1. A method of adding primitives in real time to a model to produce a non-photorealistic rendering (NPR) of the model, comprising:
storing attribute data for each one of the primitives;
providing a ring buffer, having at least one stage, for each vertex of the model which is to have a primitive, wherein
within each ring buffer, data is stored representative of a direction of each one of the primitives; and
retrieving information from the ring buffer by using a pointer, wherein the pointer is incremented and iterated over each stage of the ring buffer.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data stored in the ring buffer for each vertex includes information concerning the change in position of each vertex from frame to frame.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein a program selects vertices from the model to which to attach the primitives.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the attribute information includes at least one of: a width, a color, a starting vertex position, and a visibility flag for each primitive.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein each ring buffer for each vertex has a set length.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the attribute information is stored within the ring buffer for each vertex.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the model is a 3-dimensional model.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the primitives are at least one of polygons and motion line segments.
9. A real-time primitive drawing system, comprising:
a storage device for storing attribute data for at least one primitive to be added to a model;
a ring buffer, having at least one stage, for each vertex of the model to which to attach a primitive, wherein
within each ring buffer, data is stored representative of a direction of each one of the primitives; and wherein
a pointer is used to retrieve information from the ring buffer, wherein the pointer is incremented and iterated over each stage of the ring buffer.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the data stored in the ring buffer for each vertex includes information concerning the change in position of each vertex from frame to frame.
11. The system of claim 9, wherein a program selects vertices from the model to which to attach each primitive.
12. The system of claim 9, wherein the attribute information includes at least one of: a width, a color, a starting vertex position, and a visibility flag for each primitive.
13. The system of claim 9, wherein each ring buffer for each vertex has a set length.
14. The system of claim 9, wherein the attribute information is stored within the ring buffer for each vertex.
15. The system of claim 9, wherein the model is a 3-dimensional model.
16. The system of claim 9, wherein the primitives are at least one of polygons and motion line segments.
17. A computer-readable medium having encoded thereon a computer-readable program code which when executed causes a computer to:
store attribute data for at least one motion line to be added to a model;
read from and write to a ring buffer, having at least one stage, for each vertex of the model to which to attach a primitive,
wherein within each ring buffer, data is stored representative of a direction of each one of the primitives; and
use a pointer to retrieve information from the ring buffer, wherein the pointer is incremented and iterated over all segments of the ring buffer.
18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the data stored in the ring buffer for each vertex includes information concerning the change in position of each vertex from frame to frame.
19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the computer-readable program code when executed further causes the computer to select vertices from the model to which to attach the motion lines.
20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein each ring buffer for each vertex has a set length.
21. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the attribute information is stored within the ring buffer for each vertex.
22. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the model is a 3-dimensional model.
23. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the primitives are at least one of polygons and motion line segments.
24. An apparatus for adding primitives in real time to a model, comprising:
a storage device for storing attribute data for at least one primitive to be added to a model;
a ring buffer, having at least one stage, for each vertex of the model to which to attach a primitive, wherein
within each ring buffer, data is stored including a direction of each one of the primitives; and
a pointer for retrieving information from the ring buffer, wherein the pointer is incremented and iterated over each stage of the ring buffer, an apparatus on which the resultant primitives are rendered and displayed.
25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the data stored in the ring buffer for each vertex includes information concerning the change in position of each vertex from frame to frame.
26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein a program selects vertices from the model to which to attach the primitives.
27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein each ring buffer for each vertex has a set length.
28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the attribute information is stored within the ring buffer for each vertex.
29. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the model is a 3-dimensional model.
30. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the primitives are at least one of polygons and motion line segments.
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. An airborne delivery system, comprising:
an unmanned container;
an extendable mast connected to the unmanned container comprising a first end and a second end, wherein:
the extendable mast is configured to transition from an undeployed position to a deployed position;
the first end is pivotally connected to an exterior upper surface of the unmanned container;
the second end is held proximate to the exterior upper surface of the unmanned container when the extendable mast is in the undeployed position; and
the second end extends away from the exterior upper surface of the unmanned container when the extendable mast is in the deployed position;
an unpowered rotor connected to the second end of the extendable mast, wherein the unpowered rotor is:
held above to the upper exterior surface of the unmanned container when the extendable mast is in the undeployed position; and
adapted to control the rate of descent of the airborne delivery system when the extendable mast is in the deployed position without a forward thrust component generated by a propulsion system connected to the delivery system; and
a guidance system connected to the unpowered rotor, wherein the guidance system is configured to control a flight path of the delivery system to a predetermined target.
2. An airborne delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the unpowered rotor comprises a set of deployable rotor blades folded substantially parallel to each other along a longitudinal axis of the exterior upper surface of the unmanned container when the extendable mast is in the undeployed position.
3. An airborne delivery system according to claim 2, wherein the set of deployable rotor blades is deployable during flight of the airborne delivery system.
4. An airborne delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the unmanned container is selectively detachable from the extendable mast.
5. An airborne delivery system according to claim 1, further comprising a fuselage, wherein the first end of the extendable mast is connected to the unmanned container via the fuselage.
6. An airborne delivery system according to claim 1, wherein:
the unpowered rotor comprises a control surface; and
the guidance system is connected to the control surface and controls the control surface.
7. An airborne delivery system according to claim 5, wherein the fuselage further comprises an aft section comprising a control surface.
8. An airborne delivery system for autonomously delivering an unmanned container to a predetermined delivery location, comprising:
a fuselage having an exterior bay conforming substantially to an outer dimension of the unmanned container for detachably receiving the unmanned container into the fuselage;
an extendable mast comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is pivotally connected to an exterior upper surface of the fuselage;
an unpowered rotor system having deployable blades mounted on the second end of the extendable mast, wherein the deployable blades:
are in a folded position above the exterior upper surface of the fuselage prior to deployment;
include a set of control surfaces adapted to directionally guide the unmanned airborne delivery system during flight; and
are adapted to control the rate of descent of the airborne delivery system without a forward thrust component generated by a propulsion system connected to the airborne delivery system;
a deployment system engaging the fuselage, extendable mast, and unpowered rotor system, wherein the deployment system:
extends the second end of the extendable mast away from the exterior upper surface of the fuselage to a deployed position; and
repositions the deployable blades into a flight position; and
a guidance system connected to the unpowered rotor system and configured to control the set of control surfaces to control a flight path of the delivery system to the predetermined target delivery location.
9. An airborne delivery system according to claim 8, wherein the deployable blades are deployable during flight of the airborne delivery system.
10. An airborne delivery system according to claim 8, wherein the fuselage further comprises an aft section comprising a control surface.