Loading patent…
AssigneeSilicon Graphics, Inc.
InventorPaul Edward Hansen
Estimating the term…
A computer system (10) can prepare and present on a display (22) a two-dimensional image that includes a perspective view, from a selected eyepoint (71, 152), of an object (23) which is a three-dimensional object of an approximately spherical shape, such as the earth. The system maintains image information for the object at each of several different resolution levels, portions of which are selected and mapped into the perspective view for respective portions of the surface of the object. In order to determine what resolution level to use for a given section of the surface of the object, the system relies on a combination of a logarithm of the square of a distance from the eyepoint to a point on the surface section, and a logarithm of the square of the degree of tilt of the surface section in relation to the eyepoint. In order to determine how far to conceptually tessellate or subdivide the surface of the object, the system relies on the logarithm of the square of the distance from the eyepoint to the point on the surface section.
A method for preparing a perspective view of a surface section having an approximately spherical curvature, comprising:
A computer readable medium including code for preparing a perspective view of a surface section having an approximately spherical curvature, the code operable to:
A system for preparing a perspective view of a surface section having an approximately spherical curvature, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.