulator receives flight data from a flight simulation computer, and polygon face terrain data from a gaming area data base. The visual system computer organizes this image data into the prescribed format, and forwards the image data to an image processor. The following types of data are included in the format:Position vectors (Vp), defining the changing position of the aircraft with respect to the origin of the terrain coordinate system.Rotational data (H matrix), defining the changing attitude of the aircraft with respect to the terrain coordinate system.Cif data, defining color, intensity, defocus, etc. of individual faces.Variable resolution data (Var Res) defining the scan line density (vertical display resolution) for each polygon face is included in the CIF data.The vertices of each face pass through the image processor as a unit.

Abstract: A night visual aircraft system receives flight data from an aircraft simulator, and ground light data from the gaming area data base. A computer within the night visual system organizes this image data by frame in a buffer memory according to a particular format of addresses, sequences, and bit places. The following types of image data are uniquely positioned in the format:A position vector (Vp), defining the changing position of the aircraft with respect to the terrain data origin.Rotational matrix data defining the changing attitude of the aircraft with respect to the axes of the terrain coordinate system.Light source position data defining the position of terrain lights with respect to the origin of the terrain data.Cif data, defining the direction, color, intensity, option code, and defocus (size) of individual lights.

Abstract: A night visual aircraft system receives flight data from an aircraft simulator, and terrain data from the gaming area data base. A computer within the night visual system organizes this image data by frame in a buffer memory according to a particular format of addresses, sequences, and bit places. The following types of image data are uniquely positioned in the format:A position vector (Vp), defining the changing position of the aircraft with respct to the terrain data origin.Rotational matrix data defining the changing attitude of the aircraft with respect to the axes of the terrain coordinate system.Initialization vectors (Vi), defining the position of certain landmark terrain lights (initial points) with respect to the position of the aircraft.Delta data, defining the position of other lights with respect to the landmark lights.String data, defining the spacing, color, intensity, and number of lights in a string of lights having equal spacing and intensity.