The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 30, 1996
Filed:
Jul. 30, 1993
Andrew Glassner, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Xerox Corporation, Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
A method for coloring pixels of a pixelated display to present a simulated image of a view of objects illuminated by light from light sources and light reflected off the objects is used in an apparatus for coloring pixels to create an image. According to the method, a space is defined, along with objects and light sources in the space. A view point is taken and a view surface is divided into unit areas corresponding to pixels in the image. As the illumination of points on surfaces of objects in the space is found, a data structure is saved for that point indicating its location, its orientation, and the rays of illumination which reach the point, each ray described by a direction, source, color, propagator object, and propagator type. Rays from those propagator types which identify diffuse reflections off significantly diffuse objects are saved as nearby diffuse estimators, and are used for finding the illumination at a nearby shading point without searching the entire space above the shading point for diffuse reflections.