Patent
1993-08-13
1996-12-03
Zimmerman, Mark K.
395507, G06T 1550
Patent
active
055816746
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image display system for use in a graphic display system, and more particularly, to an image display system in for use a graphic display system in which images having different luminance levels are stored in a main memory and in which such images are displayed on a graphic display.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Computer graphic display systems are used in various fields. These graphic display systems typically employ a CPU serving as a control unit to provide and process various instructions, an image memory (VRAM) for temporarily storing image data, a main memory for storing image data and other data, a CRT serving as a display unit, and an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse.
When displaying images, it is necessary to store a large quantity of image data in a minimum space in the main memory, and to effectively use the capacity of the main memory. It is also necessary to provide a method of reading the stored images, speedily displaying them on the display unit, and transforming the images as required at high to other devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an image display system for use in a graphic display system that stores a luminance-position distribution of image data according to the shape of an image in a minimum memory space, and displays and transforms the image at high speed.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image display system that stores a luminance-position distribution according to the shape of an image in a minimum memory space, and displays and transforms the image at high speed.
According to the present invention, a graphic display system includes a display unit, a main memory 3 for storing graphic data, and a controller 3 for controlling the processing and transferring of data between the display unit and the memory.
The main memory includes: an image by two sides that are two contour lines having the same luminance and another two sides connecting the ends of the contour lines. The main memory also includes an interpolation region for storing data for interpolating the luminance of each of the unit images a transformation and of a vertex of each of the unit images so as to provide a transformed image.
When displaying an image on the display unit, data is read out of the interpolation region and each of the unit images is interpolated by gradually increasing the luminance thereof from one contour line toward the other according to the data. At the same time, data is read out of the transformation region, and the coordinates of a vertex of each unit image are shifted according to a transformation formula, to transform the unit image.
Each of the unit images is a triangle or a quadrangle. Interpolation by gradually increasing of the luminance of each unit image from one contour line toward the other is carried out using dither patterns. Transformation formulae used for transforming an image are linear transformation operators based on a matrix.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows essential parts of a standard graphic display system according to the prior art.
FIG. 2 explains a matrix of pixels in a main memory;
FIG. 3 is a flowchart which shows image data processes according to the prior art;
FIG. 4 shows essential parts of a main memory according to the present invention;
FIG. 5 explains luminance contour lines according to the present invention;
FIG. 6 explains one of the unit images shown in FIG. 6 as divided into sections;
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing processes of painting an image;
FIG. 8 which shows the examples for dither patterns used for interpolation;
FIG. 9 shows a region divided into sections; and
FIG. 10 explains transformation of an image.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Before explaining embodiments of the present invention, a prior art and the problems thereof will be explained with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows the essential parts of a graphic display system according to the prior art iden
REFERENCES:
patent: 5029225 (1991-07-01), Ueda
patent: 5070394 (1991-12-01), Kobayashi
Pratt, William, "Digital Image Processing", John Wiley and Sons, 2ed, 1991, pp. 597-611.
Foley, James D., et al, Computer Graphics: Principles and Practices, Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., 2nd ed., 1990, pp. 598-600 and 734-741.
Buchel Rudolph
PFU Limited
Zimmerman Mark K.
LandOfFree
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