Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Architectures for 3D Graphics Display Hardware

  • Chapter
State of the Art in Computer Graphics

  • 74 Accesses

Abstract

The interactivity required for effective visualization places high demands on graphics hardware. The traditional graphics pipeline has been stretched to extremes in order to meet this demand, but it is due for a restructuring. This overview examines the growing capability of graphics hardware, with special attention paid to rapid display of complex scenes, to addition of features that improve image quality, and to the flexibility needed to serve a wide range of graphics applications.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Abram, G.D., Westover, L., and Whitted, T., Accelerated rendering, Proc. Ausgraph ‘88, pp. 93–98, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Akeley, K., and Jermoluk, T., High-performance polygon rendering, Comput. Graph.,Vol. 22, pp. 239–246, 1988 (SIGGRAPH 88).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Akeley, K., The Silicon Graphics 4D/240GTX superworkstation, IEEE Comput. Graph. and Appl., Vol. 9, No. 4, pp. 71–83, July 1989

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Apgar, B., Bersack, B., and Mammen, A., A display system for the Stellar Graphics supercomputer model GS1000, Comput. Graph.,Vol. 22, pp. 255–262, 1988 (SIGGRAPH 88).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. AT&T, WE DSP32C Digital Signal Processor Information Manual,1988.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Borden, B.S., Graphics processing on a graphics supercomputer, IEEE Comput. Graph. and Appl., Vol. 9, No. 4, pp. 56–62, July 1989.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Carlbom, I.B., System Architecture for High-Performance Vector Graphics, Ph.D. diss., Department of Computer Science, Brown University, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Clark, J.H., and Hannah, M., Distributed processing in a high-performance smart image memory, VLSI Design, Vol. 1, No. 3, pp. 40–45, 4th Quarter 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Clar82] Clark, J.H., The geometry engine: A VLSI geometry system for graphics, Comput. Graph.,Vol. 16, pp. 349–355, 1982 (SIGGRAPH 82).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Clark, J.H., Roots and branches of 3-D, BYTE, Vol. 17, No. 5, pp. 153–164, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Cook, R.L., Shade trees, Comput. Graph.,Vol. 18, pp. 223–231, 1984 (SIGGRAPH 84).

    Google Scholar 

  12. England, N., A graphics system architecture for interactive application-specific display functions, IEEE Comput. Graph. and Appl., Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 60–70, January 1986.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. England, N., Evolution of high performance graphics systems, Proc. Graphics Interface ’89, Canadian Information Processing Society (Morgan Kaufman in US), June 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Fuchs, H., Distributing a visible surface algorithm over multiple processors, Proc. ACM Annual Conf., Seattle, WA, pp. 449–451, October 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Fuchs, H., et al., Fast spheres, shadows, textures, transparencies, and image enhancements in Pixel-Planes, Comput. Graph.,Vol. 19, pp. 111–120, 1985 (SIG-GRAPH 85).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Fuchs, H., et al., Pixel-Planes 5: A heterogeneous multiprocessor graphics system using processor-enhanced memories, Comput. Graph.,Vol. 23, pp. 79–88, 1989 (SIGGRAPH 89).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Gaudet, S., Hobson, R., Chilka, P., and Calvert, T., Multiprocessor experiments for high-speed ray tracing, ACM TOG, Vol. 7, pp. 151–179, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Grimes, J., Kohn, L., and Bharadhwaj, R., The Intel i860 64-bit processor: A general-purpose CPU with 3D graphics capabilities, IEEE Comput. Graph. and Appl., Vol. 9, No. 4, pp. 85–94, July 1989.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Haeberli, P., and Akeley, K., The accumulation buffer: Hardware support for high-quality rendering, Comput. Graph.,Vol. 24, pp. 309–318, 1990 (SIGGRAPH 90).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Kirk, D., and Voorhies, D., The rendering architecture of the DN10000VS, Comput. Graph.,Vol. 24, pp. 299–307, 1990 (SIGGRAPH 90).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Larson, R., Morrison, B., and Goris, A., Hardware Texture Mapping, Graphics Technology Division, Ft. Collins, CO: Hewlett-Packard Co., 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Laur, D., and Hanrahan, P., Hierarchical splatting: A progressive refinement algorithm for volume rendering, Comput. Graph.,Vol. 25, pp. 285–288, 1991 (SIG-GRAPH 91).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Levinthal, A., and Porter, T., Chap — a SIMD graphics processor, Comput. Graph.,Vol. 18, pp. 77–82, 1984 (SIGGRAPH 84).

