公开(公告)号：US06879328B2

公开(公告)日：2005-04-12

申请号：US10378048

申请日：2003-03-03

申请人： Michael F. Deering

发明人： Michael F. Deering

IPC分类号： G06T15/50 ,  G09G5/02

CPC分类号： G06T15/503 ,  G06T2210/62

摘要： A system and method for generating graphics images from 3-dimensional graphics data representing one or more transparent objects and one or more opaque objects are disclosed. Memory locations for storing transparent samples may be provided by reducing the number of opaque samples per pixel as needed, and storing the transparent samples in the memory locations formerly used to store the discarded opaque samples. A plurality of opaque samples for a plurality of sample positions corresponding to a pixel may be initially stored in a sample memory. A transparent sample rendered for one of the plurality of sample positions may replace an opaque sample in another one of the sample positions of the plurality of sample positions. The transparent and opaque samples rendered for the same position may be blended and the blended samples may be filtered at least once per screen refresh cycle to generate output pixels.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种用于从表示一个或多个透明对象和一个或多个不透明对象的三维图形数据生成图形图像的系统和方法。 可以通过根据需要减少每像素的不透明样本的数量，并将透明样品存储在先前用于存储丢弃的不透明样品的存储器位置中来提供用于存储透明样品的存储器位置。 用于对应于像素的多个采样位置的多个不透明样本可以被初始地存储在采样存储器中。 为多个样本位置中的一个提供的透明样本可以替代多个样本位置中另一个样本位置中的不透明样本。 可以混合为相同位置渲染的透明和不透明样品，并且可以在每个屏幕刷新周期对混合样品进行至少一次滤波以产生输出像素。

公开(公告)号：US06847368B2

公开(公告)日：2005-01-25

申请号：US10094935

申请日：2002-03-11

申请人： Michael F. Deering

发明人： Michael F. Deering

IPC分类号： G06T15/00 ,  G06T1/60

CPC分类号： G06T15/005 ,  G06T2200/28

摘要： A system and method are disclosed for rendering polygons. In some embodiments, parameter values may be rendered for only one sample position of multiple neighboring sample positions. The parameter values rendered for the one sample position may then be stored in multiple memory locations that correspond to the multiple neighboring sample positions. In some embodiments, storing parameter values in multiple memory locations may be achieved in a single write transaction. In some embodiments, utilization of a method for storage of a rendered sample to multiple memory locations may be subject to a specified test. The method may calculate a value needed for the specified test from vertex data and compare the calculated value with a specified limit. In some embodiments, a multiple storage mode may only be utilized for polygons greater than a certain size.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种用于渲染多边形的系统和方法。 在一些实施例中，可以仅为多个相邻采样位置的一个采样位置呈现参数值。 然后可以将针对一个采样位置渲染的参数值存储在对应于多个相邻采样位置的多个存储器位置中。 在一些实施例中，在多个存储器位置中存储参数值可以在单个写入事务中实现。 在一些实施例中，用于将呈现的样本存储到多个存储器位置的方法的使用可以经受指定的测试。 该方法可以从顶点数据计算指定测试所需的值，并将计算的值与指定的限制进行比较。 在一些实施例中，多存储模式可以仅用于大于特定大小的多边形。

公开(公告)号：US06747644B1

公开(公告)日：2004-06-08

申请号：US09549890

申请日：2000-04-17

申请人： Michael F. Deering

发明人： Michael F. Deering

IPC分类号： G06T1100

CPC分类号： G06T9/001 ,  G06T17/20

摘要： Three-dimensional compressed geometry is decompressed with a unit having an input FIFO receiving compressed data bits and outputting to an input block state machine and an input block, whose outputs are coupled to a barrel shifter unit. Input block output also is input to Huffman tables that output to the state machine. The state machine output also is coupled to a data path controller whose output is coupled to a tag decoder, and to a normal processor receiving output from the barrel shifter unit The decompressor unit also includes a position/color processor that receives output from the barrel shifter unit. Outputs from the normal processor and position/color processor are multiplexed to a format converter. For instructions in the data stream that generate output to the format converter, the decompression unit generates a tag sent to the tag decoder in parallel with bits for normals that are sent to the format converter. The decompressed stream of triangle data may then be passed to a traditional rendering pipeline, where it can be processed in full floating point accuracy, and thereafter displayed or otherwise used.

