Image rendering method and apparatus

A non-transitory, computer readable storage medium containing a computer program comprising computer executable instructions, which when executed by a computer system, causes the computer system to perform an image rendering method for an entertainment device for rendering a pixel at a viewpoint by carrying out actions, comprising:

• for a first element of a virtual scene, having a predetermined surface at a position within that scene,
• obtaining a machine learning system previously trained to predict a factor that, when combined with a distribution function that characterises an interaction of light with the predetermined surface, generates a pixel value corresponding to the first element of the virtual scene as illuminated at the position;
• providing the position and a direction based on the viewpoint to the machine learning system;
• combining the predicted factor from the machine learning system with the distribution function to generate the pixel value corresponding to the illuminated first element of the virtual scene at the position;
• and
• incorporating the pixel value into a rendered image for display;
• wherein the obtaining step comprise:
• identifying a current or anticipated state of an application determining the virtual scene to be rendered;
• requesting a download of a machine learning system corresponding to the current or anticipated state, from among a plurality of machine learning systems corresponding to a plurality of states of the application, accessible via a remote server;
• and
• download the requested machine learning system.

An entertainment device, comprising a graphics processing unit configured to render a pixel at a viewpoint within an image of a virtual scene comprising a first element having a predetermined surface at a position within that scene;

• a requesting processor configured to obtain a machine learning system previously trained to predict a factor that, when combined with a distribution function that characterises an interaction of light with the predetermined surface, generates a pixel value corresponding to the first element of the virtual scene as illuminated at the position;
• a machine learning processor configured to provide the position and a direction based on the viewpoint to the machine learning system;
• the graphic processing unit being configured to combine the predicted factor from the machine learning system with the distribution function to generate the pixel value corresponding to the illuminated first element of the virtual scene at the position;
• and
• the graphic processing unit being configured to incorporate the pixel value into a rendered image for display;
• and
• wherein the requesting processor is configured to:
• identify a current or anticipated state of an application determining the virtual scene to be rendered;
• request a download of a machine learning system corresponding to the current or anticipated state, from among a plurality of machine learning systems corresponding to a plurality of states of the application, accessible via a remote server;
• and
• download the requested machine learning system.