Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Attributes
Reexamination Certificate
1996-04-22
2002-05-07
Zimmerman, Mark (Department: 2671)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Attributes
C345S581000, C382S285000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06384834
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a three-dimensional simulator apparatus and an image synthesis method capable of simulating a virtual three-dimensional (3D) space.
BACKGROUND OF ART
Various types of three-dimensional (3D) simulator apparatus that are used in applications such as 3D games and piloting simulators for aircraft or other vehicles are known in the art. With such a 3D simulator apparatus, image information relating to a 3D object
300
shown in
FIG. 20A
is previously stored within the apparatus. This 3D object
300
depicts an element such as scenery that can be seen by a player (observer)
302
as if through a screen
306
. This display object is displayed as a pseudo-3D image (projected image)
308
on the screen
306
, by perspective projection conversion on the screen
306
of the image information of the 3D object
300
. When the player
302
specifies an operation such as rotation or forward motion through a control panel
304
, this apparatus performs predetermined 3D computation processing on the basis of the resultant operating signals. More specifically, computations are first performed to determine whether a change has occurred, such as a change in the viewpoint and where the eyes of the player
302
are directed or a change in the position and orientation of a vehicle in which the player
302
is sitting, as specified by these operating signals. Computations are then performed to determine how the image of the 3D object
300
can be seen on the screen
306
, in accordance with this change such as a change in viewpoint and where the player's eyes are directed. The above computations are performed in real time, following the actions of the player
302
. This makes it possible for the player
302
to see any change in the scenery, due to a change in the player's own viewpoint or where the player's eyes are directed or a change in the position or orientation of the vehicle in which the player is sitting, as a pseudo-3D image in real time, to simulate the experience of a virtual 3D space.
An example of a displayed image formed by a 3D simulator apparatus as described above is shown in FIG.
20
B.
In a 3D simulator apparatus of this type, each display object is represented by assembling a large number of polygons. Taking a tire in a racing car game by way of example, each of a side surface and a running surface of the tire is configured of an assembly of a plurality of polygons. A method called texture mapping is also used, to increase the quality of the image to be displayed. This texture mapping method applies a texture onto a polygon configuring the display object to achieve a more realistic displayed image. With this tire as an example, a texture that represents lettering and a wheel (spoke) pattern is mapped onto the side surface of the tire. Similarly, a texture that represents the tread surface of the tire is mapped onto the running surface thereof. In the prior art, only one type of texture can be provided for each display object.
However, a problem occurs with the example of mapping the texture of lettering on the side surface of a tire, as described below. That is, in the real world simulated by this 3D simulator apparatus, the lettering ought to flow in the direction of rotation of the tire as the tire rotates, and the outlines of this lettering ought to start to blur as the rotation increases. Even if the 3D simulator apparatus were to attempt to simulate this phenomenon, however, it has been shown that the outlines of the lettering will not blur. The reason for this relates to the processing speed of the 3D simulator apparatus and is caused by the fact that an image is generated once every {fraction (1/60)} second, for example, unlike in the real world. Therefore, there is a problem that it is not possible to realistically simulate the blurring of the outlines of the lettering that would occur in the real world, by simply applying the texture of lettering to the side surface of the tire and rotating the tire at high speed.
A further problem occurs with the example of mapping the texture of a tread surface onto the running surface of the tire, as described below. In other words, if a racing car should leave the course and run onto another surface such as a gravel road, because of a driving error, gravel or sand would adhere to the running surface of the tire in the real world and the state of the running surface of the tire ought to change accordingly. With a prior-art 3D simulator apparatus, however, only one texture can be provided for each display object. This causes a problem in that it is not possible to represent such a change in the state of the running surface of the tire, and thus a phenomenon that occurs in the real world cannot be simulated realistically.
The present invention has been devised in the light of the above described technical problems and has as its objective the provision of a 3D simulator apparatus and an image synthesis method that can simulate the real world realistically, even when the velocity and/or rotational velocity of a display object has changed.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a 3D simulator apparatus and an image synthesis method that can simulate the real world realistically, even when the surface state of a display object is to change in accordance with simulation circumstances.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In order to solve the above described problems, a first aspect of the present invention concerns a three-dimensional simulator apparatus for synthesizing a field-of-view image as seen from an observer within a virtual three-dimensional (3D) space configured of a plurality of display objects, comprising:
texture computation means for performing computations to map textures onto the display objects;
texture information storage means for storing information of the textures to be mapped by the texture computation means, the texture information storage means for storing different types of texture information corresponding to the same display object; and
modification means for modifying one of the type of information of at least one texture to be mapped onto at least one display object, and information specifying the type, in accordance with at least one of the velocity and rotational velocity of the at least one display object.
With this aspect of the invention, a plurality of types of texture information is stored for mapping onto a display object, such as a side surface of a tire. For example, texture information for a halted state and texture information for high-speed rotational state (or high-speed running state) are stored. Either the type of texture information for the mapping onto the side surface of the tire, or information specifying the type, is changed in a manner consistent with a factor such as the rotational velocity of the tire. Thus lettering with clear outlines can be represented on the side surface tire when the tire is in a halted state, and lettering with blurred outlines can be represented thereon when the tire is in a high-speed rotational state. In this case, the means for modifying the type of texture information may be included within means for forming the virtual 3D space, for example, or means for sythesizing the field-of-view image. Alternatively, such means may be provided separately in both places. This invention includes a configuration in which the type of the texture information is changed in accordance with the relative velocity or relative rotational velocity between the obsever and the display object.
A second aspect of the present invention concerns a three-dimensional simulator apparatus, comprising: means for storing object information that comprises at least object numbers and position information for display objects configuring a virtual three-dimensional (3D) space; virtual 3D space computation means for forming the virtual 3D space by setting the object information; object image information storage means for storing image information of objects specified by the object number; and image synthesis means for synth
Namco Ltd.
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Padmanabhan Mano
Zimmerman Mark
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