Updating graphical objects based on object validity periods

Claim 1

A graphic display system comprising: a set of rendering engines; a plurality of data storage units, wherein each data storage unit in said set of data storage units is coupled to at least one rendering engine in said set of rendering engines; and a selection means for selecting a data storage unit in said plurality of data storage units, wherein said selected data storage unit is to be used for storing data representing an object to be displayed by said graphic display system and said selected data storage unit is selected based on a validity period of the object, wherein said selection means includes means for determining the validity period of the object, said means for determining the validity period of the object including: means for determining a size validity period of the object, and means for determining a translational validity period of the object according to the following equation: ##EQU5## wherein the translational validity period is a time required for the object to change by a predetermined translational threshold, wherein said predetermined translational threshold is a first angle extending from a line, wherein the line passes through both a reference point and the object, wherein: τ trans is the translational validity period, distance is a length of a portion of the line, wherein the portion extends from the reference point to a center of the object, relative speed is a speed of the object relative to the reference point, and θ 1 is the predetermined translational threshold.

Claim 11

A method implemented by a graphical display system for rendering an object in at least one of a plurality of data storage units in said graphical display system, said method comprising the steps of: (a) determining a validity period of the object; (b) selecting a data storage unit in the plurality of data storage units based on the validity period; and (c) rendering the object in the data storage unit selected in said step (b), wherein said step (a) includes the steps of: determining a size validity period of the object, and calculating a translational validity period of the object according to the following equation: ##EQU7## wherein the translational validity period is a time required for the object to change by a predetermined translational threshold, wherein the predetermined translational threshold is a first angle extending from a line, wherein the line passes through both a reference point and the object, wherein: τ trans is the translational validity period, distance is a length of a portion of the line, wherein the portion extends from the reference point to a center of the object, relative -- speed is a speed of the object relative to the reference point, and θ 1 is the predefined translational threshold.

Claim 12

A method implemented by a graphical display system for rendering an object in at least one of a plurality of data storage units in said graphical display system, said method comprising the steps of: (a) determining a validity period of the object; (b) selecting a data storage unit in the plurality of data storage units based on the validity period; and (c) rendering the object in the data storage unit selected in said step (b), wherein said step (a) includes the steps of: determining a size validity period of the object, and calculating a translational validity period of the object according to the following equation: ##EQU7## wherein the translational validity period is a time required for the object to change by a predetermined translational threshold, wherein the predetermined translational threshold is a first angle extending from a line, wherein the line passes through both a reference point and the object, wherein: τ trans is the translational validity period, distance is a length of a portion of the line, wherein the portion extends from the reference point to a center of the object, relative -- speed is a speed of the object relative to the reference point, and θ 1 is the predefined translational threshold.

Claim 20

A method for determining a validity period for an object to be rendered by a graphic display system, wherein the object has an animation validity period, said method comprising the steps of: calculating a translational validity period of the object according to the following equation: ##EQU9## wherein the translational validity period is a time required for the object to change by a predetermined translational threshold and the predetermined translational threshold is a first angle extending from a line passing through both a reference point and the object, wherein: τ trans is the translational validity period, distance is a length of a portion of the line, wherein the portion extends from the reference point to a center of the object, relative -- speed is a speed of the object relative to the reference point; and θ 1 is the predetermined translational threshold; determining a size validity period of the object according to the following equation: ##EQU10## wherein the size validity period is a time required for the object to change by a predetermined size threshold and the predetermined size threshold is a second angle extending from the line, wherein: τ size is the size validity period, radius is a length extending from the center of the object to a perimeter of a bounding sphere for the object, and θ 2 is the predetermined size threshold; and selecting a smallest one of the translational validity period, the size validity period, and the animation validity period to be the validity period of the object.

Claim 21

A method for determining a validity period for an object to be rendered by a graphic display system, wherein the object has an animation validity period, said method comprising the steps of: calculating a translational validity period of the object according to the following equation: ##EQU9## wherein the translational validity period is a time required for the object to change by a predetermined translational threshold and the predetermined translational threshold is a first angle extending from a line passing through both a reference point and the object, wherein: τ trans is the translational validity period, distance is a length of a portion of the line, wherein the portion extends from the reference point to a center of the object, relative -- speed is a speed of the object relative to the reference point; and θ 1 is the predetermined translational threshold; determining a size validity period of the object according to the following equation: ##EQU10## wherein the size validity period is a time required for the object to change by a predetermined size threshold and the predetermined size threshold is a second angle extending from the line, wherein: τ size is the size validity period, radius is a length extending from the center of the object to a perimeter of a bounding sphere for the object, and θ 2 is the predetermined size threshold; and selecting a smallest one of the translational validity period, the size validity period, and the animation validity period to be the validity period of the object.

Claim 25

A method implemented by a graphical display system for rendering an object in at least one of a plurality of data storage units in said graphical display system, said method comprising the steps of: (a) determining a validity period of the object; (b) selecting a data storage unit in the plurality of data storage units based on the validity period; and (c) rendering the object in the data storage unit selected in said step (b), wherein said step (a) includes the steps of: determining a translational validity period of the object, and calculating a size validity period of the object according to the following equation: ##EQU11## wherein the size validity period is a time required for the object to change by a predetermined size threshold, wherein the predetermined size threshold is a second angle extending from a line, wherein the line passes through a reference point and the object, wherein: τ size is the size validity period, distance is a length of a portion of the line, wherein the portion extends from the reference point to a center of the object, relative -- speed is a speed of the object relative to the reference point, radius is a length extending from the center of the object to a perimeter of a bounding sphere for the object, and θ 2 is the predetermined size threshold.

Claim 26

A method implemented by a graphical display system for rendering an object in at least one of a plurality of data storage units in said graphical display system, said method comprising the steps of: (a) determining a validity period of the object; (b) selecting a data storage unit in the plurality of data storage units based on the validity period; and (c) rendering the object in the data storage unit selected in said step (b), wherein said step (a) includes the steps of: determining a translational validity period of the object, and calculating a size validity period of the object according to the following equation: ##EQU11## wherein the size validity period is a time required for the object to change by a predetermined size threshold, wherein the predetermined size threshold is a second angle extending from a line, wherein the line passes through a reference point and the object, wherein: τ size is the size validity period, distance is a length of a portion of the line, wherein the portion extends from the reference point to a center of the object, relative -- speed is a speed of the object relative to the reference point, radius is a length extending from the center of the object to a perimeter of a bounding sphere for the object, and θ 2 is the predetermined size threshold.