Vpl Research, Inc.

A-squared Systems

Arthur Abraham

Jaron Z Lanier

Young L Harvill

Jean-Jacques G Grimaud

John Owen Bumgarner

George A Ellis, Jr

A computer receives animated images together with a real world image. The computer then superimposes the animated images onto the real world image. The result is a combined animated/real image which forms the virtual world. The combined image is capable of moving as the user's head moves. Thus, complicated virtual worlds may be created without the programming complexity which would result if the entire image were animated.

Method and apparatus for creating virtual worlds

A distributed animation comprising a plurality of processors wherein each processor is responsible for rendering only a portion of the entire image. After the plurality of processors compute their respective images, the image data is communicated to a buffer. The buffer also receives image data from other sources. The buffer combines the image data from all sources into a single image frame which is then stored in a frame buffer. The buffer comprises a plurality of buffer elements, each buffer element being associated with a single graphics element (processor or video source). Each buffer element includes an input terminal for receiving pixel data from its corresponding graphics element, an output terminal for outputting pixel data, and a second input terminal for receiving pixel data from the output terminal of a previous buffer element. The pixel data typically includes a Z value which provides the depth location in the image of the object represented by that pixel. The Z value of the pixel received on the first input terminal is compared to the Z value of the pixel received on the second input terminal, and the multiplexer outputs the pixel value that is 'closer' in the image.

Method and apparatus for rendering graphical images using parallel

A video image processing system and method for encoding and storing a video image in a bit map array. The system receives a raster scan video signal which it converts into an analog luminosity signal. Then, during each of a preselected repeating sequence of raster scan cycle periods, it encodes a corresponding preselected portion of the information in the analog luminosity signal as a binary value and stores the value in a bit map memory array. As a result, the video image is encoded and stored over a plurality of raster scan cycle periods.

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Oakland, CA, United States of America

Arthur Abraham