What is claimed is:
1. A three-dimensional image processing apparatus for creating an image of a trace having a width and formed on a ground surface or a water surface as a 3-D model having a width moves in contact with the ground surface or the water surface, the three-dimensional image processing apparatus comprising:
position calculating means for calculating positions at opposite widthwise sides where the trace is to be created at specified time intervals,
polygon generating means for generating polygons for the trace by successively determining the calculated positions at the opposite widthwise sides as vertices,
polygon storage means for storing the generated polygons,
texture storage means for storing textures to be adhered to the polygons, and
texture adhering means for adhering the textures stored in the texture storage means to the polygons.
2. A three-dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the position calculating means calculates the positions where the trace is to be created based on the moving direction of the 3-D model and the orientation of the 3-D model with respect to the moving direction thereof.
3. A three-dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the texture storage means stores a plurality of textures for the trace and includes texture selecting means for selecting a texture corresponding to the ground surface or the water surface with which the 3-D model is in contact from the plurality of the textures stored in the texture storage means, and the texture adhering means reads the texture selected by the texture selecting means from the texture storage means and adheres it to the polygon.
4. A three-dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising texture transparent processing means for applying a transparent processing to the texture in a specified number of steps, wherein the specified number of textures having the transparent processing applied thereto are generated by reading the texture before a change from the texture storage means and applying the transparent processing to it in the specified number of steps by means of the texture transparent processing means when the texture to be selected by the texture selecting means is changed as the 3-D model moves, and the texture adhering means adheres the textures having the transparent processing applied thereto to the specified number of polygons before the change.
5. A three-dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising texture transparent processing means for applying a transparent processing to the texture in a specified number of steps, wherein the specified number of textures having the transparent processing applied thereto are generated by reading the texture after a change from the texture storage means and applying the transparent processing to it in the specified number of steps by means of the texture transparent processing means when the texture to be selected by the texture selecting means is changed as the 3-D model moves, and the texture adhering means adheres the textures having the transparent processing applied thereto to the specified number of polygons after the change.
6. A three-dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the polygon storage means stores a time at which each polygon is generated as a generation time, and deletes the polygon having existed for a predetermined time period or longer from the polygon storage means by comparing a current time and the generation time at specified time intervals.
7. A three-dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the 3-D model is a model liftable from the ground surface or the water surface, and contact judging means for judging whether the 3-D model is in contact with the ground surface or the water surface is further provided, wherein the position calculating means does not calculate the positions of the trace and the polygon generating means does not generate the polygons when the contact judging means judges that the 3-D model is not in contact.
8. A three-dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising texture transparent processing means for applying a transparent processing to the texture in a specified number of steps, wherein the specified number of textures having the transparent processing applied thereto are generated by reading the texture stored in the texture storage means and applying the transparent processing to it in the specified number of steps by means of the texture transparent processing means when a judgment of the contact judging means on the presence or absence of contact changes as the 3-D model moves, and the texture adhering means adheres the textures having the transparent processing applied thereto to the specified number of polygons either before or after a change.
9. A computer-readable storage medium storing a three-dimensional image processing program for creating an image of a trace having a width and formed on a ground surface or a water surface as a 3-D model having a width moves in contact with the ground surface or the water surface, the program comprising the steps of:
calculating positions at opposite widthwise sides where the trace is to be created at specified time intervals,
generating polygons for the trace by successively determining the calculated positions at the opposite widthwise sides as vertices,
storing the generated polygons,
storing textures to be adhered to the polygons, and
adhering the stored textures to the polygons.
10. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the position calculating processing is performed to calculate the positions where the trace is to be created based on the moving direction of the 3-D model and the orientation of the 3-D model with respect to the moving direction thereof.
11. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein a plurality of textures for the trace are stored, a texture selecting processing is performed to select a texture corresponding to a characteristic of the ground surface or the water surface with which the 3-D model is in contact from the plurality of the stored textures, and the texture adhering processing is performed to read the texture selected by the texture selecting processing and adhere it to the polygon.
12. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein a specified number of textures having a transparent processing applied thereto are generated by reading the texture before a change and applying the transparent processing to it in the specified number of steps when the texture to be selected by the texture selecting processing is changed as the 3-D model moves, and the texture adhering processing is performed to adhere the textures having the transparent processing applied thereto to the specified number of polygons before the change.
13. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein a specified number of textures having a transparent processing applied thereto are generated by reading the texture after a change and applying the transparent processing to it in the specified number of steps when the texture to be selected by the texture selecting processing is changed as the 3-D model moves, and the texture adhering processing is performed to adhere the textures having the transparent processing applied thereto to the specified number of polygons after the change.
14. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein a time at which each polygon is generated is stored as a generation time, and the polygon having existed for a predetermined time period or longer is deleted by comparing a current time and the generation time at specified time intervals.
15. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the 3-D model is a model liftable from the ground surface or the water surface, a contact judging processing is performed to judge whether the 3-D model is in contact with the ground surface or the water surface, and the position calculating processing is not performed to calculate the positions of the trace and the polygon generating processing is not performed to generate the polygons when the 3-D model is judged not to be in contact by the contact judging processing.
16. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein a specified number of textures having a transparent processing applied thereto are generated by reading the texture stored by the texture storing processing and applying the transparent processing to it in the specified number of steps when a judgment on the presence or absence of contact by the contact judging processing changes as the 3-D model moves, and the texture adhering processing is performed to adhere the textures having the transparent processing applied thereto to the specified number of polygons either before or after the change.
17. A three-dimensional image processing method for creating an image of a trace having a width and formed on a ground surface or a water surface as a 3-D model having a width moves in contact with the ground surface or the water surface, comprising the steps of:
calculating positions at opposite widthwise sides where the trace is to be created at specified time intervals,
generating polygons for the trace by successively determining the calculated positions at the opposite widthwise sides as vertices,
storing the generated polygons,
storing textures to be adhered to the polygons, and
adhering the stored textures to the polygons.
18. A video game system comprising:
a three-dimensional image processing apparatus for creating an image of a trace having a width and formed on a ground surface or a water surface as a 3-D model having a width moves in contact with the ground surface or the water surface, the three-dimensional image processing apparatus including:
position calculating means for calculating positions at opposite widthwise sides where the trace is to be created at specified time intervals,
polygon generating means for generating polygons for the trace by successively determining the calculated positions at the opposite widthwise sides as vertices,
polygon storage means for storing the generated polygons,
texture storage means for storing textures to be adhered to the polygons, and
texture adhering means for adhering the textures stored in the texture storage means to the polygons,
image display means for displaying images,
program storage means for storing a game program data, and
externally operable operation means,
wherein the three-dimensional image processing apparatus displays images on the image display means in accordance with the game program data.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A cleaning method of cleaning a thermal head having a heating element array in which plural heating elements are arranged linearly, and said heating element array heating a thermal recording material in feeding and printing an image on a recording area, said cleaning method comprising the steps of;
contacting said heating element array with an outside of said recording area;
causing said heating element array to generate heat at cleaning temperature that is insufficient for said thermal recording material to develop color; and
feeding said thermal recording material by a predetermined distance through between said heating element array and a platen, wherein said heating element array is cleaned by use of said thermal recording material.
2. A cleaning method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said thermal recording material includes plural thermosensitive coloring layers developing different colors, and said thermosensitive coloring layers are colored for printing in a frame sequential fashion.
3. A cleaning method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said plural thermosensitive coloring layers are respectively at least yellow, magenta and cyan thermosensitive coloring layers which are stacked sequentially on a printing surface of said thermal recording material;
said yellow thermosensitive coloring layer having the highest heat sensitivity develops yellow color by application of heat, and has a fixing property responsive to electro-magnetic radiations having a first wave-length range;
said magenta thermosensitive coloring layer of which heat sensitivity is middle develops magenta color by application of heat, and has a fixing property responsive to electro-magnetic radiations having a second wave-length range; and
said cyan thermosensitive coloring layer having the lowest heat sensitivity develops cyan color by application of heat.
4. A cleaning method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said cleaning temperature is determined so that said cyan thermosensitive coloring layer will not develop said cyan color.
5. A cleaning method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said thermal recording material further includes a protective layer overlaid on said yellow thermosensitive coloring layer, said cleaning temperature is substantially lower than intermediate temperature at a median level between temperature for softening said protective layer and temperature for developing said cyan thermosensitive coloring layer to the highest density.
6. A cleaning method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said steps for cleaning are executed after recording of said cyan thermosensitive coloring layer.
7. A cleaning method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said thermal recording material is wound to a paper roll, said image is printed on said recording area after said thermal recording material has been drawn from said paper roll, and said recording area in which said image has been recorded is cut away.
8. A cleaning method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said steps for cleaning are executed by using a cleaning portion of said thermal recording material between said recording area in which said image has been recorded and a next recording area in which said image is not recorded.
9. A cleaning method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said cleaning portion used for said cleaning is cut away and then discarded.
10. A cleaning method as claimed in claim 7, wherein when a power source is turned off, power-off operation is performed for rewinding said thermal recording material to said paper roll, and when the power source is turned on, power-on operation is performed for drawing said thermal recording material from said paper roll.
11. A cleaning method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said steps for cleaning are executed after said power-on operation, if said power-off operation has not been normally completed.
12. A cleaning method as claimed in claim 10, wherein if said power-off operation has been normally completed, said image is started to be printed on said recording area after preheating of said heating element array, and if said power-off operation has not been normally completed, said image is started to be printed on said recording area without preheating said heating element array.
13. A cleaning method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said steps for cleaning are executed after said heating element array and said platen have been contacted with each other according to initializing operation for restoring an initial state of said thermal head, or after resetting of error, or after exchanging of said thermal recording material.
14. A cleaning method as claimed in claim 10, wherein in case of a normal printing operation, said image is started to be printed on said recording area after preheating of said thermal heating array; and
after said heating element array and said platen have been contacted with each other according to said initializing operation for restoring the initial state of said thermal head, or after resetting of the error, or after exchanging of said thermal recording material, said image is started to be printed on said recording area without preheating of said thermal heating array.
15. A thermal printer having a thermal head, said thermal head having a heating element array in which plural heating elements are arranged linearly, said heating element array heating a thermal recording material which is held by a platen and printing an image on a recording area, said thermal recording material being rewound to a paper roll in accordance with a power-off operation, and drawn from said paper roll in accordance with a power-on operation, said thermal printer comprising:
checking means for checking whether said power-off operation has been normally completed; and
a termination state memory for storing a termination state of said power-off operation transmitted from said checking means;
a controller for performing cleaning of said thermal head when said power-off operation has not been normally completed in reference to said termination state memory during said power-on operation, and when printing on said recording area has been completed, said cleaning including steps of:
(A) pressing said heating element array against an outside of said recording area;
(B) causing said heating element array to generate heat at cleaning temperature that is insufficient for said thermal recording material to develop color; and
(C) feeding said thermal recording material by a predetermined distance through between said heating element array and said platen, said heating element array being cleaned by use of said thermal recording material.
16. A thermal printer as claimed in claim 15, wherein said thermal recording material includes at least yellow, magenta, and cyan thermosensitive coloring layers which are stacked sequentially on a printing surface of said thermal recording material;
said yellow thermosensitive coloring layer having the highest heat sensitivity develops yellow color by application of heat, and has a fixing property responsive to electro-magnetic radiations having a first wave-length range;
said magenta thermosensitive coloring layer of which heat sensitivity is middle develops magenta color by application of heat, and has a fixing property responsive to electro-magnetic radiations having a second wave-length range; and
said cyan thermosensitive coloring layer having the lowest heat sensitivity develops cyan color by application of heat.
17. A thermal printer as claimed in claim 16, wherein said thermal recording material further includes a protective layer overlaid on said yellow thermosensitive coloring layer, said cleaning temperature is substantially lower than intermediate temperature at a median level between temperature for softening said protective layer and temperature for developing said cyan thermosensitive coloring layer to the highest density.
18. A thermal printer having a thermal head, said thermal head having a heating element array in which plural heating elements are arranged linearly, said heating element array heating a thermal recording material which is held by a platen and printing an image on a recording area, said thermal recording material being rewound to a paper roll in accordance with a power-off operation, and drawn from said paper roll in accordance with a power-on operation, said thermal printer comprising:
a controller for performing cleaning of said thermal head after printing on said recording area has been completed, said cleaning including steps of;
(A) pressing said heating element array against an outside of said recording area;
(B) causing said heating element array to generate heat at cleaning temperature that is insufficient for said thermal recording material to develop color; and
(C) feeding said thermal recording material by a predetermined distance through between said heating element array and said platen, said heating element array being cleaned by use of said thermal recording material;
checking means for checking whether said power-off operation has been normally completed; and
a termination state memory for storing a termination state of said power-off operation transmitted from said checking means;
wherein said controller further judges whether preheating of said thermal head should be executed by referring to said termination state memory, and executes said preheating prior to printing on said recording area if said power-off operation has been normally completed, and suppresses said preheating if said power-off operation has not been normally completed.
19. A thermal printer as claimed in claim 18, wherein said thermal recording material includes at least yellow, magenta, and cyan thermosensitive coloring layers which are stacked sequentially on a printing surface of said thermal recording material;
said yellow thermosensitive coloring layer having the highest heat sensitivity develops yellow color by application of heat, and has a fixing property responsive to electro-magnetic radiations having a first wave-length range;
said magenta thermosensitive coloring layer of which heat sensitivity is middle develops magenta color by application of heat, and has a fixing property responsive to electromagnetic radiations having a second wave-length ranges; and
said cyan thermosensitive coloring layer having the lowest heat sensitivity develops cyan color by application of heat.
20. A thermal printer as claimed in claim 19, wherein said thermal recording material further includes a protective layer overlaid on said yellow thermosensitive coloring layer, said cleaning temperature is substantially lower than intermediate temperature at a median level between temperature for softening said protective layer and temperature for developing said cyan thermosensitive coloring layer to the highest density.