Michael J Shantz

US Patent:

6525726, Feb 25, 2003

Filed:

Nov 2, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/432134

Inventors:

Feng Xie - Sunnyvale CA
Michael J. Shantz - Cupertino CA

Assignee:

Intel Corporation - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

G06T 1540

US Classification:

345421, 345422

Abstract:

A data processing system providing high performance three-dimensional graphics includes at least one system processor, chipset core logic, a graphics processor, and a Z-buffer. In one embodiment an adaptive hierarchical visibility (AHV) method performs occlusion-culling in a tiled 3D graphics hardware architecture. Polygon bins for each tile are bucket-sorted in order of increasing depth Z. Polygon bins are rendered starting with the bin closest to the viewer. After some number of bins are rendered, a single layer, hierarchical Z-buffer (HZ) may be constructed from the Z-buffer thus far accumulated for the rendered bins, if it would be cost effective to do so. Subsequent bins are rendered by first testing their polygons against the HZ buffer to see if they are hidden. Also described are an integrated circuit for implementing the AHV algorithm, and a computer-readable medium storing a data structure for implementing the AHV method and apparatus.

US Patent:

7331838, Feb 19, 2008

Filed:

Apr 16, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/825214

Inventors:

Michael Shantz - Cupertino CA, US

Assignee:

Jasman Asia Ltd. - Kowloon

International Classification:

A63H 27/22

US Classification:

446 57

Abstract:

An airplane flying toy includes a longitudinal frame bearing a wing and a stabilizer, a propeller rotatably disposed at an end of the frame, a force generating device attached to the longitudinal frame and adapted to impart a rotary motion to the propeller by a rotatable shaft, and a propeller protector extending at least partially around and longitudinally beyond the propeller, the propeller connector being connected by struts to the longitudinal frame.

US Patent:

20070215750, Sep 20, 2007

Filed:

Nov 15, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/599615

Inventors:

Michael Shantz - Cupertino CA, US
Matthew Keennon - Simi Valley CA, US

International Classification:

B64C 27/08

US Classification:

244017230

Abstract:

A radio controlled helicopter is provided which eliminates or simplifies forward/reverse flight control for safe and easy indoor operation. Embodiments include a helicopter having a pair of counter rotating rotors which are driven at the same speed, a vertically aligned tail rotor driven by a reversible motor for controlling yaw, and a mass, such as a power supply battery, mounted for changing the center of gravity of the helicopter to adjust the tendency of the helicopter to move in a forward or reverse direction. The mass is either rigidly mounted, so that the helicopter is always moving forward during flight, or adjustably mounted so that the helicopter's forward or reverse direction can be adjusted prior to or during flight. A protective cage is provided to protect persons from injury from the rotors and to prevent damage to the rotors due to contact with objects during flight.

US Patent:

61306800, Oct 10, 2000

Filed:

Dec 1, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/982029

Inventors:

Michael Brian Cox - Menlo Park CA
Michael J. Shantz - Cupertino CA

Assignee:

Intel Corporation - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

G06T 1140
G06F 1300

US Classification:

345511

Abstract:

A computer graphics system for caching textures includes an L3 memory, an L2 cache, and an L1 cache for storing such textures and also includes a graphics accelerator (GA) for mapping these stored textures onto primitives for graphics display. The L3 memory, which has the largest capacity also has the slowest retrieval speed, while the L1 cache has the smallest capacity and the quickest retrieval speed. The textures are divided into a plurality of L2 texture blocks and each L2 texture block is subdivided into a plurality of L1 sub-blocks. During its rendering process, the GA searches the L1 cache for a particular L1 sub-block that is to be applied to a primitive. If such L1 sub-block is stored within the L1 cache, the GA will extract the desired texels (i. e. , texture pixels) from the L1 sub-block and apply such texels to the primitive. If the L1 sub-block is not located in the L1 cache, the GA will search the L2 cache for the L1 sub-block.