摘要翻译： 用具有输入FIFO接收压缩数据位的单元对三维压缩几何进行解压缩并输出到输入块状态机和输出块，其输出耦合到桶形移位器单元。 输入块输出也被输入到输出到状态机的霍夫曼表。 状态机输出还耦合到其输出耦合到标签解码器的数据路径控制器，以及从桶形移位器单元接收输出的正常处理器。解压缩器单元还包括位置/颜色处理器，其接收来自桶形移位器的输出 单元。 来自正常处理器和位置/颜色处理器的输出被复用到格式转换器。 为了产生输出到格式转换器的数据流中的指令，解压缩单元产生与发送到格式转换器的法线的位并行发送到标签解码器的标签。 然后，解压缩的三角形数据流可以被传递到传统的渲染管线，其中可以以完全浮点精度处理，然后显示或以其他方式使用。

公开(公告)号：US06717578B1

公开(公告)日：2004-04-06

申请号：US09251840

申请日：1999-02-17

申请人： Michael F. Deering

发明人： Michael F. Deering

IPC分类号： G06T1500

CPC分类号： G06T11/001 ,  G06T5/20

摘要： A method and computer graphics system capable of super-sampling and performing real-time convolution are disclosed. In one embodiment, the computer graphics system may comprise a graphics processor, a sample buffer, and a sample-to-pixel calculation unit. The graphics processor may be configured to generate a plurality of samples. The sample buffer, which is coupled to the graphics processor, may be configured to store the samples. The sample-to-pixel calculation unit is programmable to select a variable number of stored samples from the sample buffer to filter into an output pixel. The sample-to-pixel calculation unit performs the filter process in real-time, and may use a number of different filter types in a single frame. The sample buffer may be super-sampled, and the samples may be positioned according to a regular grid, a perturbed regular grid, or a stochastic grid.

摘要翻译： 公开了能够进行超采样和执行实时卷积的方法和计算机图形系统。 在一个实施例中，计算机图形系统可以包括图形处理器，采样缓冲器和采样到像素的计算单元。 图形处理器可以被配置为生成多个采样。 耦合到图形处理器的采样缓冲器可以被配置为存储样本。 样本到像素计算单元是可编程的，以从样本缓冲器中选择可变数量的存储样本以过滤到输出像素中。 采样到像素计算单元实时执行滤波处理，并且可以在单个帧中使用多种不同的滤波器类型。 样本缓冲器可以被超采样，并且样本可以根据规则网格，扰动的规则网格或随机网格来定位。

公开(公告)号：US06603470B1

公开(公告)日：2003-08-05

申请号：US08963863

申请日：1997-11-04

申请人： Michael F. Deering

发明人： Michael F. Deering

IPC分类号： G06F1500

CPC分类号： G06T9/001

摘要： A system and method for compression of surface normals in three-dimensional graphics data. The method comprises compressing a normal by identifying the location of a first point located at the intersection of the surface of a predetermined sphere (centered on the origin of a set of x-y-z axes) and a vector extended from the origin in a direction specified by the coordinate values of the normal. Identification of the first point includes specifying an index value and one or mapping values. The index value is usable during decompression to identify a second point on the sphere from a plurality of points in a predetermined surface region (such as a predetermined sextant of a predetermined octant region). In one embodiment, the index includes a &thgr; component and a &phgr; component which are usable to locate the second point. The &thgr; component value is measured about the y axis to the second point while the &phgr; component value is measured latitudinally from a plane defined by y=0 to the second point. The one or more mapping values include a sextant value which translates the second point to a third point by performing foldings about the planes x=y, y=z, and x=z within the predetermined octant. The one or more mapping values also include an octant value which is usable to locate the first point from the third point by identifying one or more sign bits of the fist point. Delta-encoding of normals is also disclosed.

摘要翻译： 用于压缩三维图形数据中表面法线的系统和方法。 该方法包括通过识别位于预定球体的表面（以一组xyz轴的原点为中心）与从原点延伸的向量的第一点的位置来压缩法线，该矢量沿着由 坐标值正常。 第一点的识别包括指定索引值和一个或映射值。 索引值在解压缩期间可用于从预定表面区域（例如预定八分圆区域的预定六分之一）中的多个点识别球体上的第二点。 在一个实施例中，索引包括可用于定位第二点的θ分量和phi分量。 在从y = 0定义的平面到第二点的纬度测量phi分量值的同时，测量θ分量值到关于第二点的y轴。 一个或多个映射值包括通过执行关于预定八分圆内的平面x = y，y = z和x = z的折叠来将第二点转换为第三点的六分仪值。 一个或多个映射值还包括八分圆值，其可用于通过识别第一点的一个或多个符号位来从第三点定位第一点。 还公开了正态的Delta编码。

公开(公告)号：US06577312B2

公开(公告)日：2003-06-10

申请号：US09755643

申请日：2001-01-04

申请人： Michael F. Deering ,  N. David Naegle ,  Scott R. Nelson

发明人： Michael F. Deering ,  N. David Naegle ,  Scott R. Nelson

IPC分类号： G06T1700

CPC分类号： G06T5/20 ,  G06T5/002

摘要： A computer graphics system may comprise a graphics processor, a sample buffer, and a sample-to-pixel calculation unit. The graphics processor renders samples into the sample buffer in response to received graphics data. The sample-to-pixel calculation unit generates a plurality of output pixels by filtering the rendered samples based on a filter function. The pixels may be computed by generating a weighted sum of sample values (e.g. red sample values) for samples falling within the filter support. The coefficients used in the weighted sum may be added to form a normalization factor. One weighted sum of sample values may be computed per pixel attribute such as red, green, blue and alpha. The normalization factor may be computed in parallel with one or more of the weighted sums. Normalized pixel values may be obtained by dividing the weighted-sums by the normalization factor.

