Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Nvidia 'infinite resolution' patent proposes vector data structures

  1. #1
    HEXUS.admin
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    31,709
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    2,073 times in 719 posts

    Nvidia 'infinite resolution' patent proposes vector data structures

    Replacing bitmap textures could mean that games age much more gracefully.
    Read more.

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    2,385
    Thanks
    181
    Thanked
    304 times in 221 posts

    Re: Nvidia 'infinite resolution' patent proposes vector data structures

    Isn't this how proper printing processes work? Rather than a semi fixed rasterised image, they use vector based images so it can scale up and scale down without definitively changing how the image actually is?

  3. #3
    Banhammer in peace PeterB kalniel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    31,023
    Thanks
    1,870
    Thanked
    3,381 times in 2,718 posts
    • kalniel's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Ultra
      • CPU:
      • Intel i9 9900k
      • Memory:
      • 32GB DDR4 3200 CL16
      • Storage:
      • 1TB Samsung 970Evo+ NVMe
      • Graphics card(s):
      • nVidia GTX 1060 6GB
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic 600W
      • Case:
      • Cooler Master HAF 912
      • Operating System:
      • Win 10 Pro x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell S2721DGF
      • Internet:
      • rubbish

    Re: Nvidia 'infinite resolution' patent proposes vector data structures

    Quote Originally Posted by Tabbykatze View Post
    Isn't this how proper printing processes work? Rather than a semi fixed rasterised image, they use vector based images so it can scale up and scale down without definitively changing how the image actually is?
    SVGs have been around for a long time. The problem is you have to put the data into some kind of mathematical model in the first place - simple when you are creating the data yourself, but extremely hard if you are going from a bitmap image as your source. There has previously been some work on scaling techniques (see emulators etc.) that try to approximate the bitmap with vectors, though they've not been all that good. Without looking into this in more detail, I'd guess nVidia's is essentially the same thing, but they're patenting their particular method. Pretty sure Google, Intel, MS et al also have their own methods.

  4. #4
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Posts
    281
    Thanks
    5
    Thanked
    17 times in 13 posts

    Re: Nvidia 'infinite resolution' patent proposes vector data structures

    Kinda cool.

    But stuff like this makes me really unsure of how patents work... hasn't this kind of thing been around for ages? It's just a mathematical process, one already established in the industry, so what about it, precisely, have they patented? Can other companies (read:AMD) do the same thing but with a slightly different system as not to infringe on the patent?

    IMO, whilst the patent system does incentivize and reward creators for their efforts, it REALLY holds technological progression back, forcing devs to spend their time creating workarounds rather than building upon, improving or developing new systems.

  5. #5
    Senior Member watercooled's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Posts
    11,478
    Thanks
    1,541
    Thanked
    1,029 times in 872 posts

    Re: Nvidia 'infinite resolution' patent proposes vector data structures

    The software patent system seems pretty silly anyway tbh. Like with video encoding, you have competing standards having to avoid doing things in certain (perhaps faster/better) ways so as to avoid patent infringement vs any one entity being able to cherry pick all the best bits.

  6. #6
    Banhammer in peace PeterB kalniel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    31,023
    Thanks
    1,870
    Thanked
    3,381 times in 2,718 posts
    • kalniel's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Ultra
      • CPU:
      • Intel i9 9900k
      • Memory:
      • 32GB DDR4 3200 CL16
      • Storage:
      • 1TB Samsung 970Evo+ NVMe
      • Graphics card(s):
      • nVidia GTX 1060 6GB
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic 600W
      • Case:
      • Cooler Master HAF 912
      • Operating System:
      • Win 10 Pro x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell S2721DGF
      • Internet:
      • rubbish

    Re: Nvidia 'infinite resolution' patent proposes vector data structures

    Quote Originally Posted by Luke7 View Post
    Kinda cool.

    But stuff like this makes me really unsure of how patents work... hasn't this kind of thing been around for ages? It's just a mathematical process, one already established in the industry, so what about it, precisely, have they patented? Can other companies (read:AMD) do the same thing but with a slightly different system as not to infringe on the patent?
    Whilst the idea of approximating bitmaps with a vector is nothing new, it's still just that - an approximation - there's no estabished mathematical process that's 100% accurate. Plenty of scope for a patent if you develop a new approximation that's not been seen before and/or apply it in a new way.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •