Three dimensional graphics processing with pre-sorting of surface portions
US5579454A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 1, 1992 |
| Grant date | Nov 26, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 1, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T15/405
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
To effect hidden surface removal, polygons making up a three dimensional object are initially ordered using a Topological Sort into, for example, three rendering order lists corresponding to orthogonal axis. When the object is to be represented from a given view direction, the view direction is compared to the axis and the rendering list corresponding to the closest match is selected. Polygons are then rendered in list order, backward facing polygons being omitted. Performing the ordering at the polygon level, in an initial step, saves computation and consequently enables the projection and rendering processes to be speeded up to provide real time interactive three dimensional graphics. The Topological Sorting process is particularly computationally effective.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.