摘要翻译： 计算机图形系统可以包括图形处理器，采样缓冲器和采样到像素的计算单元。 图形处理器响应于接收到的图形数据将样本呈现到采样缓冲器中。 采样到像素计算单元通过基于滤波函数对所渲染的采样进行滤波来产生多个输出像素。 可以通过生成落在滤波器支持中的样本的采样值（例如，红色采样值）的加权和来计算像素。 可以将加权和中使用的系数相加以形成归一化因子。 每个像素属性可以计算样本值的一个加权和，如红色，绿色，蓝色和alpha。 归一化因子可以与一个或多个加权和并行计算。 归一化像素值可以通过将加权和除以归一化因子来获得。

公开(公告)号：US06522327B2

公开(公告)日：2003-02-18

申请号：US09886243

申请日：2001-06-20

申请人： Michael F. Deering

发明人： Michael F. Deering

IPC分类号： G06T1700

CPC分类号： G06T9/001

摘要： Three-dimensional compressed geometry is decompressed with a unit having an input FIFO receiving compressed data bits and outputting to an input block state machine and an input block, whose outputs are coupled to a barrel shifter unit. Input block output also is input to Huffman tables that output to the state machine. The state machine output also is coupled to a data path controller whose output is coupled to a tag decoder, and to a normal processor receiving output from the barrel shifter unit. The decompressor unit also includes a position/color processor that receives output from the barrel shifter unit. Outputs from the normal processor and position/color processor are multiplexed to a format converter. For instructions in the data stream that generate output to the format converter, the decompression unit generates a tag sent to the tag decoder in parallel with bits for normals that are sent to the format converter. The decompressed stream of triangle data may then be passed to a traditional rendering pipeline, where it can be processed in full floating point accuracy, and thereafter displayed or otherwise used.

摘要翻译： 用具有输入FIFO接收压缩数据位的单元对三维压缩几何进行解压缩并输出到输入块状态机和输出块，其输出耦合到桶形移位器单元。 输入块输出也被输入到输出到状态机的霍夫曼表。 状态机输出还耦合到其输出耦合到标签解码器的数据路径控制器，以及接收来自桶形移位器单元的输出的正常处理器。 解压缩器单元还包括接收来自桶形移位器单元的输出的位置/颜色处理器。 来自正常处理器和位置/颜色处理器的输出被复用到格式转换器。 为了产生输出到格式转换器的数据流中的指令，解压缩单元产生与发送到格式转换器的法线的位并行发送到标签解码器的标签。 然后，解压缩的三角形数据流可以被传递到传统的渲染管线，其中可以以完全浮点精度处理，然后显示或以其他方式使用。

公开(公告)号：US06459428B1

公开(公告)日：2002-10-01

申请号：US09970077

申请日：2001-10-03

申请人： Wayne Eric Burk ,  Yan Y. Tang ,  Michael G. Lavelle ,  Philip C. Leung ,  Michael F. Deering ,  Ranjit S. Oberoi

发明人： Wayne Eric Burk ,  Yan Y. Tang ,  Michael G. Lavelle ,  Philip C. Leung ,  Michael F. Deering ,  Ranjit S. Oberoi

IPC分类号： G06T1500

CPC分类号： G06T11/001 ,  G06T5/20 ,  G06T15/503

摘要： A graphics system configured to perform programmable filtering of samples to generate pixel values. The graphics system comprises a frame buffer, an accelerator unit and a video output processor. The accelerator unit receives graphics primitives, renders samples for the graphics primitives, and stores the rendered samples into a sample area of the frame buffer. The accelerator unit subsequently reads the samples from the sample area of the frame buffer, and filters the samples with a programmable filter having a programmable support region. The resulting pixel values are stored in a pixel area of the frame buffer. The video output processor reads the pixel values from the pixel area and converts the pixel values into a video signal which is provided to a video output port.

