1. A tolerance ring, comprising:
a cylinder having a predetermined length; and
a plurality of contacting portions staggered over at least two rows around the cylinder, at least one row of contacting portions projecting a radial distance from the cylinder that is greater than the radial distance projection of another row of contacting portions.
2. The tolerance ring of claim 1, wherein the cylinder has a gap along the predetermined length of the cylinder, the gap having a first and a second edge.
3. A tolerance ring, comprising:
a cylinder having a predetermined length; and
a plurality of contacting portions staggered over at least two rows around the cylinder, wherein the contacting portions of one row are larger than the contacting portions of another.
4. The tolerance ring of claim 3, wherein each contacting portion projects a substantially constant radial distance from the cylinder.
5. The tolerance ring of claim 3, wherein the cylinder has a gap along the predetermined length of the cylinder, the gap having a first and a second edge.
6. A tolerance ring configured to reduce torque ripple for a pivot bearing, comprising:
a cylinder having a predetermined length along an axis of rotation; and
a first and a second row of contacting portions, each contacting portion in the first and second row having a length and width, arranged around a surface of the cylinder, with the length of each contacting portion aligned with the axis of rotation of the cylinder, the contacting portions of the second row circumferentially displaced with respect to the first row by a distance greater than zero but less than or equal to half the pitch between adjacent contacting portions in the first row.
7. The tolerance ring of claim 6, further comprising a third row of contacting portions, each contacting portion in the third row having a length and width, arranged around a surface of the cylinder with the length of each contacting portion aligned with the axis of rotation of the cylinder, the second row positioned between the first and third rows along the predetermined length, and the contacting portions of the third row circumferentially displaced with respect to the second row by a distance greater than zero but less than or equal to half the pitch between adjacent contacting portions in the second row.
8. The tolerance ring of claim 7, wherein the contacting portions in the second row project a radial distance from the cylinder greater than radial distance projections of contacting portions in the first and third rows.
9. A tolerance ring configured to minimize torque ripple for a pivot bearing, comprising:
a cylinder having a predetermined length along an axis of rotation;
a first row of contacting portions, each contacting portion having a length and width, arranged around a surface of the cylinder with the length of each contact portion aligned with the axis of rotation of the cylinder, at a first location along the predetermined length of the cylinder; and
a second row of contacting portions, each contacting portion having a length and width, arranged around the surface of the cylinder, with the length of each contact portion aligned with the axis of rotation of the cylinder at a second location along the predetermined length, below the first location, and displaced circumferentially with respect to the first row by a distance greater than zero but less than or equal to half the pitch between adjacent contacting portions in the first row.
10. The tolerance ring of claim 9, further comprising a third row of contacting portions, each contacting portion having a length and width, arranged around the surface of the cylinder, with the length of each contacting portion aligned with the axis of rotation of the cylinder, at a third location along the predetermined length, the second row positioned between the first and third rows along the predetermined length, and the contacting portions of the third row circumferentially displaced with respect to the second row by a distance greater than zero but less than or equal to half the pitch between adjacent contacting portions in the second row.
11. The tolerance ring of claim 10, wherein the contacting portions in the second row project a radial distance from the cylinder greater than the radial distance of contacting portions in the first and third rows.
12. The tolerance ring of claim 10, wherein the contacting portions of the second row are wider than the contacting portions in the first and third rows.
13. The tolerance ring of claim 10, wherein the contacting portions of the second row have a geometry different than the contacting portions in the first and third rows.
14. The tolerance ring of claim 9, wherein each contacting portion projects a fixed radial distance from the cylinder.
15. The tolerance ring of claim 9, wherein the cylinder has a gap along the predetermined length of the cylinder, the gap having a first and a second edge.
16. A tolerance ring, comprising:
a cylinder having a predetermined length; and
a first and a second row of contacting portions arranged around the surface of the cylinder, the contacting portions of the first row projecting a first radial distance from the cylinder and the contacting portions of the second row projecting a second radial distance from the cylinder, the second radial distance being greater than the first radial distance.
17. The tolerance ring of claim 16, wherein the contacting portions of the second row are circumferentially displaced with respect to the first row by a distance greater than zero but less than or equal to half the pitch between adjacent contacting portions in the first row.
18. The tolerance ring of claims 16 or 17, further comprising a third row of contacting portions arranged around the surface of the cylinder, the second row being positioned between the first and third rows along the predetermined length, the contacting portions of the third row projecting a third radial distance from the cylinder and circumferentially displaced with respect to the second row by a distance greater than zero but less than or equal to half the pitch between adjacent contacting portions in the second row.
19. The tolerance ring of claim 16, wherein the contacting portions of the second row are wider than the contacting portions in the first and third rows.
20. The tolerance ring of claim 16, wherein the cylinder has a gap along the predetermined length of the cylinder, the gap having a first and a second edge.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. In a computer system, a method of efficiently rendering a complex scene, said complex scene including a plurality of objects, the method comprising the steps of:
a) designating a first set of said plurality of objects as potential occluders;
b) providing a first memory section for storing a first plurality of Z-values corresponding to a first depth-level of said first set; and
c) providing a second memory section for storing a second plurality of Z-values corresponding to a second depth-level of said first set,
wherein a single pixel corresponds to one of said first plurality of Z-values and to one of said second plurality of Z-values.
2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
d) selecting one of said plurality of objects; and
e) determining whether said selected object is visible according to said second plurality of Z-values.
