Rockwell Collins, Inc.

Thomas Peter Skowyra

Randy Harris

Harold Dee Gardiner

Seth John Thorup

David A Buckmiller

David Quinn LeBaron

Layne H Thorup

Raymond Lee Fitzgerald

A system and related method for simulating IR halos in a computer graphics display generates a set of halo candidates corresponding to each new scene by scanning the frame buffer for that scene to flag pixels associated with unocculted light sources as halo candidates, or prospective halo centers around which simulated halos are to be drawn. The system adjusts the defocus value of flagged halo candidates based on their pixel distance and determines whether identified halo centers are new, continuing, or expired by comparing the current scene and its halo candidate list to the preceding (currently displayed) image and its list of current halo centers. The system generates a dual visible/IR image, adding IR-only polygonal halos to the identified halo centers based on pixel attributes. The dual image is projected for viewing by night vision goggles, which the IR-only image and component halos will stimulate.

System and method for simulating infrared (IR) light halos in a computer graphics display

A computerized method and system of rendering a graphical image containing a volumetric object on an electronic display is provided. The method includes defining, at a processing circuit, the volumetric object as a volume. The volume comprises a plurality of polygons. The method includes rendering the volume for a first plurality of pixels of the electronic display. The volume is described by volume characteristics. The method includes rendering a graphical image for a second plurality of pixels of the electronic display. The graphical image is described by global characteristics. When a view ray for at least one of the second plurality of pixels intersects at least one of the first plurality of pixels, the global characteristics and a proportion of the volume characteristics are combined when rendering the graphical image. The proportion is defined by an extent of the intersection of the view ray.

Volume rendering a graphical 3D scene containing a 3D volumetric object and atmospheric effects

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Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America

Thomas Peter Skowyra