System and method for rendering computer graphics utilizing a shadow illuminator
First Claim
1. A method for determining a total illumination of a pixel within a rendered image, comprising:
- placing one or more primary light sources within a scene;
placing a shadow illuminator within the scene, the shadow illuminator being associated with one of the one or more primary light sources;
determining whether the pixel is in a shadow with respect to said primary light source; and
modifying the total illumination of the pixel by taking into account illumination contributed from the shadow illuminator only if the pixel is determined to be in a shadow with respect to said primary light source.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to rendering computer graphics using an augmented direct light model which approximates the effect of indirect light in shadows. More specifically, a shadow illuminator light source is provided for. The shadow illuminator light source is associated with an ordinary, or primary light source and is used to provide illumination in areas which are in shadows with respect to the primary light source. The shadow illuminator provides illumination only to areas which are considered to be in the shadows with respect to the light source the shadow illuminator is associated with. Thus, the shadow illuminator may be used to approximate the effects of indirect light.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method for determining a total illumination of a pixel within a rendered image, comprising:
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placing one or more primary light sources within a scene; placing a shadow illuminator within the scene, the shadow illuminator being associated with one of the one or more primary light sources; determining whether the pixel is in a shadow with respect to said primary light source; and modifying the total illumination of the pixel by taking into account illumination contributed from the shadow illuminator only if the pixel is determined to be in a shadow with respect to said primary light source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for determining a total illumination of a pixel within a rendered image, comprising:
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placing two or more primary light sources within a scene; placing a shadow illuminator within the scene, the shadow illuminator being associated with two or more associated light sources of the two or more primary light sources; determining whether the pixel is in a shadow with respect to at least one of the two or more associated light sources; and modifying the total illumination of the pixel by taking into account illumination contributed from the shadow illuminator only if the pixel is determined to be in a shadow with respect to at least one of the two or more associated light sources.
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11. A method for determining a total illumination of a pixel within a rendered image, comprising:
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placing two or more primary light sources within a scene; placing a shadow illuminator within the scene, the shadow illuminator being associated with two or more associated light sources of the two or more primary light sources; determining whether the pixel is in a shadow with respect to each of the two or more associated light sources; and modifying the total illumination of the pixel by taking into account illumination contributed from the shadow illuminator only if the pixel is determined to be in a shadow with respect to each of the two or more associated light sources.
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12. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions configured to cause a processor to determine a total illumination of a pixel within a rendered image by performing a method comprising:
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placing one or more primary light sources within a scene; placing a shadow illuminator within the scene, the shadow illuminator being associated with one of the one or more primary light sources; determining whether the pixel is in a shadow with respect to said primary light source; and modifying the total illumination of the pixel by taking into account illumination contributed from the shadow illuminator only if the pixel is determined to be in a shadow with respect to said primary light source. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions configured to cause a processor to determine a total illumination of a pixel within a rendered image by performing a method comprising:
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placing two or more primary light sources within a scene; placing a shadow illuminator within the scene, the shadow illuminator being associated with two or more associated light sources of the two or more primary light sources; determining whether the pixel is in a shadow with respect to at least one of the two or more associated light sources; and modifying the total illumination of the pixel by taking into account illumination contributed from the shadow illuminator only if the pixel is determined to be in a shadow with respect to at least one of the two or more associated light sources.
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22. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions configured to cause a processor to determine a total illumination of a pixel within a rendered image by performing a method comprising:
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placing two or more primary light sources within a scene; placing a shadow illuminator within the scene, the shadow illuminator being associated with two or more associated light sources of the two or more primary light sources; determining whether the pixel is in a shadow with respect to each of the two or more associated light sources; and modifying the total illumination of the pixel by taking into account illumination contributed from the shadow illuminator only if the pixel is determined to be in a shadow with respect to each of the two or more associated light sources.
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23. An apparatus, for determining a total illumination of a pixel within a rendered image, the apparatus comprising a processor and a memory, the memory comprising instructions configured to cause the processor to:
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place one or more primary light sources within a scene; place a shadow illuminator within the scene, the shadow illuminator being associated with one of the one or more primary light sources; determine whether the pixel is in a shadow with respect to said primary light source; and modify the total illumination of the pixel by taking into account illumination contributed from the shadow illuminator only if the pixel is determined to be in a shadow with respect to said primary light source. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An apparatus for determining a total illumination of a pixel within a rendered image, the apparatus comprising a processor and a memory, the memory comprising instructions configured to cause the processor to:
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place two or more primary light sources within a scene; place a shadow illuminator within the scene, the shadow illuminator being associated with two or more associated light sources of the two or more primary light sources; determine whether the pixel is in a shadow with respect to at least one of the two or more associated light sources; and modify the total illumination of the pixel by taking into account illumination contributed from the shadow illuminator only if the pixel is determined to be in a shadow with respect to at least one of the two or more associated light sources.
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37. An apparatus for determining a total illumination of a pixel within a rendered image, the apparatus comprising a processor and a memory, the memory comprising instructions configured to cause the processor to:
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place two or more primary light sources within a scene; place a shadow illuminator within the scene, the shadow illuminator being associated with two or more associated light sources of the two or more primary light sources; determine whether the pixel is in a shadow with respect to each of the two or more associated light sources; and modify the total illumination of the pixel by taking into account illumination contributed from the shadow illuminator only if the pixel is determined to be in a shadow with respect to each of the two or more associated light sources.
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38. A carrier wave signal comprising computer executable instructions configured to cause a processor to determine a total illumination of a pixel within a rendered image by performing a method comprising:
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placing two or more primary light sources within a scene; placing a shadow illuminator within the scene, the shadow illuminator being associated with two or more associated light sources of the two or more primary light sources; determining whether the pixel is in a shadow with respect to at least one of the two or more associated light sources; and modifying the total illumination of the pixel by taking into account illumination contributed from the shadow illuminator only if the pixel is determined to be in a shadow with respect to at least one of the two or more associated light sources.
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39. A computer generated image comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having color and brightness parameters said parameters being determined by determining a total illumination of a pixel within a rendered image, said total illumination being determined by executing a method comprising:
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placing one or more primary light sources within a scene; placing a shadow illuminator within the scene, the shadow illuminator being associated with one of the one or more primary light sources; determining whether the pixel is in a shadow with respect to said primary light source; and modifying the total illumination of the pixel by taking into account illumination contributed from the shadow illuminator only if the pixel is determined to be in a shadow with respect to said primary light source.
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40. A computer generated video stream comprising a plurality of computer generated images, each computer generated image comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having color and brightness parameters said parameters being determined by determining a total illumination of a pixel within a rendered image, said total illumination being determined by executing a method comprising:
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placing one or more primary light sources within a scene; placing a shadow illuminator within the scene, the shadow illuminator being associated with one of the one or more primary light sources; determining whether the pixel is in a shadow with respect to said primary light source; and modifying the total illumination of the pixel by taking into account illumination contributed from the shadow illuminator only if the pixel is determined to be in a shadow with respect to said primary light source.
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Specification