Mixed reality system with virtual content warping and method of generating virtual content using same

1. A computer implemented method for warping virtual content:

generating warped virtual content;

comparing respective Z locations of the warped virtual content and pre-existing virtual content having a same X, Y location to identify virtual content with a Z location closer to a viewing location in an output frame of reference; and

storing the warped virtual content in a memory location corresponding to the same X, Y location if a Z location of the warped virtual content is closer to the viewing location than a pre-existing Z location of the pre-existing virtual content in the output frame of reference,

wherein generating the warped virtual content, comparing the respective Z locations of the warped virtual content and the pre-existing virtual content, and storing the warped virtual content in the memory location all occur in a single pass.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising discarding the warped virtual content if the pre-existing Z location of the pre-existing virtual content is closer to the viewing location than the Z location of the warped virtual content in the output frame of reference.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the warped virtual content is a quadrilateral.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the warped virtual content is a triangle.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the warped virtual content is a pixel.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the warped virtual content is generated from source virtual content, the method further comprising generating the source virtual content using a source frame of reference different from the output frame of reference.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the source virtual content is transformed from the source frame of reference to the output frame of reference.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the respective Z locations of the warped virtual content and the pre-existing virtual content in the output frame of reference are different from corresponding Z locations of the warped virtual content and the pre-existing virtual content in the source frame of reference.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the source virtual content comprises image information and a source X, Y location in the source frame of reference.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the image information comprises a brightness.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the image information comprises a color.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the image information comprises a Z location in the source frame of reference.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the warped virtual content comprises an output X, Y location in the output frame of reference.

14. A system for warping virtual content, comprising:

a graphics processing unit (GPU) core to generate warped virtual content;

a raster operations processor (ROP) to rasterize the warped virtual content for display; and

a buffer memory to temporarily store the warped virtual content,

wherein the ROP compares respective Z locations of pre-existing virtual content and the warped virtual content and writes the warped virtual content in the buffer memory when a Z location of the warped virtual content is closer to a viewing location than a pre-existing Z location of the pre-existing virtual content, and

wherein the following occur in a single pass:

the GPU generates the warped virtual content,

the ROP compares the respective Z locations of the pre-existing virtual content and the warped virtual content, and

the ROP writes the warped virtual content in the buffer memory when the Z location of the warped virtual content is closer to the viewing location than the pre-existing Z location of the pre-existing virtual content.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the GPU generates the warped virtual content from source virtual content, and

wherein the source virtual content comprises a source X, Y value in a source frame of reference.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the warped virtual content comprises an output X, Y value in an output frame of reference.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the respective Z locations of the warped virtual content and the pre-existing virtual content in the output frame of reference are different from corresponding Z locations of the warped virtual content and the pre-existing virtual content in the source frame of reference.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the source virtual content comprises image information and a source X, Y location in the source frame of reference.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the image information comprises, a brightness, a color, or a Z location in the source frame of reference.

20. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium, the non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor causes the processor to execute a method for warping virtual content, the method comprising:

generating warped virtual content;

comparing respective Z locations of the warped virtual content and pre-existing virtual content to identify virtual content with a Z location closer to a viewing location in an output frame of reference; and

storing the warped virtual content in a memory location corresponding to an X, Y location if a Z location of the warped virtual content is closer to the viewing location than a pre-existing Z location of the pre-existing virtual content in the output frame of reference,

wherein generating the warped virtual content, comparing the respective Z locations of the warped virtual content and the pre-existing virtual content, and storing the warped virtual content in the memory location all occur in a single pass.