Pre-blending textures

Details Pre-blending textures Pre-blending textures

2000-09-26

2003-12-23

Luu, Matthew (Department: 2672)

Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system

Computer graphics processing

Attributes

C345S586000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06667746

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND
The invention relates to graphics data processing for displayed video images. In particular, this invention relates to blending texture information for displayed video images.
A typical video display system
20
is shown in FIG.
1
. The system
20
has a microprocessor
21
for processing data. Input devices
22
, such as a keyboard and mouse, provide input data to the system
20
. A system memory
23
stores data, such as the operating system and software applications. A display engine
28
processes image data and a frame buffer
29
stores image frames prior to display on the video monitor
30
.
One approach is shown in
FIG. 2
for displaying a three dimensional (3D) object on a display screen (step
40
). The 3D object is converted into graphics primitives (step
41
). A primitive is a geometric shape, such as a triangle, sphere, polygon, etc. For a typical object, most of the primitives are triangles. This image processing for the 3D object is performed by the microprocessor
21
using a 3D graphics application, typically using an adaptive port interface (API) and a standard 3D graphics library. The graphics application and library are stored in the system memory
23
. After the 3D object is converted into primitives, the primitives are sent to the display engine
28
for further processing (step
42
) prior to display on the display screen (step
43
).
FIG. 3
illustrates how a pixel
60
at location (x,y) of a primitive is generated on a display screen
30
. Surface direction coordinates (u,v)
62
associated with the vertices of the primitive which the pixel resides are used to add shape to the displayed primitive. Vertex texture coordinates, such as (s
1
,t
1
)
66
, (s
2
,t
2
)
68
and (s
3
,t
3
)
70
, are used to add texture to the primitive. Each texture coordinate
66
,
68
,
70
is associated with a texture map
67
,
69
,
71
. A bump map
73
indicates the unevenness of the primitive surface. To generate the pixel, the display engine
30
based on the surface direction coordinates
62
, vertex texture coordinates
66
,
68
,
70
and bump map
73
(texture parameters) blends these texture parameters together to generate the pixel. To blend the texture parameters together, blending operations
65
, such as multiplication, division, addition, subtraction, inverting and ORing are performed. Based on the blended texture parameters, the texture pattern and color associated with each displayed pixel is determined.
Since a similar procedure is performed on every pixel to be displayed on the display screen
30
, the processing required by the display engine
28
is extensive. As a result of the heavy processing, display engines
28
performing these tasks must work at high speeds and with heavy workloads. Accordingly, it is desirable to have alternate approaches to displaying 3D objects.
SUMMARY
An object to be displayed on a display screen is converted into at least one graphic primitive having associated texture data. The texture data is analyzed to determine whether operations associated with the texture data are commutative. A processor or a display engine is selected for performing the texture data operations based on in part the analysis.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5838331 (1998-11-01), DeBry
patent: 5870102 (1999-02-01), Tarolli et al.
patent: 6259462 (2001-07-01), Gruber et al.
patent: 6304268 (2001-10-01), Iourcha et al.
patent: 6483505 (2002-11-01), Morein et al.

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