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Title: Resolution-independent surface rendering using programmable graphics hardware

Abstract

Surfaces defined by a Bezier tetrahedron, and in particular quadric surfaces, are rendered on programmable graphics hardware. Pixels are rendered through triangular sides of the tetrahedra and locations on the shapes, as well as surface normals for lighting evaluations, are computed using pixel shader computations. Additionally, vertex shaders are used to aid interpolation over a small number of values as input to the pixel shaders. Through this, rendering of the surfaces is performed independently of viewing resolution, allowing for advanced level-of-detail management. By individually rendering tetrahedrally-defined surfaces which together form complex shapes, the complex shapes can be rendered in their entirety.

Inventors:
 [1];  [1]
  1. Bellevue, WA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
957017
Patent Number(s):
7466314
Application Number:
11/261,071
Assignee:
Microsoft Corporation (Redmond, WA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G06 - COMPUTING G06T - IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-48
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Loop, Charles T, and Blinn, James Frederick. Resolution-independent surface rendering using programmable graphics hardware. United States: N. p., 2008. Web.
Loop, Charles T, & Blinn, James Frederick. Resolution-independent surface rendering using programmable graphics hardware. United States.
Loop, Charles T, and Blinn, James Frederick. Tue . "Resolution-independent surface rendering using programmable graphics hardware". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/957017.
@article{osti_957017,
title = {Resolution-independent surface rendering using programmable graphics hardware},
author = {Loop, Charles T and Blinn, James Frederick},
abstractNote = {Surfaces defined by a Bezier tetrahedron, and in particular quadric surfaces, are rendered on programmable graphics hardware. Pixels are rendered through triangular sides of the tetrahedra and locations on the shapes, as well as surface normals for lighting evaluations, are computed using pixel shader computations. Additionally, vertex shaders are used to aid interpolation over a small number of values as input to the pixel shaders. Through this, rendering of the surfaces is performed independently of viewing resolution, allowing for advanced level-of-detail management. By individually rendering tetrahedrally-defined surfaces which together form complex shapes, the complex shapes can be rendered in their entirety.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2008},
month = {12}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Modeling with cubic A-patches
journal, April 1995


3D tetrahedron ray tracing algorithm
journal, January 2001