3. The method according to claim 2 wherein said step (e) further comprises the steps of:
determining a third plurality of Z-values of said selected object; and
comparing said third plurality of Z-values with said second plurality of Z-values.
4. The method according to claim 2 wherein said step (e) further comprises the steps of:
determining a bounding volume for said selected object;
determining a third plurality of Z-values corresponding to said bounding volume; and
comparing said third plurality of Z-values with said second plurality of Z-values.
5. The method according to claim 2 further comprising the step of:
provided that said selected object is determined to be substantially occluded, discontinuing rendering of said selected object such that efficiency of rendering said complex scene is increased.
6. The method according to claim 1 wherein said first set of said plurality of objects are selected according to visibility information determined in a previous frame.
7. In a computer system, a method of efficiently rendering a complex transparent scene, said complex transparent scene including a plurality of transparent objects, the method comprising the steps of:
a) designating a first set of said plurality of transparent objects as potential occluders and designating a second set of said plurality of transparent objects as potential occludees;
b) providing a first Z-map for storing a first plurality of Z-values corresponding to a first depth-level of said first set; and
c) providing a second Z-map for storing a second plurality of Z-values corresponding to a second depth-level of said first set, wherein a single pixel corresponds to one of said first plurality of Z-values and to one of said second plurality of Z-values.
8. The method according to claim 7 further comprising the steps of:
determining a third plurality of Z-values for a selected transparent object of said second set;
determining a visibility of said selected transparent object according to said second plurality of Z-values and said third plurality of Z-values; and
provided said selected transparent object is determined to be occluded, removing said selected transparent object from further processing such that rendering efficiency of said complex transparent scene is increased.
9. The method according to claim 7 further comprising the steps of:
determining a bounding volume for a selected transparent object of said second set; and
determining a visibility of a plurality of corners of said bounding volume;
provided said plurality of corners are determined to be occluded, performing a face visibility test for said selected transparent object.
10. The method according to claim 9 further comprising the step of:
provided that said selected transparent object is determined to be occluded, removing said selected transparent object from further processing such that efficiency of rendering said complex transparent scene is increased.
11. The method according to claim 7 wherein said first set of said plurality of transparent objects are selected based on visibility information determined in a previous frame.
12. The method according to claim 11 further comprising the steps of:
maintaining a list of visible objects in a current frame; and
designating potential occluders in a next frame according to said list of visible objects.
13. A computer system comprising a processor coupled to a bus and a memory coupled to said bus wherein said memory contains instructions for implementing a method of efficiently rendering a complex transparent scene, said complex transparent scene including a plurality of transparent objects, the method comprising the steps of:
a) designating a first set of said plurality of transparent objects as potential occluders;
b) providing a first memory section for storing a first plurality of Z-values corresponding to a first depth-level of said first set; and
c) providing a second memory section for storing a second plurality of Z-values corresponding to a second depth-level of said first set,
wherein a single pixel corresponds to one of said first plurality of Z-values and to one of said second plurality of Z-values.
14. The computer system as described in claim 13 wherein said method further comprises the steps of:
determining a visibility of a selected one of said plurality of transparent objects according to said second plurality of Z-values; and
provided that said selected transparent object is invisible, removing said selected transparent object from further processing such that rendering efficiency of said complex transparent scene is increased.
15. The computer system as described in claim 13 wherein said method further comprises the steps of:
determining a bounding volume for a selected one of said plurality of transparent objects;
determining a visibility of a plurality of corners of said bounding volume; and
provided that said plurality of corners are determined to be invisible, performing a face visibility test on said selected transparent object.
16. The computer system as described in claim 15 wherein said method further comprises the step of:
removing said selected transparent object from further processing provided that said one of said transparent object fails said face visibility test.
17. The computer system as described in claim 15 wherein said method further comprises the step of:
maintaining a list of visible objects in a current frame; and
designating potential occluders in a next frame according to said list of visible objects.
18. A computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer to perform a method of efficiently rendering a complex transparent scene, said complex transparent scene including a plurality of transparent objects, said method comprising the steps of:
a) designating a first set of said transparent objects as potential occluders;
b) providing a first memory section for storing a first plurality of Z-values corresponding to a first depth-level of said first set; and
c) providing a second memory section for storing a second plurality of Z-values corresponding to a second depth-level of said first set,
wherein a single pixel corresponds to one of said first plurality of Z-values and to one of said second plurality of Z-values.
19. The computer-usable medium as recited in claim 18 wherein said method further comprises the steps of:
determining a visibility of a selected one of said plurality of transparent objects according to said second plurality of Z-values; and
provided that said selected transparent object is invisible, removing said transparent object from further processing such that rendering efficiency of said complex scene is increased.
20. The computer-usable medium as recited in claim 18 wherein said method further comprises the steps of:
determining a bounding volume for a selected one of said plurality of transparent objects;
determining a visibility of a plurality of corners of said bounding volume; and
provided that said plurality of corners are determined to be invisible, performing a face visibility test on said selected transparent object.
21. The computer system as described in claim 20 wherein said method further comprises the step of:
removing said selected transparent object from further processing provided that said selected transparent object fails said face visibility test.
22. The computer system as described in claim 18 wherein said method further comprises the step of:
maintaining a list of visible objects in a current frame; and
designating potential occluders in a next frame according to said list of visible objects.