US Patent:

48602515, Aug 22, 1989

Filed:

Nov 17, 1986

Appl. No.:

6/931663

Inventors:

Karl Bizjak - Portola Valley CA
Michael Shantz - Sunnyvale CA
Linda Shwetz - Menlo Park CA

Assignee:

Sun Microsystems, Inc. - Mountain View CA

International Classification:

G06F 1300
G06F 314

US Classification:

364900

Abstract:

An improved display system which includes a central processing unit (CPU) coupled to a display utilizing vertical blanking intervals. A frame buffer memory is coupled to the CPU for storing data representative of color indices for each display pixel. The frame buffer is further coupled to look-up tables (LUTs) for storing color values which are provided through digital/analog converters (DACs) to the display. The CPU updates the contents of the frame buffer and/or LUTs during the vertical blanking interval of the display. A "first half" status flag is provided to the CPU at the beginning of each vertical blanking interval. This status flag remains true until one half of the period has elapsed. A "too late" status flag is also provided at the initiation of the interval which remains low until the end of the vertical blanking interval. The CPU may, based upon when the memory update begins relative to the status flags, determine whether or not to continue the update or terminate until the next vertical blanking interval.

US Patent:

50633759, Nov 5, 1991

Filed:

Sep 18, 1989

Appl. No.:

7/409262

Inventors:

Sheue-Ling Lien - Mountain View CA
Michael J. Shantz - Sunnyvale CA
Susan E. Carrie - Sunnyvale CA
Jim V. Loo - Los Altos CA
David Elrod - Sunnyvale CA

Assignee:

Sun Microsystems, Inc. - Mountain View CA

International Classification:

G09G 128

US Classification:

340703

Abstract:

The present invention provides unique methods and apparatus for shading curves, polygons and patches, implementing Phong, Gouraud and other shading techniques in the rendering of images on a cathode ray tube or other display device. The present invention also includes a unique method and apparatus for shading patches by rendering a series of adjacent curves such that no pixel gaps exist between each rendered curve.

US Patent:

48559350, Aug 8, 1989

Filed:

May 8, 1987

Appl. No.:

7/047693

Inventors:

Sheue-Ling Lien - Mountain View CA
Michael J. Shantz - Sunnyvale CA
Jerald R. Evans - Mountain View CA
Serdar Ergene - San Jose CA
Susan E. Carrie - Sunnyvale CA

Assignee:

Sun Microsystems, Inc. - Mountain View CA

International Classification:

G06F 1572

US Classification:

364521

Abstract:

An adaptive forward differencing apparatus wherein, when rendering curves, calculated x, y values are increased or decreased in order to create values which correspond to the next pixel of the display CRT, such that curves of substantially one pixel increments are continuously and uniformly generated. The apparatus of the present invention also provides circuitry for generating coordinates of display elements which approximate an ideal vector and to define curves, vectors or objects within maximum and minimum coordinates of the CRT display. The present invention also provides efficient circuitry for computing the value of 1/w of the homogenous coordinate w.

US Patent:

51250730, Jun 23, 1992

Filed:

Nov 8, 1989

Appl. No.:

7/433430

Inventors:

Sheue-Ling Lien - Mountain View CA
Michael J. Shantz - Sunnyvale CA
Serdar Ergene - San Jose CA
Vaughan R. Pratt - Palo Alto CA
Jerald R. Evans - Mountain View CA

Assignee:

Sun Microsystems, Inc. - Mountain View CA

International Classification:

G06F 314

US Classification:

395142

Abstract:

An adaptive forward differencing apparatus wherein, when rendering curves, calculated x, y values are increased or decreased in order to create values which correspond to the next pixel of the display CRT, such that curves of substantially one pixel increments are continuously and uniformly generated. The apparatus also provides circuitry for generating coordinates of display elements which approximate an ideal vector and to define curves, vectors or objects within maximum and minimum coordinates of the CRT display. The present invention also provides efficient circuitry for computing the value of 1/w of the homogenous coordinate w.