Apparatus for automatically determining the X-Y intersection of two curves in a raster type display system including a buffer refresh memory

摘要

The apparatus determines the X-Y coordinates on the raster of the intersection of two curves one of which is stored in the display system raster refresh buffer. The second curve is generated by a curve generator or some other source of sequential X-Y coordinate data defining said second curve and a series of sequential X-Y coordinates is produced by said curve generator, defining the X-Y coordinates on the raster where the second curve would lie. As each X-Y coordinate is generated by the curve generator it is translated into a buffer address and the contents of that address in the buffer memory are accessed and a determination is made to see if said first curve exists at that address. If an element of the first curve is found to exist in the buffer store at the generated address location, it is known an intersection point has been found and the appropriate X-Y address is gated from the system to utilization means.;If a plurality of intersection points are found for two particular curves, averaging means are provided for at least approximating the midpoint of the actual intersection of the two curves and said midpoint address is gated out of the system as the intersection point.;The apparatus can determine if two curves have a point of tangency when they exist on two adjacent raster lines but do not actually intersect.