Honeywell G.m.b.h.

James A Cousens

John F Dawson

Eldon John Thompson

Thomas D Snodgrass

Marie A Stoffer

Joseph W Bednarski

A method and apparatus for providing a texture mapped perspective view for digital map systems. The system includes apparatus for storing elevation data, apparatus for storing texture data, apparatus for scanning a projected view volume from the elevation data storing apparatus, apparatus for processing, apparatus for generating a plurality of planar polygons and apparatus for rendering images. The processing apparatus further includes apparatus for receiving the scanned projected view volume from the scanning apparatus, transforming the scanned projected view volume from object space to screen space, and computing surface normals at each vertex of each polygon so as to modulate texture space pixel intensity. The generating apparatus generates the plurality of planar polygons from the transformed vertices and supplies them to the rendering apparatus which then shades each of the planar polygons. In one alternate embodiment of the invention, the polygons are shaded by apparatus of the rendering apparatus assigning one color across the surface of each polygon. In yet another alternate embodiment of the invention, the rendering apparatus interpolates the intensities between the vertices of each polygon in a linear fashion as in Gouraud shading.

Method and apparatus for generating a texture mapped perspective view

An apparatus for reading a first addressable memory and writing into a second addressable memory wherein the first addressable memory is logically arranged in a rectangular matrix and is scanned at an arbitrary angle with respect to the matrix for producing a plurality of scan patterns whose parameters can be altered and controlled by an external source, while the second addressable memory, also arranged in a rectangular matrix, is written into along parallel rows and columns. The apparatus is particularly adapted for use with a digital map display system having an airborne computer for generation the scan parameters.

Address generator with variable scan patterns

A digital mapping display system for an aircraft wherein map data from a mass memory unit is periodically loaded into RAM in the form of a cache memory in accordance with the aircraft trajectory. The cache memory is randomly addressable within the physical address space of a control processor, individual segments of the cache memory being loaded with map data and updated while other segments are being displayed, thereby avoiding the inherent delay of accessing the mass memory unit and addressing the entire RAM array. Parallel processing of map data and symbology facilitate a real-time display.

Growing community of inventors

Albuquerque, NM, United States of America

James A Cousens