Claims
- 1. A 3-dimensional graphics drawing apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of frame buffer means for writing pixel data into an address designated by coordinate values (x, y) of XY display coordinates and for storing an image;
- Z buffer means for storing a plurality of coordinate values (z) indicating a depth direction for each of the pixel data written by said frame buffer means;
- Z register means for writing a single coordinate value (z), instead of storing the coordinate value (z) of every pixel in the Z buffer means, where the coordinate values (z) in the depth direction of the pixel data stored in the frame buffer means have the same value for all of the pixel data; and
- merge means for selecting visible pixel data from a plurality of pixel data read from said plurality of frame buffer means on the basis of the coordinate value (z) in said Z buffer means and said Z register means and for writing the selected pixel data into a frame buffer for synthesis.
- 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image in which the single depth coordinate value (z) is written into said Z register means is a background image which is used for image synthesis.
- 3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the Z buffer means is unused, because the single depth coordinate value (Z) is used, the Z buffer means is used as a work buffer means, and a background image having the same depth coordinate value (z) which is used for a next image synthesis is written into said work buffer means.
Priority Claims (5)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
122987 |
May 1992 |
JPX |
|
230756 |
Aug 1992 |
JPX |
|
278665 |
Oct 1992 |
JPX |
|
92695 |
Apr 1993 |
JPX |
|
92696 |
Apr 1993 |
JPX |
|
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/061,087, filed on May 13, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,234 and related to U.S. application Ser. No. 08/460,804, filed on Jun. 2, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,636, and related to U.S. application Ser. No. 08/739,217, filed on Oct. 29, 1996, related to U.S. application Ser. No. 08/741,355, filed on Oct. 29, 1996.
US Referenced Citations (21)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
63-98074 |
Apr 1988 |
JPX |
63-80375 |
Apr 1988 |
JPX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (8)
Entry |
James, Rahner, "Real-Time Animation", Dr. Dobbs Magazine, Jan. 1990, pp. 16-24. |
U.S. application No. 08/061,087, Sakuraba et al., filed May 13, 1993. |
Treatise presented in Autumn 1992 Meeting of Institute of Electronics and Communication Engineers of Japan, High Speed, High Performance Three-Dimensional CG System, Subaru, 7 pages. |
Treatise in Nikkei Electronics, Apr. 4, 1993, (No. 578), pp. 148-154. |
Program Cover Letter of 1992 Autumn Meeting of Institute of Electronics and Communication Engineers of Japan. |
Hasegawa, Osamu et al. Real-time Moving Human Face Synthesis Using a Parallel Computer Network, Industrial Electronics, Control and Instrumentation, 1991 International Conference. |
Dudgeon, James E. et al. Algorithms for Graphics Texture Mapping, System Theory, 1991 Southeastern Symposium. |
Foley, James D. et al. Computer Graphics: Principles and Practices, Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., 2nd ed pp. 741-745, 800, (1990). |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
61087 |
May 1993 |
|