Abstract: A computer graphics system efficiently implements a pixel zoom function. The graphics system includes a rasterizer designed to define a new zoomed (enlarged or reduced) raster image of a region in an original raster image having pixels defined in a coordinate system with orthogonal first and second axes (x,y), the region comprising a plurality of original pixels. The region to be zoomed can be modified differently along its x, y axes. In other words, the region may be enlarged (positive zoom) along one axis, while reduced (negative zoom) along the other axis, or either enlarged or reduced by different magnitudes (zoomX, zoomY) along the x, y axes. Furthermore, the zoom magnitudes may be integers (integer zoomX, integer zoomY) or floating point numbers (float zoomX, float zoomY).

Abstract: A computer graphics system efficiently implements a pixel zoom function. The graphics system includes a rasterizer designed to define a new zoomed (enlarged or reduced) raster image of a region in an original raster image having pixels defined in a coordinate system with orthogonal first and second axes (x,y), the region comprising a plurality of original pixels. The region to be zoomed can be modified differently along its x, y axes. In other words, the region may be enlarged (positive zoom) along one axis, while reduced (negative zoom) along the other axis, or either enlarged or reduced by different magnitudes (zoomX, zoomY) along the x, y axes. Furthermore, the zoom magnitudes may be integers (integer zoomX, integer zoomY) or floating point numbers (float zoomX, float zoomY).

Abstract: A computer graphics system efficiently implements a pixel zoom function. The graphics system includes a rasterizer designed to define a new zoomed (enlarged or reduced) raster image of a region in an original raster image having pixels defined in a coordinate system with orthogonal first and second axes (x,y), the region comprising a plurality of original pixels. The region to be zoomed can be modified differently along its x, y axes. In other words, the region may be enlarged (positive zoom) along one axis, while reduced (negative zoom) along the other axis, or either enlarged or reduced by different magnitudes (zoomX, zoomY) along the x, y axes. Furthermore, the zoom magnitudes may be integers (integer zoomX, integer zoomY) or floating point numbers (float zoomX, float zoomY).

Abstract: A high precision, memory efficient method for the compression of surface normals into quantized normals and the inverse method for the expansion of those quantized surface normals back into surface normals. The surface of a three dimensional figure is conceptually divided into small areas, and the effective surface normal for each of these areas is related to the surface normal of a unit sphere tessellated into a similar number of small areas or tiles. A quantized normal is defined to be the tile number on the surface of the unit sphere. For a particular three dimensional figure, instead of storing surface unit normal values of {X,Y,Z} for each coordinate, the quantized surface normal value (i.e., the tile number) is stored. Thus, for a surface normal expressed in Cartesian coordinates, a compression ratio of 6:1 is possible depending upon the memory required to store real and integer values and the desired accuracy.

Abstract: A high precision, memory efficient method for the compression of surface normals into quantized normals and the inverse method for the expansion of those quantized surface normals back into surface normals. The surface of a three dimensional figure is conceptually divided into small areas, and the effective surface normal for each of these areas is related to the surface normal of a unit sphere tessellated into a similar number of small areas or tiles. A quantized normal is defined to be the tile number on the surface of the unit sphere. For a particular three dimensional figure, instead of storing surface unit normal values of {X,Y,Z} for each coordinate, the quantized surface normal value (i.e., the tile number) is stored. Thus, for a surface normal expressed in Cartesian coordinates, a compression ratio of 6:1 is possible depending upon the memory required to store real and integer values and the desired accuracy.

Abstract: A gradient calculation system efficiently calculates precise gradients for planar surfaces of primitives in computer graphics systems using exact closed form solutions. The system is particularly suited for calculating gradients to enable selection of an appropriate texture map resolution in a texture mapping system. In architecture, the gradient calculation system can be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination thereof, and is more particularly implemented as follows. A texture mapping system is provided with a plurality of MIP maps with different texel resolutions. A gradient calculation system associated with the texture mapping system computes texel gradients relative to a pixel of a primitive using closed form equations that result in exact gradients. MIP map selection logic associated with the texture mapping system selects an appropriate MIP map for the pixel from the plurality of MIP maps based upon the calculated exact gradients.

Abstract: Disclosed is an autonomous rendezvous and docking system and method therefor used for the rendezvous and docking of spacecraft. The autonomous rendezvous and docking system allows spacecraft rendezvous, proximity maneuvering, and docking between a chase spacecraft and a target spacecraft by determining the relative position between the two spacecrafts. The relative position is determined based on the location of target reflections from a reflective target positioned on the target spacecraft. The target reflections are identified by intensity, shape, size and location from various other spurious reflections. This ultimately allows the autonomous rendezvous and docking system to determine the x, y, z, roll, pitch and yaw positions of the target spacecraft in relation to the chase spacecraft.