Patent
1995-06-07
1998-05-05
Zimmerman, Mark K.
395173, G06T 1300, G06T 1540
Patent
active
057488649
ABSTRACT:
A method for rendering of three dimensional images on a video subsystem which does not include clearing of the Z buffer at each frame includes establishment of a Z buffer and a sequence number in memory, where the sequence number is incremented with each successive frame rendered and the Z buffer is cleared when the sequence number reaches a predetermined value; the Z buffer is thus recycled a number of times between clears. In a more elaborate implementation, the precision of the Z buffer is adjusted to permit clearing of the Z buffer to occur either as the result of the sequence number reaching a predetermined value or as the result of the accrual of a predetermined amount of time allocated for clearing, referred to as scheduling. The scheduling method can be applied to a wide range of accounting tasks within a system. In addition, a related method for recycling the image buffer is also disclosed in which multiple colormap ID's are used to distinguish data included in a current frame from data in a prior frame, where the colormap ID's associated with the prior frames all map to the background color, leaving to be displayed only the data of the current frame.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4907174 (1990-03-01), Priem
patent: 5043923 (1991-08-01), Joy et al.
patent: 5050102 (1991-09-01), Sun et al.
patent: 5101365 (1992-03-01), Westberg et al.
patent: 5220646 (1993-06-01), Fossum
patent: 5493637 (1996-02-01), Martin
patent: 5561750 (1996-10-01), Lentz
Eakin James E.
Network Computing Devices
Zimmerman Mark K.
LandOfFree
Video buffer recycling method and apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Video buffer recycling method and apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Video buffer recycling method and apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-65449