Real-Time Rendering of Light-Scattering Media
First Claim
1. A method for rendering inhomogeneous scattering medium, the method comprising:
- (a) receiving a RBF model density field which is expressed by a weighted sum of a set of radial basis functions (RBFs) each having a RBF center, the RBF model density field representing at least approximately a density field of an inhomogeneous scattering medium defined in a volume space;
(b) computing a value of source radiance at each RBF center;
(c) approximating values of the source radiance at other points in the volume space by interpolating from the values of the source radiance at the RBF centers;
(d) computing an effective exitant radiance at point x in the volume space at least partially based on the source radiance; and
(e) rendering an image of the inhomogeneous scattering medium based on the effective exitant radiance.
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Abstract
A real-time algorithm for rendering of an inhomogeneous scattering media such as smoke under dynamic low-frequency environment lighting is described. An input media animation is represented as a sequence of density fields, each of which is decompressed into a weighted sum of a set of radial basis functions (RBFs) and an optional residual field. Source radiances from single and optionally multiple scattering are directly computed at only the RBF centers and then approximated at other points in the volume using an RBF-based interpolation. Using the computed source radiances, a ray marching technique using slice-based integration of radiance along each viewing ray is performed to render the final image. During the ray marching process, the residual field may be compensated back into the radiance integral to generate images of higher detail.
65 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for rendering inhomogeneous scattering medium, the method comprising:
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(a) receiving a RBF model density field which is expressed by a weighted sum of a set of radial basis functions (RBFs) each having a RBF center, the RBF model density field representing at least approximately a density field of an inhomogeneous scattering medium defined in a volume space; (b) computing a value of source radiance at each RBF center; (c) approximating values of the source radiance at other points in the volume space by interpolating from the values of the source radiance at the RBF centers; (d) computing an effective exitant radiance at point x in the volume space at least partially based on the source radiance; and (e) rendering an image of the inhomogeneous scattering medium based on the effective exitant radiance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for rendering an inhomogeneous scattering medium, the method comprising:
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providing a RBF model density field which is expressed by a weighted sum of a set of radial basis functions (RBFs) each having a RBF center; providing a residual density field, which compensates a difference between an overall density field of the inhomogeneous scattering medium and the RBF model density field; computing a model source radiance in the volume space for the RBF model density field; computing an effective exitant radiance of the overall density field at point x in the volume space based on the model source radiance by taking into account a contribution of the residual density field; and rendering an image of the inhomogeneous scattering medium based on the effective exitant radiance. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. One or more computer readable medium having stored thereupon a plurality of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the processor(s) to:
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(a) compute a value of source radiance of a density field of an inhomogeneous scattering medium at each of a plurality of radial basis function (RBF) centers, wherein the density field is at least approximately represented by a weighted sum of a set of radial basis functions (RBFs) each having one of the plurality of RBF centers; (b) approximate values of the source radiance at other points in the volume space by interpolating from the values of the source radiance at the RBF centers; (c) compute an effective exitant radiance at point x in the volume space at least partially based on the source radiance; and (d) render an image of the inhomogenous scattering medium based on the effective exitant radiance. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification