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:
Aug. 28, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 04, 1998
Ioana M Martin, Ossining, NY (US);
Bengt-Olaf Schneider, Yorktown Heights, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for combining two dimensional (2D) images with three dimensional (3D) polygonal models of objects so as to encode 2D image content information into the 3D objects, thereby providing an efficient rendering and transmission of complex scenes. The occurrence of an occlusion error in a digital data processing system that has a display is avoided. The method has steps of (a) encoding a specification of a two dimensional background image into at least one three dimensional foreground object that overlies and occludes a portion of the background image; and (b) displaying to a viewer the background image and the at least one overlying foreground object. A further step operates in response to a movement of the foreground object that makes a portion of the background image visible to the viewer, for (c) displaying the portion of the background image that has become visible. The step of displaying uses the encoded specification that is retrieved from the foreground object. For example, the step of encoding can store color-related data into unused portions of an indexed list of vertices that are descriptive of the foreground object.