Graphics adapter capable of supporting lighting models from multiple application programming interfaces within a graphics system
US6389485B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 2, 1998 |
| Grant date | May 14, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 2, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T15/506
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A graphics adapter capable of supporting lighting models from multiple Application Programming, Interfaces (APIs) within a graphics system is disclosed. The graphics adapter includes a dot product machine and a control means. The dot product machine can perform geometry computations regardless of the API format in which the graphics data is expressed. The control means is utilized to multiplex between a set of graphics data having a first API format and a set of graphics data having a second API format in order to determine the inputs of the dot product machine. As a result, lighting models from multiple APIs can be supported by a single graphics adapter.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.