Volumetric effects pixel processing
US5339386A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 8, 1991 |
| Grant date | Aug 16, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 8, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T15/503
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In a real time image generation system opaque or planar object pixels are defined by at least a color attribute and a depth value and volumetric pixels are defined by at least a color attribute, a depth value and an opacity gradient value. A volumetric data buffer is provided for storing attributes and values associated with volumetric pixels and the volumetric items are processed first to load that buffer. Successive object pixel definitions are then read and the depth value of each current object pixel definition is compared with the depth value in the buffer and a relative weight for the volumetric effect is calculated as a function of the relative depth values and the corresponding volume gradient value. The color attributes of the object pixel and the volumetric data are then mixed as a function of the relative weighting to obtain a result color attribute which is output as the color for the respective pixel.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.