Patent ID: 9613598
Date: 2017-04-04
CPC Classifications: G06F,G06T,G09G,H04N

Claim:
1. A method for generating 3-dimensional computer images, the method comprising the steps of: subdividing an image into a plurality of tiles; grouping the tiles into a plurality of macrotiles, each macrotile comprising a plurality of the tiles; defining a threshold level for a display list for the macrotiles which is less than the largest allowable display list; loading object data for at least one of the macrotiles into the display list until the threshold level is reached; deriving image data and shading data for each picture element of each of the tiles in at least one of the macrotiles from the object data, wherein the object data for each of the tiles is processed in dependence on the loaded object data having reached the threshold level of the display list; storing the derived image data and shading data in a memory; releasing for further use areas of the display list containing object data used to derive image data and shading data stored in the memory; loading additional object data for at least one of the macrotiles into released areas of the display list; retrieving image data stored in the memory; deriving additional image data and shading data for each picture element of the tiles from the additional object data stored in the display list and the retrieved image data from the memory; storing the additional derived image data and shading data in the memory; and providing shading data stored in the memory for display.