DATA BLOCK PROCESSING FOR FAST IMAGE GENERATION

Abstract

An improvement for the real-time computer generation of visual scenes based on an algorithm that reduces the processing of elevation data to simple repetitive accumulations and a compare operation to generate occult data using grid elevation data bases is disclosed. The improvement reduces the size of the on-line, high speed, random access, data base memory required in image generation from grid data bases and reduces image generation time. The grid data base is divided into an array of data blocks. The data blocks are sequentially transferred to on-line ping-pong buffer memories (14), and each data block is processed through to final display by a view ray processor (16). The order of block selection is such that the sweep data remains continuous. When a sweep leaves a block, exit processing parameters are stored in a sweep horizon memory (18) as sweep parameters. When the sweep is again continued in a future block, the sweep parameters are transferred to the view ray processor (16) and an X,Y address generator (20) as initial conditions.

Source: Google Patents

35 USC §181 Secrecy Order

Inventor

• 1ROBERT A. HEARTZ