Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Three-dimension
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-09
2004-05-11
Nguyen, Phu K. (Department: 2671)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Three-dimension
Reexamination Certificate
active
06734854
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing method for synthesizing a second image real timely generated in a first image generated in advance, such as a background image, during game or simulation progression, and more particularly, to an image processing method and a storage medium for storing an image processing programs whereby a more realistic image can be generated by giving operators an impression of depth to the first image without increasing times of calculation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image processing technology for synthesizing an image of object generated in real time in a pre-generated background image is widely used in simulation devices and game devices. The pre-generated image means a non-moving picture or moving picture generated by a computer graphics technique, movie picture, an image generated by animation or the like, for example. Since it takes much time to calculate for generating these images in real time by a computer, a pre-generated static or frame image is recorded and employed as a texture of background polygon.
That will be now explained in an example of computer graphics. For generating a background image in advance, a background picture is modeled by employing a computer, and the modeled data is subject to a rendering process so as to generate color data in each pixel of static picture, at first. The color data is recorded in a texture buffer of an image processing device as texture data, and the texture data recorded in the texture buffer is drawn as color data for the background polygon, which is one of plain polygons. A background image including plural objects, such as buildings, trees, or mountains, can be treated as one polygon, thus it makes possible to reduce the calculation time extensively.
However, in the above-described method, when synthesizing objects, which move in real time, to the background image, the objects are synthesized on the background image. Therefore, the synthesized image lacks the impression of depth and distance.
FIGS. 1A
to
1
D are explanatory diagrams of the above-described conventional problems of synthesized image.
FIG. 1A
shows an example of pre-generated background image. In the example, two buildings B
1
and B
2
are arranged along a depth direction in a display screen.
FIG. 1B
shows an example of image of real timely generated object. In
FIG. 1B
, a building B
3
, which is slightly on a right side from a center, is placed between the buildings B
1
and B
2
.
FIG. 1C
shows an image obtained by synthesizing the background image shown in FIG.
1
A and the image of object shown in
FIG. 1B
according to the conventional method.
Since the background image is processed as one plain polygon according to the conventional method, there is no depth in screen in the image. Therefore, in the conventional method, the real timely generated object B
3
including a depth value (Z value) is simply synthesized on the background image. Then, the conventional synthesized image shown in
FIG. 1C
has no impression of depth, and therefore, the building B
3
is positioned in front of the building B
1
, thus the synthesized image is much different from a real image.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing method wherein the real timely generated object B
3
can be synchronized between the buildings B
1
and B
2
in the background image, as shown by a synthesized image in FIG.
1
D.
It is possible to imitatively generate a synthesized image as shown in
FIG. 1D
by processing the objects B
1
and B
2
in the background image, each having a different depth value, as different plain polygons, even in the conventional method. However, the use of conventional method means that all of plural objects in the background image are processed by different plain polygons, such process results in a longer computer calculation time, and therefore, the conventional method can not be used because it is not suitable for a real time image processing. The present invention rigidly has a condition that calculation times for the background image are reduced by treating the background image as one or few plain polygons. The object of the present invention is to give an impression of distance to the synthesized image, when the real timely generated object is synthesized to the background image under such condition.
FIG. 2
shows an explanation diagram of the conventional problem of the synthesized image. In the example of
FIG. 2
, a wall W
1
is foremost, a wall
2
is rearmost, and a wall W
3
, which extends along a depth direction connecting to these walls W
1
and W
2
, is further arranged in a display screen
10
. A tunnel T
1
is formed on the wall W
3
. In the above-described conventional method, it is impossible to generate a synthesized image such that a real timely synthesized movable object OB
1
, such as a car, enters the tunnel T
1
on the wall W
3
. In other words, it is impossible to generate an image such that the polygon of the other object enters into a plain polygon (W
3
), if the background image W
3
is treated as one plain polygon and a uniform depth value, e.g., an infinite value, is given to the plain polygon. Additionally, even if the walls W
1
, W
2
and W
3
are processed in respective plain polygons, it is impossible to synthesize the real timely generated object OB
1
entered in the wall W
3
, if the uniform depth value is given to the plain polygon for the wall W
3
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing method wherein it is possible to synthesize such that a real timely generated object OB
1
is entered in a background image formed of walls W
1
, W
2
, W
3
, and a tunnel T
1
, as shown in FIG.
2
.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an image processing method wherein when synthesizing a real timely generated image in a pre-generated image, the image can be synthesized to the pre-generated image with giving an impression of depth, without increasing loads to image processing, and to provide a storage medium storing the image processing program.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an image processing method wherein when synthesizing a real timely generated image in a pre-generated image, the real timely generated image can be synthesized as entering at a certain portion along a depth direction in the pre-generated image, without increasing loads to image processing, and to provide a storage medium storing the image processing program.
It is a furthermore object of the present invention to provide an image processing method wherein a pre-generated image is arranged on an optional position in a screen, and further, a real timely generated image can be synthesized in the screen with giving an impression of distance or as the image enters at a certain position along a depth direction in the pre-generated image, and to provide a storage medium storing the image processing program.
To achieve the above-described objects, in the present invention, image data of a pre-generated image, such as a background image, includes image data, which is texture data or color data, and Z data indicating a depth in a screen. Then, the data of the pre-generated image like a background image is recorded on a storage medium in advance. The Z data of real timely generated image is compared with the Z data of the background image, and the image data, which is foremost in the screen, is written in a frame buffer. It becomes possible to synthesize the image of real timely generated object in the background image with giving an impression of depth or distance by adding the Z data to the data of pre-generated image.
To achieve the above-described objects, in the present invention, an image processing method for synthesizing a pre-generated first image with a real-timely generated second image, wherein texture data and texture Z data indicating a depth in a screen are pre-generated in a predetermined pixel unit as
Dickstein , Shapiro, Morin & Oshinsky, LLP
Nguyen Phu K.
Sega Enterprises Ltd.
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