Light transport classification based ray tracing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9619924-B2
Application number	US-201514641231-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2015
Priority date	Mar 6, 2015
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

There is provided an illumination rendering system and method for use by such a system. The system includes a system processor, a system memory, and an illumination rendering engine including a ray tracing unit stored in the system memory. The system processor is configured to execute the ray tracing unit to recognize a present classification of a light path traveling between a ray source and a ray receiver, and to identify a scattering type of a next scattering event corresponding to a ray on the light path. The system processor is also configured to execute the ray tracing unit to determine a next classification of the light path based on the present classification of the light path and the scattering type.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An illumination rendering system comprising:
a system processor;
a system memory; and
an illumination rendering engine including a ray tracing unit stored in the system memory;
wherein the system processor is configured to execute the ray tracing unit to:
recognize a present classification of a light path traveling between a ray source and a ray receiver;
identify a scattering type of a next scattering event corresponding to a ray on the light path; and
determine a next classification of the light path based only on the present classification of the light path and the scattering type;

wherein the system processor utilizes the next classification of the light path to render an illumination of a scene on a display, the scene including at least a portion of the light path.

2. The illumination rendering system of claim 1 , wherein the next scattering event is a final scattering event on the light path, the next classification being a final classification of the light path.

3. The illumination rendering system of claim 1 , wherein the system processor is configured to execute the ray tracing unit to identify the scattering type of the next scattering event stochastically.

4. The illumination rendering system of claim 3 , wherein the system processor is configured to execute the ray tracing unit to utilize a Markov chain to determine the scattering type of the next scattering event.

5. The illumination rendering system of claim 1 , wherein the next scattering event is one of a surface interaction and a volumetric interaction.

6. The illumination rendering system of claim 1 , wherein the scattering type of the next scattering event is one of diffuse, specular, and volumetric.

7. The illumination rendering system of claim 1 , wherein the ray source comprises a camera and the ray receiver comprises a light source.

8. The illumination rendering system of claim 1 , wherein the ray source comprises a light source and the ray receiver comprises a camera.

9. The illumination rendering system of claim 1 , wherein the system processor is configured to execute the ray tracing unit to:
identify another light path, the another light path traveling from the ray receiver to the ray source;
join the another light path to the light path to form a joined light path; and
determine a final classification of the joined light path based on a classification of each of the light path and the another light path.

10. A method for use by a system including a system processor and an illumination rendering engine including a ray tracing unit stored in a system memory, the method comprising:
recognizing, by the ray tracing unit, a present classification of a light path traveling between a ray source and a ray receiver;
identifying, by the ray tracing unit, a scattering type of a next scattering event corresponding to a ray on the light path;
determining, by the ray tracing unit, a next classification of the light path based only on the present classification of the light path and the scattering type; and
utilizing the next classification of the light path to render an illumination of a scene on a display, the scene including at least a portion of the light path.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the next scattering event is a final scattering event on the light path, the next classification being a final classification of the light path.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein identifying the scattering type of the next scattering event comprises identifying the scattering type of the next scattering event stochastically.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein identifying the scattering type of the next scattering event comprises utilizing a Markov chain to identify the scattering type of the next scattering event.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the next scattering event is one of a surface interaction and a volumetric interaction.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the scattering type of the next scattering event is one of diffuse, specular, and volumetric.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the ray source comprises a camera and the ray receiver comprises a light source.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the ray source comprises a light source and the ray receiver comprises a camera.

18. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
identifying another light path, the another light path traveling from the ray receiver to the ray source;
joining the another light path to the light path to form a joined light path; and
determining a final classification of the joined light path based on a classification of each of the light path and the another light path.

19. A method for use by a system including a system processor and an illumination rendering engine including a ray tracing unit stored in a system memory, the method comprising:
recognizing, by the ray tracing unit, a present classification of a light path traveling between a ray source and a ray receiver;
identifying, by the ray tracing unit, a scattering type of a next scattering event corresponding to a ray on the light path;
determining, by the ray tracing unit, a next classification of the light path based only on the present classification of the light path and the scattering type, regardless of any prior classification of the light path; and
utilizing the next classification of the light path to render an illumination of a scene on a display, the scene including at least a portion of the light path.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the determining determines the next classification of the light path further regardless of any prior scattering event experienced on the light path.

Assignees

• Disney Entpr Inc

Inventors

• Spencer Benjamin
• Burley Brent

Classifications

• G06T15/06 Primary

  Ray-tracing · CPC title

• G06T15/50

  Lighting effects · CPC title