Applying details in a simulation

• US 8,725,476 B1
• Filed: 05/04/2010
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lucasfilm Limited (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Lucasfilm Limited (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Losasso Petterson, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Shambhavi
• Application Number:
  US12/773,189
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• Field of Search: 703/9
• US Class Current: 703/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/10 Numerical modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/23 using finite element methods [FEM] or finite difference methods [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/00 Animation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/24 Fluid dynamics

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for applying details in a simulation includes obtaining first data corresponding to a first simulation of matter in a space domain. The method includes performing, using the first data, a second simulation of the matter producing second data representing details for the first simulation, the second data distributed in the space domain using a grid where each cell has a common depth-to-size ratio from a camera perspective. The method includes rendering an image of the matter, wherein the second data is obtained from the grid and used in the rendering.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for applying details in a simulation, the method comprising:

receiving a three-dimensional (3D) model associated with a 3D space domain, the 3D model comprising a grid of 3D cells that subdivide the 3D space domain, wherein the 3D space domain is shaped as a frustum having flat parallel planes orthogonal to a camera perspective and has a common depth-to-size ratio from the camera perspective;

obtaining first data corresponding to a first simulation of fluid matter in the 3D space domain, wherein the first simulation was performed using the 3D model;

selecting a subset of 3D cells of the grid in which to perform a second simulation of the fluid matter;

subdividing each 3D cell of the selected subset of 3D cells;

performing, using the first data, a second simulation of the fluid matter in the subdivided 3D cells and producing second data comprising higher resolution information than the first simulation, and the second data is distributed in the subdivided 3D cells; and

rendering an image of the fluid matter, wherein the second data is obtained from the subdivided 3D cells and is used in the rendering.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the depth-to-size ratio is determined by a depth of each 3D cell and a height or width of each 3D cell.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the first data includes a vector field for the fluid matter in the 3D space domain and at least one scalar field for the fluid matter in the 3D space domain; and

the higher resolution information includes at least one detail scalar field.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein:

the vector field represents velocities of the fluid matter in the 3D space domain; and

the scalar field and the detail scalar field represent at least one physical characteristic of the fluid matter.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein:

first and second scalar fields in the first data represent a temperature and a density, respectively, of the fluid matter in the first simulation; and

first and second detail scalar fields in the second data represent a temperature and a density, respectively, of the fluid matter in the second simulation.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the first simulation corresponds to a first fluid movement that is globally coupled in the space domain; and

the second simulation corresponds to a second fluid movement that is not globally coupled in the space domain.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the 3D cells are shaped so that:

heights of all the 3D cells are equal with regard to a camera viewing the 3D space domain from the camera perspective; and

widths of all the 3D cells are equal with regard to the camera.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the second simulation is performed at a higher resolution than the first simulation; and

the second simulation is performed only in the subdivided 3D cells.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein:

in the first simulation, each 3D cell of the grid is configured to assume any of at least an on state and an off state;

only 3D cells being in the on state are selected to be subdivided to produce subdivided 3D cells in which to perform the second simulation.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second simulation applies random noise to the first data.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein selecting a subset of 3D cells of the grid in which to perform a second simulation of the fluid matter consists of selecting cells that contain the fluid matter.

10. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and comprising instructions that when executed by a processor perform a method for applying details in a simulation, the method comprising:

receiving a three-dimensional (3D) model associated with a 3D space domain, the 3D model comprising a grid of 3D cells that subdivide the 3D space domain, wherein the 3D space domain is shaped as a frustum having flat parallel planes orthogonal to a camera perspective, and has a common depth-to-size ratio from the camera perspective;

obtaining first data corresponding to a first simulation of fluid matter in the 3D space domain, wherein the first simulation was performed using the 3D model;

selecting a subset of 3D cells of the grid in which to perform a second simulation of the fluid matter;

subdividing each 3D cell of the selected subset of 3D cells;

performing, using the first data, a second simulation of the fluid matter in the subdivided 3D cells and producing second data comprising higher resolution information than the first simulation, and the second data is distributed in the subdivided 3D cells; and

rendering an image of the fluid matter, wherein the second data is obtained from the subdivided 3D cells and is used in the rendering.

11. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions that when executed by the one or more processors generate at least one simulator configured to;

perform a first simulation of fluid matter in a space domain, the first simulation producing first data, wherein the first simulation is performed using a three-dimensional (3D) model associated with a 3D space domain, the 3D model comprising a grid of 3D cells that subdivide the 3D space domain, wherein the 3D space domain is shaped as a frustum having flat parallel planes orthogonal to a camera perspective and has a common depth-to-size ratio from the camera perspective;

select a subset of 3D cells of the grid in which to perform a second simulation of the fluid matter;

subdivide each 3D cell of the selected subset of 3D cells;

perform the second simulation of the fluid matter in the subdivided 3D cells using the first data, the second simulation producing second data comprising higher resolution information than the first simulation, and the second data is distributed in the subdivided 3D cells; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions that when executed by the one or more processors generate a renderer configured to render an image of the fluid matter, wherein the renderer obtains the second data from the subdivided 3D cells for use in the rendering.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the depth-to-size ratio is determined by a depth of each 3D cell and a height or width of each 3D cell.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the first data includes a vector field for the fluid matter in the 3D space domain and at least one scalar field for the fluid matter in the 3D space domain; and

the second data includes at least one detail scalar field representing the higher resolution information.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the vector field represents velocities of the fluid matter in the 3D space domain; and

the scalar field and the detail scalar field represent at least one physical characteristic of the fluid matter.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

first and second scalar fields in the first data represent a temperature and a density, respectively, of the fluid matter in the first simulation; and

first and second detail scalar fields in the second data represent a temperature and a density, respectively, of the fluid matter in the second simulation.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the 3D cells are shaped so that:

heights of all the 3D cells are equal with regard to a camera viewing the 3D space domain from the camera perspective; and

widths of all the 3D cells are equal with regard to the camera.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein

the second simulation is performed at a higher resolution than the first simulation;

and

the second simulation is performed only in the subdivided 3D cells.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein:

in the first simulation, each 3D cell of the grid is configured to assume any of at least an on state and an off state;

only 3D cells of the grid being in the on state are selected to be subdivided to produce subdivided 3D cells in which to perform the second simulation.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the second simulation applies random noise to the first data.

22. The system of claim 11, wherein the subset of 3D cells of the grid selected in which to perform a second simulation of the fluid matter consists of cells that contain the fluid matter.