Real-time simulation of a point system having textured areas as viewed by a moving observer

摘要

A night visual aircraft system receives flight data from an aircraft simulator, and terrain data from the gaming area data base. A computer within the night visual system organizes this image data by frame in a buffer memory according to a particular format of addresses, sequences, and bit places. The following types of image data are uniquely positioned in the format:PPA position vector (Vp), defining the changing position of the aircraft with respect to the terrain data origin. PPRotational matrix data, defining the changing attitude of the aircraft with respect to the axes of the terrain coordinate system. PPLight source data, defining the position of terrain lights with respect to the origin of the terrain data.PP Texture data for defining areas to be activated on the CRT such as runways, horizon glow, and faces of structures. PPAn image processor receives the light source portion of the formatted image data to translate the data into the aircraft coordinate system, rotate the data in accordance with the attitude of the aircraft, and project the data in two-dimension display coordinates.P PThe image generator includes a texture stage which processes the texture portion of the data to activate face areas on the CRT display. Texture data includes X and Y trace rates which are integrated to provide X and Y deflection ramp voltages. The ramp voltages cause the electron beam to trace along the centerline of a face, and a deflection sinewave superimposed thereover fills out the area to be simulated. Trace limit data is provided to terminate the display when the trace ramps exceed a predetermined value. A range voltage ramp is generated from the Y deflection ramp and applied to the grid of the CRT to simulate range attenuation of intensity. Initial width and taper width data is provided to simulate distance attenuation of size. Various compound signals may be applied to the deflection and intensity inputs to control the size, shape, shading, and perspective effect of the display.