Computer graphics system with adaptive pixel multisampler
US5818456A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 30, 1996 |
| Grant date | Oct 6, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 30, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T15/503
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An adaptive pixel multisampler generates pixel data for display using an interlocking sub-pixel sampling pattern and a frame buffer organized as a per-polygon, per-pixel heap. The interlocking sampling pattern provides the advantages of a multi-pixel shaped filter without pixel-to-pixel cross communication and without additional sub-pixels. The per-polygon, per-pixel heap allocates frame buffer memory so that each pixel will have one set of data stored in the frame buffer for every polygon that influences that pixel. This memory allocation scheme can significantly reduce frame buffer memory requirements. The polygon data is blended to properly handle processing of transparent polygons and polygon edges without the degradation of image quality found in conventional computer graphics systems.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.