Method and apparatus for fast surface detail application to an image

In a computer-assisted design system having a graphic output device, a method for providing surface detail to computer-generated two-dimensional graphic images of three-dimensional objects to create a three-dimensional appearance comprising the steps of:

• inputting to said computer-assisted design system a computer-generated two-dimensional graphic image of a three-dimensional object;
• generating a perspective mesh on said computer-generated two-dimensional graphic image such hat said mesh creates a three-dimensional visual appearance;
• building in said computer-assisted design system a table of two-dimensional offset coordinates of each pixel on said two-dimensional graphic image from reference locations on said perspective mesh;
• inputting to said computer-assisted design system at least one array of pixels making up surface detail;
• selecting one said surface detail to be applied to said computer-generated two-dimensional graphic image;
• mapping the two-dimensional offset coordinates to the array of pixels making up the selected surface detail and selecting the pixels located by said mapping the two-dimensional offset coordinates;
• and
• producing on said graphic output device a graphic visual image of said two-dimensional graphic image with said selected surface detail applied as a function of selected pixels.

In a computer-assisted design system having a graphic output device, a method for providing surface detail to computer-generated two-dimensional graphic images of three-dimensional objects comprising the steps of:

• inputting to said a computer-assisted design system a computer-generated two-dimensional graphic image of a three-dimensional object;
• building in said computer-assisted design system a table of data including shading parameters of each pixel on said computer-generated two-dimensional graphic image;
• inputting to said computer-assisted design system at least one array of pixels making up surface detail, each of said pixels in said array having color parameters;
• selecting one said surface detail to be applied to said computer-generated two-dimensional graphic image;
• mapping an array of pixels making up the selected surface detail to said two-dimensional graphic image;
• modifying the color parameters of said array of pixels making up the selected surface detail by data in said table of shading parameters to provide modified pixels to said two-dimensional image;
• and
• producing on said graphic output device with said modified pixels a graphic visual image of said two-dimensional graphic image with said selected surface detail applied.

In a computer-assisted design system having an output device, a method for providing surface detail to computer-generated two-dimensional graphic images of three-dimensional objects to create a three-dimensional appearance comprising the steps of:

• inputting to computer-assisted design system a computer-generated two-dimensional graphic image of a three-dimensional object;
• generating a perspective mesh on said computer-generated two-dimensional graphic image such hat said mesh creates a three-dimensional visual appearance;
• building in said computer-assisted design system a first table of two-dimensional offset coordinates of each pixel on said two-dimensional graphic image from reference locations on said perspective mesh;
• building in said computer-assisted design system a second table of shading characteristics of each pixel on said two-dimensional graphic image;
• inputting to said computer-assisted design system at least one array of pixels making up surface detail, each of said pixels in said array having color parameters;
• selecting one said surface detail to be applied to said computer-generated two-dimensional graphic image;
• mapping the two-dimensional offset coordinates from said first table to the array of pixels making up the selected surface detail and selecting the pixels located by said mapping the two-dimensional offset coordinates;
• modifying the color parameters of said array of pixels making up the selected surface detail by data in said second table of shading characteristics to provide modified pixels to said two-dimensional image;
• and
• producing on said output device with said modified pixels a graphic visual image of said two-dimensional graphic image with said surface detail applied.

A system for providing surface detail to computer-generated two-dimensional graphic images of three-dimensional objects to create a three-dimensional appearance comprising:

• means for producing a two-dimensional image of a three-dimensional object in a form for storage and processing by a digital computer said two-dimensional image being made up of a multitude of pixels, each pixel in said two-dimensional image having parameters that determine the effect that the particular pixel will having in producing said two-dimensional image;
• means for generating a perspective mesh on two-dimensional graphic images such that said mesh creates a three-dimensional visual appearance;
• a two-dimensional buffer having at least the size of a two-dimensional graphic image;
• means for scanning said two-dimensional graphic image pixel-by-pixel and for determining said parameters of each scanned pixel;
• calculating means responsive to said parameters for calculating location data defining a location of pixels in said two-dimensional image and for building a two-dimensional data table in said buffer by storing said location data for particular ones of said scanned pixels in a corresponding location in said buffer;
• means for storing said table in a data storage unit accessible by said digital computer;
• means for producing a rectangular array of pixels making up a two-dimensional image of surface detail for storage and processing by a digital computer;
• means for storing said array of pixels making up said image of surface detail in a data storage unit accessible by said digital computer;
• means responsive to at least said data in said table for mapping said array of pixels making up said image of surface detail to said mesh within said two-dimensional image to create a graphic visual image of said two-dimensional image, covered by said surface detail, giving a three-dimensional appearance.