Patent · US Expired

Computer graphics system with adaptive pixel multisampler

US5943060A · kind A · utility

53Cited by
11References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 17, 1998
Grant dateAug 24, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 17, 2018

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 by using sub-pixel areas to more broadly define the space of a pixel. A sub-pixel area is defined as having a "hole" within it that is occupied by a portion of each of the adjacent sub-pixel areas. This means that while the sub-pixel areas interlock, they do not overlap which would be wasteful of memory space. Accordingly, a pixel is newly defined as extending over a larger area than a standard contiguous pixel definition of the prior art allows. The larger pixel thus provides a wider sampler area which is then used as a means for generating a higher quality anti-aliased image on the display.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.