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Method and system for efficient modeling of specular reflection

  • US 9,619,920 B2
  • Filed: 01/31/2013
  • Issued: 04/11/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2013
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. In a computerized architectural design environment in which a design program is loaded into memory and processed at a central processing unit, a computer-implemented method for rendering a specular effect within a three-dimensional model, the method comprising:

  • creating a map that comprises a representation of at least one light source within the three-dimensional model, wherein;

    the at least one light source represented in the map is represented by at least one specular intensity gradient that comprises an attenuating gradient that is determined at least in part by a particular reflective surface type, andthe map comprises two or more specular intensity gradients with different rates of attenuation;

    casting a viewpoint ray to an object surface point, wherein the viewpoint ray comprises a ray extending from a user perspective within the three-dimensional model;

    casting a reflection ray of the viewpoint ray;

    identifying an intersection point between the reflection ray and the map, wherein the intersection point comprises a particular specular intensity gradient value based upon at least one of the two or more specular intensity gradients that is determined at least in part by the particular reflective surface type;

    calculating a specular effect on the object surface point based on the intersection point between the reflection ray and the map, wherein the specular effect is calculated at least in part based upon the particular specular intensity gradient value; and

    displaying the map that comprises the representation of the at least one light source within the three-dimensional model.

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