Patent ID: 7456837

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: retrieving a viewing angle value from an input register, wherein an application stores the viewing angle value in the input register prior to the retrieving, wherein the viewing angle value includes an exponent viewing angle value and a fractional viewing angle value; calculating an intensity value based upon the viewing angle value using a single instruction command, wherein the single instruction includes a logarithm step, a multiplication step, and a power of two step; wherein the logarithm step further includes: unbiasing the exponent viewing angle value; and calculating a log fraction value using the fractional viewing angle value; and wherein the multiplication step further includes: retrieving a surface property value that includes a surface property mantissa and a surface property exponent; multiplying the unbiased exponent viewing angle value and the log fraction value with the surface property mantissa; and shifting the multiplication result by an amount that corresponds to the surface property exponent; and wherein the power of two step further comprises: biasing an integer portion of the shifted multiplication result; and performing a power of two calculation with a fractional portion of the shifted multiplication result; storing the intensity value; and utilizing the intensity value during object highlight generation.