Accession Number:

ADA278497

Title:

A Format for Storing and Managing Multiple Level of Detail Terrain for Simulated Environments

Descriptive Note:

Master's thesis

Corporate Author:

AIR FORCE INST OF TECH WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

Personal Author(s):

• Meissner, Keith L.

Report Date:

1994-03-01

Pagination or Media Count:

114.0

Abstract:

This study investigated a method of storing, managing and rendering terrain data, while addressing the conflicting goals of rendering speed, display detail and memory usage. A data structure is presented to store terrain data, with an object oriented system to manage the data stored in the structure. The structure stores terrain data in a compact form, which is converted into rendering structures in real time. The structure uses levels of detail to maintain display detail. The structure is compared against an existing format for storing terrain data, MultiGen Flight. The system managing the structure is shown to decrease memory usage and increase frame rate, while maintaining display detail. The structure offers features not attainable from Flight format, including interpolating vertices to prevent cracking, defining levels of detail by altitude and speed, and betweening. The structure allows storing and rendering larger databases than previously manageable with Flight format.

Descriptors:

• *DATA MANAGEMENT
• *TERRAIN
• *DATA STORAGE SYSTEMS
• *DATA DISPLAYS
• VELOCITY
• DATA BASES
• COMPUTERS
• RATES
• FLIGHT
• FRAMES
• ALTITUDE
• COMPUTER GRAPHICS
• FORMATS
• TIME
• THESES
• STRUCTURES
• REAL TIME
• COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION

Subject Categories:

• Geology, Geochemistry and Mineralogy
• Computer Systems

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE