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 Title: |
US6204859:
Method and apparatus for compositing colors of images with memory constraints for storing pixel data
[ Derwent Title ]
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| Country: |
US United States of America
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| Inventor: |
Jouppi, Norman P.; Palo Alto, CA
McCormack, Joel J.; Boulder, CO
Chang, Chun-Fa; Durham, NC
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| Assignee: |
Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard, MA
other patents from DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION (147695) (approx. 2,345)
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| Published / Filed: |
2001-03-20
/ 1997-10-15
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| Application Number: |
US1997000950557
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| IPC Code: |
Advanced:
G06T 11/00;
Core:
more...
IPC-7:
G06T 11/40;
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| ECLA Code: |
G06T11/00C;
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| U.S. Class: |
Current:
345/592;
345/422;
345/428;
345/600;
Original:
345/431;
345/428;
345/422;
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| Field of Search: |
345/428,421,422,431,432,153
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| Priority Number: |
| 1997-10-15 |
US1997000950557 |
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| Abstract: |
A method and an apparatus determine a color for pixels in a graphics system in which images are defined by pixels. Multiple fragments of an image may be visible in any given pixel. Each visible fragment has a fragment value that includes the color of that fragment. For such given pixel, up to a predetermined number of the fragment values are stored. When a new fragment is visible in the given pixel, one of the fragment values is discarded to determine which fragment values are stored and subsequently used to generate the color of the pixel. The discarded fragment value may be the new fragment value or one of the stored fragment values. Various strategies can be used to determine which fragment value is discarded. One such scheme selects the stored fragment value with the greatest Z-depth. Another scheme selects the stored fragment value that produces the smallest color difference from the new fragment value. Still another scheme selects the new fragment value when one of the fragments is in front of the new fragment and the stored fragment value of that fragment produces the smallest color difference from the new fragment value.
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| Attorney, Agent or Firm: |
Pennie & Edmonds LLP ;
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| Primary / Asst. Examiners: |
Powell, Mark R.; Good-Johnson, Motilewa
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| INPADOC Legal Status: |
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Family Legal Status Report
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| Designated Country: |
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE DE FR GB
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| Family: |
Show 6 known family members
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First Claim:
Show all 29 claims |
What is claimed is:
1. A computerized method for determining a color of a pixel of an image, the pixel being associated with a set of subpixel samples, the set of subpixel samples having a plurality of subpixel samples, the set of subpixel samples having a number of subpixel samples, comprising:
- storing a plurality of distinct fragment values for the pixel up to a predetermined maximum number of distinct fragment values, each stored fragment value being associated with at least one subpixel sample, each stored fragment value being associated with a fragment that is visible in the pixel, the predetermined maximum number of fragment values being less than the number of subpixel samples;
- determining that a new fragment is visible in the pixel with at least one other fragment with a stored fragment value still being visible in the pixel, the new fragment having a new fragment value;
- selecting one of the visible stored fragment values; and
- replacing the selected fragment value with the new fragment value wherein the stored fragment values are subsequently used to generate the color of the pixel.
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| Background / Summary: |
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| Drawing Descriptions: |
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| Description: |
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| Forward References: |
Show 85 U.S. patent(s) that reference this one
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| Foreign References: |
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| Other Abstract Info: |
DERABS G1999-231794
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| Other References: |
Akeley, K., "RealityEngine Graphics," Computer Graphics Proceedings, Annual Conference Series, 1993.
Carpenter, L., "The A-buffer, an Antialiased Hidden Surface Mehtod," Computer Graphics, vol. 18, No. 3, Jul. 1984.
Torborg et al., "Talisman: Commodity Realtime 3D Graphics for the PC," Computer Graphics Proceedings, Annual Conference Series, 1996.
Winner et al., "Hardware Accelerated Rendering Of Antialiasing Using A Modified A-buffer Algorithm," Computer Graphics Proceedings, Annual Conference Series, 1997.
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