摘要翻译： 被配置为对样本执行可编程滤波以生成像素值的图形系统。 图形系统包括帧缓冲器，加速器单元和视频输出处理器。 加速器单元接收图形基元，呈现图形基元的样本，并将渲染的样本存储在帧缓冲器的采样区域中。 加速器单元随后从帧缓冲器的采样区域读取样本，并且用具有可编程支持区域的可编程滤波器对样本进行滤波。 所得到的像素值被存储在帧缓冲器的像素区域中。 视频输出处理器从像素区域读取像素值，并将像素值转换为提供给视频输出端口的视频信号。

公开(公告)号：US06417861B1

公开(公告)日：2002-07-09

申请号：US09251449

申请日：1999-02-17

申请人： Michael F. Deering ,  Nathaniel David Naegle ,  Scott Nelson

发明人： Michael F. Deering ,  Nathaniel David Naegle ,  Scott Nelson

IPC分类号： G09G502

CPC分类号： G06T15/005

摘要： A method and computer graphics system for rendering images using programmable sample positions is disclosed. In one embodiment, the computer graphics system may comprise a graphics processor, a sample buffer, and a sample-to-pixel calculation unit. The graphics processor may be configured to generate a plurality of samples using a sample positioning algorithm selected from a programmable memory or generated by programmable hardware. The sample buffer, which is coupled to the graphics processor, may be configured to store the samples. The sample buffer may be super-sampled and double buffered. The sample-to-pixel calculation unit is programmable to select a variable number of stored samples from the sample buffer to filter into an output pixel. The sample-to-pixel calculation unit performs the filter process in real-time, and may use a number of different filter types. The algorithms used to position the samples may position the samples according to a regular grid, a perturbed regular grid, or a stochastic grid.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种使用可编程样本位置渲染图像的方法和计算机图形系统。 在一个实施例中，计算机图形系统可以包括图形处理器，采样缓冲器和采样到像素的计算单元。 图形处理器可以被配置为使用从可编程存储器中选择的或由可编程硬件产生的样本定位算法来生成多个采样。 耦合到图形处理器的采样缓冲器可以被配置为存储样本。 采样缓冲器可以是超采样和双重缓冲。 样本到像素计算单元是可编程的，以从样本缓冲器中选择可变数量的存储样本以过滤到输出像素中。 采样到像素计算单元实时执行滤波处理，可以使用多种不同的滤波器类型。 用于定位样本的算法可以根据规则网格，扰动的规则网格或随机网格来定位样本。

公开(公告)号：US06359630B1

公开(公告)日：2002-03-19

申请号：US09332734

申请日：1999-06-14

申请人： Wayne Morse ,  Michael F. Deering ,  Mike Lavelle ,  Ewa Kubalska ,  Huang Pan ,  Scott R. Nelson

发明人： Wayne Morse ,  Michael F. Deering ,  Mike Lavelle ,  Ewa Kubalska ,  Huang Pan ,  Scott R. Nelson

IPC分类号： G06T1530

CPC分类号： G06T15/30 ,  G09G5/393

摘要： A method and computer graphics system for clip testing using clip bits stored in a general-purpose register for each vertex of a geometric primitive. In one embodiment, a rendering unit or other processor sets bits in a clip bits register for each vertex of a geometric primitive. Each bit indicates whether the vertex is inside or outside of a clipping boundary with respect to a particular clipping plane. A frame buffer controller or other graphics processor performs clip testing on the entire geometric primitive by performing Boolean operations on the clip bits. The frame buffer controller may trivially accept or trivially reject the primitive based on the clip testing. If the primitive cannot be trivially rejected or trivially accepted, then the frame buffer controller sends an interrupt to the rendering unit. The rendering unit reads an exception register to determine that the reason for the interrupt is the need to clip the primitive. The rendering unit reads the vertices from the frame buffer controller, clips the primitive, and sends the new vertices to the frame buffer controller. The frame buffer controller clears the interrupt and resumes its graphics processing.

摘要翻译： 一种方法和计算机图形系统，用于使用存储在通用寄存器中的剪辑位来进行几何图元的每个顶点的剪辑测试。 在一个实施例中，渲染单元或其他处理器针对几何图元的每个顶点设置剪辑位寄存器中的位。 每个位指示顶点是否相对于特定剪切平面在剪切边界内部或外部。 帧缓冲控制器或其他图形处理器通过对剪辑位执行布尔运算来对整个几何图元执行剪辑测试。 帧缓冲控制器可以基于剪辑测试轻易地接受或简单地拒绝原语。 如果不能简单地拒绝或简单地接受原语，则帧缓冲控制器向渲染单元发送中断。 渲染单元读取一个异常寄存器，以确定中断的原因是需要剪切图元。 渲染单元从帧缓冲器控制器读取顶点，剪切原始图像，并将新顶点发送到帧缓冲控制器。 帧缓冲控制器清除中断并恢复其图形处理。