Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Three-dimension
Patent
1996-10-24
1998-06-09
Zimmerman, Mark K.
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Three-dimension
G06T 1160
Patent
active
057642346
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a trapezoidal partitioning method and apparatus for partitioning the figure of an optical waveguide, which is approximated by a polygon, into trapezoids. More particularly, the invention relates to a trapezoidal partitioning method and apparatus suitable for application to a situation in which data indicative of the figure of an optical waveguide is converted into data having a format suited to a waveguide simulation, namely trapezoid-vertex data, after which this data is output.
BACKGROUND ART
It is not an exaggeration to say that the key to success in future optical communications for a time of more widespread use is how to efficiently develop optical devices and optical circuits with desired characteristics. To this purpose, it is necessary to provide an environment in which design, analysis and measurement/evaluation can be carried out systematically.
In the development of electronic devices and LSIs, such an environment has already been provided and separate, dedicated software for layout design, characteristic analysis and data extraction from prototype circuitry has already been established as a tool. Furthermore, systems have been constructed in which a developer is capable of designing the desired circuitry through an exchange of data with the tool. These systems are flourishing at the present time.
Meanwhile, attempts at simulating optical devices and optical waveguides systematically are also being carried out with vigor in advanced research facilities (see T. P. Young et al., "BEAMER A Design Tool for Integrated Optics", GEC Journal of Research, Vol. 6, No. 3, 1988). Further, easy-to-use individual tool packages for more widespread use of optical circuits have also begun appearing on the market. (For example, see R. Muller-Nawrath and R. Marz, "A Layout Editor for Integrated Optics", 19D2-2, IOOC '89, and M. Filoche et al., "Alcor Version 2.1 User Manual, 1992.)
At present, however, there are few examples which take into consideration the exchange of data with a tool, and tools for designing optical waveguides or tools for analyzing optical waveguides have merely been developed separately. This means, for example, that there is a need for an operation for converting output data from a tool for designing optical waveguides to data suited to a tool for analyzing optical waveguides. As a result, analytical simulation of an optical waveguide circuit of a complicated figure or of large scale is difficult to perform.
FIG. 24 is a general flowchart of optical-waveguide design.
First, the figure of the optical waveguide is put into the form of numerical values and these values are recorded as a data string (step 1). Next, the data string is used to simulate the characteristics of the optical waveguide (step 2). This simulation is repeated. After the desired characteristics are obtained, a photomask pattern is created based upon the data indicative of the figure of the optical waveguide (step 3). Next, a photomask for exposure purposes is created by the photomask pattern (step 4). Finally, the actual optical waveguide is formed using the exposure photomask (step 5).
Usually there are two methods available for creating the data string of step 1. The first method creates the figure of the optical waveguide by manual input. The second method creates the figure of the optical waveguide using a program dedicated to layout (a tool for designing optical waveguides), as described above. Since the simulation of waveguide characteristics at step 2 involves complicated computations, a program for optical-waveguide analysis (a tool for analyzing optical waveguides) is developed and executed by computer, as mentioned above.
With the input method performed manually, the quantity of numerical data indicative of figure is enormous. Consequently, a problem which arises is that the creation and entry of the data string require a major part of the time involved in designing the optical waveguide.
With the method using the program dedicated to layout, the time needed for creati
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Bouda Martin
Goto Masami
Norizuki Masumi
Fujitsu Limited
Zimmerman Mark K.
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