A central processing unit (CPU) is coupled to a random access memory (RAM) which is organized in correspondence with a cathode ray tube (CRT) type display. The to-be-displayed image is sequentially read from the RAM by a character reader. A reference clock system provides appropriate timing and synchronization signals for CRT scan and memory read out. Means are provided for altering the timing between CRT scan and memory read out in an erratic or psuedo-random manner to produce a scene-shaking effect in the displayed image.
A method and apparatus of providing a visual representation of a curve image wherein curve image data is provided by a B-Spline equation computed with a forward difference technique using scaled integer variables. The method provides for the scaling of the initial base matrix computation of the geometry vector coefficients followed by the computation of the forward difference interval coefficients using integer arithmetic. The curve coordinate values for each interval are computed from the forward difference interval coefficient integers descaled by the scaling parameter. By employing integer arithmetic in a divide approximation technique, the use of floating point arithmetic is avoided. The apparatus for producing the visual representation of the curve image includes a computational section that provides for pipelined computations of the forward difference interval coefficients to provide high-speed curve coordinate value computation.
A boundary detection target region designating circuit includes a maximum value register in which a predetermined minimum value is initially set, and a minimum value register in which a predetermined maximum value is initially set. The content of the maximum value register is compared with a vertex coordinate of a boundary written in a boundary detection memory by a first comparator. If it is detected that the vertex coordinate is larger than the content of the maximum value register, the content of the maximum value register is updated to be the vertex coordinate by a first updating means. The content of the minimum value register is compared with the vertex coordinate by a second comparator. If it is detected that the vertex coordinate is smaller than the content of the minimum value register, the content of the minimum value register is updated to be the vertex coordinate by a second updating means. After a boundary write operation into the boundary detection memory is completed, maximum and minimum coordinates of a minimum rectangular region including all the boundaries of blanked-out regions are indicated by the maximum and minimum value registers.
There is provided a video display controller which can vertically and horizontally shift a whole video image displayed on a screen of a video display unit. The video display controller comprises an image data read circuit which reads the image data from a video RAM, a register into which data representative of amount of shift of the video image is stored by a central processing unit, and a first counter which cyclicly counts a clock signal. An adder adds the data contained in the register and a count output of the first counter, and at a timing determined by this addition result a predetermined value is preset into a second counter. This second counter counts the clock signal from the predetermined value, and the image data read by the image data read circuit is outputted to the video display unit at a timing in accordance with a count output of this second counter. The register, first counter, adder and second counter are provided in each of vertical and horizontal scanning control circuits.
A high-score display system for a video game includes a memory and a display coupled to a game controller of a video game. The game controller causes the display to show active game play sequences responsive to player inputs and simulated game play during an attract mode. Information associated with prior plays of the video game, including high score player identifiers, are stored in the memory. The controller causes selected ones of the high score player identifiers to be displayed in a plurality of available display areas of the video game including static display areas, movable display areas and conditional display areas.
A bit map image is stored as a two-dimensional array with z axis set arbitrarily at unity. Total rotation transform and screen projection is then treated as a lumped equation due to multiplicative associativity so long as only one variable "V" is included in each lumped equation. The z-data (stored elevation values corresponding to each bit map x/y coordinate) is re-inserted as a later operation after the image has been partially transformed and projected. Full yaw, pitch, and translations from virtually any perspective viewpoint may be projected onto a multiplicity of screen shapes (conical, spherical, flat, etc.), with z data being inserted into a final output.