    Google Scholar 

  24. Levoy, M., Efficient ray tracing of volume data, ACM TOG, Vol. 9, pp. 245–261, 1990.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  25. Mammen, A., Transparency and antialiasing algorithms implemented with the virtual pixel maps technique, IEEE Comput. Graph. and Appl., Vol. 9, pp. 43–55, July 1989.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Margulis, N., i860 Microprocessor Architecture, Berkeley: Osborbe/McGraw-Hill, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Molnar, S., and Fuchs, H., Advanced Raster Graphics Architecture, Chap. 18, pp. 855–922, in Foley, J., van Dam, A., Feiner, S., and Hughes, J., Computer Graphics: Principles and Practice, Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Molnar, S., Image Composition Architectures for Real-Time Graphics, Ph.D. diss., Dept. of Computer Science, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, August 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Molnar, S., Eyles, J., and Poulton, J., Pixel Flow: high-speed rendering using image composition, Comput. Graph.,Vol. 26, pp. 231–240, 1992 (SIGGRAPH 92).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Myer, T.H., and Sutherland, I.E., On the design of display processors, CACM, Vol. 11, No. 6, pp. 410–414, June 1968.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Nishimura, H., Ohno, H., Kawata, T., Shirakawa, I., and Omura, K., LINKS-1: A Parallel Pipelined Multimicrocomputer System for Image Creation, Proc. 10th Symposium on Computer Architecture (Stockholm), pp. 387–394, New York: ACM, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Parke, F.I., Simulation and expected performance analysis of multiple processor z-buffer systems, Comput. Graph.,Vol. 14, pp. 48–56, 1980 (SIGGRAPH 80).

    Google Scholar 

  33. Phong, B.T., Illumination for Computer Generated Pictures, Ph.D. diss., Computer Science Dept., University of Utah, July 1973. Condensed version in CACM, Vol. 18, No. 6, pp. 311–317, 1975.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Potmesil, M., and Hoffert, E., The pixel machine: A parallel image computer, Comput. Graph.,Vol. 23, pp. 69–78, 1989 (SIGGRAPH 89).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Rockwood, A., Heaton, K., and Davis, T., Real-time rendering of trimmed surfaces, Comput. Graph.,Vol. 23, pp. 107–116, 1989 (SIGGRAPH 89).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Sun Microsystems, SPARCstation 2GS/SPARCstation 2GT Technical White Paper, November 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Sutherland, I.E., Sproull, R.F., and Schumacker, R.A., A characterization of ten hidden-surface algorithms, ACM Computing Surveys, Vol. 6, pp. 1–55, March 1974.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Texas Instruments, TMS320C3x User’s Guide, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Ullner, M.K., Parallel Machines for Computer Graphics, Ph.D. diss., California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Watkins, G., A Real Time Hidden Surface Algorithm, Ph.D. diss., Computer Science Dept., University of Utah, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Westover, L., Interactive Volume Rendering, Proc. Chapel Hill Workshop on Volume Visualization, May 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Westover, L.A., “Splatting: A Parallel, Feed-Forward Volume Rendering Algorithm”, Ph.D. diss., Dept. of Computer Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Whitted, T., An improved illumination model for shaded display, CACM, Vol. 23, pp. 343–349, June 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Whitted, T., Hardware enhanced 3-D raster display systems, Proc. 7th Canadian Man-Computer Communications Conference, Waterloo, Ont, pp. 349–356, June 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Whitton, M.C., Memory design for raster graphics displays, IEEE Comput. Graph. and Appl., Vol. 4, No. 3, pp. 48–65, March 1984.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Turner Whitted
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Aerospace Engineering Department, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, 21402, USA

    David F. Rogers

  2. University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK

    Rae A. Earnshaw

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1994 Springer-Verlag New York, Inc.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Whitted, T. (1994). Architectures for 3D Graphics Display Hardware. In: Rogers, D.F., Earnshaw, R.A. (eds) State of the Art in Computer Graphics. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-4306-9_10

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-4306-9_10

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-8732-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-4306-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation