System and method of shadowing an object in motion
AssigneeAtari Games Corporation
InventorG. Edward Logg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A helicopter flight simulator having improvements in visual cues and modeling. The unique visual cues include terrain following shadows and hazing, the latter approximating a set of atmospheric conditions. The unique modeling features include a user selectable zoom, horizontal and vertical ground avoidance, and an autorotation model.
Claims29
A shadowing system, comprising:
- a computer having a processor and a memory;
- a visual display connected to the computer;
- means for simulating, and displaying on the visual display, a moving object in a universe generated by the computer, wherein the universe includes a terrain defined by a set of planes which includes at least one plane which is non-parallel and non-orthogonal to any other plane in the set;
- and
- means for continuously projecting a shadow of the moving object on the terrain, including the non-parallel and non-orthogonal planes, the position of the shadow depending on the position and direction of a simulated light source located above the object in the universe;
- and
- means for displaying the shadow on the visual display, thereby improving depth perception.
A shadowing system, comprising:
- a computer having a processor and a memory;
- a visual display connected to the computer;
- a model process simulating a moving object in a universe generated by the computer, wherein the universe includes a terrain defined by a set of planes which includes at least one plane which is non-parallel and non-orthogonal to any other plane in the set;
- a collision process continuously projecting a shadow of the moving object on the terrain, including the non-parallel and non-orthogonal planes, the position of the shadow depending on the position and direction of a simulated light source located above the object in the universe;
- and
- a video process displaying the object, the universe and the shadow on the visual display, thereby improving depth perception.
In a shadowing system, including a computer and a visual display, a method of shadowing an object in motion, the method comprising the steps of:
- simulating, and displaying on the visual display, an object in motion in a universe generated by the computer, wherein the universe includes a terrain defined by a set of planes which includes at least one plane which is non-parallel and non-orthogonal to any other plane in the set;
- and
- continuously projecting a shadow of the moving object on the terrain, the position of the shadow depending on the position and direction of a simulated light source located above the object in the universe, wherein the light source is non-orthogonal to the normal of a one of the planes of the terrain;
- and
- displaying the shadow on the visual display, thereby improving depth perception.
In a shadowing system, including a computer, a visual display and at least one input device, a method of shadowing an object in motion, the method comprising the steps of:
- moving an input device so as to provide position information about an object;
- simulating the object in motion in a universe generated by the computer, wherein the motion of the object is responsive to the position information, and wherein the universe includes a terrain defined by a set of planes which includes at least one plane which is non-parallel and non-orthogonal to any other plane in the set;
- displaying the object in motion in a portion of the universe on the visual display;
- continuously projecting a shadow of the object on the terrain, including the non-parallel and non-orthogonal planes, the position of the shadow depending on the position and direction of a simulated light source located above the object in the universe;
- and
- displaying the shadow on the visual display, thereby improving depth perception.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.