Method and system for high performance computer-generated virtual environments

A method for rendering images, including the steps of:

• a) processing an input image database to generate a processed database, by processing the input image database in linear hierarchical fashion to identify complex subsets thereof and then performing texture mapping on at least one of the complex subsets of the input image database to replace said at least one of the complex subsets by data indicative of at least one texture map and an associated polygon or polygons;
• (b) storing the processed database in a memory device;
• and
• (c) reading said at least one texture map and the associated polygon or polygons from the memory and processing said at least one texture map and said associated polygon or polygons to display an image determined by said at least one texture map and said associated polygon or polygons.

A virtual reality computer system for generating a virtual environment, including images rendered with a three-dimensional appearance, using a processed database generated by performing texture mapping, said system including:

• a memory means for storing the processed database, said processed database including a sequence of subsets of texture mapped data, each of the subsets of texture mapped data consisting of a pair of texture maps and an associated polygon or polygons;
• a display device;
• and
• a processing means connected to the memory means and the display device, said processing means being programmed with software for retrieving the pair of texture maps and the associated polygon or polygons from the memory means, and for generating a graphic display of the virtual environment on the display device, wherein the virtual environment includes a sequence of stereoscopic views, each in a region of the larger image, wherein each of the subsets of texture mapped data determines one of the stereoscopic views.

A method for rendering a virtual environment comprising a first environment and a second environment, wherein said second environment comprises an image of a group of real world objects, wherein the group of real world objects has a three dimensional appearance, said method comprising the steps of

• supplying a database with a plurality of stereoscopic pairs of texture maps for associated polygons,
• wherein at least some of the polygons correspond to the group of real world objects, and at least some of the pairs of texture maps comprise an image of the group of objects;
• supplying to a computer system, from the database, a selected pair of texture maps and an associated polygon or polygons, which correspond to the group of real world objects;
• and
• operating the computer system to display the selected pair of texture maps and the associated polygon or polygons, wherein said associated polygon or polygons comprise a non-flat backdrop viewable through a portal in the first environment, wherein at least a portion of the non-flat backdrop is located in a plane differing from the plane of the portal, wherein the pair of texture maps and the associated polygon or polygons which correspond to the group of objects determine the stereoscopic view of the second environment;
• operating the computer system to identify object comprising a plurality of polygons, and a substitute single polygon and an associated texture map for the plurality of polygons, and displaying said substitute single polygon and an associated texture map.