Patent ID: 6104407
Filing Date: 2000-08-15
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
A method for processing fragment pixel information, the method comprises the steps of:a) generating a sub-pixel mask for an object element at a pixel location based on a decision corner that is determined by starting at the pixel center, traveling in the major direction to the pixel edge and then on the minor direction to the pixel corner, an error term that is determined from the slope of the triangle edge and said decision corner, slope of an edge of the object element, and whether the edge is a left edge or a right edge;b) receiving fragment pixel information pertaining to the object element at the pixel location, wherein the fragment pixel information includes a z value, color information, and the sub-pixel mask;c) determining visibility of the object element at the pixel location based on the z value and the sub-pixel mask;d) when the object element is at least partially visible, determining whether the pixel location has been identified as containing a fragment pixel;e) when the pixel location has not been identified as containing the fragment pixel, determining whether the object element, at the pixel location, has full coverage and is opaque based on the sub-pixel mask and the color information; andf) when the object element has full coverage, is opaque, and is fully visible, storing the color information in a frame buffer and the z value in a z buffer.