PREDICTIVE LOOK AHEAD MEMORY MANAGEMENT FOR COMPUTER IMAGE GENERATION IN SIMULATORS

Abstract

A method for use with a vehicle simulator which provides for the rapid update of displayed terrain data in areas of non-visible terrain surfaces and terrain image discontinuities. The method is for use with a system which projects a time-varying computer-generated image scene representative of the terrain as viewed from a moving vehicle. The image scene is derived from a digital data base stored in slow speed secondary memory. The method includes the steps of predicting, by means of line-of-sight sampling ray, which segments of the data base could be visible after a predetermined time interval. The data base is accessed for the predicted segments of data and these segments are retrieved therefrom. The data segments designated are then stored in predetermined memory locations in high-speed main memory. Finally, selected ones of the stored segments are displayed based on the actual vehicle path and position after the predetermined time interval has elapsed.

Source: Google Patents

35 USC §181 Secrecy Order

Inventor

• 1ARTHUR F. GRIFFIN

Sensitive facility: Redondo Beach CA (TRW)